New user, several issues

BKP

I've just started using ST3 and have run into several issues. First, I'm using it for about nine songs for click, stereo keys, some percussion and some stereo background vocals.
My setup is either my iPhone or an iPad, a lighting to USB-B cable, a Behringer FCA1616 interface and either a TRS-XLR or TRS-TRS snake.
I recorded the tracks myself using a DAW, mixed them to WAV files and uploaded them to ST3.
The first issue is that sometimes the click will randomly drop out for two or three beats and comes back in. That, on its own, isn't a huge problem. It doesn't happen that often.
The main issue is that sometimes there are random very loud pops. It sounds like someone trying to plug in a cable into a live PA system. It doesn't do it every time or in the same place in the songs.
This is the issue I've been trying to resolve. It has done it with the iPhone and the iPad, it has done it with both snakes and it's done it in rehearsal and live.
The only thing I haven't changed yet is the cable between the device and the interface and the interface itself, or the outputs of the interface. I'm using 1-5 of 8 outputs. I could try 5-8 and see if that makes a difference.
But I saw that the app could be used on a Mac as well, so I thought I'd try that. It might be easier to use live anyway. So I downloaded ST3 on the MacBook and used a USB-C to USB-B cable but the Mac is not seeing the interface.
Do you know of any issues that would keep these from connecting? I was going to buy a Firewire 800-400 cable to see if that would work.

Damir

BKP could it be a buffer size issue?

peter

Regarding the Mac: ST3 can only use the default audio output of your Mac. So make sure you select your audio interface as the default audio output.

I am pretty sure the loud pops are not caused by Stage Traxx but somewhere on the way to the PA. You can try to use only headphones or the iPad speaker and see if the pops occur without your audio interface.

BKP

peter Thank you. I'll try changing the audio output. I'm sure that'll fix that issue.

I didn't figure the popping was anything to do with ST3, but wanted to ask in case anyone else had any issues. I will try monitoring the headphone out as well and see if that might be an issue.

I'm using WAV files, would I be better off using MP3 or another file type in case it's due to a buffer size issue as mentioned from another member?

BKP

Damir Thanks Damir. Do you think that I might be better off using MP3 files or another type instead of WAV files? The larger file size might cause buffer overrun. But it does happen sometimes right after you hit the play button as well.

Damir

BKP I started with wav then converted to mp3 highest quality buffer set to 1024 and have never had issues , before that I had random issues similar to what you mentioned now I just go to .m4a format highest quality as it is ST3 standard , with no issues at all.
When loading ST3 with songs I use for backing I always put song through audio software to finalise first I never import directly from net to ST3.

BKP

Damir Thanks again. I will convert everything to m4a and give that a go. I appreciate the input.

peter

Smaller file size of compressed formats means primarily that it can be loaded faster from storage. Once processing starts within Stage Traxx. No matter what file format you use, everything is processed as a 32bit audio stream with the sample rate you chose in settings. So I really doubt changing the file format will make a difference.

Increasing the audio buffer to 1024 might help though.

BKP

peter I see, that makes sense. I will change the buffer size and do some testing and see how it does.

Really impressed with this app and everything you can do with it. It's more powerful than I'll ever probably use but you've put a lot of thought into this.

BKP

I hooked the interface to the computer again today and changed the audio output to the interface and the computer said something like the item you have chosen doesn't have any outputs and it still doesn't show up in ST3.

peter

Sorry, I can't help with that specific interface. Once it does work correctly in macOS, it should work automatically in ST3.

BKP

I want to make sure I'm doing it right, I guess. What I'm doing is going into Settings and then Sounds. Changing the audio from Built-In to the interface and it just shows at the bottom that there are no controls for the outputs. When I go into the audio setup in ST3, the interface doesn't show up and it says CADefault and something else after that.
Is that the correct place to set the output?

peter

The part in settings sounds right.

When you only see CADefault, then I guess you are running Catalina. Universal apps like ST3 can not detect the real interface name on Catalina. There are also some other issues like drag and drop sorting within playlists does not work on Catalina.

I would suggest you update at least to Big Sur if possible.