How to get Audacity to work with Digi002R/core audio

[Gothboy]

I'm using a Digi 002R with Pro Tools 7.3 but I can't get sound out of Audacity through the Digi002R even though the Digi 002R shows up in the list of choices in the Audacity audio in and out preferences. I select it but then no sound. Other programs are working but not Audacity and I would sure like to ditch having to use the macs' audio in/out for Audacity. I use it a lot for editing samples and other small audio files.

[kozikowski]

Audacity is a complete slave to whatever the Apple Preference Panels do, not the other way around.

Apple > System Preferences > Hardware > Sound > Input/Output.

Set your devices there and then start Audacity.

Koz

[Gothboy]

Thanks Koz,
But that's just it......I do have the Digidesign hardware selected in the Apple system preferences. I had set that when I first got the 002R...so that's setup right...and like I said...I've also got it selected in the Audacity preferences, but no sound from Audacity through the Digi/core audio. I've got Digi core audio operating in the background but still no sound.
I'm getting an error from Audacity when I hit play:
"Error while opening sound device: please check the output device settings and the project sample rate."
Project sample rate is 44.1/32-bit floating, Digi 002R is 44.1 in Core audio manager.

[steve]

Are you trying to use ASIO drivers? (I think most DigiDesign stuff uses ASIO by default, but Audacity is not compatible with ASIO due to licensing restrictions.

[Gothboy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Digidesign Core audio doesn't use ASIO drivers....and even if it did....licensing issues? Everyone uses ASIO...why would licensing issues cause a restriction on Audacity to use it? Digi tech support over at the DUC is saying it should work at 24-bit but might NOT at 32-bit floating. I'll try this tomorrow and check back.

[kozikowski]

Oh, no. There are definite documented instances of problems between Mac Audacity and 24-bit. If you're trying to do that, you can stop right now. I would get everything running at 16-bit, 44100 and then go up and out from there. That's the most plain vanilla sound format. If you can't get that one to work, then you got some serious problems.

Koz

[Gothboy]

Koz,
OK...first thing. When you say "serious problems", what do you mean by that? I'm trying out all three bit-rate choices in Audacity now and all are working properly from what I can see and hear using the Macs' built-in sound in/outs. The only problem is that none of the bit-rate choices work with the Digi002R. I thought that any sound hardware that shows up in the i/o preferences should work. Maybe it is a driver issue after all?

[steve]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Digidesign Core audio doesn't use ASIO drivers....and even if it did....licensing issues? Everyone uses ASIO...why would licensing issues cause a restriction on Audacity to use it?

Digidesign uses ASIO by default on Windows (though it can also use "Wave drivers"). It appears that on Macs it can use ASIO or Core. I brought this to your attention because pre-compiled Audacity versions do not support ASIO, though it is possible to compile it yourself from the source code with ASIO support. It is probably easier to stick with Macs Core audio though.

Re. licensing restrictions: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... _Interface

There have also been many reported cases on this forum of crashes, lock-ups and other miscellaneous problems when using Audacity on Macs with 24 bit audio, though this does not seem to affect all Mac users. As koz was saying, it is probably best to try and avoid this known trouble spot while you are trying to get it to work. Once you have it working with 16 bit audio (and core) you can then try it with 24 bit.

[Gothboy]

OK...thanks. That does fill in more of the blanks for me. So you said that the Digi can use either ASIO or Core...I don't want to get into compliling sorce code(whatever that is...) I've got 16-bit working fine using 16-bit...I just can't see what else I can try to get sound through the digi? I think I've tried everything.

[Gothboy]

I posted this issue on the Digidesign DUC forum and their tech support has been following along. They tested Digicore audio and the 002R with the Audacity program and they have found that it doesn't work for them either. So it's been more or less confirmed by Digi that it doesn't work. If the Audacity team is listening...and I hope they are....take this into account and consider working out this issue for the 1.3 beta.