Issues With M-audio Delta And G5 1.8 Dp?, Relates to PCI (-X) bus noise Options

[dougzilla]

Hi,

First post, appreciate any advice.

I've just purchased a 1.8 GHz dual processor G5 Power Mac, upgrading from an aging and slow 500MHz G4. I have used an M-audio Delta-44 4in/4out PCI interface for 2 years on that machine, no problems. I can't use it on the G5 because the old PCI card has 5V signalling while the new architecuture uses 3.3 V, regardless of whether the bus is PCI or PCI-X. M-Audio offers a swap-out for their latest Delta-44 card which it claims is PCI and PCI-X compatible for $50.

I called M-Audio today to order the new card and they told me there are issues (digital hash, crackles, etc.) using it in the 1.8 DP G5's and that they don't want to swap for my old card. They claim that they have been working directly with Apple for "months" and that the problem lies with them. They said to call Apple, which I did.

When I eventually got an Apple product specialist for the DP 1.8's on the phone, he says Apple knows nothing about this issue, but there were some issues in 1st gen 1.8 DP G5's (ones with 8 memory slots on the mother board). He knows of no such issues now. He says go back to M-Audio and work with them.

So this is a classic case of manufacturers pointing fingers at one another.

QUESTION: DOES ANYONE IN THE GROUP HAVE EXPERIENCE USING M-AUDIO PCI-X CARDS in G5 1.8 DP MACHINES? DO THEY WORK OR SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER INTERFACE? I NEED ONLY 4IN/4OUT LINE LEVEL BALANCED FROM MY ANALOG MIXER, GOOD AD/DA CONVERTER WITH 24/96 CAPABILITY AND LOW LATENCY. WILL BE USING LOGIC EXPRESS 7 SOFTWARE.

TIA,
Doug(zilla)

[editbrain]

i have one, and use it. it took me 3 g5's to get one that worked. apple knows about it, m-audio knows about it.
my card works good, but it does spit digital crap when using crossfade in iTunes. and if you are playing a song and os x makes noise (like a buddy request in iChat) same digital glitch.

on the other hand. it works great with logic 5,6, and 7.
so what do you do....?

i don't now.

i do know that having a metal case can't be good for ground noise, but i learned the hard way and bought some decent power conditionars, but it doesn't fix the iTunes problem

[dougzilla]

Thanks, I'm still going around with M-Audio and Apple. The head tech at M-Audio will let me swap out my old card to try the new version, and refund my $ if it doesn't work, which is about the most I can expect, I guess.

If it doesn't work, I will try again to get satisfaction through Apple, but I didn't get very far last time.

If I eventually give up, WHAT'S THE NEXT BEST ALTERNATIVE, ASSUMING ALL I REALLY NEED IS THE 4/4 ANALOG IN/OUT? ANYONE KNOW THE ECHO AUDIO LAYLA 3G? IT HAS A LOT MORE BELLS AND WHISTLES....

[editbrain]

i was totally checking out that route (layla 3g).
i would recomend this. if your delta card works (which it should) setup your audio in "sounds" from the system prefs so that the system sounds come out or your internal audio. that way you don't get those naste interuptions (the glitch noise i was talking about earlier).

yeah. i went round and round with apple on the audio noise from the G5, but at the end i choose to deal with it.

let me ask you a question, dougzilla. when you use the finder do and you are using column view.
select a media file .mov, .aiff, or .aac. do you hear your G5 make a whining noise?

[dougzilla]

Right Editbrain, I normally do route system sounds through the internal audio processor. Have had no issues with interference with the Delta-44 in my old G4 under OS 10.2.8 doing that.

I will listen for whining noises in the G5 tonight when I get home. Right now, only whining noises are coming from ME!


Doug(zilla)

[PhilTrueman]

Hi Dougzilla,

Interesting - I had a M-Audio 2496 Audiophile in my old G4 - it worked fine for me (Logic 5/6, Soundtrack, Garageband) and, like you, having got a G5 - I can't transfer my 2496 card over.

So I looked around - and bearing in mind I want to do some surround video stuff in the future - I bought a M-Audio 1010LT card from Academy of Sound.

So far - it works fine. Only on Stereo at the moment in the G5 - still saving up for the full 5.1 system. The only crackles I get are occaisionally from the domestic ring circuit (cos I also need to smooth the power).

Just a thought.

Cheers
PT

[editbrain]

i agree. i could filter my power better. using furmans now, but i don't think those filter noise from my old mid town apartment.

[dougzilla]

For Editbrain--Checked the 'whining' situation last night on the G5, set up as you described--nothing to report. I note that that OS 10.3 in the columns view gives a Preview of the selected audio file that is playable, but I don't know what software is behind that, although I would suspect QuickTime. Since I don't have anything in the system right now but the internal audio processor/core-audio, I can't say if having an M-Audio Delta-XX card changes anything.

For PhilTrueman--Interesting that the M-Audio 1010 works for you. The problem that the Delta series suffers from, according to M-Audio, is unique to currently shipping versions of the 1.8 GHz Dual Processor G5 (those which have only 4 DIMM slots on the motherboard). Is your machine that model, or an earlier version which had 8 DIMM slots?

The noise issue M-Audio says is there in the DP1.8 machines is DIGITAL, not RFI or groundloop or anything of similar nature.

Doug(zilla)

[editbrain]

i would like to comment on the DIGITAL response. This is what i was told by a pro tech at Apple.

Thanks for the test, dougzilla. I have narrowed it down to my hdd doing the whinning. This is strange, because it doesn't make a sound except for this.

[disciplers]

Hi guys I have been having similar issues with my G5 1.8 and Delta 66, repeated noise etc. Has anyone found a permanent solution to this problem yet?
Is it a problem with a batch of G5's or cards, or is it a ground loop situation.
Cant afford to send G5 back really as I'm running my studio on it and sold my G4 to pay for it, so no G5, no music, no money.
Appreciate your help.