z7-3 PA Does Not Engage

[Flecko]

Hi there,
in the cover art where the information about weather PA is enganged (*~*) or not (_~_) is shown, it always shows (_~_) no matter what I do. I have tried to fix it, reading the manual but I cannot get it running.

I use -30dbs volume with peak extension and arcpred.

As far as I understand it is also important to have a large latency which is determined by the buffersize (in my case 256) Q1 and xQ1. The manual says that a buffer size 4096 * Q1= 30 * xQ1= 1 will work. This situation should be equal to 256 * 30 * 16. But unfortunatly with this settings I do not get any sound at all, although playback starts (Coverarts still shows _~_). The highest latency I can get is 256 * 22 * 2.

Later in the manual a latency with 4096 * 14 * 1 is advised, using a SFS of 2. This would be equal to 256 * 14 * 16 but at this values I get no sound. As I said, the highest latency I can get is 256 * 22 * 2. Shouldn't it be possible to even lower SFS and then it should work? Well, it doesn't to a point of SFS=0.2.

Another reason it doesn't work could be a faulty activation. As I was one the beta testers (and apparently not a good one, otherwise I should have noticed), something could have been messed up. I think this could be the issue, because after some time XX just quits. Formaly it is activated and no undemo sign is shown at the core appointment pull down menue. Do I have to reactivate XX with paypal or is a fresh installation of Windows 7 in order? Should I anyway get a new activation key?

Any idea?

[PeterSt]

Hi there Adrian,

Thank you for your extensive elaboration on your attempt, but sadly, yes, it was immediately clear to me that your Activation is not right. But then for those beta rounds this was all a sort of wackey - and well, that is what the beta testing was for.

So indeed, please get youself a new Activation Code through Paypal. Of course the money will be returned as soon as it is seen.

Thanks a lot,
Peter

[Flecko]

Thanks Peter. I will wait until I get back my graphics card, which had to be repaired, and then make a freash installation of W7. Fromt that clean point, I will get the new activation code and try again.
Greetings
Adrian

[PeterSt]

No need for a fresh W7 install. But you are allowed to of course.

Peter

[SeVeReD]

Don't listen to Peter.  I always think fresh install are a good thing. haha  Kinda rule of thumb for me here.  Somethings not working... hmm better reinstall windows.  I'm only partially kidding and laughing here.  :tinfoil:

[Robert]

I've the same issue as Flecko PA not working with z7-3. I've got everything working except PA. I don't have any problems with XXhighend quitting though. Should I reactivate?

[PeterSt]

I think it is not clear (because I didn't make that much clear) that each new version has to be Activated explicitly. That doesn't mean, though, that you should get yourself a new Code (okay, which you just did). Just use the old (0.9z-7) one ...

Peter

[PeterSt]

I think it is not clear (because I didn't make that much clear) that each new version has to be Activated explicitly.

Or maybe I did :

Apart from hopping to a pre-0.9z-7 version to 0.9z-7 and above - for which applies what just has been described, *any* new version needs explicit Activation from now on; use the 0.9z-7 Code you obtained earlier and apply it to the Activation Procedure (see below);
Copying the .dat file you may be used to, is not sufficient anymore !

... which is from How to Activate 0.9z-7 and up ...

[Robert]

Sorry for confusion but using original code all activated and PA is working on desktop but I now need to check for nasty DC.

[PeterSt]

You are not to blame. So, for years it worked as it worked, and now that suddenly changed. And of course, it can not be expected that *all* of my blah blah is read throughout ...

[Robert]

I have success at last no DC at amplifiers the needle barely moved. I tested at different volumes while PA engaged.

What is interesting it plays whole albums at SFS 2 setting which it never did on version 6 or early 7 versions.

No unsettling ticks or plops, only minor ticks where they should be.

[PeterSt]

No unsettling ticks or plops, only minor ticks where they should be.

Put the needle in rhe groove ... haha

Thanks.
Peter

[GerardA]

Just had a short check. The needle still gets out of the groove at the end but much more subtle.
Because I didn't get an email with the activationcode I decided to save it before using the new one. Still an email-bug?

[praphan]

Apart from hopping to a pre-0.9z-7 version to 0.9z-7 and above - for which applies what just has been described, *any* new version needs explicit Activation from now on; use the 0.9z-7 Code you obtained earlier and apply it to the Activation Procedure (see below);
Copying the .dat file you may be used to, is not sufficient anymore !

Hi Peter,

I also encountered problem engaging PA with Z703. I am pretty certain it is not related to activation in my case as I did use the previously obtained code and also a newly acquired code today with same outcome on PA.

Increasing buffer size (eg Q1 = 30 x 3) will not engage PA. The only setting that I can get PA engaged is to set "fade out step" to 0 and the other new feature within PA to 0 too (sorry cannot remember the name - it is on top of fade out step). Any other setting than 0 will result in an deactivation of PA regardless of buffer size, sfs, or min OS. With both new feature under PA settings at 0, there is plop and low frequency AC pulse in case as found in previous version of Z7.

