Clipping at SPDIF

  • Hi guys,
    I am stupid right now and need someone setting me right again...
    I am playing via SPDIF in my Interface (M Audio C600 (dont buy it, it sucks)). I have a altered Morgan AC 30 profile running.
    My output LED is fine, however, the mixer of my soundcard indicates clipping and so does my DAW - and my ears (ouch!). What am I doing wrong?
    I know, there are a thousaands of volume options in the Kemper (never really got my head around them) - but my output LED is GREEN!
    What is giong on here?
    Thanks and regards!

  • Thanks -ok wait...
    I realized: I was playing over a playback, that was running next to my DAW...
    If I switch it of, guitar does not clip anymore.
    Music alone also does not clip.
    Together it does.
    So I guess there is something wrong with my routing in the soundcard mixer and I am in the wrong forum... ;)


    Thanks anyway... Sometimes you just dint see the obvious. I dont right now...

  • I realized: I was playing over a playback, that was running next to my DAW...
    If I switch it of, guitar does not clip anymore.


    Does the playback come from the DAW? Try increasing buffer size. Direct Monitoring is enabled?

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...

  • I know, there are a thousaands of volume options in the Kemper


    Btw: If those are all set to 00, it's like they are not there. So you can't go wrong setting them to zero. Most volume options (e.g. within the stomps) are there to offer boosting the volume a bit along with a certain FX. For example when you have a part with a flanger that needs to come through clearly on stage, you can boost that flanger a bit and then go back to your usual volume setting by just turning the flanger off. As far as I understood it :rolleyes: .

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...


  • Does the playback come from the DAW? Try increasing buffer size. Direct Monitoring is enabled?


    No, it was running in a parallel application.
    I am taking one step after another - I guess, my main problem is, that I hate my interface... ;)
    The first try, I was playink guitar ->Kemper ->SPDIF-> DAW input ->Software return of interface mixer -> Headphones at interface
    Later yesterday evening I also just skipped the DAW, turned "Hardware monitoring" on for SPDIF.
    Still has this clipping, when playing to a plyback from another application (music player, YT, ...)
    I guess, both signals are added. So if played the guitar with -2dB max out and add a playback from another application with similar db, tze sum might get up over 0dB?



    In addition, I get a VERY UGLY crackle from time to time (evry 30 secsonds or so).
    I am at work right know and have rehearsal tonight, so cant check today.


    I got the point with the volumes to 0 - but as my output LED is just green, I am came - right now while writing - to the conclusion that the Kemper is not the problem - or do I miss something?


    BTW: Thanks a LOT for trying to help!!

  • Crackle would lead me to believe you haven't synced your interac


    Crackle would lead me to believe you haven't synced your source.

  • Syncing the source is the biggest reason, why I hate this interface. But I can assure, that it is synced, as I would not get a sound of the interface otherwise.


    Why I hate the C600:
    I tried this on a clean instal of windows 7, 8 and 10. So its not the version...
    1) I start the computer and in most cases, I dont have a sound until I move the master slider in the interface software mixer. Alright.. Annoying, but if you know it, "accaptable".
    2) Now, that I have a sound, all music, DAW, sounds, ... have the wrong pitch. There is something wrong with the sample rates... something is using 41 or 48 kHz instead of the other...
    Sometimes I can with wild clicking all over all sound options correct this for this single start up, but not for the next computer start.
    3) As soon as I start my Kemper, Suddenly the pitch corrects itself (even during playback)


    .. Each time I start the computer, I am never sure, if my sound is righjt or wrong...
    Recently I found , that can overcome step one, by connecting the interface to usb AFTER the computer started. To simplify this I bought a USB cable with switch... Still the pitch-stupidity stays.


    Support of the interface company is worse than any other. They asked me to pay for helping, although it was a clean windows, newest drivers and firmware. Googling around showed me, I am not the only one with this problem, but the company does not care - or wants money.
    (Never saw a company taking money to receive bug reports)

  • something is using 41 or 48 kHz


    Yes, this can cause your problem at all: You can set Windows (or whatever you're on) to play back files in 24bit and 44,1khz by default which are the values the KPA provides. Usually there shouldn't be a problem when you play files below that range from other applications than the DAW, but the M-Audio drivers are known to suck as well as their support. Maybe it canot handle playing back different rates (even not at a time) due to different applications running simultaneously and therefore confusing your device.


    Given everything is synced correctly: I wouldn't struggle with this any longer. I tried to get my old M-Audio FW 410 running with the KPA after my NI KA6 died on me after behaving very similar to yours. I almost smashed my coffee to the wall when I tried downgrading the FW port for about half a day. There's nothing more annoying than a shitty interface. The KPA deserves better. Go for the Focusrite Scarlett series, as they have true stereo on the headphone and can do direct monitoring for the s/pdif in. Mine plays from any source at any time without any flaw. Others here have reported the same. Sometimes a sound interface simply does not like the rest of the whole computer system. :pinch:

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...

  • When recording via SPDIF the KPA needs to be master and the interface needs to be slave. As stated before your interface also must be set to 44.1 KHz and 24 bit. If not, it can cause the crackle you've described.

    I could have farted and it would have sounded good! (Brian Johnson)

  • Thanks again!
    I still think, my settings are correct... If the KPA is not Master, I simply get no sound at all ;)


    I found, that I have the crackle only in my boxes, which are also connect with SPDIF to the interface. I dont hear it in my headphones, which are connected in analogue to my interface.


    I guess Fireloogie has the best answer to my problems: throw away this f***g m-audio thig and get something decent... However, I will wait one or two month, as they just released a new driver for mac - ad I hope they will also do this for windows... Well... just a hope... Waiting for another update ;)

  • throw away this f***g m-audio thig and get something decent...


    Hahaha, yeah, sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do :D :thumbup:

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...

  • As some users said:
    Check if you are at 44.1kHz and 24 bit with your soundcard. And mine M-Audio 1814 has 3 options to sync.
    I had to choose "external clock" to get rid of the crackles.

  • I had this too. I'm using a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 and had to set Sync Source to SPDIF and drop the SPDIF output level to -10dB. That's with a Les Paul and DiMarzio Air Norton / Norton pickups.