When using a USB audio interface with your computer, there are a variety of things that can result in pops, clicks, crackles, dropouts, or distortion during playback and recording. This article offers troubleshooting steps and suggestions that should resolve the majority of these problems. 
 

General

Digital audio recording places significant demands on your computer system’s resources.  For the best user experience it is recommended to use a computer system that not only meets, but exceeds the minimum system requirements.  Be sure to check the system requirements for your software as they are likely to be higher than your M-Audio device.

Do you have the latest M-Audio device drivers installed for your Operating System?  M-Audio regularly updates its drivers and it is likely that there is a newer driver available than the one included with your device.  The latest driver releases for M-Audio products are available on our drivers/updates page.  If you are unsure of your exact OS version, please see this article.

Is your M-Audio USB interface connected to a USB port on your keyboard, monitor, or to a multi-port USB hub?  If so, this could be the source of your problem.  Connect the device directly to the computer and test the audio quality.  If the problem persists, continue testing all USB ports.

If you experience a constant humming or low frequency buzzing you probably have a ground loop.  Try connecting all devices to the same power outlet on the wall.  If you have a laptop, disconnect its power supply to see if the hum/buzz disappears.  Please see this guide for assistance with troubleshooting ground loops.


Test with a different USB cable.  Faulty cables are often times the source of many problems.  Cables with ferrite beads can help reduce noise and interface which can improve stability and audio performance.  Below are additional troubleshooting steps specific to Mac and Windows.

PC

Often times these problems are a result of system performance.  Increasing the Buffer Size for your M-Audio device will help alleviate the processing demands placed on your CPU.  With all audio applications closed, open the M-Audio control panel and raise the buffer size.  Try increasing by small increments and then test the audio quality again.  Some programs have buffer settings which override those set in the M-Audio control panel; if available, change these settings there.  There are a variety of other settings that can be adjusted to improve performance.  Check out these guides for optimizing Windows:

PC Optimization Guide for Windows XP

PC Optimization Guide for Windows Vista

IRQ sharing can also cause these problems.  Follow these steps to check for conflicts:
1. Go to the device manger (Start>Run>devmgmt.msc)
2. Select Resources by Connection from the “View” menu
3. Select Interrupt Request (IRQ) and a list will be displayed
4. Locate the “USB Universal Host Controllers” in the list (there may be several)
5. Look for the PCI number listed before each USB Host Controller

Do other devices have the same PCI number?  If a device such as the graphics/video card, Network Controller (Ethernet, modem, or wireless), or the built-in audio card have the same number, this may be the source of your problem.  With the exception of your video/graphics cards, these other devices can be disabled to eliminate the conflict.  Right-click and choose disable to disable the device.  To enable the device, right-click and select enable.  We have a separate article for more in-depth IRQ Troubleshooting.

If the problem persists, test the device on all USB ports.  You will need to exit your application when moving to a different USB port; Windows should automatically load the drivers to associate them with the device on the new port.  When finished, re-launch your application and test the audio quality.

Windows XP users only; do you experience pops and clicks associated with graphics activity such as opening, closing, or minimizing windows?  Do you get a zipper noise when moving the mouse? Try lowering the Hardware Acceleration for your Video/Graphics Card and see if performance improves.  Click here for a guide to walk you through this process

Disable USB Power Management.  Disabling this setting will prevent the system from disabling the USB port your device is connected to which can result in dropouts or the device ceasing to function.  See the following guide for:

Windows XP

Windows Vista
 

 
Mac

Often times these problems are a result of system performance.  Increasing the Buffer Size for your M-Audio device will help alleviate the processing demands placed on your CPU. In OS X, this setting is adjusted from within your recording application.  This setting is generally located in the Preferences Menu in an audio configuration menu.  Please refer to your application’s user guide to find out how to change the buffer size.  Try increasing by small increments and then test the audio quality again.

Repair your Disk Permissions:
1. Open the Utilities folder located in Macintosh HD>Applications >Utilities
2. Double click to open Disk Utility
3. Select your Macintosh HD
4. On the First Aid tab click Repair Disk Permissions

This may take a few minutes; it is a general maintenance routine for the OS, and important to ensure the proper functioning of MIDI and audio.  When the permissions repair is complete you can quit the Disk Utility.

Bluetooth and Airport Wireless have been known to cause problems with pops, clicks, and distortion during recording and playback.  Disable both of these from System Preferences and then test the audio quality again.  These devices can easily be activated when needed.

MacBook and MacBook Pro users should verify they are connecting their M-Audio USB interface to the recommended USB port.  Specific USB ports on these systems are known to cause pops, clicks, and dropouts in the audio.

MacBook 13.3" recommended USB port

MacBook Pro recommended USB port(s)

Is your Operating System up to date?  Since we have seen problems after using the Automatic Software Update to update the OS, we always recommend downloading and installing the “Combo Update”.  Installing the combo update is recommended as a troubleshooting step and ensures that all system files are up to date.  This combo update can be installed on top of your existing OS without having to reformat and lose any files.  For example, if you are using OS X version 10.5.5, go to http://www.apple.com/downloads and search for “10.5.5 combo update”.  Save the appropriate file for your exact OS version to your desktop.  Disconnect your M-Audio USB device before installing the combo update.  Once the combo update is installed repair disk permissions (see above), then uninstall and re-install the latest M-Audio driver and repair disk permissions again.