Distortion when recording

[Field Marshal]

I tried a search to see if this topic had been covered but couldn't find anything.

Using the latest beta 1.3.13
Using Mac os 10.6.8

When recording vocals with studio microphone and M-Audio Fast Track Pro, OCCASIONALLY the mic distorts to very high volume and terrible noise. This happens only about 10% of the time. No rhyme or reason. I can add vocals 30 times to a track and on the 27th time it will distort. Each time it distorts I must shut down Audacity, turn Fast Track on and off and maybe do that a couple of times before it will return to normal recording. Very frustrating, any help or suggestions will be appreciated. ALSO, this occurs with both my desktop iMac and my Macbook.

[kozikowski]

How is the FastTrack connected to your Mac? Analog, USB or S/PDIF? Does the blue power light on the front of the FastTrack stay on during these episodes?

Instead of restarting the FastTrack multiple times, pull the wall power, count to ten and plug it back in.

You will have to restart Audacity after the FastTrack comes back on line.

Koz

[kozikowski]

You published your 1.3 problem in the Audacity 1.2 forum. It took me a second to catch up.
Koz

[Field Marshal]

Sorry Koz I'm new to the forum and so anxious to post didn't realize it was the older version's page I was posting to.

The Fast Track is connected via usb.
Your suggestion does work to restore normal microphone recording (after restarting Audacity of course). Thank you.

Is there something I can do to prevent distortion from occurring in the first place? Or is this just a glitch?

Thanks so much for the response.

Moderator note: topic moved to the 1.3 forum

[kozikowski]

If it happens on more than one Mac, your FastTrack may be ill. You have the symptoms of the USB bitstream going insane briefly and causing all the binary clocks and digital services to go nuts. This can be caused by a bad connection or a crimped USB cable. Bad electronics. Hard to say.

Koz