Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Posted by: Andreas S. Date:10/8/2009 9:41:16 AM This is odd: I'm just finishing up an album project and was using SF10 to trip the tails and fronts of tracks, and just do a peak normalize after mastering (just so all the peak levels are consistent - the album has a WIDE dynamic range (which was actually a refreshing change from all the pumping compression so popular these days). In any case, a number of the tracks are solo piano. Problem: In SF10 (and even SF9) there was some artifacting at higher frequencies. It was like the upper range harmonics were breaking down. Everything else sounded intact. There is LOTS of headroom in these tracks, so at no stage in recording, from recording to processings, mastering (very light mastering in fact), to rendering out from the DAW was there any hint of this. Weirder: if I just play the files in Windows Media Player those artifacts are gone. In SF9e and SF10, they're present. I haven't checked by putting the finished files in SONAR to see if it's happening there too. So now I'm left to wondering: if SF10 is actually still outputting files that are maintain their sonic integrity, why would there be audible artifacting during playback in SF? Has anyone else encountered this?
Subject:RE: Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Reply by: musicvid10 Date:10/8/2009 9:48:03 AM Have you tried different audio playback drivers in Sound Forge Properties? Can you upload a clip somewhere? In your peak normalize dialog, which option is selected in the "If clipping occurs:" dropdown?
Subject:RE: Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Reply by: Andreas S. Date:10/8/2009 11:40:16 AM Ah, good idea. I'll play with the drivers first and see if that makes a difference. Sadly, I'm using an Audigy 4 Platinum, which is pretty long in the tooth and the ASIO drivers aren't great. I'll see what I can do with that and report back.
Subject:RE: Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Reply by: Andreas S. Date:10/9/2009 10:39:03 PM I've tried it with ASIO and the standard Winows drivers. I'm getting the playback artifacts with both (they're not big and ugly, but it's enough to hear and cause alarm). When I play back the audios in Media player it's most definitely fine. My next step is to take it to my office production system and see if it's doing it there (different - much newer - sound card). The only other thing that's changed is that I've recently upgraded from SONAR 8 to 8.5. I'm doubtful that would make any difference, but I'll keep working the problem. And I would send a snippit of the file, but the artist I'm contrated with refused to release it. :-\
Subject:RE: Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Reply by: Andreas S. Date:10/9/2009 10:59:16 PM It's a sound card issue. No problems with the Motu Ultralite. So...off to the web I go to find a good card. Any suggestions out there?
Subject:RE: Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies Reply by: Mattski Date:10/12/2009 12:51:46 PM This is Definitely a sound card issue. I use a Lynx2 card, and if I am monitoring an input with SF10 minimized, I get weird sound. But as soon as I maximize SF10 it sounds normal.

Subject:Strange Artifcating at higher frequencies

Posted by: Andreas S.

Date:10/8/2009 9:41:16 AM

This is odd: I'm just finishing up an album project and was using SF10 to trip the tails and fronts of tracks, and just do a peak normalize after mastering (just so all the peak levels are consistent - the album has a WIDE dynamic range (which was actually a refreshing change from all the pumping compression so popular these days).

In any case, a number of the tracks are solo piano. Problem: In SF10 (and even SF9) there was some artifacting at higher frequencies. It was like the upper range harmonics were breaking down. Everything else sounded intact. There is LOTS of headroom in these tracks, so at no stage in recording, from recording to processings, mastering (very light mastering in fact), to rendering out from the DAW was there any hint of this.

Weirder: if I just play the files in Windows Media Player those artifacts are gone. In SF9e and SF10, they're present. I haven't checked by putting the finished files in SONAR to see if it's happening there too.

So now I'm left to wondering: if SF10 is actually still outputting files that are maintain their sonic integrity, why would there be audible artifacting during playback in SF?

Has anyone else encountered this?