Insane amounts of popping/crackling with Nolly plugin

Support
1

Hello!

I’m running my guitar into a MOTU M2 interface, and putting the signal through Archetype Nolly. I’m using a baseline of 44.1k sample and 256 buffer.

If all of the effects are off and I’m running just an amp, I get some pops and crackles every now and then. Annoying, but fine I guess.
If I even turn just 1 effect on like reverb or delay, its not listenable. The pops and crackles are constant and extremely harsh. I’ve reinstalled drivers, I’ve done a BIOS update, I’ve checked for USB driver updates, I’ve checked Windows Update. It has not stopped.

What I need to know is whether this is a software issue, an issue with the interface, or an issue with my laptop. I’ve an i7-9750H so it isn’t a processing power issue. Please advise!

2

Hi @ryanhadfield18. Take a look at the PC optimization guide. Then analyze your system using Latencymon, you may find the process/driver that’s causing the audio dropouts.

DPC latency issues are quite common with laptops, the issue could be related to that.

3

Thanks for the response @Gonzalo !
I ran the PC optimization guide and also used Latencymon. I’ve found interesting results.
After optimizing, I find that I can use the standalone desktop app for Archetype Nolly and not run into too many problems. A little bit of popping, but its useable. Latencymon reports no issues.
However, if I run Archetype Nolly within Reaper, it’s still just as terrible. You can see the Latencymon output below. I’ve already updated my BIOS. What can I do?

CONCLUSION

Your system seems to be having difficulty handling real-time audio and other tasks. You may experience drop outs, clicks or pops due to buffer underruns. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:10:59 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.

SYSTEM INFORMATION

Computer name: DESKTOP-E77JORQ
OS version: Windows 10 , 10.0, build: 18363 (x64)
Hardware: Blade 15 Mid 2019-Base, Razer, DA530
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel® Core™ i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz
Logical processors: 12
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 16282 MB total

CPU SPEED

Reported CPU speed: 2592 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

WARNING: the CPU speed that was measured is only a fraction of the CPU speed reported. Your CPUs may be throttled back due to variable speed settings and thermal issues. It is suggested that you run a utility which reports your actual CPU frequency and temperature.

MEASURED INTERRUPT TO DPC LATENCIES

The interrupt to DPC latency reflects the measured interval in which a DPC could execute in response to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution.

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1106.90
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 6.799856

REPORTED ISRs

Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 368.054012
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: ACPI.sys - ACPI Driver for NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.005001
Driver with highest ISR total time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.005105

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 207008
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 5
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

REPORTED DPCs

DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 1022.308642
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ACPI.sys - ACPI Driver for NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.079932
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0.126768

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 1514660
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 337
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 1
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS

Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: msmpeng.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 3858
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 1250
Number of processes hit: 59

PER CPU DATA

CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 36.174385
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 368.054012
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0.403723
CPU 0 ISR count: 206770
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 1022.308642
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 9.722845
CPU 0 DPC count: 1474434

CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 18.772996
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 4.300926
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000238
CPU 1 ISR count: 243
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 162.098765
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0.012616
CPU 1 DPC count: 940

CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 17.451528
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 297.846451
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0.007895
CPU 2 DPC count: 1611

CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 17.171018
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 81.672068
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002623
CPU 3 DPC count: 679

CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 14.494082
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR count: 0
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 85.534722
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0.007230
CPU 4 DPC count: 1258

CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 17.035588
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 5 ISR count: 0
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 85.101080
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001878
CPU 5 DPC count: 425

CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 24.988952
CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 6 ISR count: 0
CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 439.161265
CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0.173308
CPU 6 DPC count: 21647

CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 22.761095
CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR count: 0
CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 277.723765
CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0.008349
CPU 7 DPC count: 1362

CPU 8 Interrupt cycle time (s): 20.498415
CPU 8 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 8 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 8 ISR count: 0
CPU 8 DPC highest execution time (µs): 319.351852
CPU 8 DPC total execution time (s): 0.057569
CPU 8 DPC count: 7566

CPU 9 Interrupt cycle time (s): 19.652934
CPU 9 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 9 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 9 ISR count: 0
CPU 9 DPC highest execution time (µs): 279.121914
CPU 9 DPC total execution time (s): 0.008215
CPU 9 DPC count: 1079

CPU 10 Interrupt cycle time (s): 16.514051
CPU 10 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 10 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 10 ISR count: 0
CPU 10 DPC highest execution time (µs): 294.795525
CPU 10 DPC total execution time (s): 0.023423
CPU 10 DPC count: 3237

CPU 11 Interrupt cycle time (s): 16.563036
CPU 11 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 11 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 11 ISR count: 0
CPU 11 DPC highest execution time (µs): 78.291667
CPU 11 DPC total execution time (s): 0.005536
CPU 11 DPC count: 760

4

@Gonzalo I’ve also noticed that I now only get popping when RECORDING on Reaper. If I just listen to the audio playback without having a track engaged for recording, everything sounds fine. It’s just when I hit the record button that it’s awful

5

The analysis made by Latencymon indicates that the Driver with the highest ISR routine execution time is ACPI.sys. When this driver reports high execution times, it’s almost always related to the power management modes of your laptop. You could try disabling any form of sleep setting, as well as features that can take control of the frequency of your CPU ( Turbo boost, Cool’n’Quiet, some C-States modes, etc). Disabling the ACPI Battery from within the device manager could also work, but this will disable the ability for the laptop to charge the battery. Uninstalling related power management software could also help (such as Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework ).

Additionally, the process with the highest pagefault count is msmpeng.exe . Verify if disabling Windows Defender mitigates the issue since pagefaults can also generate audio dropouts.

Check this link for more info about it.

6

@Gonzalo wow thanks so much for the help!

I’ve disabled windows defender and now I have no issues at all!

7

@Gonzalo wait, I spoke too soon. That seemed to have helped, but then when I restarted Reaper, the issues were back. Windows defender is still deactivated though. I’ll try the power management fixes.

8

@Gonzalo Unfortunately, none of these things have helped. I’ve disabled ACPI battery in device manager, windows defender, etc.

9

@ryanhadfield18 I’m sorry to hear that. You can still run Latencymon, check the process that gives the highest reading at the “Highest reported DPC routine execution time” and look online for similar subjects. As said above, these issues are quite common with laptops.

There’s also an in-depth guide on real-time optimization by Cantabile that might work: Glitch Free

I hope that helps.

10

I was having a similar issue with the new Coey Wong plugin, that I wasn’t having with any of my other Neural plugins – Was getting terrible popping / crackling no matter what buffer settings I was using — Tried all the usual things, with no luck…, until I realized that I had both instrument inputs of my audio interface active. I’ll usually fix that when I first install - but, missed it with this one.

I just unchecked the second input – and like magic, all sounds great again.

So, if you have more than one channel on your interface (I’m using an Audient iD44) – and/or you’re having unusual popping and crackling when using the Neural Amps, try checking your audio settings.

For Nolly – it’s located from the “AUDIO SETUP” button on the top-left of the plugin window –

Once the Audio Settings window is open - Go to the “Active input channels” block - and make sure just “Analogue 1” is checked (assuming that you are plugging-in to that input on your interface).

Hope that fixes it for you!

1 Like
12

Thank you bbiworld!
I was using a iRig pro audio device as input where in spite of having just one input I had both Font left Input and Input 2 at the same time.
The CPU didn’t go above 15% so I couldn’t figure out what was the issue until I deselected the Input 2 and now everything works perfectly in all my Neural DSP plugins!
Cheers!