W8 Ticks

[AlainGr]

There is also another program that compares with the Accurip database. I heard about this a few weeks ago. It's called Perfect Tunes (http://www.dbpoweramp.com/perfecttunes.htm). You can use the unregistered version, just to see if it indicates something.

Hope this helps...

Alain

[PeterSt]

Paul,

The fact that you did not hear the ticks before doesn't tell all. It fairly much depends on how good the chain is (and XXHighEnd itself already matters a lot).

If you like you can send me the file (through filemail.com please) and if you have an indication at what mm:ss:xx to look for that would be great.

Peter

[Scroobius]

Peter - I have made some more checks and it is very odd. I have a master "Office" PC on my network and I rip albums onto a disc on that PC using EAC.

For music replay I have a separate "Music" PC that runs XX. I mirror the music directory from the Office PC onto a disc on the Music PC using Robocopy. Actually the "Music" PC disc is a Seagate 3T USB3 disc so it is transportable.

I use Robocopy to mirror the Master Music directory onto the Music PC 3T disc.

I have just checked two tracks (on the 3T USB3 disc) that I know have "Clicks" on them and I have emailed them to you with time info so you can find the clicks.

BUT and here is the really strange thing the same (master) files on the Master Music disc on the "Study" PC are OK NO CLICKS. 

So I just ran robocopy to mirror the Master music directory onto the 3T Seagate and no files were updated which is fine because I have not added or changed any files. But the 3T Seagate version of the offending file still has the clicks and the master version of the same file does not. So it looks as though the clicks appeared during the copy process or could they appear after the copy process????

I have sent the files by Filemail.

Edit: actually it has to be inconceivable to get clicks onto the files during the copy process. So how could they get there?

Edit (another): I just deleted a file (with clicks) on the 3T USB disc and then copied the Master file (no clicks) onto the 3T USB disc to replace the deleted file. This time there are far fewer clicks but there still are a couple. So it does appear this is a problem that occurs during copying. I wonder if USB3 is the problem - seems unlikely though.

Cheers

Paul

[Scroobius]

After more checks I am sure this problem has been caused by the USB3 connection. I was using a USB3 extension cable which I then removed and plugged direct into the USB3 socket on the back of the PC - no problems then I can copy without any clicks appearing.

So beware of USB connected discs.
Paul

[acg]

Interesting Paul.  I hope the solution holds for a while and you have solved your problem!

I had an interesting one today...the midrange got all hazy and harder to listen to than I am used to, not a great deal but noticeable.  I remembered that I had left the Ethernet cable in the back of the XXHE pc while transferring music to the HDD so I pulled it out and things are back to normal.  In the last few days I have moved the NAS into the ceiling with its own UPS and about 15m of cat5e cable which at first glimpse seems to be acting as an antenna for something or other.

Cheers,

Anthony

[PeterSt]

Hey Paul,

I didn't look into the files yet (no time), but can you prove to yourself it is not the USB connection itself over which the ticks appear ?

So, you moved the USB3 disk to the back of the PC, copied over that connection and ... lef the connection be at your now tick-free attempt of playback ?

Regards,
Peter

[Scroobius]

OK I copied files over to the internal disc of my Music PC over the network - no clicks.

I copied files onto the 3T USB3 disc by plugging directly into the USB3 socket at back of the Study PC - no clicks.

I then copied files onto the 3T USB3 disc but this time with the USB3 extender back cable in place - and clicks appeared on the copied files.

Then using Robocopy to mirror a large music file onto the 3T USB3 disc with the USB3 extender cable in place (when Robocopy runs a DOS box opens and you can watch % progress as the files copy across) and I noticed that if I "played" with the USB3 plug in the extender cable female socket that the % progress speed slowed down. Pretty damming evidence against the extender cable I would say.

So the USB3 extender cable is now in the bin awaiting collection from our local bin men.

I shall get hold of a better quality extender cable or a front panel extender to get USB3 on the front panel of my PC but it will be thoroughly tested first.

I had always assumed that error correction protocols would prevent errors in the data transfer - so a useful lesson for me.

By the way I did a quick test using the same extender cable on a USB2 link and could not get any clicks but I got bored waiting for the files to copy across and so that test was far from exhaustive.

Paul

[PeterSt]

Hi Paul,

I'm afraid you didn't get my message (or I don't understand yours);

What I say (explicitly now) is :

- No copy will destroy your data if all is right (and it will be I think).
- The ticks emerge by using the particular connection.

So instead of copying all over to all places over all sorts of connections, you should just play over all these sorts, starting with the copy which shows ticks to whatever connection.

I am suggesting this, because it seems a 1000 times more feasable that it's playback "errors" than copy errors (which latter should NEVER happen).

Peter

[Scroobius]

Peter - probably I misunderstand you but anyway.

No copy will destroy your data if all is right (and it will be I think)

The clicks are on the WAV files I sent you for sure and absolutely you will hear them (try right at the end of the "Oleo" track and let me know what you hear). The clicks are in definite places on the WAV file and will be heard on whatever system you play them regardless of whatever connection you use (I am using my study PC and hear them now). The good master versions of the same files have no clicks.

It has to be copy errors unless I really am being dumb (OK I should not say that as you will probably now prove me wrong now ha ha).

Cheers

Paul

[PeterSt]

Ok Paul, all clear. It's only that (at first) you didn't confirm nor denie my suggestion that it could be the playback side of things.

But a copy which doesn't copy - that's way baaad.

Regards,
Peter

[Scroobius]

I am going to get hold of a good quality USB3 extension lead and see if I can replicate the problem. But even so with a "bad lead" has to be a surprise that there can be data errors.

[CoenP]

I am going to get hold of a good quality USB3 extension lead and see if I can replicate the problem. But even so with a "bad lead" has to be a surprise that there can be data errors.

Fwiw the USB connection with the NOS is very sensitive. If I just acidentally touch the cable the music can stop with a loud plop. No more NOS1 in the driverpanel.

Today I had to reconnect the NOS1 and experenced ticks. As fisrt I thought it was windows gone astray, but the I got the luminous idea to reconnect again (at PC side). Result: no more ticks!

When still ticking I checked the NOS driver and all errors at the ticks were fifo related.

I can vividly imagine that an extension cord with a less than perfect connection in the chain introduces ticks in your system.

Regards, Coen