Windows 7 x64, no 96khz

[aharbani]

Hardware: Asus P5E-VM HDMI, C2D 2.66, 4GB, MOTU Ultralite [original version]

On Windows XP SP3 32-bit, I could do 24-bit/96khz just fine.
I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate x64 due to the need for a lot more memory. Latest MOTU Windows 7 64-bit drivers. Now, every time I select sample rate above 48khz: 88.2khz, 96khz, my applications would show an error message about unknown error in MOTU ASIO driver. Reaper, Kontakt 4 Player, all reported the same error. The only way is to go to MOTU Audio Console, and set sample rate back to 48khz.

Any idea how to solve this issue and get 96000 sample rate recording in Windows 7 64-bit? Does anybody have any success (regardless of hardware) using 96khz in Windows 7 x64?

[1nput0utput]

It works fine for me. Maybe try changing the sample rate in the MOTU Audio Console program before opening an ASIO client program.

[aharbani]

Yes, I did try setting sample rate from standalone MOTU Audio Console before opening the app(s). No errors there. But immediately after starting any audio app that uses ASIO, exactly the same error appears.

I can't open Audio Console from within the apps. I have to close the apps, open standalone AC, set sample rate back to 48000 or lower, then I can open the apps.

Can you tell me what MOTU interface you have? And your computer specs?

[1nput0utput]

ASIO client programs usually have a command to open the ASIO control panel for the selected audio interface. Cubase and Sonar both have a button that says "Open ASIO Panel" or something like that.

I have an UltraLite also, and I use it with 64-bit Windows 7 on an HP Pavilion a6330f (Asus motherboard, AMD dual-core 5600+ CPU, 6 GB RAM).

[aharbani]

Sorry I should have been clearer.

Yes, there's a button to configure ASIO driver inside the apps. However, when it's already set to 96000 (from standalone AC, or from this button), clicking this button would show an error message "unknown error in MOTU ASIO driver" (paraphrased). From this point, every time the audio app activates the Ultralite (for ex, when the app gets mouse focus), the error message shows up.

I can indeed change it back to 48000 using standalone AC.

Do you know what FW chipset you have?

[1nput0utput]

It's doubtful that your problem has anything to do with the FireWire controller chipset. It is more likely a software problem.

[aharbani]

I made a lot of progress on this. Yes, it's software problem. To be precise, it's the driver for the Firewire controller. I changed it from Via FW driver to standard OHCI legacy driver, and now I can set it to 96khz.

In Windows XP, I could use the lowest sample: 128. In W7, I have to use very big one, 512 to 2048, otherwise I would get 90% crackle/noise. This is not the hardware itself, since in another OS this works fine.

Not solved yet, but at least I can continue working on my mixes (without performing, because latency is super high).

[1nput0utput]

The CPU overhead of Windows 7 is generally higher than Windows XP, so that might be why you're having performance issues under Windows 7 compared to Windows XP on the same computer. Have you tried choosing a Windows 7 theme that doesn't use Aero? That change has improved performance in Windows 7 on my machine.

[aharbani]

Thank you for the theme tip!! That helped audio performance quite a bit. Here's the complete list of what I did to achieve acceptable Ultralite performance under Windows 7 x64:
- Disable Themes, Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, and a few other network-related services (my machine is normally disconnected from Internet)
- Installed SIIG DP Firewire 400 PCI-E card with Texas Instruments chipset (http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=NN-E20012-S2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), bought @ local Fry's for $50.
- Changed the Firewire driver to "1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy)".

*Every* step above brought improved perf. I'm now able to use 64 sample buffer @48khz, and 256 @96khz. Achieved acceptable latency with NI Alicia's Keys and excellent with FXpansion BFD2.