Random Static - Help!

I had the instantaneous reset trouble too. But it was solved by making sure the input and output settings are "2ch-16bit".

Thanks for the reply yattaman but unfortunately for me, the setting still reverts back to 44.1k. I see the 48k option, but it flips back to 44.1k even with 2ch-16bit selected.

I should not that this flip back only happens when I launch Garage Band. The setting stays before the program is launched but as you can see, doesn't really help the situation much if it is only going to revert back when I launch the application.

Any suggestions? What could I be doing wrong?

Maybe... launch GB first, then launch Audio/MIDI setup and make the changes. That's what I did.

Sorry to be a pain, but can you tell me all of the settings you have in each of the Audio Midi setup pane including your Midi/Audio settings in garageband?

I launched Garageband, changed the audio driver to USB in the Garageband preferences, then launched the midi setup and set all input and output to USB Codec. Tried to change the sample rate to 48 and I still get snapped back to 44.1.

Thanks yattaman.

Audio Midi Setup


System settings
Default Input: Built-in Audio
Default Output: Built-in Audio
System Output: Built-in Audio

Properties for: USB Audio Codec
Audio Input
Master stream (grayed out)
Source:(grayed out)
Format: 48000.0Hz 2ch-16bit

Ch.-Volume-Value-db - Mute-Thru (grayed out)



Audio OutputMaster stream (grayed out)
Source:(grayed out)
Format: 48000.0Hz 2ch-16bit

Ch.-Volume- Value- db - Mute-Thru
M (far left grayed out) - -
1 centered 0.51 -37.00
2 centered 0.51 -37.00

Thanks again yattaman...

One more question...

What are the midi settings you have in Garage Band?

FWIW, I tried to record my daughter reading a book with GB'08. At first I was using a Creative SoundBlaster SBO270, connected via USB with an analog mic. The recorded audio would randomly get garbled and echo-ey and we'd have to start over. I also got a couple of kernel panics that forced me to restart the MacBook. I figured it must not like that device much, so I switched to using a Logitech ClearChat Pro USB headset instead. I didn't get any kernel panics, but the same garbling problem would occur rendering the recording useless.

I had been using the same MacBook and same headset with Skype and people were telling me that I'd go all garbled part-way through our conversation. I always assumed it was a problem with the connection, but when I would switch to using our PowerMac FW800 I would not get this problem.

So, based on the other postings in this thread, it seems to me that I am also suffering a USB audio driver problem with my intel-based MacBook that is not present on my PowerPC-based PowerMac: both are running 10.5.2.

Just wanted to throw my two pence in. I'm running OS X and have an Alesis io2 device. Every few minutes (in Logic) I get static noise in my recordings. I've tried a few of the fixes in this thread such as setting the sampling rate to 48k but unfortunately the problem persists.

I should note that if I do anything to reinitialise Core Audio (such as changing the sampling rate) the problem goes away for a few minutes. I've only done limited testing. I haven't yet tried Garageband -- nor have I tried my io2 on another Mac.

finsprings, do you think it's a problem with the Intel Macs then? I've been wanting to get a headset for use with Skype and was considering purchasing the Logitech ClearChat Pro USB.

If I had to guess I would say it's a problem with the USB audio drivers on the Intel running recent Leopard (or Tiger judging by some other postings here). We have several ClearChat Pros and a ClearChat Comfort in the office. I've used my ClearChat Pro for hours on end on Skype with my PowerMac, but when I try and use it with my MacBook and Skype the person to whom I'm talking invariable tells me my voice is garbled within 10 minutes. The fact that I heard the same garbled noise using a completely different USB audio source certainly seems to point to either the MacBook hardware or its drivers. I'd be surprised if it was the hardware, but it's possible.

If you do get a ClearChat Pro and it works for you, please post here to let me know.

I think you are right findsprings...

I noticed that in addition to getting static when using garageband and my Alesis USB mixer, I am also getting static after a short while using Ventrilo and my Logitech USB mic. No static with Ventrilo if I use my old Powerbook running Tiger.

Looks like it is an Apple driver issue that needs to be fixed.

Can you believe it? GB still does the static thing! *But now*, it'll record correctly for a few minutes, then start _echoing, and the speed slows._

GB is just a horrible piece of c *.

Yeah, um, I finally got sick of this, watching the waveform every episode of my podcast was getting old so I did the only thing I could: I bought the Alesis Firewire Multimix12 (it was the exact same price as the Multimix8 on Amazon.com).

No static, perfection in GarageBand and Audacity, clear, smooth all better.

Waiting for apple to respond to the problem wasn't going to work for me, I'd rather spend the money and support the device that has control over its own driver (in this case the FireWire driver that Alesis uses has a version on their website to 'fix' this issue for FIrewire devices).

Too bad Apple didn't get their crap together sooner, we'd not have to spend double the money to solve the problem. Now, to post the Multimix USB8 on eBay and pray I get an okay price.

Just an update:

The MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.5 DOES NOT fix the static issue on my end.

....sigh

Message was edited by: Doc11

what a completely **** state of affairs, apple needs to sort this out, its driving miss daisy!!