Ableton Forum

Hi

i now have a cheap laptop i hope to improve that one day but for now i need to try and make due.

it's an Acer Aspire 5738ZG
Dual Core T4400 2.2 GHz
4 GB Memory
Win 7 32 bit

i also have an APC 40 and a cheap midi controller

I bought an M-Audio Fast Track Pro installed with win 7 64 bit and had distortion around the loop points of loops i tried to sort it out with the help of the guy in the shop he suggested i installed 32 bit. i did and tried again with M-Audio and the exact same noise.

i would love suggestions and experiences with other similar products W/O the extra distortion feature

around €200 is max i can spend atm

I need this to play live so portable is a must

Thanks

J

Interesting...I'm using the USB Fasttrack Pro. I've never experienced any distortion like what you're describing

what are you using it with?

i'm not sayin all fast track pros will have this. i'm just sayin i had some sort of conflict we couldn't resolve i know heaps of people use them with no trouble. if your running windows 7 on an Acer laptop with the fast track pro i would love to hear from you but if not it doesn't matter much, but i'm happy your happy with your purchase.

J

The white noise fault appears to be very, very common for FTP's.

I had one that did the exact same thing.

I also had FTP users say theirs didn't do it and that there was no problem with it or m-audio.

This is the 4th ive come accross on this website alone.

If you own an FTP and love it... great. just don't tell anyone as they may buy one on your behest a think you're a git when it fucks up.

Get yourself a focusrite saphire USB and never look back m8.

Great price, nice pre-amps, very similar in fact to the FTP but without the white noise feature.

best.
w.

With that laptop you could probaly spend $10,000 on an audio interface and I doubt it will make much difference.

Sounds like an HD access time issue rather than audio interface issue (unless the audio interface is also on very low latency).

Disable any hardware and drivers on that laptop hat you dont need - and especially gett rid of any standard Acer utility junk.

If that doesnt work - well look on the bright side - you have a good door wedge that will double and a fan heater.

This is Re: M Audio FTP crackling issue in Ableton.

I am running off an ASUS N82J, 4gb ram, 1.73ghz, 64-bit win 7 laptop and am experiencing this "crackling" sound after a brief period of time (around 10-15min.) running my keyboard through the FTP. At first, when I open a set, I can play as I please with no distortion and everything is running fine. Then, however, come 10-15min. later I am bombarded with this obnoxious crackling sound that only occurs whenever sound is coming out of Ableton. I have read up on this issue throughout the web and have not found any solid answers.

I have every other utility closed during the process so I know it is not a CPU load issue. However, something strange that I discovered when playing around with the Audio preferences in live's options menu is that when I switched the I/O rate from 44100 to 48000 (and vice versa) it would stop the crackling sound. However, give it another 10-15min. and the crackling sound returns. I can switch the rate back to its original setting and cease the noise, but I am looking for a permanent solution that is far less tedious.

Any help, please??? Thank you in advance.

This is Re: M Audio FTP crackling issue in Ableton.

I am running off an ASUS N82J, 4gb ram, 1.73ghz, 64-bit win 7 laptop and am experiencing this "crackling" sound after a brief period of time (around 10-15min.) running my keyboard through the FTP. At first, when I open a set, I can play as I please with no distortion and everything is running fine. Then, however, come 10-15min. later I am bombarded with this obnoxious crackling sound that only occurs whenever sound is coming out of Ableton. I have read up on this issue throughout the web and have not found any solid answers.

I have every other utility closed during the process so I know it is not a CPU load issue. However, something strange that I discovered when playing around with the Audio preferences in live's options menu is that when I switched the I/O rate from 44100 to 48000 (and vice versa) it would stop the crackling sound. However, give it another 10-15min. and the crackling sound returns. I can switch the rate back to its original setting and cease the noise, but I am looking for a permanent solution that is far less tedious.

Any help, please??? Thank you in advance.

Overheating.

Khazul wrote:Overheating.

Interesting... I haven't heard that yet. Any suggestions on how I would reduce the heating issue??

Check that there plenty of space and good airflow around the fan intakes and outlets and any other vents. Stick it on a solid surface if it isnt already. Perhpas get a laptop cooler stand, or position a small room fan nearby to stop warm air accumulating around the laptop and ensure a good flo of cooler air around it.

Perhpas there is a build up of dirt/dust etc on the fan/inlets heatsink fins etc (all internal so you maybe cant see it) - In which case you ned to get it serviced and cleaned, or do it yourself if you can. Maybe one of the fans has died, or some bios settings has been messed with etc. Dont know that laptop, so I dont know specifically if/how you can adjust its thermal management or even if doing so would help.

