Playback Stutters during Overdubs.

[sound7]

First the Machine Stats.
Mac PowerPC G5, PowerMac7,3 Machine model, (3.0) Dual Processors, 2GHz, 3 GB DDR SDRAM, MOTU 896 mk3 using Firewire (the 800 port), DP 7.12, MOTU Audio Setup firmware, 1.01, using only one interface so using the internal sync.

Problem: The playback for overdubs or just playback, will stutter during playback (often the stutter is accompanied by a sync loss sound, high freq noise). It does not skip any audio it just stutters and picks up right where it left off. Makes it difficult to do overdubs,obviously! Not sure how to pursue the problem. I have just replaced my 2 828MKIIs with the 896 because of recording dropouts (still waiting to hear from MOTU on that issue). I have tried the Firewire 400 & 800 ports with the same results.

I am thinking it might be the computer, but hoping it might be a setting that I might be missing.

Any Ideas out there?

[sound7]

As an addition to my original post, I noticed that the cpu meter in DP7 doesn't show the level going all the way across but it shows the red in the peak window every time the stutter happens. I reset it & it goes red again when another stutter occurs. I would from this conclude that their is a problem in the computer CPU. But, i have learned that my logic doesn't always concur when software, AD-DA converters and computers are involved.

If this new observation might help anyone come up with and idea or similar experience, please let me know.

Regards,

Steve