Crackling sound in Reason 9

[Barnski]

I hope that someone might be able to help me with a problem I have with Reason 9:

Crackling noises from Reason 9. No crackles or pops with previous versions, and projects that played back with no noise in 7 and 8 now play back with subtle, but significant crackling noise.
CPU limit is off, and the noise appears no matter the DSP load. The problem persists even when DSP load only shows one bar.
Using a mid 2009 Macbook pro, and the internal soundcard, which has never given me this kind of problem before.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar, or does any have any ideas on what to do?

Thanks in advance!

[Gaja]

I've seen the crackling on mac books too. Something to do with OSX I believe.

[Djstarski]

Have you tried checking your buffer size ? 512 works for me .

[jengstrom]

Reason 9 has separate preferences to earlier versions, so the buffer size you used for Reason 8 may not what is set up in Reason 9.
Please check all the following:

Are the two Reason versions using the same...
1. ...audio device? The same device can be used for multiple "aggregate devices"
2. ...sample rate? Sample rate is a direct factor on the amount of work done for DSP using the CPU.
3. ...buffer size? A low buffer size (something like 256 or less) can cause both Reason and the audio driver to waste more CPU time than a high buffer size.

[SA Studio]

Reason 9 has separate preferences to earlier versions, so the buffer size you used for Reason 8 may not what is set up in Reason 9.
Please check all the following:

Are the two Reason versions using the same...
1. ...audio device? The same device can be used for multiple "aggregate devices"
2. ...sample rate? Sample rate is a direct factor on the amount of work done for DSP using the CPU.
3. ...buffer size? A low buffer size (something like 256 or less) can cause both Reason and the audio driver to waste more CPU time than a high buffer size.

Would be nice if a new install referenced previous installs preferences files. Like, where the buffer was at before, soundcard type, etc.

I don't think that's the issue here though. I hear more and more bad things about Macs and Reason all the time. Could be OSX.

[Barnski]

Reason 9 has separate preferences to earlier versions, so the buffer size you used for Reason 8 may not what is set up in Reason 9.
Please check all the following:

Are the two Reason versions using the same...
1. ...audio device? The same device can be used for multiple "aggregate devices"
2. ...sample rate? Sample rate is a direct factor on the amount of work done for DSP using the CPU.
3. ...buffer size? A low buffer size (something like 256 or less) can cause both Reason and the audio driver to waste more CPU time than a high buffer size.

thanks for the ideas, but i should have mentioned that i checked all of the settings and made sure they are all the same as before

[jengstrom]

Reason 9 has separate preferences to earlier versions, so the buffer size you used for Reason 8 may not what is set up in Reason 9.
Please check all the following:

Are the two Reason versions using the same...
1. ...audio device? The same device can be used for multiple "aggregate devices"
2. ...sample rate? Sample rate is a direct factor on the amount of work done for DSP using the CPU.
3. ...buffer size? A low buffer size (something like 256 or less) can cause both Reason and the audio driver to waste more CPU time than a high buffer size.

Would be nice if a new install referenced previous installs preferences files. Like, where the buffer was at before, soundcard type, etc.

I don't think that's the issue here though. I hear more and more bad things about Macs and Reason all the time. Could be OSX.

It is so - if there are no Reason 9 preferences yet when Reason 9 is installed, it tries to import the Reason <9 preferences.
But if they are changed in either version after that, they will differ.

[Gaja]

But what if it still crackles in any buffersize and samplerate setting? The dsp meter shows one or two bars, so no reasonable amount to cause crackling?

[jam-s]

Use Win instead of MacOS?

[jengstrom]

@Gaja that would be an anomaly, malfunction, bug or similar in one of the involved components. Could be caused by anything but if it happens intermittently, and works fine other times, it is usually due to something done in software (though could theoretically be caused by intermittent contacts in hardware or cables too).

Crackling on the audio outputs means the audio interface DAC is receiving too few samples per second at some point in the stream. Many parts are involved in the chain leading into Reason (Example for USB audio interface: audio interface firmware and USB client, USB cable, computer USB host controller, System bus, OS base services, OS USB driver, OS/mfg. audio driver, secondary audio driver such as Aggregate Device driver). Also, because power management is involved, sometimes the computer firmware is involved too (at least for power management behavior).

Is the open audio device an internal mac audio interface?
Is the open audio device an aggregate device, where audio outputs are combined with audio inputs?
Is it multiple audio devices combined?