All modern computer suffer this eventually unless used in a lab type clean room only or carefully designed and maintained to avoid this problem. Easier with desktops as there as some build techniques to avoid it completely - not much you can generally do with laptops though.

BTW - if the gear you have plugged into it can be externally powered rather than relying upon laptop power - that can sometimes help as well.

Khazul wrote:Check that there plenty of space and good airflow around the fan intakes and outlets and any other vents. Stick it on a solid surface if it isnt already. Perhpas get a laptop cooler stand, or position a small room fan nearby to stop warm air accumulating around the laptop and ensure a good flo of cooler air around it.

Perhpas there is a build up of dirt/dust etc on the fan/inlets heatsink fins etc (all internal so you maybe cant see it) - In which case you ned to get it serviced and cleaned, or do it yourself if you can. Maybe one of the fans has died, or some bios settings has been messed with etc. Dont know that laptop, so I dont know specifically if/how you can adjust its thermal management or even if doing so would help.

All modern computer suffer this eventually unless used in a lab type clean room only or carefully designed and maintained to avoid this problem. Easier with desktops as there as some build techniques to avoid it completely - not much you can generally do with laptops though.

BTW - if the gear you have plugged into it can be externally powered rather than relying upon laptop power - that can sometimes help as well.

Thanks amigo, I'll try that out. Currently, I have the FTP on a flat surface and it is externally powered. I also have a Axiom 25 and MPD32 plugged into the laptop's USB ports, deriving power. I will try to power these MIDI controllers via a external power source to see if that'll contribute to the solution.

I'll let you know how it works out, thanks for the advice.

i just ordered a Motu audio express more that ftp but seems like solid gear with solid drivers.

let ya know how it goes

J

The Nerm wrote:

Khazul wrote:Check that there plenty of space and good airflow around the fan intakes and outlets and any other vents. Stick it on a solid surface if it isnt already. Perhpas get a laptop cooler stand, or position a small room fan nearby to stop warm air accumulating around the laptop and ensure a good flo of cooler air around it.

Perhpas there is a build up of dirt/dust etc on the fan/inlets heatsink fins etc (all internal so you maybe cant see it) - In which case you ned to get it serviced and cleaned, or do it yourself if you can. Maybe one of the fans has died, or some bios settings has been messed with etc. Dont know that laptop, so I dont know specifically if/how you can adjust its thermal management or even if doing so would help.

All modern computer suffer this eventually unless used in a lab type clean room only or carefully designed and maintained to avoid this problem. Easier with desktops as there as some build techniques to avoid it completely - not much you can generally do with laptops though.

BTW - if the gear you have plugged into it can be externally powered rather than relying upon laptop power - that can sometimes help as well.

Thanks amigo, I'll try that out. Currently, I have the FTP on a flat surface and it is externally powered. I also have a Axiom 25 and MPD32 plugged into the laptop's USB ports, deriving power. I will try to power these MIDI controllers via a external power source to see if that'll contribute to the solution.

I'll let you know how it works out, thanks for the advice.

Checked out the heat issue and it seems to be non-existent.. I have tried everything but the crackling still keeps coming back. Any ideas??

M-Audio sucks. Cheap plastic stuff. Great if you want a cheap keyboard controller or something. not if you want preamps to record your music through.

I'd recommend Focusrite, Roland/Edriol, primarily, since those are the ones I have experience with and they work great. Solid professional metal enclosures and better sounding preamps.

Your computer probably doesnt have firewire but the Focusrite Saffire 6 usb, I think its called, would be perfect for you and I think its about 200 dollars. I just realized that I named myself focusrite when I created this account lol and I assure you I am not affiliated with them, I just couldn't think of a username and it was right there in front of me. Avoid M-audio, lexicon, even the mboxs I don't really like, but they are probably okay.

focusrite wrote:M-Audio sucks. Cheap plastic stuff. Great if you want a cheap keyboard controller or something. not if you want preamps to record your music through.

I'd recommend Focusrite, Roland/Edriol, primarily, since those are the ones I have experience with and they work great. Solid professional metal enclosures and better sounding preamps.

Your computer probably doesnt have firewire but the Focusrite Saffire 6 usb, I think its called, would be perfect for you and I think its about 200 dollars. I just realized that I named myself focusrite when I created this account lol and I assure you I am not affiliated with them, I just couldn't think of a username and it was right there in front of me. Avoid M-audio, lexicon, even the mboxs I don't really like, but they are probably okay.

...undercover focusrite promoter, eh?? haha j/k, I appreciate the input, but are you trying to tell me nothing is going to solve that issue?? I can't seem to believe that to be the case, for isn't the FTP designed to input audio into your computer?? Am I lead to believe that the FTP was basically made "not to work"? I seem to get that vibe from everyone I talk to, but that can't make sense.. there must be a solution out there, at least temporary