ES-8 popping & clicking - sync issue I can't figure out

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I bought an ES-8 but I’m having a bad sync issue I can’t figure out. I’m using it as part of an Aggregate Device on OSX with a USB connection. I’ve tried setting the Apogee interface as the clock master, and the ES-8 as the master, at all different rates, and n matter what I do it pops and clicks constantly. I have tried setting the audio rate in Ableton to different rates and back, and that doesn’t help either. I know I could use an ADAT connection to try to sync it that way, but I don’t have a spare ADAT I/O available and I’d rather not have to do that anyway.
Any help figuring this out would be great - the ES-8 is unusable until I get this issue resolved. And if it’s possible it’s not a clock sync issue I’d love to know that too, but that’s definitely my best guess as to what’s going on.

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Which macOS are you running?

Do you have Drift Correction turned on for the device that is not the clock master?

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I have High Sierra running on an iMac Pro, and I do have drift correction running on the ES-8 since the Apogee is set as master. I've tried it all different ways with each set as master, drift correction on and off on each, etc., and nothing works. It's definitely a sync issue since it gets worse and worse and then there's a burst of static and it seems to sync up again for a few seconds before the clicking and popping start up again. That's typically what I've experienced when I've had digital click sync issues on other occasions (not with modular, just in general).

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That does sound like a clock-related issue.

Does the ES-8 work OK by itself?

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I'm not sure what you mean "by itself"? You mean without the USB connected? How would I test that? I thought it needed an ADAT or USB connection to pass signals.

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I mean using it over USB, but not in an Aggregate.

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Ah ok i'll try that and report back.

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os wrote:I mean using it over USB, but not in an Aggregate.
Sorry to be obtuse, but if it's not in an aggregate device, how would I be able to tell if the audio coming out of it is popping or not? The sound would be output through the module itself and I'd need another way to connect it to my monitors or headphones, right? (I feel like I'm missing something obvious but it's been a long day....)

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Never mind, I was being obtuse. It seems to work fine when it's not in an aggregate device. So what do I do to fix the issue when it's in an aggregate device?

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os wrote:I mean using it over USB, but not in an Aggregate.
Spoke too soon - even in standalone it still glitches but it takes several minutes to start glitching, and then it slowly happens more frequently the longer it sits.

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Just to clarify - 'standalone' for the ES-8 usually means using it over ADAT only, without USB. I think you mean using it over USB, not in the aggregate? So as the only audio device attached to the DAW.

What options do you have set for the ES-8 in Audio MIDI Setup?

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I've tested it and it works fine in standalone mode through ADAT without popping and clicking. So how do I address the sync issue when it's connected via USB?

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Via USB, and not part of an Aggregate?

Have you tried removing some other modules, to give the ES-8 more power? Or a different USB cable?

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I just tried pulling the other modules from the same bus, a shorter USB cable, two different USB cables, and it still clicks and pops. It sometimes happens immediately, and sometimes takes a while, but it always happens within a maximum of 30-60 seconds. I have it set as q6 channel, 24 bit 48k in Audio/Midi settings, and my DAW is set to 48k. I've tried setting it to 44.1k and switching back, turning it on and off, changing the order, etc. but same result. Any other ideas?

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I'm out of ideas, other than to return it or send it to me for testing.

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