n-Track and Focusrite Saffire Pro 24

I’ve recently installed v7.1.2 onto a laptop running Win7 Pro 32 bit.
If I load an MP3 song previously recorded and exported as MP3 into a new song, it will not play back.
Well, it does for about 15 seconds. Then it stops and will not replay no matter what I do.

Any further information that I can supply please let me know.
This is frustrating to say the least.

Thanks.

Setup:
Dell Latitude D630
4GB RAM
250GB HD
Focusrite Saffire Pro24 interface/soundcard v 3.4 Firmware and software

No other software such as anti-virus or malware scanners. This machine has never seen the internet. I want it isolated and strictly for recording.

That’s quite strange. Does the problem occur with any audio track that you import or only with that specific file? Can you see the file appear correctly on the timeline, showing audio (i.e. a non silent waveform) beyond the initial 15 seconds? Does n-Track report any error message?
Please also make sure that the volume envelopes have not accidentally modifiied for instance to mute the track after 15 seconds.

Flavio.

Quote: (Flavio Antonioli @ Sep. 01 2014, 4:33 AM)

That's quite strange. Does the problem occur with any audio track that you import or only with that specific file? Can you see the file appear correctly on the timeline, showing audio (i.e. a non silent waveform) beyond the initial 15 seconds? Does n-Track report any error message?
Please also make sure that the volume envelopes have not accidentally modifiied for instance to mute the track after 15 seconds.

Flavio.

Thanks for the reply Flavio.

I'll answer as best I can.

It happens with almost any MP3 I import/add as a base track to add other tracks to.
The file appears fine. The waveform looks to be OK. I give it time to load, so it's not that I'm rushing it. :)

n-Track reports no errors. At least not 'visibly' on the screen.
Volume envelopes are not muted.

As I said, the track just stops playing. The scrubber line freezes.
I have also tried to place the scrubber farther into the track, like at 2:00 and it does the same thing. Plays for about 10-15 seconds and just stops.

I'm concerned that perhaps the Focusrite Saffire's current firmware and software updates may have something to do with it.
I've reached out to those pros and have no input back from them.

- Mike

Hi Mike,

what kind of audio drivers are you using for the Focusrite Saffire? If you’re using MME drivers try to see if the problem happens when using MME drivers or WDM drivers.
Also try to see if the problem occurs when using another audio device, e.g. the PC’s builtin audio device, so that we can be sure that the problem is with n-Track & the Sapphire.
When using Asio drivers make sure that the clock source in the Asio driver control panel is set correctly.
Also try using a bigger buffer size, it might be that the Asio driver halts the streaming when it detect that dropouts are happing, if that’s the case bigger buffering might help.
We do have a Focusrite device we regularly test n-Track with and it usually works well, but it’s not a Sapphire, it’s a 18i20.

Flavio.

Quote: (Flavio Antonioli @ Sep. 01 2014, 10:51 AM)

Hi Mike,

what kind of audio drivers are you using for the Focusrite Saffire? If you're using MME drivers try to see if the problem happens when using MME drivers or WDM drivers.
Also try to see if the problem occurs when using another audio device, e.g. the PC's builtin audio device, so that we can be sure that the problem is with n-Track & the Sapphire.
When using Asio drivers make sure that the clock source in the Asio driver control panel is set correctly.
Also try using a bigger buffer size, it might be that the Asio driver halts the streaming when it detect that dropouts are happing, if that's the case bigger buffering might help.
We do have a Focusrite device we regularly test n-Track with and it usually works well, but it's not a Sapphire, it's a 18i20.

Flavio.

Flavio,
It doesn't matter if I use MME or WDM. The same occurs.
Also, I tried creating a new project with 4 tracks set mono and no effects.

Set levels via the Saffire Mix Console and n-Track level controls.
The same thing happens.
About 15 seconds into recording, n-Track stops.

All clocking is controlled by the Saffire. Buffer is set at 2048. But there was an error after stating buffer lost information.
On board audio doesn't seem to create the problem.

I'll keep experimenting by first removing the VST's and VSTi's from the system and try it that way.

I'm hoping my Saffire isn't the cause.

Thanks.

- Mike