Lots of noisy crackling with Micro and mk2!!

[mikeleebirds]

Ihave a BB Micro and mk2 here right now.
Both produce crackling noise easily when changing parameters such as FX or going to poly mode on multi samples.

Actually this seems to be directly related to poly-mode. Whenever I switch back to mono the crackling stops!

Right now I have two stock multi samples loaded on both, Sonar and Tubular.
When I set them to poly, either triggered or gated with longish release, the crackling starts. On the Micro more so than on the mk2.

Then when I go to FX and adjust delay and reverb it gets worse. Much worse on the Micro. In one instance the crackling stopped after a while, at other times it stayed.

I switched cases, but the situation remained. None of my other digital modules (such as Hermod, Vector, Sinfonion) display erratic behavior so I assume it’s not related to power.
Both voices are played via midi from a Vector sequencer.

I want to keep the Micro, but like this I can‘t.


Most recent firmware is installed on both units
What‘s happening??

[Steve]

Both modules feature a 24-note polyphony pool that you can use however you like. I can easily overload my micro and mk2 by exceeding that limit. I believe this is what you are experiencing. Definitely use a high-speed microSD as that does make a difference. Note: I use mostly 'A' rated cards and I can still overload both of my modules.

Let me know if I am missing something, but it sounds like you have answered the questions I would have.

[mikeleebirds]

I use the card that comes with the Bitboxes and assume that‘s sufficient?
As I use only two voices that would mean both have 12 or more notes sounding at the same time in order to gonover the 24-note threshold. My sequencer is only feeding them single note lines so I think that’s unlikely.
I‘ll give it another go and see if the crackles go away when I shorten the release time.

[mikeleebirds]

Ok, shortening release did the trick. I guess I did actually overload the processor with too many overlapping notes.
Good to know how easily that can happen and that one always needs to be aware of excessive polyphony.

Thank you for the quick support!!

[Steve]

you are welcome. Keep in mind: our modules do not have a governer, so to speak. So you can overload them in various ways. This is by design. Primarily, to give each user the ability to find their own "sweet spot" in terms of performance and workflow. Definitely use the highest quality card as possible. We provide a card to get you started and deliver the factory content. You will - for sure - want to buy cards based on your needs. In my experience, 'A' rated cards give me the best performance.

Thanks again for reporting.

[Trazzer]

Hi, "so you can overload them in various ways" is something I'm noticing in polyphony, just using one sample bank alone, even with polyphony set to 2, I can hear degraded audio quality and upwards from that it's just fuzzy and noisy overall. I honestly do not believe there is a "sweet spot" as far as I can see, sorry to be a bit skeptical, but the ability so to speak to find a "sweet spot" in terms of performance and workflow, seems to me a mute statement. The issue here being that I'm assuming generally users don't want to spend time trying to figure out when the audio quality is ok or not, if there is no guideline when the audio is performing within a somewhat normal noise range and when not, how can the polyphonic sound quality of the micro be trusted? I spent a couple hours going over my entire workflow, rack and modules included, because I could not figure out what the source of the noise was to begin with.. And yes I am using a high end SD card.

[Paranormal Patroler]

Trazzer I was having serious issues with polyphony as well, to the extent that the module was unusable for me. Even with a small multisample and nothing else loaded, it would crackle horrendously. I'm on the latest firmware and utilizing the polyphony parameter, set to 8, and it's behaving fine. Using a high quality SD card of course, that is a given at this stage. Give it a try.

[Trazzer]

Hi Paranormal Patroler! I have the latest firmware installed as far as I can tell, 1.1.7. I just have one multisample, actually for testing I'm using one of the presets at a time, like the Pianowarmth. When I go beyond 2 it starts to degrade right away, with nothing else loaded.. I'm using the cord mode on the Five12 Vector sequencer via midi to the Micro.

[mikeleebirds]

Good to know that I might even use a better card than the one provided. Will do some research
Happiness has been enforced.

[mikeleebirds]

Both modules feature a 24-note polyphony pool that you can use however you like.

I read in the manual that each pad has an 8-voice maximum polyphony, so what do you mean with what you said (see quote above).
If there is actually a limit of 8 voices per pad I am wondering how I could have maxed out the processor when I used only two pads. There should never have been more than 16 overlapping notes, but still there were crackles all over the place.

[Aaron]

It sounds like you actually maxed out the streaming from the micro SD card. Try playing the notes slower and give the box a chance to cache the audio.

[KidYoshi]

If this main culprit is overlapping notes, then I would prefer some kind of note stealing. Even being able within a single track to set a Poly number which sets how many notes a channel can be allocated before stealing starts. Eg: Poly (3) allows for up to three simultaneous notes.

As it currently stands, it's far to easy to get crackling audio from Bitbox and the rationale to 'let the user control the processor' feels like a cheap deflection. At least if you're going to do that, then let there be some clear signals in the UI to the current processor load so things can at least be monitored.

[mikeleebirds]

If this main culprit is overlapping notes, then I would prefer some kind of note stealing. Even being able within a single track to set a Poly number which sets how many notes a channel can be allocated before stealing starts. Eg: Poly (3) allows for up to three simultaneous notes.

As it currently stands, it's far to easy to get crackling audio from Bitbox and the rationale to 'let the user control the processor' feels like a cheap deflection. At least if you're going to do that, then let there be some clear signals in the UI to the current processor load so things can at least be monitored.

Great idea to be able to specifically set the number of voices that a pad can use simultaneously!

[mikeleebirds]

It sounds like you actually maxed out the streaming from the micro SD card. Try playing the notes slower and give the box a chance to cache the audio.

Hm.. from what I understood only long samples will be streamed from the SD card and shorter ones will be loaded into memory. I only used short samples from the factory presets and would assume the SD card is not involved other than while loading thr samples into a pad.

Your suggestion to play slower notes is surprising as that necessity would greatly inhibit musical ideas needing.. faster notes.

Well. I‘ll keep exploring the Micro and see what it‘s weak points are and adjust my usage accordingly. I had imagined Bitbox as being able to be the only (multi) sound module in a mini setup, with a sequencer and some modulation sources next to it.
Let‘s see if that is doable.

[Aaron]

Just to be clear, I am trying to understand the problem for possible resolution--not trying to get you to change your musical style. Please let us know.

[erwincoumans]

Just to be clear, I am trying to understand the problem for possible resolution--not trying to get you to change your musical style. Please let us know.

Note stealing would be nice, allowing the user to set a maximum number of voices in poly mode.

[mikeleebirds]

Note stealing would be nice, allowing the user to set a maximum number of voices in poly mode.

That‘s a very good idea. This way you‘d never accidentally overstrain the processor (as I seem to have done).

[Gonzow]

does anyone have this without the poly issue?

I sold a bitbox 2.0 in the past because I wasn't keen on the noise.

I completely forgot and was blinded by the new features for the micro - however, I still think it's pretty damn noisy.

I picked up a A2 class 128GB SD card, in hopes it would help, but ultimately it hasn't.

Am I missing something?

I was recording some drums from a small case, mixture of analog and digital, all alternated on the bus chain. I'm getting a noise floor of -50dB - I understand that's part of the pain with hardware, but still seems a little high to me. And the hum from the bitbox doesn't help.

I want to love it, I really do - but its likely im being an idiot, too picky, or it's not for me.

Any advice would be saweet!

[Steve]

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