Model 12 Noise Error and misreading as a Model 24 (BROKEN AGAIN )

ASIO is all I use in Reaper. And its audio thread priority is maybe influencing this, I'm assuming this is whats making a difference.

It still doesnt change the fact that all my other audio devices dont need this work around. This isnt something I've ever had to do before just to stop the audio from being all messed up in any other Windows apps :)

Still, it feels like a step forward in finding where the error is. I'm suspecting the priority for USB audio is off somewhere?
 
Every time I post this "I think I've got it sussed" thing, the sound goes down the pan instantly, but...

I think I've got this issue resolved :) Fingers crossed, again :)

edit: if this is finally resolved, its down to having thought i'd tried all my different USB ports. The mobo only has USB 2 and USB 3 ports. The mixer is USB 2. Thinking this might be some form of USB audio priority issue, I thought I'd try all the different USB ports again.

Lo and behold, the first USB 3 port I tried seems to have resolved this! I've removed exclusive mode, admin rights, internal audio renderers and the audio is improved. Previously, even when the sound was breaking down, it would still click very often. Even that click has gone, and the sound havent broken down yet.

Yet... :)

It still doesnt explain why the other USB 2 audio devices I have work just fine in the USB 2 ports tho.
 
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I dont have a single setting that isnt set up for Windows and audio. All USB ports are correctly configured as per any guides there are.

I dont understand what setting or Windows error I have that could cause this 1 device to error when using the USB 2 ports, while no other devices show any error?

No errors, no breakdown of sound for 12 hours now. This is a massive relief :D
 
And now my system is constantly dropping the USB connection, and I just saw a spark come out the USB C port on the Mixer when plugging it back in.

WTF?!
 
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No other device I have is doing this.
 
Sending it back. I shouldnt be seeing sparks come out the back of the Mixer, and I dont want a fire risk in the house.

ASIO no longer works and the Mixer keeps dropping the connection. So I now have no sound at all.

Great stuff.
 
Yep - with these problems and especially the sparks, I would definitely swap out the unit. Try another one? With the problems you’ve had, I would be gun shy, but I’d also want to check to see if a different works, especially since no one else has had quite the experience you’ve had.
 
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Your studio has an earthing (grounding) issue. That could explain a lot of what's been going on.
 
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Hmm. I'll look into it but literally nothing else has changed in the space apart from remove one mixer, and replace it with this one. These arent issues I've had previously.

That being said, I'm def going to check out your suggestion as I'm happy to try and eliminate all possibilities.

The suggestion is very much appreciated.
 
But you did change something very important. You changed mixers. That's like a heart transplant. It's the center of everything and everything connects to it.

The past literally does not matter with these types of issues. You have them now and they have to be solved by using science.

Sparks in studios are not as rare as you may think. I've dealt with ground systems in both recording and radio system. All it takes is 1 piece of gear with bad bypass caps in the power supply and you have problems. Any time there is a difference of electrical potential current flows from somewhere to somewhere, and through something. You may have to tie all your equipment together with grounding wires or even implement a star ground system.
 
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True.

Hence why even tho I dont think its my studio, I'll check it all out however I can, just in case something is up. I cant know for sure unless I eliminate all possibilities, like you say, as scientifically as I can :)

Obviously, that includes switching the mixer out just in case I got one that's got some form of error. There is obviously also a chance that my mobo is on its way out and causing this too.
 
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And now my system is constantly dropping the USB connection, and I just saw a spark come out the USB C port on the Mixer when plugging it back in.

WTF?!

Somehow, I missed this post. That means there is an electrical potential difference between the PC and the M12. That definitely could be causing audio issues. Sparks mean there is a current flow. Noise riding on the current could be introduced into the audio that's passing between devices, even in the digital domain. Troubleshooting these kinds of things can be daunting if you're not up to speed on grounding theory, but don't let that throw you. Just be methodical.

I would start by disconnecting every outboard device from both the PC and M12. Then, connect the PC and M12 together and use a mains ground-lift plug on both the PC and M12 and see what happens. Sometimes, only 1 device should be grounded at the mains and sometimes both - and sometimes neither. Also, you can try to add a grounding wire between the devices. Add devices to the system (i.e. plug in your keyboards, outboard gear, etc.) 1 at a time and observe the results. Apply ground-lifting to each and observe the results.

Don't assume anything. For example, my previous studio computer had to be ground lifted or else I would hear noise everywhere. My brand new studio computer is grounded at the mains and my audio is silent everywhere.

Back in the early 90s, our studio was developing a high noise floor. I took a long piece of welding cable and brought it up from the street side of the water main, up through the floor of the studio and to the big copper plate in the patchbay section of the console which was specifically designed to be the studio "star" ground. As I brough the cable terminal to the plate, there was a spark and a horrendous noise appeared in the studio monitors. Somewhere, something in the studio was passing current and that usually means a bad cap in a power supply. One by one, I ground-lifted all the outboard gear - delays, compressors tape machines, etc.. Of course, it was the very last piece of gear at the far end of the room - a vintage 2 track Scully machine. As soon as I pulled the power plug, the noise went away. The noise floor dropped to less than -70dB - excellent for an analog room. Sure enough, one of the power supply caps in the tape machine power supply was leaky.

In my personal studio, I bought all new USB cables with inline chokes (those big round molded things near the ends) and I even added a few snap-on chokes to them. After going through several troubleshooting sessions over the last 3 years, everything is whisper quiet and no audio glitches.
 
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I'd get a full refund, sounds like this device does not like your other equipment.
 
Please refer to other posts with similar complaints about the Model 12. This isnt just my unit or my studio/equipment, and nothing else I have is having any issues.

@BazzBass Yeah, I shoulda gone for a full refund, or at least a replacement, but tbh, I got pissed off with the whole thing, Tascam's denials and reticence to even bother replying, plus other stuff and just never bothered.

Tascam now having released two more sets of firmware since I started this thread, one addressing noise issues, another addressing an 'IC audio change' or something else vague, I'm hoping they've at least internally recognised its an issue and put forth a firmware fix without actually admitting any sort of problems that needed fixing. I havent once booted up the mixer to try yet tho.

There are multiple threads here about M12's noise issues now so hopefully Tascam noticed and did something.
 
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Same. Nothing fixed here. Same issues.

Windows audio is still unusable. ASIO seems fine tho, which means it has to be a firmware/software issue of some sort, on Tascam's end. Everything else in my studio is working just fine.
 
I'll report back if it dies again, but the latest driver, 1.30, might have fixed all this!

We'll see...
 

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