Waves 3 sync issues

[Biggsounds]

Hey all, I’ve recently updated to the new MacBook Pro & am having endless issues syncing to Waves 3 on my dLive now – have tried clocking from the console internally, clocking from the Waves card, clocking from Soundgrid… all ends up recording with pops and clicks. Anyone having a good experience with this setup so they can talk me through their method?

[Nicola A&H]

Hi Adam,

Can you confirm your dLive Audio Sync setting correctly matched your Waves card clock setting?
E.g. dLive set to Internal, Waves V3 set to Digital (will sync from dLive) – this is the recommended setup.
OR dLive set to Sync from I/O Port, Waves V3 set to Internal.

[pete.j]

Hi Adam,

which LAN-Card do you use? There’ve been reports that new USB-C/LAN-Adapter have trouble (also with DANTE etc.). What#s confirmed to work is:

MacBook Pro -> USB-C-Thunderbolt-Adapter -> Thunderbolt-Gigabit-Adapter

Sounds odd to use 2 adapters in a row, but not all USB-C adapters are Thunderbolt but USB. And USB-Ethernetapdaters are mostly not AVB-Compatible, therefore also don’t work with DATNE oder Waves SoundGrid.

@Nicola: as he “change to a new MacBook Pro” for me it sound’s like he had everything working on his old one, therefor I assume in general he knows how to setup sync etc. But yes, better to look twice at it.

Cheers Peter

[martijn]

Hi Adam,

I can confirm with a New MacBook Pro (Touchbar generation) you NEED to go from Thunderbold 3>2 and than have a Thunderbolt 2 to Ethernet adapter.

In some cases multi adapters work (Some users have good experience with Satechi).

But the standard USB-C to ethernet (Which is mostly is USB to Ethernet (Not thunderbolt!) will not work and result in ticks and clicks.

There will probably be updates to fix this (Apple, Waves or audinate).

Hope this helps!

[Gustavh]

I had the same issue with my system. New MBP and the Belkin USB-C to Ethernet adapter. I ordered the Satechi Multiport 4K, will tell you how (if)it works when it arrives.

[Senny]

What buffer size are you using for your recording PC?
Mine has been cranked almost all the way up to 512 samples.

The Soundgrid Server One is still only 8 samples without a problem, but I find recording and playback has plenty of clicks and pops on my late 2014 Mac Mini with anything below 256 samples.
The dLive is my master clock.

[Art]

The Soundgrid Server One is still only 8 samples without a problem, but I find recording and playback has plenty of clicks and pops on my late 2014 Mac Mini with anything below 256 samples.

Do you have an SSD in your Mac Mini or are you using the standard 5400 rpm drive?

Is your Soundgrid system on its own network, or is it shared with other functions (e.g. internet, dLive Director, etc.)?

What type of cables are you using? Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6? How long are your cables between Soundgrid devices/switches/routers?

What brand/model of switch/router are you using?

Are you running at 96KHz or less?

How many channels are you recording?

[Senny]

Not sure about whether SSD or HDD.

Cat 6A.

Direct cables to each device with actual audio IO (Multitrack and Soundgrid Server)
Less than 3m.

96kHz.

Switch/router is irrelevant.

Waves Soundgrid: 56 in&out at last count.
Tracks Live: 38 in/out at last count.

[Art]

A few things here. Waves advises that you use different computers to record and run multirack on. Here’s the setup recommendations from their website.. Also, if it’s an hdd, that could be your roadblock. I used to have issues like this before I switched to SSD’s only on my recording systems.

I have also resolved issues like this by making my Waves card the clock master. For whatever reason, with the X-Madi -> Digigrid MGB or X-WSG card for the X32’s and the M-Waves cards, I have seen better clocking via the card or MGB rather than via the console. I never had the issues recording, though. But I did have it on playback/virtual soundcheck.

[Gustavh]

Tried on my Surface Pro, no problems. So something with the new Mbp setup is funky.

[pete.j]

@Art: Waves doesn’t “advice” to run it on different machines.

In the setup they connect the MR Computer by using the 100MBit-Tunnel from the iLive/dLive in they ACE/GigaACE connection. Therefore it is way too slow to have the recording channels going thru that connections, but it would safe you from an extra CAT5e/CAT6 cable from stage to FOH.

I have a setup running a Waves V3 card in the dLive Stagebox and setup 64 Channels MR and 64 recording (for virtual soundcheck) using TracksLive and have it all on one machine and it runs stable. All on 96kHz btw.!

If you look at the other setups (Yamaha, etc.) you see that they “recommend” MR and DAW on the same computer. It’s just irrelevant if:

– the machine is fast enough
– the connection is fully GBE

cheers Peter

[Gustavh]

I have now tried the Satechi USB Type-C Multi-Port Adapter 4K. Doesn’t work. Ticks and clicks just as the Belkin adapter.

Gonna have to go the Thunderbolt 3-> Thunderbolt 2 -> Ethernet way. Pretty tired with Apple’s new non-pro computers now. Works as a charm on my Microsoft Surface Pro, (USB-Ethernet) but that machine is intended for wireless Director use, not as a multitrack recorder…

Cheers / Gustav

[Gustavh]

…But what I do find strange, is that the USB-Ethernet adapter that works fine with soundgrid on the Surface Pro doesn’t work with the Macbook Pro going through an USB-C -> USB 3.0 adapter. It must be something about how the Macbook / MacOS handles USB traffic.

[Gustavh]

…Driving in rain and rage, I am back home with 2 new adapters. Thunderbolt 3 -> Thunderbolt 2 -> Ethernet works as a charm. Anything else will give you headache.

Problem solved new Macbook Pro users! ..Until next fancy connector generation..

[pete.j]

@Gustavh: a quick read on the internet tells you, that USB-Chipset doesn’t support AVB at all. So ANY Ethernet connection that’s on the USB-side (as most USB-C devices are at the moment) won’t work as the QoS for clocking won’t work with AVB, DANTE, SoundGrid, AES67 and so on.

Cheers Peter

[Author]

Posts