Old 09-03-2016, 12:52 PM   #1
rmp5s
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Default "Audio device busy" NIGHTMARE!!

I've been using REAPER for roughly 7 years now and absolutely adore it. FANTASTIC software at an unbeatable price.

One issue I repeatedly run into though (which really isn't REAPER's fault...) is the "audio device busy" error when I open up the audio device settings and go into the ASIO4All settings and it is flat out maddening sometimes. ~30% of the time, I can switch inputs and outputs just fine and everything works fine. ~60% of the time, I get the error and have to restart REAPER get get it back to normal. That other 10% of the time, I have to complete restart my machine to un**** it...

This happens when trying to go back and forth between my monitor speakers, which are connected to the PC via USB by way of a Behringer U-Control UCA202, and my headphones, which are connected to the PC via USB by way of a Scarlett Solo.

REAPER v4.611, ASIO4All v2.1, all driver software up to date.

I've Googled around for solutions to this and came up empty handed...is there ANYTHING that can make the input/output handling better? Another driver alternative to ASIO4All maybe? Does anyone know some other work around for it?

Any and all help greatly appreciated.

Time to go reboot my machine since I can't get audio to come out my headphones!!...
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Old 09-03-2016, 06:07 PM   #2
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Hello.

I know the frustration.


My response may not specifically address your exact situation, but perhaps my problem solving and solution may spark a path for you to solve something on your side. Worst case, you'll know you're not alone in such a bind. :s

I use the Studio GT - Active Studio Monitors with USB Audio Interface, (http://www.samsontech.com/samson/pro...o-gt/studiogt/), which normally works very well. But, if load up POD FARM (a software that emulates various amps and effects for the electric guitar) I get a conflict at the sound card level.

It's like this: both Samson and PodFarm are competing for ASIO's attention, but only one can win. I need Samson to win so I can hear the guitar, but I need PodFarm to color the guitar sound. But... BAM: conflit!

I found a solution, but it's not ideal:

Instead of plugging my headphones in Samson (which is the normal thing to do), I plug them into the output jack found on the side of my laptop. Then I go into Reaper preferences (shift+p) and in the Audio Device panel I set the Audio System to WASAPI (Windows 7/8/Vista). It can also be set to another system, just NOT ASIO. I need to give ASIO to PodFarm (greedy little bugger).

Then set the input to listen to the microphone jack of the laptop, not the USB port (which is the Asio normal routine).

All that is left to do is relay the headphone output of the Samson to the microphone jack of the laptop with a 1/8 jack cable.

I know all this sounds crazy, but one important thing that I've learned throughout my years of playing and recording music is to plug things into other things using all sorts of connectors and cable lines. There is almost always a way around a problem when you start relaying headphone output of one hardware into the microphone input of another piece of hardware, or vice-versa...

Get good at doing this and thinking outside the box and you'll gain a valuable skill set; you'll be the guy that can make things work when everyone else is lost and convince that there is no solution to their problem.

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Old 09-04-2016, 10:42 AM   #3
JamesPeters
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Have you tried WASAPI instead? With my device it works as well as the native ASIO driver or better.
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Old 09-04-2016, 11:21 AM   #4
John57b
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Yes, the WASAPI is like the windows version of ASIO and not much difference in Latancy in some cases. I avoid using ASIO4All because it is not as good as a native ASIO driver.
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Old 09-04-2016, 11:07 PM   #5
rmp5s
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So...get this...

A message popped up from the system tray today saying something along the lines of "USB bus saturated".

I had (have) so much stuff plugged into my puter via USB that the interface COULDN'T work!!

Unplugging something allowed it to work fine.

First time that's happened for that reason. Pretty crazy.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!
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Old 09-05-2016, 01:26 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmp5s View Post
So...get this...

A message popped up from the system tray today saying something along the lines of "USB bus saturated".

I had (have) so much stuff plugged into my puter via USB that the interface COULDN'T work!!

Unplugging something allowed it to work fine.

First time that's happened for that reason. Pretty crazy.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!
You probably need an external POWERED USB hub. They are quite cheap and can save you a lot of hair pulling. I insist on the fact that they are self powered. The reason is, the USB bus has a limited power supply and your devices might be pulling too much power from the USB bus on which they are attached, causing some of them being insufficiently powered and not working properly.

