No sound with Balance

[Wook]

Let me expand on the subject a bit. I recently built a new rig. 4790k processor, Asus Z97a motherboard, 8 gigs of ram and so on. I'm also running Windows 7 64 bit. I've been fiddling with this whole day and can't figure out what's wrong. I did it right. Balance drivers first and plugging it in after. I've tried all usb ports and nothing. Reason sends out a signal and even that green little signal led on Balance itself turns on. Went into sound devices and made sure Balance is set to default. I tried plugging in a microphone and the only way to make Balance realize there is sound coming through is when I turn on direct monitoring on it. I must be skipping something very basic here. Or is it possible that it refuses to work with newer hardware?

Help

[eusti]

Can you get sound from Balance with other software?
That would be my next check...

D.

[Wook]

Thank you for the suggestion. I already tried it with demo of Bitwig and no sound. When Windows uses onboard soundcard it works. I even pulled out my old laptop just to be sure that Balance is not broken. It worked no problems with it but on this new rig, nothing.

[pushedbutton]

Did you create an audio channel and activate the green monitoring light in the sequencer channel?
Also, is your cable routing correct?
And, did you select the correct input channel on the audio channel?
and..did you reboot yet?

[Arsenic]

Make sure you have plugged Balance into a USB2 port? Under Windows 7, if I plug mine into a USB3 port, it gives the whole "The lights are on but nobody's home" thing.

Under Windows 8, it works fine in a USB3 port due to the way USB was coded.

You may need to go into Device Manager and delete all instances of Balance and the uninstall the drivers and start again - making sure you use a USB2 port only - Don't use one of the USB3/USB2 combo ports.

[Wook]

Did you create an audio channel and activate the green monitoring light in the sequencer channel?
Also, is your cable routing correct?
And, did you select the correct input channel on the audio channel?
and..did you reboot yet?

Yes. Meter jumps when I test the microphone but it doesn't record anything. It does pass audio through all the way to the monitors when I turn on direct monitoring. After it's switched off it goes away again.

Cable routing as in physical cables? If so, then yes. Mic into channel one and xlr cables for monitors plugged in the outs.

Yes and yes, many times

Thank you.

[Wook]

Make sure you have plugged Balance into a USB2 port? Under Windows 7, if I plug mine into a USB3 port, it gives the whole "The lights are on but nobody's home" thing.

Under Windows 8, it works fine in a USB3 port due to the way USB was coded.

You may need to go into Device Manager and delete all instances of Balance and the uninstall the drivers and start again - making sure you use a USB2 port only - Don't use one of the USB3/USB2 combo ports.

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks man.

[Arsenic]

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks man.

I've had a quick look at the web page for your motherboard and it looks like there are two USB2.0/1.1 ports on the back - The Black ones, not the Blue or the Blue and Black ones. There are also some available from the connectors on the board - These should be marked either on the board or identified in the manual.

Good Luck.

[Wook]

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks man.

I've had a quick look at the web page for your motherboard and it looks like there are two USB2.0/1.1 ports on the back - The Black ones, not the Blue or the Blue and Black ones. There are also some available from the connectors on the board - These should be marked either on the board or identified in the manual.

Good Luck.

Yeah, I avoided blue ones from the start. I tried both of 2.0 and on Define R5 case there are two more in front that I connected with headers from the motherboard while putting the computer together and nothing. Although I can't hear any signal, Reason playhead goes very slow through the sequencer when Balance Asio is selected. Like, 4 times slower playback. This is so weird.

[Arsenic]

Yeah, I avoided blue ones from the start. I tried both of 2.0 and on Define R5 case there are two more in front that I connected with headers from the motherboard while putting the computer together and nothing. Although I can't hear any signal, Reason playhead goes very slow through the sequencer when Balance Asio is selected. Like, 4 times slower playback. This is so weird.

I've not come across a slow playhead before - That is weird. I take it you have used the latest 1.1.0 Blance Drivers?

The only other thing I can think of is a corrupt driver somewhere, either the Balance one or the USB Chipset driver. Clutching at straws now, but maybe get the latest from the ASUS website?

Sorry, the Slow playhead has stumped me.

[Wook]

Yeah, I avoided blue ones from the start. I tried both of 2.0 and on Define R5 case there are two more in front that I connected with headers from the motherboard while putting the computer together and nothing. Although I can't hear any signal, Reason playhead goes very slow through the sequencer when Balance Asio is selected. Like, 4 times slower playback. This is so weird.

I've not come across a slow playhead before - That is weird. I take it you have used the latest 1.1.0 Blance Drivers?

The only other thing I can think of is a corrupt driver somewhere, either the Balance one or the USB Chipset driver. Clutching at straws now, but maybe get the latest from the ASUS website?

Sorry, the Slow playhead has stumped me.

Mhm. Tempo is set to 90 bpm but it looks like it plays at 30 In fact, whole Reason becomes supersluggish.
Yup, latest drivers. Even tried to revert to older ones to see if it makes a difference.
Chipset also refreshed at some point today.

Crazy, I tell you.

In any case, thanks for the help.

[Arsenic]

Crazy, I tell you.

In any case, thanks for the help.

No problem. I'll have a think about it and try and break my spare set up tomorrow to see if I can replicate it.

