Ux-2 Podfarm 24bit Spdif Bug - Here Is How It Can Be Recreated

[RobertMan]

For years, people (including myself) have been complaining about how Podfarm reverts back to 16 Bit / 44.1 Hz even when the default in Windows control Panel on the playback tab for the respective device is actually set to 24 Bit /48 Hz (just do a Google search and you will find user inquiries to Line 6 for this subject dating back to 2010).

 

This is especially a problem when using the SPDIF Connection as it defaults to 24 Bit, meaning your cound crackles when Podfarm is operating at 16 Bit. Every time you load a new patch, it resets to 16 Bit.

The way Line 6 has handled that (including in support tickets) was not overly impressive IMHO and seemingly geared at confusing people so they would give up and let it rest.

 

Here is how one can easily see the problem when using SPDIF out (the AISO Settings have nothing to do with this):

 

1) Open Start / Programs / Line 6 / Tools / Line 6 Audio-Midi Devices 

 

2) If not already set as a default on your system, click "Sound Control Panel" and on the playback tab for the UX-2, select 24 Bit 48 Hz. Click ok.

 

3) Leave the Line 6 Audio-Midi Devices window open, observe the value in the "Driver Format" box and start Podfarm

 

4) Typically already with the start of Podfarm, the Driver Format resets to 16 Bit but maybe you are lucky and it does not. Your luck will run out if you load another patch (file /load) into Podfarm - latest by now, your Driver Format is reset to 16 Bit and your Sound crackles, if you use the SPDIF Connection

5) In order to reset it to 24 bit, go back to the Line 6 Audio-Midi Devices window, click Sound Control Panel, click on the playback tab of your UX-2 (you will be suprised to see it still at 24 Bit even though it says 16 Bit in the Driver Format box one page before, so you have to select any other value, press apply and then change back to 24 Bit and press apply again in order for the correct 24 Bit value to show and Register for the UX-2 - now you can play in 24 Bit until your next pacth change.

 

6) Interestingly enough, instead of selecting and applying twice as laid out under 5) you can also just press the "test" button on the playback tab and the UX-2 will reset to 24 Bit (attention: depending on your listening volume that nasty Windows chime sound can be damn loud).


A lot of text above I know but I do not want to get "brushed off" again by Line 6 with a smoke granate. Here is in fact what I want from Line 6:
 

(1) Test it - follow the steps above and tell me if you can reproduce the same problem! (maybe others can try it too so we have a honest and representative result)
 

(2) Admit that it is a bug in Podfarm and tell us when it will be fixed FINALLY!

I do not want to rant and I do not want to be impolite but seriously, this has bugged me for years and the fact that Line 6 has denied it p... me off.

Line 6 - please advise!



 

[RobertMan]

Wow - does no one utilize SPDIF with his UX-2?

Could Line 6 at least reply and say whether this behavior can be recreated or whether I am... "full of it" / do something stupid? No one interested in this?

[TheRealZap]

if you want a response from Line6, call or setup a support ticket

http://line6.com/company/contact/

[hulbert]

Hi RobertMan,

 

   I don't use spdif, but I have noticed the 44.1 problem. I have had a read of the guide and seen as you say that the section in standalone doesn't apply to ASIO drivers, but I got a bit of a disheartening feeling the other day when I had line 6 audio-midi devices open and saw 44.1, 16 bit. This isn't saying that 16 bit 44.1khz is not good to be recording in - that's totally a subjective thing for each person to decide. Some argue the merits of recording with these settings. I just choose to record at 24 bit 48khz - some would prefer 96khz etc. Anyway, I had that feeling because a while ago I discovered that somehow my settings had changed to 16 bit 44.1 khz (I can't remember if it was in my DAW or in Pod Farm - actually I don't think PF gives ASIO khz choices, just bit choices)  and that I had recorded several things with these settings.

 

I had forgotten till the other day, that standalone brings up a 44.1 16 bit description, so it surprised me.

 

Are you saying that even ASIO drivers give a 44.1,16 Bit output via the analogue output? I know you said the test situation isn't to do with ASIO, but just wondered if ASIO too, is affected in some way.

