Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

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DisasterArea
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Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

Hello,

I'm relative new in using modular synth at all and cardinal in detail and am wondering if my observation is caused by user mistake or by bug.
I use Focusrite Scarlet as sound device and observ, that on the right channel in some cardinal setups I have distortion, that I want to eliminate. But I did not find the source of it.
I have mixers along the signal way and none of it shows any distortion.
In some cases the distortion goes away i.e. when I put the output a oscillator to the left AND right input of the (stereo) mixer. When I only put it on the left input, I here the sound on my headphone on both sites but the right one shows distortion.

Can someone give me a structured handout how to find the cause of (unwanted) distortion in cardinal or any modular synth?
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
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LAM
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by LAM »

Use a scope at various stages and see if the signal clips/distorts. If you find nothing is probably better to file a github bug report or join #cardinal on libera.chat.

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DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

LAM wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:32 pm Use a scope at various stages and see if the signal clips/distorts. If you find nothing is probably better to file a github bug report or join #cardinal on libera.chat.
Dear @LAM,
ok, I give it a try but I really do not know what the scope will show if a distortion is happening. Which scope to use and how to configure. If you've got more details it would great (probably a picture showing a sample setup). As I wrote: I'm new to this. I have basic knowledge in electronics but not in signal processing.

And libera.chat. Ooooh. Its totally new to me. Never heard about that.

Any idea why the distortion stops when I put the oscillator output on both in puts?
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
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LAM
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by LAM »

DisasterArea wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:49 pm
LAM wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:32 pm Use a scope at various stages and see if the signal clips/distorts. If you find nothing is probably better to file a github bug report or join #cardinal on libera.chat.
Dear @LAM,
ok, I give it a try but I really do not know what the scope will show if a distortion is happening. Which scope to use and how to configure. If you've got more details it would great (probably a picture showing a sample setup). As I wrote: I'm new to this. I have basic knowledge in electronics but not in signal processing.

And libera.chat. Ooooh. Its totally new to me. Never heard about that.

Any idea why the distortion stops when I put the oscillator output on both in puts?
Let's solve it quickly: can you share the patch? I can try it on my machine and see what's the problem. In case I can forward your problem to the dev.

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DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

Please wait some minutes (10-15). I have to rebuild the case a bit. Yesterday I tried to fix and experimented a bit.
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

Here it is. You have to change the ending to .vcv
I user Cardinal 22.09 for x86_64 with Jack

The distortion here comes from the three oscillators in combination with plateau. If you delete plateau there is no distortion. This is only an example. The distortion always is on the right channel.
Its not the hardware. I tested with Focusrite Scarlett, KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 and GO Twin.
Attachments
Distortion.txt
(6.98 KiB) Downloaded 53 times
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LAM
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by LAM »

DisasterArea wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:08 pm Here it is. You have to change the ending to .vcv
I user Cardinal 22.09 for x86_64 with Jack

The distortion here comes from the three oscillators in combination with plateau. If you delete plateau there is no distortion. This is only an example. The distortion always is on the right channel.
Its not the hardware. I tested with Focusrite Scarlett, KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 and GO Twin.
I can't hear distortion, does it sounds like yours?

https://streamable.com/oszlfm

Seems just Osc 1 e 2 have a bit of clashing high frequencies, your MSC 4 channel mixer is panned to the left, and level is really near to clipping. Probably the latter is what you hear like distortion.
Last edited by LAM on Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

:?
to me your stream is without audio. I did not hear anything. I stopped Jack and tried with Firefox and Chromium. Pulseaudio gives clear test sound.

I will check tomorrow cause it's late in the evening here.
Last edited by DisasterArea on Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

First of all, I have to correct my statement, that the distortion is happening on all devices I use. I made further tests and here is what I found out. I also but another testfile in here. You must change the fileending you have to change from .txt to .vcv

With this testfile using Plateau, I can reproduce the case. When all outputs of Plateau are connected, the distortion arises while using Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as an audio device. When I take away the connection of Plateau right output the distortion is gone.
But: When I use NI KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 as an audio device, there is no distortion.
So to verify my Focusrite device is not damaged I used Carla with different testtone plugins. Pink Noise and C* Sin Sine Wave generator. So there was no distortion and I think (and hope) that my Focusrite device is still ok.

Any idea about that?
Attachments
DistortionTestWithPlateau.txt
(3.03 KiB) Downloaded 50 times
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

After further tests also on a Windows System with Ableton Live (excuse for that) I come to the conclusion, that the headphone amplifier of my Focusrite is broken. So first I'll send it back.

See you.
Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
DisasterArea
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Re: Not wanted distortion when using Cardinal

Post by DisasterArea »

Hello,
just to let this discussion end here. My seller confirmed that my Focusrite was totally damaged and send me a new one. No distortion with it. So it was a hardware problem, not software.

Regards

Frank

Ubuntu Studio 22.04, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, NI Komplete Audio 6, Acoustic and E-Guitar, E-Bass, Modular Synth (Cardinal) KORG Nano Control Studio, Novation Launchkey 25
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