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Digital_Igloo - can you weigh in S/PDIF dropouts?


Doug6String
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DI - there are a number of us that want to use S/PDIF but we have regular sound drops when using it.  There's a post on this going back some time.  There were posts indicating it would be fixed in updates, but it hasn't been.

 

Speaking only for myself, if L6 says they had the right intentions with this but simply can't fix it, I'm OK with that.  Otherwise if it is still on the table to be addressed it would be good to know that too.

 

I think there were support tickets on this way back when, but if we need to open a new one, I can do that.

 

The Helix is the single most important music making tool I have (even more than any one of my many guitars) and L6 does an amazing job with updates like the most recent one, and if I had to choose, I'd choose updates over S/PDIF!  I'd just like to know if this is the case.

 

Thanks for any input you have on this.

 

Doug

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  • 4 weeks later...

This may be totally unrelated, but my XLR output has volume drops if I have it set to Line level. When set to Mic, it's fine. The volume drops don't happen right away, usually occurring after playing for about 30 minutes or so. It actually seems like it switches from line level to mic level. It gets low and nasally sounding. I have a two night out of town gig coming up. After that I was planning on opening a ticket with Line 6 to see if it was something that can be fixed. 

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  • 5 weeks later...
Guest Line6Will

Hi all,

I can assure you, as stated in the releases notes from 2.54, " Once every 74 minutes or so, the AES/EBU or S/PDIF digital signal could drop out for several seconds"   A SPDF bug has been fixed.If you're still having any issues with SPDF, please make support ticket ans we'll help find a solution.  @rd2rk, I see you already have, thanks!

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As the problem seemed to be spreading to the analog outs, I suspected possibly something upstream? So I called support, and Jason suggested re-installing the 2.54 update and doing a 9+10 reset. I have done so, and will test further over the weekend. Jason said that if that doesn't work I may have to send it in for service to check out.

 

Here's hoping that won't be necessary. I've become attached to this thing!

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On the original thread on this that started more than a year ago, I think everyone that replied after the fix except one person (maybe rd2rk?) indicated it is fixed, incl me.  It seems this is not the same issue.

 

RD2RK - I hope the suggested fix works for you!

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After hours of re-wiring, re-flashing and reloading drivers, most of the problems seem to be gone, except for the noise thru the S/PDIF. When I had it set up to use the Helix as AI, I wasn't getting noise over USB, which may not mean anything. When I went back to using the Focusrite as AI, still noise over S/PDIF. Since that's the only AI that I have with S/PDIF, I can't really isolate the Helix to see if that's the problem. I've opened a support ticket with Focusrite, but you know how that goes. Unless it's a known problem, they'll blame the Helix. Only ONE of the four L6 service centers in the Denver area services the Helix, I'll try taking it there if Focusrite can't help.

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ARRRGH!!!!!

 

I've now eliminated every other possibility. The unit IS experiencing audio dropouts using XLR straight to a powered speaker (2 different ones actually - so that's not the problem either). I still haven't isolated the S/PDIF noise, that COULD still be a problem with the Focusrite 18i20 interface (I doubt it, but have opened a support ticket with them), but I now suspect that the S/PDIF dropouts that I was experiencing might not have anything to do with the digital out.

 

L6 is issuing an RMA.

 

AARRRRGHHH!!!!!

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Today I found out what was causing the noise over S/PDIF. Unplug G10 wireless, connect by old-fashioned cable, no noise!

I was overjoyed! played for an hour, no dropouts, no weird noises. It kinda sucks, but I can live without the G10.

 

BUT THEN... I went to dinner, came back 2 hours later, every light on the Helix was flashing like crazy.

 

Waiting for the RMA.....

 

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

 

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I am.  It goes to my Presonus Studio 192.  Before the fix I was using SPDIF to free up 2 more inputs on the 192 and I had the dropouts 100% on the time when playing 1-3 hours, which I do pretty much every night.  No dropouts since the fix (sorry!).

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I'm leaning toward interference by space aliens, but you could be right about the curse.

In case it's something more mundane, I'm sending it back to L6 to figure it out.

IF they ever get around to sending the RMA!

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Well, thanks for making me laugh out loud!  We were all kinda desperate, I think, so I thought this approach might get some attention since support tickets didn't seem to be getting any traction.  At least as far as we knew.  Kinda like flying (where's flyings cool when you need him!) - stuff happens but getting timely, accurate info can help..

 

I feel bad for  rd2rk since it seems like a diff issue that will require way more time and trouble!

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