QU16 Random playback problem

[destroygauthier]

Hi, I am using my QU-16 as a sound card connect to a MacBookPro. I play live with tracks and sometimes there is what seems to be a communication problem between the MacBookPro and the QU-16. The problem is : I lost all the audio coming from the MBP for few moments and then it comes back. As I am using a 25 foot long USB cable, is it to long, could it be a latency the problem?

Thanks for any help! 🙂

Daniel

[Anonymous]

I have never tried powered USB cables?
Maybe thats something you need to try?
Why so long a cable?
here is a good read…
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-things-you-should-know-about-usb-20-and-30/

[Andreas]

I’d try a shorter cable, a limit of 5m (16ft) seems to be common practice. Useable length is determined by electrical characteristics of cable and circuits in host and device so working distance may vary a little. For me 25ft is somewhat too long.

[Anonymous]

I’d be worried about the length. Try a shorter cable, maybe try an active USB extension (various available over cat5)

[destroygauthier]

Ok, thank you all for your advices. I will try a shorter USB cable on my next band rehearsal and I will see if it solves the problem. I will keep you informed.

[Anonymous]

Is there a reason you were trying *such* a long cable?

[destroygauthier]

Hi everybody,

I tried a shorter cable (6 feet) in a small gig I had yesterday and still got the same problem. 🙁

Now I am thinking that Logic Pro X could be the source of the problem.

As my band playing shows with pre-recorded tracks, it is king of annoying that suddenly the tracks stop playing for a few moments and worst of it, my click stops working as well (I am a drummer)…

Maybe some of you had that kind of problem.

Thank you for your help.

[Andreas]

Did you check background processes (antivirus, auto-updates, disk-backup, disk-cleanup etc.)? Since you’re probably away from keyboard the MBP may think its time to perform some other tasks…
Did you disable power management on your MBP?
Does it happen at the same points in music? Maybe using some “too complex” realtime processing like VST etc.?
Did you try using larger buffers?

Btw: A live gig is not the correct place to check such “complicated” setup… 😉
…or does the problem only occur in a live situation? Maybe some electrostatic discharge which looses USB connection for a moment. May try to connect an audio cable between MBP (headphones) and the desk. Not for audio, just for grounding…

[destroygauthier]

Thanks Andreas,

Did you check background processes?
No, no background processes were running (not that I know of… 🙂 ).

Did you disable power management on your MBP?
No I did not set any parameter in the energy saver menu, I kept them as default.

Does it happen at the same points in music?
No, it does not happen at the same point, it’s random… My Logic projects are not too complex, they are including only audio tracks (max 12), no plug ins, no VST…

Btw: A live gig is not the correct place to check such “complicated” setup…
Yeah, I know live gig is not the place to check setup problems :). At my last rehearsal I did not have this problem (well, after I shorten the length of the USB cable). But to me, this is not supposed to be complicated… 🙂

I will try to implement some of your suggestions during my next rehearsal.

Thank you!

[Author]

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