Audio crack and pop when recording through Fairlight

Each time I record voice over in Fairlight, the recording will sound good for about 30 seconds. After that, the audio begin to deteriorate and the cracks and pops begin to take over. I have been having this issue with Resolve 14, 15, and now 16.

If I exit Resolve and go back into it and try to record again. The same issue will happen.

Note that I record the same way in Ableton and Premiere Pro using the same set of equipment and this issue does not happen. It happens exclusively in Resolve/Fairlight.
Please let me know if anyone else have a similar issue.

Thanks

[Peter Chamberlain]

What is the sample rate of the device providing the source to Fairlight?
48KHz.

The same thing with me. And I turned all that I could to 48000... Still cracks.... It brings me to encoding videos and recording in different software and it is a nightmare... Please help!
It seems that Fairlight doesn't listen to the drivers of external audio card and still want just integrated or something like that...

Did you ever find a solution? I'm having the exact same issue. I don't have this issue in any other programs on this computer and I use many sound/DAW programs (Reaper, Studio One, Ableton Live and a few others).

Now, whilst I am in the market for a new computer (as my current one is quite old), I do not think it's due to the computer being under powered (the video editing itself is quite smooth).

My specs:
Windows 10
Davinci Resolve 16.2 Studio
Motherboard: P8Z77-V LX
i7 3770
16GB
GPU: GTX 970 (driver 432.00)

Sound:
Komplete Audio 6, WDM drivers, 48Khz (tried various buffer settings to no avail)

Video format: 1080p, 30fps, H.264 but have also transcoded to various DnxHR formats which didn't fix the issue.

EDIT: forgot to say, I also ran a DPC latency test, but that didn't highlight any issues

Did you check these? The important bit is the sample rate of 48khz.

Hi Charles - yes, I've got these both set to 48Khz in those spots, and also in the Komplete Audio 6 device manager.

What is the source of your video, and is it constant or variable frame rate? If it is variable this could be the cause as Resolve is trying to play the video at its varying rate whilst trying to record the audio at a constant framerate.

H- it's a constant frame rate (30fps) recorded with OBS Studio with a constant bit rate. It's in an MP4 container and encoded with NVENC. But, problem persists when I transcode to DNxHR before I edit & record the audio.

Right now I'm going through any type of Windows back-end processes that may be interfering, but no luck so far. There's one thing though: it's not consistent.... Sometimes I can record 20 seconds of audio without a single glitch whereas at other times it starts glitching pretty much straight away. This makes me think that it may be something that's interfering with Davinci Resolve. Maybe it's the fact that I can only use WDM drivers in Resolve (I normally use ASIO) and these are somehow more susceptible to...(??)

WDM audio drivers should not be a problem. I have used them without issue. The problem definitely sounds like a timing mismatch somewhere in the system.

Thanks again Charles!

I think I made some progress in the mean time. I don't think it necessarily tackles the root cause, but it certainly has eliminated (at least....so far) the symptoms. Not displaying the meters & mixer seemed to help a bit, but it was when I changed the Audio Processing Block size from auto to 2048, my problems disappeared. At least for now that is!

Thanks again Charles!

I think I made some progress in the mean time. I don't think it necessarily tackles the root cause, but it certainly has eliminated (at least....so far) the symptoms. Not displaying the meters & mixer seemed to help a bit, but it was when I changed the Audio Processing Block size from auto to 2048, my problems disappeared. At least for now that is!

Looks like your interface has latency problem with Resolve. Or Resolve has latency problem with your interface...

I also have this problem intermittently when recording through fairlight. Very annoying and I don't experience it on any other DAW software. I do remember solving it by changing the latency settings. However, in DR 17 Beta any setting other than "auto" for the Audio Processing Block size does not work. Only "auto" allows me to record, the other settings mute the mic and I can't record it.

I'm using a 12-core machine with plenty of GPU, and a focusrite audio interface. My equipment is not the problem! Something in DR, unfortunately. Please fix this, if anyone is listening.

I also have this problem intermittently when recording through fairlight. Very annoying and I don't experience it on any other DAW software. I do remember solving it by changing the latency settings. However, in DR 17 Beta any setting other than "auto" for the Audio Processing Block size does not work. Only "auto" allows me to record, the other settings mute the mic and I can't record it.

I'm using a 12-core machine with plenty of GPU, and a focusrite audio interface. My equipment is not the problem! Something in DR, unfortunately. Please fix this, if anyone is listening.

Looks like i'm in the same boat. My guess is that MADI is causing it, because any other daw/NLE which is using ASIO is working fine, and if i change the settings to MME in premiere, i get almost the same bad quality popping/cracklng sound as in resolve.

How to fix this?

