Random Audio Drop Out on Win 8.1

Cubase
#1

I am replacing my old studio set up and have invested in Cubase Elements 9 with a view to upgrading to a more capable version once I have become familiar with it. I have installed Cubase with all of the default settings and it is running with a sample rate of 44.1KHz.

I am running Windows 8.1 with:
An Intel Core2 Quad CPU at 2.4GHz
2 GB RAM DDR2 @ 400MHz

I am using a PCI format M-Audio Delta 44 with the latest drivers to provide the interface … (not sure what would be a suitable replacement atm)

The problem is that I am experiencing random audio drop out on playback, even with only one audio track playing. Looking at the resource monitor, the drop out always occurs when this file is accessed…\system32\drivers\rdbss.sys … at which point the disk usage rises to maximum. I have tried adjusting the latency to the 100ms but the drop out still occurs.

So, my questions are, Is this a buffering issue ? Is it a problem that can be overcome ? If so, can anyone suggest what I need to change/adjust/replace ?

Thanks

GJE

#2

I just re-read another thread, which covers a similar issue,
https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=250&t=117319

I see that there is a common theme here.

I am probably not alone in being primarily a musician, not a computer engineer, and expect that software specifically created for the “home studio” market should run on a machine that meets the stated requirements … or have I missed something here ?

Anyway, just to let you know, I copied the sampled tracks that would not play back without drop out on my version of Cubase 9.5 Elements into a copy of “Audacity” that I bought for £1.95 and - without re-configuring the machine settings - the playback is free of dropouts. It may not have the “professional” look or all of the features that Cubase 9.5 boasts … but at the end of the day it works .

:confused:

#3

Hi,

From the Elements 9 manual under System Requirements:
Minimum Requirements:
64-bit Windows 7/8.x/10— OS X 10.11/macOS Sierra

  • 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core CPU (Intel i5 or faster recommended)
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

I think your CPU is still under the minimum, but I would be surprised if could’nt run a few basic audio tracks.
A bit more RAM on your machine is needed, I expect this is the main reason for the audio drop outs.

Memory is really cheap these days, and would be a worth while upgrade - regardless of the DAW you choose to use.

#4

Sorry, I mis-read the spec … :blush:

I have “borrowed” 2GB RAM from my other machine and - when running with the “min spec” of 4 GB - it seems to have cured the issue, so thanks for your help - even if I do feel a bit stupid now. :wink:

So, time to go shopping .

Thanks again

G

#5

You were scammed there mate - Audacity is free, open source software. Get your money back.

http://www.audacityteam.org/

#6

You were scammed there mate - Audacity is free, open source software. Get your money back.

… but it came in such a lovely box … :laughing: :laughing: and I usually pay more than that for a coffee these days.

G

#7

:laughing: :laughing: