hi there, I just bought an Audient EVO4 and I am testing it.
I opened Cubase and played something with Keyscape, when I noticed I have really bad artifacts (low in volume, but hearable) both when I play and when I playback, even in Windows.
I tried several times switching between the EVO4 and my old Focusrite 6i6 gen1:
I have these artifacts only with the EVO4, both when I play and when I playback the same export on Windows; with the 6i6 I can't hear them.
I also tried on my laptop, with the same audio file export, same issue.
I came to the conclusion that it is the EVO4, does anyone had this annoying problem?

 

firmware update?

 

I updated everything today, application 4.3.4 and firmware 1.4.6

 

Keep your smartphone away from the area, maybe that's the problem: it happens to me all the time

 

thanks but no, it's not the case for me, it's really in the audio

 

Hi, could you please share an audio sample to hear the dropouts/artifacts ?

 

Obviously you've done all the homework - switched cards, PCs, ASIO vs Win audio.. did you check the USB cable too?

When you're saying artifacts, is it noise, hiss, hum, crackling. Is it repetitive? What are the Win/DAW samplerates? Like @iphobbes just wrote, an audio sample (a spectrogram too) would be of help for those in the know.

 

I switched sample rate (44.1, 48), buffer size (128, 256, 512, 1024), USB cable (different cable on different PCs, same issue), different audio interface (and different drivers: with Focusrite I can't hear those artifacts), different position inside the room, different USB port (both from the PC mobo and a USB hub)

I will upload a small sample of an audio export: you won't probably notice anything, just like I don't notice anything with a Focusrite, but the EVO4 has artifacts on this and any other thing I could play or playback.

they are cracks and pops, like granular things, very low in volume, just like distortion but not quite. I can hear them properly from 00:06 on. The test should be done with an EVO4 of course, or an EVO8, to try if my device is broken or any EVO is this. With a Focusrite I can't hear artifacts, so I imagine neither with other interface.

 

Oh, so the artifacts are not baked into the file rendered with EVO. They're only audible when played back with EVO, right?
If so, you should capture the playback. EVO has loopback, so you can route output to input internally with the SW and record the playback back in your eg., DAW. Or record the playback with the other card and comp.. also, in this case wav would be better for testing.

 

That would be best, just to rule out the hardware output itself being the issue.

 

ok here is the test. Scenario:

- I connected my EVO4 to my laptop (Acer Aspire V3-571G, which I use live since years) via USB;
- I played that audio export I sent here, through Windows Media Player;
- the outputs of the EVO4 are connected to the IN 1+2 of my Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 gen1, selected Line mode and gain up to half (12 o clock);
- recorded the output of the EVO4 into a stereo track on Cubase Pro 12;

I tried with EVO4 at half volume and at full volume. half volume is too low; full volume I can still hear those artifacts, if I raise the volume of this clip by +6db so I can definitely hear them clearly.

I tried again to listen to the old sample (the one sent here) with the Focusrite, nothing, neither at high volume.

try listening to 'EVO4 full volume' and raise the volume a bit

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n6l8ttr00hva6w5/AAA7joNalBjWAvUsmOzTCtjFa?dl=0

 

I also sent a ticket to the support, I'll let you know what they will reply

 

Hi,seems to me that I have this issue too
Did you Recieved an answer from support?

 

hey same pb here, do you have some news ?

 

I have I very low hum (in volume) as well. When I plug the USB (cold start) the humming is not there. I then start to play some music (via Roon software, through my Mac), I stop the music and the humming is there.

Any news?

Edit: actually Firmware update helped. Hum is gone. Thanks for pointing me to this potential issue.

 

Last edited: Jan 15, 2024