It might be worth drafting out a support e-mail to Props, just in case no-one can here can pin point the problem

[ScuzzyEye]

Slow play head means the sampling rate that Reason is setting, isn't being honored by the hardware. Or at least the hardware isn't emptying its buffer at the rate it should be.

Reason says, "let me know when you're done playing these samples." And the hardware takes its good ol' time doing so.

It only happened to me once, when I had a USB cable that was way too long, and the interface kept timing out anyway.

Maybe try another USB cable?

[Wook]

Slow play head means the sampling rate that Reason is setting, isn't being honored by the hardware. Or at least the hardware isn't emptying its buffer at the rate it should be.

Reason says, "let me know when you're done playing these samples." And the hardware takes its good ol' time doing so.

It only happened to me once, when I had a USB cable that was way too long, and the interface kept timing out anyway.

Maybe try another USB cable?

I tried 3 different cables. None of them were longer than one meter or similar.

One more weird thing is happening. I tried to play Youtube through it and it's the same thing as in Reason. It goes into some limbo slow motion crap. No sound, of course.

[eusti]

Urgh! Everytime I see a post in this thread I hope you'll have it resolved! Best of luck!

D.

[Wook]

Urgh! Everytime I see a post in this thread I hope you'll have it resolved! Best of luck!

D.

Very kind of you Eusti. Thank you. I'd really like to make this thing work. It's pretty but it would be damn shame if Propellerheads made it just to look good.

[Wook]

Crazy, I tell you.

In any case, thanks for the help.

No problem. I'll have a think about it and try and break my spare set up tomorrow to see if I can replicate it.

It might be worth drafting out a support e-mail to Props, just in case no-one can here can pin point the problem

I'm very grateful but be careful so you don't end up with the same problem. At this point, I have a nice looking brick with PH logo on it.

Yes, I'll try to get in touch with them and link them to this thread because some of the troubleshooting has been condensed here.

If everything else fails, maybe Windows 10 prove to be a fix.

[Vyckeil]

I have this problem with heavy synth songs or when I switch sound cards.. I usually just switch sample rate and move the buffer slider so it refreshed the latency. If that doesn't work, I switch to another driver and do the same.

[Arsenic]

Just a thought. You say this only seems to happen when you switch to Balance ASIO. I'm wondering what would happen if you remove the Balance Drivers completely, then install ASIO4ALL. I'm just wondering if we can narrow it down to the drivers.

One other thing, just make sure that no other programs are grabbing Balance ASIO on bootup. Most, if not all, ASIO drivers (to the best of my knowledge) only allow one program to access it at a time. So if, say, Skype or an instant messenger app is hogging the driver, It may result in zero sound - not sure that it would account for the slow playback though, but remember, computers are not a science - They are a black art.

Probably not being much use now - But you never know.

[pushedbutton]

are you using it as your primary windows audio device?..don't.

[Wook]

Sorry for late response everybody. Promised my girlfriend to take her to this lovely little swedish coastal town called Strömstad.

@Vyckeil

I tried changing sample rates but nothing happens.

@Arsenic

Mhm, tried ASIO4ALL yesterday but it doesn't give me an option to choose Balance as an out. It's not showing it. When I switch to asio4all, it just plays through inbuilt speakers on my screen. I didn't know this about other programs grabbing Balance Asio. How can I control that?

@pushedbutton

Ok, I'll avoid it from now on. It would be awesome if it could be used as a default soundcard. I have another relatively cheap audio interface but it's badass. It doesn't care what it plays. It just does it. Balance is such a diva.
Only problem is that it's 2500 km away.

Thanks for the input everyone. I appreciate it.

[Wook]

Forgot to ask. Is it normal that Balance is listed as a USB 2.0 HUB under devices and when "safe to remove hardware" thing?

[Vyckeil]

Forgot to ask. Is it normal that Balance is listed as a USB 2.0 HUB under devices and when "safe to remove hardware" thing?

Yes, at least mine says that and works fine. I think it's because it acts as a dongle for authorizing Reason and REs.

Balance is discontinued and I've read multiple reports of sudden hardware quirks/failures. I even got a courtesy call from Sweetwater to ask me if everything was good on my side and that they would assist me in any way possible in case Balance broke. There's a fair chance yours is. Keep trying, but I would look for that receipt (if you bought it new) and keep it close just in case.

[Wook]

Forgot to ask. Is it normal that Balance is listed as a USB 2.0 HUB under devices and when "safe to remove hardware" thing?

Yes, at least mine says that and works fine. I think it's because it acts as a dongle for authorizing Reason and REs.

Balance is discontinued and I've read multiple reports of sudden hardware quirks/failures. I even got a courtesy call from Sweetwater to ask me if everything was good on my side and that they would assist me in any way possible in case Balance broke. There's a fair chance yours is. Keep trying, but I would look for that receipt (if you bought it new) and keep it close just in case.

Ok then. That one's off the list.

Well, it did work when I tried it with my old laptop. That's what is confusing me. I'm more and more leaning towards a possibility that something is wrong with Asus Z97a motherboard and it's usb 2.0 ports.

[Vyckeil]

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97AU ... _Download/

Did you download BIOS, chipset and USB?
If you know how to flash a BIOS, do it. Otherwise I think you can use the BIOS utility and update from there.

If that doesn't work, then your motherboard is screwed.

By any chance, did you order from Newegg? I stopped buying from them years ago because they always gave me DOA products and I got really sick of their shit. Sorry for the language, they really pissed me off something fierce.