Voicemeeter noise depends on version

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GridMonkey
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:03 am
Location: Albany NY

Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by GridMonkey »

Hi,

Windows 10 64 bit 1909 build 18363.1139
AMD Fx-8370 4.0ghz 16gb ram

VM potato 3.0.1.4

I get noise from Voicemeeter Potato, I get less frequent noise from Banana, and no noise from plain Voicemeeter.

I was getting some noise so i assumed windows had updated.. again.. and went through the whole recommended process of fixing this from the other forum posts and it didn't work, was still getting clicking and popping after a while.

So, I uninstalled every audio device I had from my computer, down to the graphics card hdmi audio output, removed drivers, all of it. Started fresh. Only installed Voicemeeter Potato(and therefore Banana and plain,) none of the VACs that i normally use. Set windows 10 defaults to Voicemeeter main and Voicemeeter output.

Left everything else alone, setup no other inputs. Output a1 is the motherboard stereo output jack i've always used

If i listen to something using potato after about 2 minutes i have nonstop crackle. If i restart the engine it comes back after a bit.
If i close potato and switch to banana, it I set the main and a1 outputs from potato and i get crackle, but intermittent.
If i close banana and open regular, it I set main and a1 outputs and the audio is fine never any crackle.

The imgur link below is a bunch of screenshots, let me know if you need any other info.
[img]https://imgur.com/HOjulLs.png

My usual setup involves 3 VACs, 2 hardware inputs, 3 hardware outputs, all 3 virtual inputs/outputs, for use with OBS, Discord, and Audition. If I can't get clean audio with this setup i'm concerned about setting the rest back up. :(


Luke
Computer nerd
Full time Theatrical Audio Engineer (ya know.. pre pandemic)
Sometimes streamer
3d Printer...uh..owner... I'm getting better.. honest..
Vincent Burel
Site Admin
Posts: 2008
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:01 pm

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by Vincent Burel »

your PC Sound device is running in 24 bit resolution with Voicemeeter Banana or Potato (while Voicemeeter standard is negotiating format in 16 bit only). so you may try to define it in 24bit format if possible (in Windows sound dialog box).

Otherwise use the MME interface to use this device. or use another device for the output A1 and use the PC sound on output A2...
GridMonkey
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:03 am
Location: Albany NY

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by GridMonkey »

Interesting, that is unexpected, also generally speaking i set all of VM and its cables and all audio devices i use to be 16/48000 because my USB mic can only do 16/48000 so i set everything the same. I made none of those changes after the full wipe/reinstall because I wanted to see it as is. I know sample rate matters for 'drift' but shouldn't the 16 or 24 bit also be set the same across devices to prevent issues? I can set my sound card to 24/48000 i see, but the output on my yeti also can only be 16/48000 and that's what i use for earbuds while streaming.


Also, interestingly, i changed the A1 devices to others on my system, some according to windows at least, cant do 24/48000 only 16/44100 and 16/48000. VM Potato respects the yeti output jack and negotiates 16/48000, but ignores the hdmi audio output windows sound settings and attempts 24/48000 still. (they are shown in the other outputs positions, only A2 is not respected)

Also, also interesting, if i set my hardware input devices up VM Potato doesn't seem to negotiate those correctly either, In1/2 are both, according to windows, max 16/48000 Input 3 being the soundcard input can be set to 24/48000 but when i took the shot was still set at 16/48000

Shouldn't VM 'believe' windows and set for what the properties are? or is this a case of windows doesn't know what it's doing and the devices are actually reporting a better possible and VM is just seeing that instead?

Also, just for the work flow knowledge i don't use the black magic audio devices, disable them, just use the video input and run the audio through the pc sound card line in, this was just to see how VM saw them compared to windows.


