So, Crackling... Please Chime In!

  • timtico,


    Thanks for taking the time to reply! I actually made the same transition you did; upgrade to Windows 7, Live 7 to 8. I also have tried 2 dedicated usb cards to no avail as well as yanking out all of my other usb devices.


    Now, when you say that you disabled your pci soundcard, does that mean that you are using the Virus as your primary soundcard now?


    Thanks again!

  • I sent a patch to Access support along with an Ableton project file to see if my issues were reproducible. I would like to note that the patch that I sent utilizes many of the Virus' features that drain resources, and I selected this patch specifically because the crackling was totally reproducible. HOWEVER, it is essential to note that I have issues with MANY of the TI's presets sometimes relating to polyphony and other times (seemingly) not.


    Jorg from Access music tested the Live set on a Mac and in Cubase and indeed confirmed crackling which he related to voice stealing. He also confirmed that there was no crackling when using the TI through traditional midi/audio outs with no Virus Control.


    SOS - i'll chime in late here, you've posted when i was on vacation. i think we need to distinguish here in between what jörg confirmed and what might have different causes. the patch you did sent it reveals a problem which will be fixed but this problem, i was told, only exists in a very specific constellation of parameters. i don't think we can assume that crackling is often caused by it.
    an easy way to analyze, if crackling happens due to transmission of audio data or the sound engine is to switch to the analog outs in virus control (and monitor through the analog outs of the virus). if the crackling persists, it comes from the sound engine. if it doesn't the problem lays somewhere else. the output configuration does not have an influence on the workload of the DSP.


    best, marc

  • Marc, thanks for chiming in. I have done exactly as you suggested weeks ago. Using VC I chose the analog outs from the common page instead of the USB outs and you know... the crackling for me still persists and big time too. I have ditched VC altogether now as I am tired of wasting time on a track that I can't mixdown cause it sounds like bacon is frying in the background.


    Please go back to post #13 and beyond in this very thread to see what I wrote a couple weeks back about this.

  • Marc, thanks for chiming in. I have done exactly as you suggested weeks ago. Using VC I chose the analog outs from the common page instead of the USB outs and you know... the crackling for me still persists and big time too. I have ditched VC altogether now as I am tired of wasting time on a track that I can't mixdown cause it sounds like bacon is frying in the background.


    Please go back to post #13 and beyond in this very thread to see what I wrote a couple weeks back about this.


    okay, let me investigate further next week.


    marc

  • Thanks a lot Marc, I do appreciate this. I am using the Virus now in strictly Analog outs mode through the inputs to my interface as an external Instrument in Cubase and the crackling, pops and clicks are no longer present, just thought I would let you know.

  • Hey Marc, thanks for the reply!


    One of the first things I did was test the analog outs (through VC). Same issue. In fact, you had recommended doing so in a thread I created a month or so ago about the same problem. My issue is bad enough that I can't even use most of the patches that you created.

  • Oh, and Marc, just so you know this conversation is also happening in the feature request forum under the post about a patch editor.


    Ace17 was able to reproduce the crackling on his setup with a Live project that I sent him. He then sent me a Live set with a patch he made that showed consistent results (in terms of crackling).


    One thing he noted is that the "live" button seems to have an effect. For instance, on the patch he sent me, enabling the live button would lead to a "pop" sound on every 5th note. On the other hand, the project I sent him would crackle far less with the live button depressed (but in turn, compromise timing).


    Thanks.

  • Hi Marc, nice to see you on this topic!


    I confirm all what SOS said :)


    Some precisions:
    - I have selected "analog output" for this test
    - I can hear the crackles through headphones plugged to the Virus.
    - The crackles always occur at the same time as note.


    Is the Virus note-stealing policy different when being controlled by Virus Control ?

  • Marc,


    I know you told me not to bump this, but seriously? It's been over 2 weeks since you first said you were going to look into this. What are you going to look into?


    How about this, take one of the complex pads that you've made (such as "chapel"), sequence some chords (preferably across 2 octaves using at least 4 notes at a time) and let the board know if you're experiencing crackling when using VC.


    I have confirmed this, other members have confirmed it, why can't Access come onto their own support forum and actually chime in? This is making the Virus unusable with VC for myself and at least several other users.