Best regards,
Praphan

[Gerard]

Apart from hopping to a pre-0.9z-7 version to 0.9z-7 and above - for which applies what just has been described, *any* new version needs explicit Activation from now on; use the 0.9z-7 Code you obtained earlier and apply it to the Activation Procedure (see below);
Copying the .dat file you may be used to, is not sufficient anymore !

Hi Peter,

I also encountered problem engaging PA with Z703. I am pretty certain it is not related to activation in my case as I did use the previously obtained code and also a newly acquired code today with same outcome on PA.

Increasing buffer size (eg Q1 = 30 x 3) will not engage PA. The only setting that I can get PA engaged is to set "fade out step" to 0 and the other new feature within PA to 0 too (sorry cannot remember the name - it is on top of fade out step). Any other setting than 0 will result in an deactivation of PA regardless of buffer size, sfs, or min OS. With both new feature under PA settings at 0, there is plop and low frequency AC pulse in case as found in previous version of Z7.

Best regards,
Praphan

Hi Praphan

When you set it at a different setting than zero (SFS Rounds) PA is engaged after the seconds you have set but you can't see the engaging on the coverart.

If i understand it correctly.

 

[PeterSt]

Hi Praphan,

First off, take it that I *know* that you know your stuff very well. So, it can't be about that. Therefore you must take the few remarks below as the positive input to what could be going on really. Okay ?

The only setting that I can get PA engaged is to set "fade out step" to 0.

Totally impossible that this is related.

and the other new feature within PA to 0 too (sorry cannot remember the name

"After SFS Rounds".
This can be true, but if all is right, only visually (*~* stuff). Of course, when you set your SFS to 430 and SFS Rounds to 9, then PA will never engage for the first track.

What is far more likely, is that something is incurred for which is related to XXEngine3.exe being in memory all the time, and a reattempt of Playback does strange things, unexpected by me and your usage. Or ... what about you have left it in memory at upgrading to 0.9z-7-3 ? That would be highly incompatible. There's a check in the "install" to throw it out, but maybe that doesn't work properly, or you did not upgrade to a new folder. Anyway ...

When the latter is not in order, please focus on re-attempting playback. So, when you see strange things, first kill the sound engine from memory (click on the blue led in the right) and start playback right after that (quite harmless to Memory Allocation if you don't wait 30 seconds).
All IOW, in *that* area things "drastically" changed and mistake can have been made easily by me. Still I don't have any problem myself, so the chance that this is it is unlikely.

Activation stuff *is* likely as well as applying the "upgrade" is, like I just talked about ...

Let me know what you find !
Regards,
Peter

[PeterSt]

I deliberately played with SFS Rounds at non-zero (which I don't need) for hours last night, and all was and stayed right.
And notice that the Fade-out step at 0 doesn't tell a thing. It is just that other "step size" (see ToolTip). So, default is 3 and it is advised to have it at that, but again, 0 is nothing like "deactivated" or something; It just implies another step value.

Increasing buffer size (eg Q1 = 30 x 3) will not engage PA.

Maybe a remark about this one;
This is totally unrelated to PA engaging or not. One exception : when a message tells you that the product of DevBufSize x Q1 x Q1F will not allow Phase Alignment (you may never have seen it, but it does does exist).

Regards,
Peter

[praphan]

Hi Praphan

When you set it at a different setting than zero (SFS Rounds) PA is engaged after the seconds you have set but you can't see the engaging on the coverart.

If i understand it correctly.

 

Hi Gerard,

Yes, you understand it correctly and help me understand SFS round feature correctly as well. My bad that did not read the tool tips well.

Thanks a lot
Praphan

[praphan]

Hi Praphan,

First off, take it that I *know* that you know your stuff very well. So, it can't be about that. Therefore you must take the few remarks below as the positive input to what could be going on really. Okay ?

Hi Peter,

Please do not always assume that I do *know* what I am doing well.

I made a stupid mistake this time. Last night, I hopped out from my flight sim and jumped into my listening room just to download and install z7-3 , neglecting an important routine to read the tool tips for the new PA features thoroughly. Well I guess you can tell that since I did not even remember the "name" of the SFS rounds.

Apologize to give you a false impression that SFS rounds may contain bugs and wasting your valuable hour. With higher SFS setting, I need to be patient to wait a bit longer down the track to see PA kicks in (with SFS rounds >0). The sign  _~_ in the wallpaper will be changed to *~* in a few seconds after starting of the track.

So this is nothing about activation or installation at all.

SFS rounds is not quite useful for me since I don't have problem with crack at the beginning of the track. I have strong LF AC pulse at stop of the track. Fade out step does not eliminate this AC pulse. It is not audible anyway since the frequency is so low. Still scratch my head.

Kind regards,
Praphan

[PeterSt]

Praphan,

Don't apologize too much. Some people can do a ~100 times without. Okay ?
And that is only my opinion ...

Peter