It sounds likes either a "buffer underrun" to much data and not enough processing power and to small a databuffer. Or a sync issue

Have you checked if the audio hardware you are using is set as the master internal clock or external Wordclock.
Generally it is imperative when using multiple digital devices e.g. video and audio equipment together that they are in sync by either one of them being the master or both locked to the best WordClock or Trilevel sync source available in your facility

From my point of view. Using win WDM drivers is not to be advised for recording. The quality of the incoming audio is really dependent of utilizing high quality clock-sync to run A/D converters and Asio drivers, like used in the hardware from fairlight, Lynx or RME.

I am sure that BM are on track solving the audio issues, just look at the re-programmed audio engine very impressive

I have the same problem with RME Fireface - cracking/glitching mic recording. Nothing helps. I've tried Internal/Worldclock settings and also different latency settings in Fireface. Recording in DaVinci Resolve available for me only with "auto" in audio processing block size settings, no recording for any other options.

I've realized one thing here: When I'm tying to record mic, I've got a lot off cracking/glitching. But if I go afterwadrs into settings and change to any other block size option and back to "auto" again and save it, I get significantly less cracking/glitching in final recording but it still does exist.

I had the same issue with RME 9632 and DR16. Haven't tried with DR17, but according to the forum threads - nothing has changed since that time...

I have the same problem with RME Fireface - cracking/glitching mic recording. Nothing helps. I've tried Internal/Worldclock settings and also different latency settings in Fireface.

Hi koxbox, did you ever solve this issue? I am having the same issue with my RME Fireface and microphones connected via my Babyface Pro.

Please let me know.

After further extensive testing (different hardware and software interfaces and every combination of latency settings, while keeping to 48kHz), and I can confirm that this issue persists (at least on my computer system) with:
- RME Fireface USB Windows driver interface and the BabyFace Pro,
- RME Fireface USB Windows driver interface and the Fireface, and the
- Steinberg USB Windows driver and the Steinberg UR44 USB interface.

This leads me to the conclusion that it is not an RME or Steinberg issue, but rather how the Davinci Resolve connects using WDM to the audio interface system.

Note that there are no audio issues with any of the three systems listed above on any other audio recording application of my computer, eg Audition, Audio Recorder, SnagIT, Studio One, Cubase... although the last two use the ASIO drivers, I set up the first 3 to use WDM.

This is a MAJOR issue for me as I purchased Davinci Resolve to do voice overs and ADR!

HELP!

I am presuming you already saw this: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=125332

The only interface we found on Windows that could get decent audio into Resolve is a Sound Devices MixPre-3. It is a field recorder, so it is not really suited for studio work. But if you must use Resolve, it can do it.

We found that Fairlight is oddly crippled by strange bugs, no VST3, no ASIO and is generally unreliable. Since most of our projects require extensive voiceover recording, and we do not have time or energy to struggle with Fairlight, we have to do all of our audio work outside of Resolve.

For video, Resolve is great.

I am presuming you already saw this: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=125332

The only interface we found on Windows that could get decent audio into Resolve is a Sound Devices MixPre-3. It is a field recorder, so it is not really suited for studio work. But if you must use Resolve, it can do it.

Thanks for your reply. Because of it I spent the day testing my system as I managed to get access to a Sound Devices MixPre 6 for testing, but that didn't work either.

The crackling noise I get with each of the following USB interfaces:
1- RME Babyface Pro USB interface, using the RME Fireface USB driver
2- RME Fireface UCX USB interface, using the RME Fireface USB driver
3- Steinberg UR44 USB interface, using the Steinberg audio driver
4- USB Microphone (Audio Technica ATMG1 microphone)

Yet recording to any other Windows app works perfectly.

I have also tried the following to no avail:
Ensured that 48kHz was set in Davinci Resolve, Windows and the USB drivers
Tried all buffer sizes
Reinstalled all USB drivers and updated to the latest drivers and firmware
Checked that all audio enhancements in Windows sound settings were disabled
Disabled all other sound devices in Windows Device manager, eg “Sound Blaster Recon3Di” etc.
Checked and then Unchecked exclusive mode in Windows sound settings – it made no difference
Verified that the sample rate and bit depth match between USB drivers and Windows sound settings
Windows power plan set to high performance
Tried all available USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1 ports and did not use a USB hub.

Any other suggestions... from anyone?

i have spent alot of time and energy in trying to make this work, and stumbled on the same issues. I do remember i got it sort-of-working eventually, but i think the reason why i wasn't satisfied was because the blackmagic output had to be sacrified, or my scarlett2i2, and there was alot of latency. or something like that. I eventually gave up..

i use adobe audition to record voiceovers, or premiere, or audacity. basically anything with ASIO support. lol

i use adobe audition to record voiceovers, or premiere, or audacity. basically anything with ASIO support. lol

Thanks for your reply. I would do the same but I need ADR unfortunately.

[Dwaine Maggart]

17.3 has ASIO support.

17.3 has ASIO support.

Thanks for the heads up!!

This will fix the problem no doubt. I know what I'll be doing tonight... lots of testing.

Thanks again!