 

 

God Bless,

David

[RobertMan]

Hi David,

 

I think we are talking about two different things here:

AISO on the one hand which is used when selecting the Line 6 Device / Driver in your audio app (like your DAW) - that setting has a different selection box in Sound Control Paneland and 24bit seems to work fine - effectively you are sending and receiving audio over USB in this situation.

 

The problem is when selecting the SPDIF out (most likely also when using the analog outs) - here, the 16bit 44.1 kHz problem applies. Due to a bug (apparently) in the PodFarm Software, the setting defaults back to 16 bit 44.1 kHz when initially loaded and every time you select a new patch.
 

This problem / bug is even worse for me as I need to run my projects at 24 bit / 48 kHz - when using the SPDIF digital out and the software defaulting to 16 bit / 44.1 kHz, you have an immedate sample rate mismatch and subsequent crackles.

 

If you are running at 44.1 kHz, you do not have the sample rate mismatch problem but you are only running at 16 bit - which is a major difference in audio quality.
 

This is not ok and I do not understand why Line 6 does not fix that - should be simple enough in all honesty. The fact that again no one from Line 6 even cared enough to respond here shows that this issue is continued to be ignored. PodFarm has not been updated since ages - one has the impression that they are focussing on their other new products and do not want to touch PodFarm anymore.

 

The reason I am using SPDIF out is that I run it into a "semi-professional" audio Interface with sufficient In and Outputs - the UX-2 is of course not designed for / aimed at this. In theory, you can use PodFarm with any Audio Interface but in real life, the PodFarm interaction with other Interfaces is basic at most (ever tried it?).

In any case, I have paid for the UX-2 and PodFarm platinum and asking to fix an apparent bug is not inappropriate, or?

@TheRealZap: You are right - may I quote from the answer I got to my ticket regarding this very issue from May 16, 2012:

 

"I would suggest eliminate the Steinberg MR816X from the equation, and simply try using the UX2 as the input and output device as Windows does not handle aggregate device setups very well. Secondly, you are degrading the audio quality by running it through two interfaces unnecessarily."
 

Aggregate device setup? What aggregate setup? Degrading the Audio Quality in a completely digital chain? Really? I do not think so. The suggestion of using the UX-2 instead of its SPDIF output is of course circumnavigating the problem and no fix for the root cause.
Thanks for that advice.

All of you who are using the SPDIF out (and likely also the analog out) have paid for 24 bit and only get 16 bit (unless you reset it every time). This cause seems to be a bug in PodFarm and should be easy enough to fix and distributed via a Line 6 Monkey update.

Line 6? Any word from you?





 

[TexLefty65]

I see your points RobertMan that you shouldn't get conflicting driver settings, but it seems to me that it you might get similar problems with any audio interface/driver when two different applications are trying to access it. The Line 6 Driver in this case is being accessed by both your Windows Sound-Control panel settings AND then by the POD Farm app when it launches. If each app is initially asking the driver for a different bit and/or sample rate, the the driver is trying to do the right thing and switch to provide it. When using any audio interface's ASIO driver with a DAW app, I NEVER set it to also be the default Windows sound device at the same time. Windows multimedia apps (that use the Windows Control Panel settings) are typically 16 bit apps, or might request who knows what sample rate, so it seems just not a good idea to try to share an audio interface between them as the same time.

 

Do you need to have the UX2 set as your Windows default audio interface while also using the POD Farm app for your guitar playing? What about setting your computer's internal sound card as the Windows default for playback of Windows apps (Win Media Player, YouTube playback, Windows sounds, etc.) and just use UX2 for POD Farm?

[RobertMan]

Thanks TexLefty65 for your ideas,

 

but I am NOT using the UX2 as the default device for Windows Audio - for this purpose exclusively I have designated the internal soundcard in my Dell PC which is also connected to dedicated external PC speakers.
 

My UX-2's and my Steinberg MR816's main OP 1 & 2 are connected to a monitor mixer which in turn is connected to my studio monitors.
 

My reference to the Sound Control Panel was exclusively aimed at the settings within PodFarm which leads you there by selecting preferences / ToneDirect Settings.