Terrible difficulties with n-Track
Below is an e-mail I just sent Flavio. I’m posting it here in case someone else my have some ideas how to resolve the ridiculous issues I’m having with n-Track and Line6 device drivers. I HAVE contacted Flavio multiple times using the support page and have yet to receive any response regarding my issues. I’m to the point of possibly dumping n-Track. I’ve used it for years and don’t want to use another program but Line6 devices are a mainstay in my gear these days for a variety of reasons and I can’t seem to get them to play nicely, or hardly at all together.
Hi Flavio,
I’ve contacted you at least twice now about a month apart using the support page about the difficulties I’m having using the Line6 Pod X3 Live with n-Track. I’ve attempted to use it on 3 different PC’s and even exchange my Pod for another new one in case that was the culprit. Currently, I’m unable to record a usable signal in 24 bit at all. If I record, when I play it back it is completely clipped all the time. The waveforms look normal in the display until I open them up in Cool Edit Pro. There they are completely clipped as they sound. Loading them back into n-Track afterwards shows them clipped again. 16-bit files record correctly but there is still serious flakiness occurring. If I try and use a VST instrument, namely n-Track Drums or EZ Drummer, then I experience times where the drums are playing fine during a recording then suddenly stop making noise altogether. Last night n-Track Drums would only play audio through the right speaker with the X3 as the sound card. Also, when I select my audio inputs and deselect some then I end up getting white noise many times. The only way to fix it is reboot. Even then sometimes it doesn’t fix it. I finally uninstalled n-Track completely and reinstalled it. It worked for a few minutes but then I had to go to bed. I imagine tonight it will not work again when I’m trying to use it.
As a result, I’ve been completely unable to record using the Pod X3 Live and n-Track. I’m using the latest version and build of n-Track, the latest driver and firmware of the Pod X3. n-Track works fine with my Echo Layla 24, however the X3 Live works fine-even in 24 bit using Reaper. I’ve talked to Line6 and they can’t seem to reproduce the problem. I’ve tried 3 nice computers, 2 pods, a Line6 Gearbox DI and cannot under any circumstances record in 24 bit. Using 16 bit the Gearbox DI works pretty well but the X3 is unusable. I believe their driver is partly to blame because if I turn off the X3 while n-Track is running it my computer will reboot. Something about n-Track isn’t right either since other software I’ve tried does not suffer these problems with their driver.
As I said, I’ve contacted you multiple times and haven’t received any response. I’m tempted to e-mail you every day. I don’t want to be a dick, but I’ve spent hard earned money upgrading to each new version of n-Track and love the program otherwise. The latest version has some funky problems like this with Line6 drivers as well as the mixdown getting messed up because the volume envelopes are late. I’ve quit recommending n-Track completely and am seriously considering moving to other software myself. Please help me. If it’s the driver at least try and give me something concrete I can tell Line6 to look into.
Thanks,
Joel
Are you able to record using another programs?
Are you sure the problem is with Ntracks and not your sound card?
Just a thought, but what input are you using?
I think you should be coming into the computer’s sound card with the Line-in. What you discribe in the way of the sound produced is what happens if line level signal is brought into the sound card through the Mic-in plug - very over-loaded.
What’s pluged into what?
What sound card you are using and how are things connected together?
Read it again bax 
… the Line 6 POD X3 IS the soundcard. I don’t have the X3 but I do have the POD XT LIVE. It works great in ‘R’… not at all in ‘n’.
I feel your pain g69… I stopped sending support requests a while back… 
I had a great run with n-Track and I still hold out hope for V6 but V5 has been a total disaster for me.
D
The Pod X3 is the soundcard. I plug straight into my Pod and 8 inputs appear in n-Track with the Pod X3 ASIO driver. The same input volumes using 16 work fine. I’ve used Reaper’s demo and the 24 bit audio works fine as well. I’ve also used many sound cards outside of Line6 with n-Track with very little trouble.
I believe the problem is with both n-Track and the Line6 drivers. Unfortunately some people at Line6 are using n-Track without trouble and can’t reproduce my problem. I find that odd since I’ve installed it on 3 different pcs with totally different hardware and even used 2 different X3 Lives-all with the exact same results.
Hello guitars69,
I have an interest in you solving the 24 bit record problem
in N since I might want to record 24 bit in the near future.
First, I was not able to tell which OS you are using.
XP? Vista?
Second,
Quote:
Unfortunately some people at Line6 are using n-Track without trouble and can’t reproduce my problem.
I assume they were using the same OS and version of N as you.
How about the input level they (Line6) used. (For test purpose I would not go higher than -6db input level)
Doing a search in the N manual (of 24 bit), I get these results:
Quote:
The format of the input or output (16 or 24 bit) has no influence on the precision with which the program does its
internal signal processing calculations. The program always uses 32 bit (or 64 bits if the option is selected) floating
point signals for optimum sound quality and dynamic range.
2.9. Input/Output formats You can select which recording and playback format to use in the dialog boxes that appear
clicking on the settings button in the playback and recording vumeter windows. Playback and recording formats are set
independently, you can for example record in 24 bits and playback in 16 bits and vice-versa. Likewise the format can be
set independently for each input and output device, clicking on the Settings button of each device‟s vumeter.