[img]https://i.imgur.com/UXx3YY8.png

Luke
Computer nerd
Full time Theatrical Audio Engineer (ya know.. pre pandemic)
Sometimes streamer
3d Printer...uh..owner... I'm getting better.. honest..
Vincent Burel
Site Admin
Posts: 2008
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:01 pm

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by Vincent Burel »

format negotiation is complicated to understand (even for us) because the result is pending on different parameter
- the default format defined in Windows Sound Dailog box.
- the WDM exclusive or Share mode ('S' = Share mode = negotiation with Windows kMixer)
- if using MME , the negotiation is usually made with the kMixer (that can say OK to 24 bit , whatever the real resolution of the device).
- if using KS, negotiation can be different too ...

but the final question, is: did you get a configuration to make it work ?
GridMonkey
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:03 am
Location: Albany NY

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by GridMonkey »

Not as yet, in my admittedly un documented random testing, it seems as if Potato has anything connected at 24 and windows reports 16 it will have crackle. It doesn't seem to matter what A1 output is. This seems to be the same with WDM and MME ( not everything i tested had the KS option.


I rolled back to Potato 3.0.1.1 since i still had that version in a folder and found the following.

If a 24-16 mis reported device is A1 all outputs are bad ( this was expected)
If a 24-16 mis reported device is on any other output but A1 is correct only the misreported device is bad (also expected but only a few minute test, this differs from 3.0.1.4 in that this setup breaks all outputs on 3.0.1.4)

I still don't know what is causing the misreported 24-16 but i'm probably going to stay on 3.0.1.1 for a while and see if i can get the whole patchwork/flow set back up (yay screenshots) and see if there are issues. As i've said in other posts, i love this software and i want to see it work. Let me know if you want any more information/log files ect... i've got no work still since all the theatre are closed, i can try new things everyday and hammer this till it gets sorted.


-------------------------------------
Well, I got it all setup, rebooting after installing VAC C+D (easier to do than a+b) and.... noise on every output again even though VM seems to respect the 16/24 this time. I did get a memory management crash earlier today so i think but ill be taking a break from troubleshooting VM until i get that sorted just in case.


Luke
Computer nerd
Full time Theatrical Audio Engineer (ya know.. pre pandemic)
Sometimes streamer
3d Printer...uh..owner... I'm getting better.. honest..
Vincent Burel
Site Admin
Posts: 2008
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:01 pm

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by Vincent Burel »

well, there is no modification on audio engine since a long time.

frankly you may consider re-installing audio drivers step by step as explained in the message #2 in this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=451
GridMonkey
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:03 am
Location: Albany NY

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by GridMonkey »

I was just coming back to say *knock on wood* it all seems to be working now. I've changed all interactions over to MME, and, while it's still seems to not respect the 16/24 bit it sounds fine. I'm still unsure why i had to switch away from WDM to MME or what has changed in the computer that made this happen but here we are.

That step by step was how i had attempted the clean slate install. I notice that onf othe inputs has r:24 S and none of the others have the S after it, what does that mean btw?

Thanks
Luke


Image
Computer nerd
Full time Theatrical Audio Engineer (ya know.. pre pandemic)
Sometimes streamer
3d Printer...uh..owner... I'm getting better.. honest..
Andres
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Joined: Fri May 01, 2020 7:25 pm

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by Andres »

Hi Luke. The 'S' indicates that Voicemeeter is using the device in Shared mode as opposed to Exclusive mode. It applies when you choose WDM.
  • For output devices using WDM, Voicemeeter tries to use them in Exclusive Mode by default. If for some reason Voicemeeter is not able to open a stream in Exclusive mode it uses shared mode as fallback.
  • For input devices using WDM (this is your case for Input 3) Voicemeeter uses Shared mode by default. You can change that by using the WDM Input Exclusive Mode option in the System Settings / Options..., but it is not recommended.
    Keep in mind that Exclusive Mode prevents other applications to use a device and bypasses some Windows Audio system components.
See this post by the author: https://www.facebook.com/notes/vb-audio ... 298110845/
GridMonkey
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:03 am
Location: Albany NY

Re: Voicemeeter noise depends on version

Post by GridMonkey »

Ahh.. yes.. I should have known that :) my brain has been stirred up because of the rework and rework ect...
In my workings on this I tried exclusive and shared on the devices, should have know, but none of them worked correctly in WDM. Aside from, i see, the line in, which i had thought i switched to MME like all the others.

It's functioning at the moment in any case so here's hoping it stays. Thanks for the response though.

Luke
Computer nerd
Full time Theatrical Audio Engineer (ya know.. pre pandemic)
Sometimes streamer
3d Printer...uh..owner... I'm getting better.. honest..
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