CuBase LE4 Distorted Input Signal Presonus Firestudio

Cubase
1

Hi all,

I think I resolved my last problem with dropout during recording, it was a loose-fitting firewire cable (a bit of splicing tape fixed that right up), but now I’m having another issue with a distorted signal.

I am using CuBase LE4 with the Presonus Firestudio Project. I can start recording just fine, I get a a good, strong, clean signal. No clipping anywhere, on the interface or in the software. But upon playback I notice that 20 or 30 seconds into the session the signal starts to distort and gradually gets more and more distorted (and seems to drop a bit in volume as well) and if I let it record long enough, eventually the signal degrades so badly that you can’t even make out what was recorded, and twice it seems to have caused CuBase to jump out of record mode. I am not monitoring through the interface or the software so the problem is not apparent (other than seeing a shrinking waveform on the timeline) until I play back what I just recorded, and while the problem will start at a different point each time I record a take it is definitely in the recorded material itself, it does not vary in location during playback.

What could cause a signal which was perfect & pristine to become horribly distorted by 30 seconds into a session?

Any input is appreciated!

BTW, my setup is:

Cubase LE4 bundled with Presonus Firestudio Project
PC laptop, Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit
2.3ghz processor, 3gb RAM, 80gb hard drive
Firewire connection via Express Card adapter

2

Sounds like a hardware issue with the interface. Does it matter which input channel you use??

3

What’s the monitor source? What ASIO driver is selected in Device Setup?

4

Mashed- monitor and ASIO source are both the Presunus Firewire Studio. My only 2 options for input source are the Firestudio and the on-board mic in the laptop, and by default the monitor is the Presonus when Presonus in the input source.

Celt- all channels do it. Or “did it” I should say, I wiped my drive and reinstalled Windows which seems to have fixed the distortion issue, but now I’m back to arbitrary dropouts, apparently it wasn’t the Firewire cable connection afterall. After you mentioned the chipset in my Firewire card I poked around a bit and found a few people who have had the same problem, even with other recording softwares. My card is a cheap, no-name one I bought on eBay and who knows what’s in it. I bit the bullet and ordered a much more expensive one from CompUSA that, from what I was reading in the customer reviews, has a TI chipset. So hopefully that will solve the problem. I will know in a copule of days. So thanks a ton for that tip, and I’ll post again when I know if it worked!