Core i processors and USB 1.1 audio interfaces - Experiences

[Blackbrook]

As you all may (or not) have read in the last weeks and moths there are more often threads with issues that could not be solved because of the combination of Intel Core i processors and "older" USB 1.1 audio interfaces.

In fact it is something like roulette at the moment: It can work, but it does not have to! I know more than five different machines from i5 to i7, Windows to Mac with which it works and does not!

Sandy Bridge (the new generation processors [correct me if I am wrong]) processors do not work with the U46MKII (USB 1.1) but with an USB 2.0 audio interface like the Hercules DJ Trim 4&6. An Core i7 quad in a Macbook has problems with the U46MKII (USB 1.1) but with an Native Instruments Audio 6 (USB 2.0) it works flawlessly.

My machine (Intel Core i5 460M) has no problem with the U46MKII and the build in audio interface of the U-Mix Control Pro (both USB 1.1). But the latency has to be increased a lot. At the moment (July 2011, Cross 1.6.0) I can only run it with a latency of 10ms in timecode mode. With the Hercules DJ Trim 4&6 (USB 2.0) I can mix in timecode mode with 4ms @ 44.1kHz and 4ms @48kHz without a drop out or anything else. I can still decrease it!!!
One of my best friends bought a comparable machine to mine (same vendor, same processor, same RAM, same HDD but a NVIDIA graphic card instead of an ATI). We could not get Cross and the U46MKII (USB 1.1) nor Cross and the Stanton Scratch Amp (Version 1.5, firewire) to work. Absolutely no chance!

From my experience (THIS IS NO OFFICIAL MIXVIBES STATEMENT) you will get problems if you use Cross with an Intel Core i processor and a USB 1.1 audio interface. If you have this problem and solved it by using a USB 2.0 audio interface please reply to this thread to support my theory. Even if you have found another solution please reply to this thread! Thank you!

This thread will be marked as sticky because I think that it is totally important to have this in mind while buying a new machine! Additionally we should build some kind of blacklist (and maybe whitelist) with machines in that are tested and do not work - what do you think?

Thanks for reading!!!

Cheers,

Steve

[Hannes]

Same here,

USB 1.1 not professionally usable with iCores.
You may get it to work, but with a huge performance loss.

*official statement please, and more important new hw*

[pundy]

For the record, I don't have any issues using a core i5 macbook pro with Cross 1.6 and a Maya 44 sound card (USB1.1). I am able to reduce the latency to absolute minimum in Cross preferences without any issues on this laptop.

I did have to download the latest drivers from ESI's website to get it working though.
- Pundy.

[Hannes]

Update from my side:

This is a windows-only problem afaik.
Apple implemented a different usb-controlling around a year ago....

As far as I´m concerned, I´m gonna sell the icore-notebook and get a high-end C2D or Pentium Machine instead.

[rhopkins]

Hi guys,

So I just wanted to confuse things even further by saying that I have Windows 7 Home Premium and an I-core 3 Sandybridge processor, and so far everything seems fine. Been playing around for half an hour, tried latency settings of 48,000HZ and 5.7ms latency and 2.7 ms respectively, and I've had no problems. Performance is certainly more responsive than my old desktop.

I really wasn't expecting it to work, but it does.

[Blackbrook]

I really wasn't expecting it to work, but it does.

Very good! Another example that it can work but does not have to! Great it works for you!

Cheers,

Steve

[rhopkins]

Although they are right next to each other, worth reading this thread too if you're interested in the i-core issues.

[rhopkins]

I had a practice session last night and ran into a few problems.

I opened Cross and went to calibrate the timecode vinyl and found that when I started the left-deck, the signal was hovering around 50% and the timecode was being detected on both the left and right decks even though the right one wasn't even on.

After a couple of restarts I realised I should check the U46mkII control panel - on doing so I discovered that the buffer number had been set back to 2. I didn't change this. After setting the buffernumber back to 4 I still had issues; went up to 6, restarted the laptop and performance improved. I tried buffernumber 4 again, restarted once more and performance was still ok. I say ok, but I don't think it was as crisp as Sunday when I first tested out my new setup. For example, when a track first starts I hear a pop and a crackle, just like I did on my old desktop. Disappointing. Once a track has begun to play that first time though there were no other cracks, pops or interruptions.

As I say, I haven't changed anything, I haven't installed anything else. But I know something that has - Windows Update. I have no idea which update it will be, but Windows 7 service pack 1 is now installed.

Attempting to use Recorder No 23. to record my set also caused performance problems. That's a little disappointing too (although I know it isn't recommended anyway), as I was hoping I wouldn't have to carry my work laptop home with me everytime I wanted to record a set.

Just a word of warning that maybe a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium, with no updates applied, appears to work better than an updated version.

I'll keep updating this thread, if no one minds, with problems and positives that I find as I use the laptop more.

[rhopkins]

A slightly dull update here, but a positive one. I've had two more 45 minute practice sessions since the last one and all has been ok. I was even using the No.23 recorder in the background during my last session.

[Robbie23]

rhopkins, thanks so much for the information. This discussion is truly helpful.

I also have the feeling I just ordered the same computer that you have. Acer 15.6 laptop with the Core i3-2310M processor rated at 2.1 GHz.

You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say it works! I am using a pair of technics 1210s.