Bits
24:
24 bit packed format
24 unpacked: 24 bit format in which the 24 bit of data are memorized as
the rightmost 24 bits of a 32 bit block
24 unpacked left justify: 24 bit format in which the 24 bit of data are memorized as
the leftmost 24 bits of a 32 bit block
The are two types of registration: The standard registration enables all the features locked in the shareware version,
excluding playback and recording from 24 bit soundcards. The 24 bit registration includes the standard registration and it
adds the support for 24 bit soundcards. Standard registered users can upgrade anytime to the 24 bit version for the exact
price difference between the two versions. The standard registration fee is 54 US$ or 54 Euro The 24 bit registration fee
is 79 US$ or 79 Euro
The part in the middle (after 2.9) caught my attention,
and I was wondering if you tried all of the different 24 bit (packed and unpacked) formats? (for recording)
I was thinking maybe the Line6 driver might not be compatible with one (or more) of the possible N formats.
If you use the WDM drivers you can select the 24 bit format, only the 3 bytes packed “records” and does not produce an error window immediately. Of course, the waveforms are clipped. I don’t mean a little. I mean the REALLY clipped. So much so the sound is completely unrecognizable. If I switch to ASIO, the 3-bytes packed is automatically chosen and greyed out. This was one of my first thoughts too unfortunately.
As for OS, I’ve used both XP Home and XP Professional.
I’m trying out Reaper tonight. May have to switch as it has some functionality I’ve wanted for a while.
Input level was typical guitar in and running about -3 to -6 when playing hard. I could play soft too which ran MUCH lower in volume and still clipped. Switching to 16 without changing ANY gain staging records without distortion. Really it ought to be the other way around… grrr.
Well - I see what you mean.
It turns out I have N 24-bit ver.
and my soundstorm audio does record 24 bit
in Reaper using Direct Sound driver.
If I import into CoolEdit Pro - it’s a 32bit file.
Properties in Reaper say it’s 24bit Int file
Anyway N does not handle 24 bit recording and responds with an
"error opening audio device" (with Direct Sound driver)
Hmmmm!
I’d really like to know what the story is.
Make sure you are using the Line 6 as both the input AND output device. That requirement is quite limiting since that won’t let you playback out the Layla (or any other soundcard) while recording, but that’s the only way I’ve been able to get my GuitarPort to work directly in n-Tracks. (once that’s done you can tackle the 16-24 bit problem if it still exists)
All is not lost. Just send the audio out of the Pod X3 to an input pair on the Layla. n-Tracks and the Line 6 software seems to run just fine at the same time.
Trust me I am. ASIO won’t let you choose other devices. The point of the Line6’s driver is to be able to record a dry track of both input 1 and 2, along with a stereo track of both, and a stereo track of each of the 2 inputs by themselves. ie 8 tracks in off 2 inputs. Using my layla I can only accomplish that with a couple of DI boxes which I’d rather not be forced to buy right now.
I used Reaper last night with great success. It has virtually all the n-track features I love and even includes many more like it’s own Autotune, the ability to process effects on another PC, and most importantly the ability to send any track to any number of others and even organize them into “folders” so a guitar track could consist of 6 tracks but appear in the timeline as one. It’s sort of like the group feature but smoother. Plus I can use it backwards like sending the same signal to 6 auxillary channels. I just bought Gearbox so that would allow me to record one dry guitar track and process it with 6 instances of Line6 amp modeling without the additional CPU load of cloning the track or using auxillaries that are linked to all other channels.
Plus reaper is only $50. The demo is unlimited in functionality and does not expire either.
Flavio responded to me yesterday and basically said he didn’t know what was wrong. It sounded like a 24-bit mismatch but couldn’t be sure. He offered to work with Line6 which I’ve forwarded his response to them. Perhaps they’ll get it worked out. Either way I’m gonna’ try out Reaper some more. I feel bad for bailing but it’s really full featured and obviously works with the gear I’m using flawlessly so far.
Hey g69,
If you have some other hardware you want to tinker with in Reaper, please do yourself a favor and check out the “ReaInsert” plugin. A guitarists re-amping gift from on high man. Take your dry guitar track, drop ReaInsert on it, choose some spare I/O, ‘ping’ it for delay compensation and go. It truly is the shizzle for using outboard gear inside the PC DAW.
D
yeah that looks like a killer plugin too. Reaper really has some awesome freebies with it. Very impressive indeed.
Not sure if this will fix your problem, but I’ve had an issue in the past quite similar… I record the waveform looks fine. Then I playback and it is distorted, clipped, unintelligible. I always assumed this was my audio interface messing up…
This morning I had the same issue. I had created a new track recorded just fine, added some effects, then deleted the Part and decided to re-record the track. When I re-recorded I was getting the old distorted, clipped, etc… After several more attempts, I turned off the FX and re-recorded the track - sounded perfect.
If you are trying to record to a track with Effects on it you may need to disable or delete the effects or just create a brand new “fresh” track with no effects.
I didn’t go back and re-read this entire thread so this may not help you, but it may help someone else…
Good luck,
Shayne
P.S. I re-read your issue and this probably won’t help. Maybe something to remember in the future…
I responded to your other post. Do you mean with the LIVE button enabled? or just with any effects in the effects list. I generally record without any effects first, especially with my X3 Live but I frequently have the inputs enable for LIVE processing, thought the LIVE button isn’t always on. Could you be more specific?