# I9900k glitches



## axb312 (Jun 15, 2021)

My PC is specd as follows:
1. i9900k CPU
2. 64 GB RAM
3. Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro Wifi motherboard
4. 2 x Sabrent 1 Tb SSDs
5. 1 x Samsung 860 EVO SSD
6. Line 6 Helix as Audio interface

It was running fine until recently when I've noticed audio dropouts at my usual block size (256).

Sample rate is set at 48 kHz and CPU usage as indicated in task monitor is fine.

Any ideas what I should look into? I suspect it could be the audio interface....


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## Kent (Jun 16, 2021)

Is this while performing VIs? While using a DAW? While watching YouTube? 

When do you notice this?


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

kmaster said:


> Is this while performing VIs? While using a DAW? While watching YouTube?
> 
> When do you notice this?


While performing VIs. Particularly when they're loading up. Just timed it and CSS V2 is taking 1 min 13 seconds to load into RAM fully (around 350 Mb).


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## Kent (Jun 16, 2021)

axb312 said:


> While performing VIs. Particularly when they're loading up. Just timed it and CSS V2 is taking 1 min 13 seconds to load into RAM fully (around 350 Mb).


Thanks for the info.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, then, because audio interface and load-times really having nothing to do with each other—and full-load times also have very little to do with audio dropouts.

So because I'm still on my first coffee: is your problem that you are getting audio dropouts where you used to not get audio dropouts? Or is it that you have to wait longer than you used to wait before your instruments are fully-loaded into RAM?


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

kmaster said:


> Thanks for the info.
> 
> Maybe I'm misunderstanding, then, because audio interface and load-times really having nothing to do with each other—and full-load times also have very little to do with audio dropouts.
> 
> So because I'm still on my first coffee: is your problem that you are getting audio dropouts where you used to not get audio dropouts? Or is it that you have to wait longer than you used to wait before your instruments are fully-loaded into RAM?


Both, audio dropouts if I attempt to play when an instrument is loading and dropout with just a few instruments loaded.


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## Kent (Jun 16, 2021)

axb312 said:


> Both, audio dropouts if I attempt to play when an instrument is loading and dropout with just a few instruments loaded.


Well, getting audio dropouts when an instrument is loading is very normal and expected—you can't play what isn't there yet, after all!

Dropout with just a few instruments loaded could be any number of things, including: your DFD/Instrument preload buffer size, rogue processes (either from your music-making tools or from other stuff going on in the OS) hogging your CPU, the efficacy of your interface's USB drivers (which, primarily being a guitar fx pedal, I would wager are generic and not bespoke, and therefore not as solid for this type of work as an RME or UA interface + driver would be), or any one of a number of other things.

You mention it was running well until recently—did you change anything about your hardware setup, software setup, or software settings/preferences recently?


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## phil_wc (Jun 16, 2021)

I use a bit different system to you, but intel6800k with Win10. Recently notice a few clicks pops. But I increase buffer size from 256 to 512 and it’s fine now. Not sure what happened maybe some windows update or I use heavy fx plugin. But try up your buffer size first and see what happens.


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

phil_wc said:


> I use a bit different system to you, but intel6800k with Win10. Recently notice a few clicks pops. But I increase buffer size from 256 to 512 and it’s fine now. Not sure what happened maybe some windows update or I use heavy fx plugin. But try up your buffer size first and see what happens.


The latency would not be as good with a higher buffer.


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

kmaster said:


> Well, getting audio dropouts when an instrument is loading is very normal and expected—you can't play what isn't there yet, after all!
> 
> Dropout with just a few instruments loaded could be any number of things, including: your DFD/Instrument preload buffer size, rogue processes (either from your music-making tools or from other stuff going on in the OS) hogging your CPU, the efficacy of your interface's USB drivers (which, primarily being a guitar fx pedal, I would wager are generic and not bespoke, and therefore not as solid for this type of work as an RME or UA interface + driver would be), or any one of a number of other things.
> 
> You mention it was running well until recently—did you change anything about your hardware setup, software setup, or software settings/preferences recently?