Edit: Small annotation.

[jappe]

I hope that someone might be able to help me with a problem I have with Reason 9:

Crackling noises from Reason 9. No crackles or pops with previous versions, and projects that played back with no noise in 7 and 8 now play back with subtle, but significant crackling noise.
CPU limit is off, and the noise appears no matter the DSP load. The problem persists even when DSP load only shows one bar.
Using a mid 2009 Macbook pro, and the internal soundcard, which has never given me this kind of problem before.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar, or does any have any ideas on what to do?

Thanks in advance!

Can you reproduce the problem with a rack without any RE's?
If so, please share the reason file and I'll try it on my MBP

[Yerk]

I have this problem too. I have it with OSX 10.12.x and Reason 9.2 and I have it with OSX 10.7.5 and Reason 7.1.
It doesn't happen when using the standard core audio driver and minijack o/p, only when I use my audeze usb DAC. Sometimes the audio disintegrates completely and I have to reinstate the driver. Recently whilst playing back and editing at the same time the crackle grew massively and the tempo sped up and slowed down too! and with quite low DSP usage on a quad core i7... I'm currently testing my other audio programs but so far it only happens with reason... Adjusting the buffer size doesn't get rid of the problem, in fact, after raising from 512 to 1024 it improved until I wrote some new note lines whilst playing back, then it disintegrated again....

[OverneathTheSkyBridg]

I'm noticing it with 9.5 and VSTs in particular. Restarting works for a bit, but it slowly starts degrading over time.

[Last Alternative]

Low resolution on Reason helped me (a little). I honestly feel this is a Propellerhead issue they need to fix because I have zero problems with games, 4K video, movies, Photoshop, Premiere, etc.
And more and more people are having these issues so it's about time for a solution.

[Lov2sing]

I have both Mac book and a iMac and the same thing is happing but I went in and removed a bunch of things and it has gotten better. With all my VST's it was running my iMac hot therefore I am splitting my recording and mastering on the two separate machines for now until this is fixed. Unless someone addresses this at Props we are going to have to do work around's. Oh don't try to use UA plugins they only work with the Apollo interface. Older macs won't run it due to no Thunderbolt connection.

[CephaloPod]

I have an iMac and have only noticed crackling under high DSP load, especially when scrolling around (further taxing the GPU).

[AttenuationHz]

I'm hearing the odd crackling noise when changing VST windows or creating new devices. It is a nano second noise would be even shorter than the noise you used to hear/still hear ? when unmuting or bypassing. I suspect it has to do with delay compensation. What is delay compensation measured in? Samples?

[Rumbact]

I also have this issue with my Imac 5k and macbook pro Retina, the crackling starts at only 50% cpu usage. Intensifies when I scroll around in the gui and even when I scroll in Safari. Removing hyperthreading helps a little.

[Heater]

I have a 2015 i5 macbook pro and I suffer from this. I hope the props do something about it.

[Emmet_OConnor]

Any update on this?

I have a similar crackling noise when running Reason 9 on an iMac OSX El Capitan. The only causal reason I can notice is that it seems to only start when I use effects (chorus, delay, demolition, etc.)
DSP looks normal and other than crackling everything running more or less smoothly .

Would really appreciate some advice!

[pongasoft]

Any update on this?

I have a similar crackling noise when running Reason 9 on an iMac OSX El Capitan. The only causal reason I can notice is that it seems to only start when I use effects (chorus, delay, demolition, etc.)
DSP looks normal and other than crackling everything running more or less smoothly .

Would really appreciate some advice!

I have also issues with a macBook pro and Reason 11. The only thing for me that made a difference is to force start Reason in low resolution mode (right click on the App icon and select "Get Info")

Screen Shot 2020-03-09 at 06.06.41.png (115.38 KiB) Viewed 2384 times

You may want to give it a try...

Yan

[Emmet_OConnor]

You may want to give it a try...

Yan
[/quote]


Thanks Yan, unfortunately I don't see any option beside the 'Locked' box to open in Low Resolution. Perhaps it's not possible in Reason 9?

[Steedus]

I believe the low resolution mode is only an option for retina MacBooks.

I have somewhat this issue too.. dsp will spike up into the red and audio will cut out for a millisecond. Very frustrating. I think it’s due to overheating...? (MacBook Pro 2018 known for cooling issues)