For instance this one may do the trick:
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...dp/B00DQFGJR4/
or if you need USB 3.0:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ZGKWQI

Last edited by lolilol1975; 09-05-2016 at 01:35 AM.
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Old 09-05-2016, 09:14 AM   #7
serr
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You should be able to have any number of audio apps use your connected audio interface simultaneously. The problem occurs when different apps request different sample rates from the hardware. Find the app that's doing that.

Depending on the sequence of events (switching around sample rates from different apps and so forth), you may need to reinitialize the connection to Reaper. Select your interface again in Reaper preferences (even though it appears selected) and hit apply. That might be all it takes to reinitialize the system.

Further, if you have created aggregate device combinations, check the sample rates of everything when you switch stuff. Sometimes one device in the aggregate doesn't get the message and just sits there silent.
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Old 09-05-2016, 12:56 PM   #8
rmp5s
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lolilol1975 View Post
You probably need an external POWERED USB hub. They are quite cheap and can save you a lot of hair pulling. I insist on the fact that they are self powered. The reason is, the USB bus has a limited power supply and your devices might be pulling too much power from the USB bus on which they are attached, causing some of them being insufficiently powered and not working properly.

For instance this one may do the trick:
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...dp/B00DQFGJR4/
or if you need USB 3.0:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ZGKWQI
I have one! lol It's not power that's the issue...the bus is saturated. Like...I can't even run a webcam at 1080p right now. It can't handle that much data. I have to bump it down to 600p just to get it to work. I have a dozen-ish devices plugged into my puter via USB and the bus itself simply can't take all the data. The proverbial straw was my HTC Vive. That thing must brutalize USB in new found ways as, ever since installing it, my USB stuff has been all kinds of wonky.

Quote:
Originally Posted by serr
You should be able to have any number of audio apps use your connected audio interface simultaneously. The problem occurs when different apps request different sample rates from the hardware. Find the app that's doing that.

Depending on the sequence of events (switching around sample rates from different apps and so forth), you may need to reinitialize the connection to Reaper. Select your interface again in Reaper preferences (even though it appears selected) and hit apply. That might be all it takes to reinitialize the system.

Further, if you have created aggregate device combinations, check the sample rates of everything when you switch stuff. Sometimes one device in the aggregate doesn't get the message and just sits there silent.
Haven't thought of this before. I'll look into it. Thanks!
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Old 09-06-2016, 04:59 PM   #9
SonicAxiom
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on a dedicated audio production pc even in a semi-pro environment you are unplugging any unnecessary usb or firewire device and disable lots of things like unneeded system services to help the pc focus on one single important task: processing audio without crackles and drop-outs. No fancy transparent task bars or application window animations, etc. Wireless network adaptor: disabled. Internal sound device: disabled. 1080p webcam: disabled!!! USB sound device: plugged into a dedicated usb socket preferably utilizing its own usb bus. And there's a lot more tweaking that can (and should) be done!

Every single cpu cycle has to be freed up for smooth audio processing
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Old 09-08-2016, 04:44 PM   #10
RDBOIS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
on a dedicated audio production pc even in a semi-pro environment you are unplugging any unnecessary usb or firewire device and disable lots of things like unneeded system services to help the pc focus on one single important task: processing audio without crackles and drop-outs. No fancy transparent task bars or application window animations, etc. Wireless network adaptor: disabled. Internal sound device: disabled. 1080p webcam: disabled!!! USB sound device: plugged into a dedicated usb socket preferably utilizing its own usb bus. And there's a lot more tweaking that can (and should) be done!

Every single cpu cycle has to be freed up for smooth audio processing
Good point!

I've also noticed that un-ticking the AUDIO INPUT box in the Reaper Preferences helps; this of coarse once you're done recording. Just keep the send audio out to send the sound so you can listen.
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Old 09-08-2016, 06:33 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDBOIS View Post
Good point!

I've also noticed that un-ticking the AUDIO INPUT box in the Reaper Preferences helps; this of coarse once you're done recording.
This reminds me of my car: I have always got to turn off air-con not to loose speed on most grades (not even steep ones) :-)
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Old 09-09-2016, 12:32 AM   #12
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Why do I see so many people using inefficient 3rd party hacks like asio4all instead of the driver that came with the audio device? Scarlett Solo is an ASIO device with it's own driver...
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