Major problems with SPDIF

    Trying to reamp using the spdif method but it is not cooperating with me at all. I'm getting crashes on my pc, blue screens, etc. Something weird is going on because no matter what cables I try, I have to jiggle them around for the signal to get through and be picked up. I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 USB interface and I've already contacted them numerous times without much help. I tried to setting the mix control software to sync with spdif and it gives me a blue screen once I "jiggle" the cables to get the sound through. I've tried just keeping mix control to "internal" but that crashes the drivers but I don't get a blue screen. It's set at 44.1 all the time. I'm on a deadline for a mix and need to get this reamp working. In the past it was very temperamental...would work great sometimes, not so great other times. I've used cheap rca cables and right now I'm using gold tipped monster cables. No matter what I use, as I stated earlier, I have to move the cables around to hear anything being reamped. When I jiggle the cables, it's usually at the KPA end...near its connectors (not the interface).

    Hi Richard,


    sad to hear that. I'm using a scarlet 6i6 on a Mac, no issues with the Mixcontrol for me. I remember you posted another thread where you said the cables sit very loosely on the SPDIF connectors. Have you solved this? If yes: To me it sounds like there may be a mechanical problem with the connectors on the profiler, maybe a cold solder point. If no it may still be a problem with the plugs not sitting tightly enough.


    Cheers
    Helge

    sounds like there are a few things not working. but when you get blue screens and stuff you should check your interfaces drivers? Have you updated them lately? If so try to get back to the previous version, if not see if there's a new update available.
    Maybe also try a different daw. I think there's a free one from Presonus Studio One. You can reamp in that daw and import the files in your other daw. Not a cool way to work but at least this might help you for now.


    And check if the sample rate of the daw is set to the same value like in your interface

    Ok, the pops may result from the scarlett being synced to internal. It must be synced to SPDIF when using the SPDIF connection, just for clarification. Is the analog way an alternative? If it is a hardware problem on the Profiler you won't have it solved in time i guess. There should not be that much difference in tone, IIRC there's a thread about the differences between analog and digital and they appear to be minor only.

    1. I don't know what kind of USB port you're connecting to, but there have been reports that Focusrite Scarlett interfaces can show problems when connected to USB3 ports. If you have a choice, try to connect to a USB2 port.


    2. Sadly the Focusrite Scarlett interfaces tend to sometimes loose the external sync without showing that in MixControl. Simple solution is to switch to Internal and then back to S/PDIF sync.


    3. There might still be a problem with the cable's connection to the profiler. Maybe you solved the ground connection being tighter now, but the center conductor still very loose?


    4. Blue screens shouldn't happen at all, imho this indicates some other problems on your PC which are difficult to track down from the distance. Potential causes could be: Broken Scarlett driver environment (deinstall everything Focusrite, reboot without Scarlett connected, reinstall the latest drivers) ... or a conflict between onboard soundchip and the Focusrite Scarlett interface switching back and forth when the Scarlett's connection is lost and re-detected. These are just wild guesses, of course.


    Cheers,
    Martin

    The pops and crackles are because you're setting the clock to internal. The Kemper HAS TO be the master, or that will keep occurring. Even if it seems like a fix for you to get some audio output, it will be unusable because of all that jitter. You need to figure out a way to set the interface to slave, i.e. sync to Kemper.


    lightbox has the right approach. Uninstall all driver, then reinstall. Maybe a fresh install of your PC is also in order going by the BSOD problem.


    Worst case scenario: either the SPDIF connector on your Kemper or your interface is kaput. Test both with other gear to figure out if there's anything that's not working like it should.

    Guys


    I've done all of the above that you've mentioned. I posted it in this thread.


    I've uninstalled and reinstalled all software and drivers.


    I've done a complete reinstall of windows. A clean reinstall.
    The blue screen seems to happen when the interface's mix control software crashes because I'm using spdif.


    I've set the interface to spdif. I don't know any other way to set it to slave. It's either spdif or internal. No matter which way I set it, I get the noises when playing back and also sometimes when recording.


    Every time I reamp I set it to spdif in the mix control software.


    Is there a setting in the kemper to set it as the master? As far as I know, I can only make that change in the mix control software for the Scarlett interface.


    Am I missing something else?

    I'm on board with there being a possibility of your spdif connection being faulty. You shouldn't have to work around it if you still have warranty.


    Here is what I'd do. Play some music into the kpa aux port and plug the spdif output into another interface like an audio receiver or pc input. This gets rid of your scarlet and allows you to troubleshoot your spdif port.


    If you can still duplicate the noises by playing with the spdif port, I'd take a video of it and send it for warranty. If you cannot duplicate it, then you can start looking at other settings and the scarlet.

    Quote from K3MP3R

    I'm on board with there being a possibility of your spdif connection being faulty. You shouldn't have to work around it if you still have warranty.


    Here is what I'd do. Play some music into the kpa aux port and plug the spdif output into another interface like an audio receiver or pc input. This gets rid of your scarlet and allows you to troubleshoot your spdif port.


    If you can still duplicate the noises by playing with the spdif port, I'd take a video of it and send it for warranty. If you cannot duplicate it, then you can start looking at other settings and the scarlet.



    What aux port are you talking about on the KPA?


    Also, I can't run spdif into my laptop without the scarlett. I don't think I have anything else with spdif in the house.

    Quote from lightbox


    Can't find where you posted about the things I mentioned, apart from the reinstall.



    My apologies...I'm on a few forums trying to figure this out and posted it elsewhere...but yes, I've tried all the things you've mentioned a few times already. I've owned my KPA for about a year now and it's never run smoothly with this stuff. I just recently started reamping and really want to use spdif for all of it.

    Quote from lightbox

    Ok, thanks. :)
    How about my last part about the onboard soundchip possibly causing issues when active?
    I for one have completely deactivated onboard sound in the BIOS.
    Just trying to help find the needle in the haystack. :)


    Worth a shot...although I don't know how to do that. I'm waiting to hear back from focusrite again on the issue.


    They had me run a latency checker and that shows that my laptop is optimized for streaming audio via usb...so that's not the issue.


    Is there a certain way or order that things need to be set when using the spdif? Meaning...do I reboot the computer, turn on mix control, set to spdif, THEN turn on the kemper? Or have the kemper on before opening mix control and switching it to spdif? Just throwing out ideas...