dropouts + tone drop w/ Line6+Win10

I bought a new asus laptop and when i use my good ol’ POD HD500X → USB → Audacity 2.3.3, i have a critical error every time. When i record a new track on a project with any other tracks, as soon as the recording is done it tells me i have dropouts and the tone of the track is a full step or more lower (if not totally garbled and crazy). My new band can’t record and i promised them this would be cheap and super easy and i’m desperate… any help is immensely appreciated!

So far tried updating windows and turning off wifi and turning on airplane mode (read this in another thread, but didn’t help). Tried plugging in different USB port, no help either.

Below is the step-by-step of things that work until the final result that doesn’t work. So many variations work fine, it’s only recording over a project with a new track via line 6 that doesnt work, and only when Line6 is both input and output.

Setup:
*Line6 pod hd 500x
*Windows 10 Home, ver 1903
*Audacity 2.3.3
*Asus laptop
Intel Core i7-8565U CPU @ 1.8GHz
16GB RAM
64bit OS, x64-based processor


1)
*NO line 6 plugged in, record via realtek audio laptop speaker - ok
Input Source : Realtek audio
Output Source: Realtek audio

*NO line 6 plugged in, playback + overdub new track via speaker - ok
Input Source : Realtek audio
Output Source: Realtek audio

*YES line 6 plugged in, playback + overdub new track via speaker - ok
Input Source : Realtek audio
Output Source: Realtek audio

*YES line 6 plugged in, record via realtek audio laptop speaker, playback via line6 - ok
Input Source : Realtek audio
Output Source: Line6

*YES line 6 plugged in, record FIRST track via line6 (so nothing playing back while reocording) - ok
Input Source : Line6
Output Source: Line6

*YES line 6 plugged in, playback + overdub a 2nd or more track via line6, but output is laptop speaker - ok
Input Source : Line6
Output Source: Realtek audio
→ i can even play this back vis outputsoruce Line6 after its recorded and it’s still fine.

*YES line 6 plugged in, playback via Line6 + overdub a 2nd or more track via laptop speaker - ok
Input Source : Realtek audio
Output Source: Line6

  1. ERROR TIME!!!
    *YES line 6 plugged in, playback + overdub a 2nd or more track via line6 - dropouts detected, full step down in tone of the second track, possibly sync errors too–>CRITICAL ERROR
    Input Source : Line6
    Output Source: Line6

So ONLY when i have Line6 as the input AND output source (and output seems to be the worst offender), and also only when there is already at least 1 pre-existing track, I cannot record without severe errors.


Please help :frowning:

Many thanks in advance

someone told me to check the drivers - how do i do this in audacity? what drivers is it using?

I wouldn’t do that yet. It may not be necessary, and there’s always a risk when updating drivers.

Check in the Windows Sound control panel that the POD is set to the same sample rate in both the Recording and Playback tabs. Ideally, set it to 44100 Hz in both.

you are a GOD DAMN GENIUS****************