  • I've been having the same problem for the past 2 days. Today I accidently opened a blank audio track in my Logic 9 session and the problem has disappeared completely(for now)
    Besides the crackling I was also getting a noise that as I could expect as Rodan's screeching noise before attacking Godzilla. It would almost make my ears bleed when triggered.

  • Last ditch effort here.


    I have tried to work with support. I have tried to ask for help on the forum. I have been totally polite. I have a problem that is reproducible by other users. My support requests have been totally abandoned.


    Marc/Access, please confirm/disconfirm the crackling issue. The coolest companies are the ones that say "oh yeah, that's a bug, we're working on it." I have gotten nothing. Marc, you have spent time posting replies to users calling the Virus "junk," but will not take the time to give me a response after months of polite posting (this is not my first thread about crackling).


    It seems to me that many users give up on Virus Control for various reasons, but up until this point I have always found workarounds. I like Virus Control. It's an integral part of the TI line. Even your tutorials focus on it.


    Well, I can't use it due to crackling.


    If I don't hear back in the next week or so, my Virus is going on Craigslist/Ebay. I hate to do it, I have had it since Jan '06 and I LOVE the Virus sound, but it's not worth it to me if I can't use VC.

  • sos......


    I here you... i am knew to all this, but have put loads of time into getting my virus Ti to do what it says on the tin......But.... have noticed nothing here gets answered in black and white as in this is this and that is that,


    Just imho....... ?(

  • I have all but given up on VC as well due to the crackling issue. I have recently picked up Halion 4 and though a long ways away from the Virus, it is extremely capable and I am thoroughly enjoying using it. My Virus hasn't been turned on in weeks and the thought of getting a good chunk of coin for its sale is definitely tempting.

  • My virus control just stopped working completely. Whenevery I play midi notes, even on - START -, I just get a quiet, nasty, crackling buzz. I've had this thing for over a year and never had this problem. It seems to have started shortly after the last firmware update. I tried everything - re-installed drivers, re-installed Ableton. Same crap... just totally unusable. Thankfully the MIDI and audio outs still work as intended. Whatever man... Given all the firmware updates we've seen, it's pretty obvoius that this thing is riddled with issues. I mean, it's cool, but f***ck man, I sold my KC thinking I was getting an upgrade. I can't tell you how much I wish I didn't do that. Oh well...

  • Sounds like you've had a breakage there. Not an issue regarding whats happening here in this thread. Some times things just break regardless to it been expensive high quality or cheap tat. As for the crackless in this thread we could just except that some patches aren't going to work and are outside the scope of the Virus TI. Another point lets not forget that the Virus TI even without VC is better than the C.


    It would be nice for virus to admit that the TI isn't as powerful as they make out, especial in VC. They should also makes some lil * point things making a note so people can see what to expect. Max polyphony only on init only patches.

  • mitchiemasha,


    Thanks for taking the time to offer some thoughts. The thing that gets me though, is that I do not experience crackling when using the Virus in standalone. I am also not talking about using the Virus multitimbrally, but simple chords on a single channel. For me, I get crackling under these conditions on many of the factory presets (particularly pads). The patch "complexity" meter doesn't really serve as an indicator either as I can get crackles on 2 bar patches. I have confirmed this problem with several other users as well as Jorg from Access Music (using a very resource intensive patch that I sent him).


    What I can't understand is why more users aren't complaining about this? At first I thought the problem was setup specific but after communicating with Jorg and several other users I'm pretty sure it's across the board. For instance, take a patch like "Chapel," play some 4 note chords, and you should get crackling. Sometimes I only get crackling at the beginning of a loop, and then it largely settles, coming back seemingly randomly. The thing is, even if I can get a clean loop the second time around (not that I can with certainty), the beginning of the phrase is smeared by the release/reverb/delay tails from the end notes of the previous phrase. I have tried everything from giving my sequences several bars in the beginning so the Virus can "adjust," to leaving blank bars at the end of phrases so as to circumvent release/reverb/delay bleed. Nothing has worked.


    As a side note, the best way to really hear what's happening is to close the filter(s) and turn off the effects.


    Finally, I can't understand why Marc/Access are so mum about this on their own troubleshooting forum? To tell me to wait patiently (it's been months since my first post about this issue) while no one from Access will officially confirm/disconfirm/test this issue is pretty offensive. Why have a support forum at all?