Windows got updated recently. Kontakt too I think. 

I didn't have glitches and the ASIO4ALL symbol going red if I tried to play while loading earlier.

I am considering an audio interface but am not sure what to do if it doesn't help things.


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

I messed around with the power plans (somehow my plan had got set to balanced) and the performance seems to be back to normal in terms of tracks and playability.

Kontakt is still loading extremely slowly into RAM though.


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## Kent (Jun 16, 2021)

Good to hear that at least part of it was resolved.

I don't know enough about Windows to wager a guess as to what could have changed in the update that would cause slower loading in Kontakt, though... but I will say that trying a new interface is the last thing I'd think to do in that scenario.


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## fakemaxwell (Jun 16, 2021)

You need a real interface with ASIO drivers. ASIO4ALL is fine in a pinch but I wouldn't want to live with it permanently.


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## Michael Antrum (Jun 16, 2021)

With regards to Kontakt libraries loading slowly - ake sure any security or anti-virus software is set to exclude your sample libraries folders.....


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## PaulieDC (Jun 16, 2021)

I had similar issues with PreSonus interfaces, even with 128GB ram, i9-7940K and PCE SSDs. Disabling HD Audio in the BIOS did help. I needed to do that because NVidia graphic updates always sneaks their HD Audio drivers on the PC, so with it disabled in the bios, it's irrelevant. But--it was when I plunked down the $$$ and got an RME BabyFace Pro and installed their drivers that the issues went away. At 256 I get 5ms-6ms latency and zero dropouts. At least for now with my smaller "still-figuring-all-this-out" templates. Hope you sort it out!


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## easyrider (Jun 16, 2021)

PaulieDC said:


> I had similar issues with PreSonus interfaces, even with 128GB ram, i9-7940K and PCE SSDs. Disabling HD Audio in the BIOS did help. I needed to do that because NVidia graphic updates always sneaks their HD Audio drivers on the PC, so with it disabled in the bios, it's irrelevant. But--it was when I plunked down the $$$ and got an RME BabyFace Pro and installed their drivers that the issues went away. At 256 I get 5ms-6ms latency and zero dropouts. At least for now with my smaller "still-figuring-all-this-out" templates. Hope you sort it out!


Some corrections to you inaccurate post.

1: Disabling HD Audio in the Bios disables the motherboard built in Audio
2: Custom Install of Nvidia Drivers allows you to deselect HD Audio and just install the driver.


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## PaulieDC (Jun 16, 2021)

easyrider said:


> Some corrections to you inaccurate post.
> 
> 1: Disabling HD Audio in the Bios disables the motherboard built in Audio
> 2: Custom Install of Nvidia Drivers allows you to deselect HD Audio and just install the driver.


#2, that's correct. I was writing that quickly without thinking it out.
#1 - You WANT to disable motherboard audio completely. Only use the interface. Built-in audio is not needed on a DAW PC.


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## easyrider (Jun 16, 2021)

PaulieDC said:


> #2, that's correct. I was writing that quickly without thinking it out.


😜


PaulieDC said:


> #1 - You WANT to disable motherboard audio completely. Only use the interface. Built-in audio is not needed on a DAW PC.


Yes of course….but there is no link to the onboard audio and Nvidia Audio like you suggest.


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

Michael Antrum said:


> With regards to Kontakt libraries loading slowly - ake sure any security or anti-virus software is set to exclude your sample libraries folders.....


Done earlier.


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## axb312 (Jun 16, 2021)

PaulieDC said:


> #2, that's correct. I was writing that quickly without thinking it out.
> #1 - You WANT to disable motherboard audio completely. Only use the interface. Built-in audio is not needed on a DAW PC.


Thanks. Will try this.


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