SQ Drive wont play WAV files

[Toit]

I have tried to play WAV files on the SQ drive but find it very unreliable.
I loaded files created in Sonar (44.1 kHz / 16bit) but it will play 2 out of 5 files and I can not figure out what the reason is for some files being played and some not.
I also created files in Wavelab ( 44.1 kHz / 16bit; 48 kHz / 24bit; 96 kHZ / 24 bit)but none of them will load. The files are visible in the file list but when selected they are not loaded in the player for playback.
The local distributor (SA) can not solve the problem and believes that it could be the USB stick being used. I tried various ones and some wont even format but that does not explain why the same stick plays some of the files. It would be helpful if A&H would give clear and firm indications of what needs to be done to make use of the SQ drive.
I have experienced the USB drive of the Soundcraft Ui16, and that plays just about any file (mp3, flac, wav etc) with an user interface that includes playlist, cue functionality etc.
I do not understand why such an amazing mixer like the SQ5 are being tarnished by such a bad functioning SQ Drive.
What is supposed to be an advantage is in fact a draw back and a huge frustration.

[SteffenR]

the product is three months available
as the soundcraft were three months available it still was a different brand (SM)

from the manual:

Files for stereo playback copied from a computer should be placed in ‘<SQ-DRIVE>:\AHSQ\USBPLAY’.
These can be mono or stereo, uncompressed PCM *.wav files, 44.1, 48 or 96kHz and 16 or 24-bit.

They must not contain any headers (such as BWF) or data (such as markers).

so I guess Sonar is sometimes writing Broadcast wave data, wavelab always does it, except you turn it off…

[Toit]

Thank you for your reply Steffen.

I use a QU desk as well and the QU drive has been in development for years with guys complaining about the same problems with no positive results.

The Sq5 is the mixer that I decided to buy and I am very happy with my choice, I would just like to get a method to create audio files for backing tracks that will play on the SQ-drive every time.
I found this bit of info at https://wavmetadata.blogspot.co.za/
WAV audio files can hold several metadata types. These metadata types were introduced over the years into the WAV format, which is extensible by nature. WAV is based on the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF), and made of chunks of data. Contrary to popular misconception, adding metadata to WAV files does not break the format. Any well-behaved WAV reader is able to handle every WAV file even if it doesn’t understand all the chunks it contains, in which case it simply ignores them.

I isolated two files that was written in Sonar one directly after the other. The one plays perfectly and the other will not load to play. The two files are identical in the way they were produced etc. I checked the metadata on the files in Adobe Audition and there are none, no Broadcast data, no headers and no markers.
I am stumped, but I’ll find a way even if I need to record them to the USB stick (to find one that works is another story that I wont even go into) . I just hope that the guys at A&H will take note and maybe do something about it.

[Toit]

Managed to solve the problem.
Sonar has two differnet options to export to .WAV files.
I have been using the “Wave” file type – ([uses Cakewalk wave exporter] The standard digital audio format used under Windows and for CD’s, with a file extension of .wav.) MANUAL EXCERPT
I decided to try the “Wav (Microsoft)” file type – ([uses Libsndfile wave exporter] The standard digital audio format used under Windows and for CD’s, with a file extension of .wav.) MANUAL EXCERPT

I selected the “signed 16 bit PCM” sub format and the files created in this way played perfectly. The “signed 24 bit PCM” sub format option also worked.

There is still another problem with an intermittent HF noise when playing back the files, but that is a different topic…

[SteffenR]

the QU-drive on the QU is working on different hardware
so it’s not the same on the SQ

[Mfk0815]

Hmm, dat could be the root of the problems but imho is not an excuse. Even if they are different they can act the same. different cars are based on different hardware but the pedals are working in the same way.

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