Topic by mlee

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Topic: Crackling/popping noises

Just started using Pianoteq and have the Stage product with the Steinway D and Bosendorfer. When using Bluetooth headphones (have tried a couple of different ones with the same results), I'm getting crackles/popping noises on certain notes but not on others. For instance with the Bosendorfer I get it on F4 and D4, but with the Steinway it's on B3. The only way to get rid of it I've found is to turn down the volume to -10 dB or lower. I'm using FlexASIO but have tried other drivers with the same results. Power setting is best performance in Windows 11. This occurs in the Pianoteq app but also when using the Pianoteq plugin with other DAWs. I have multiple other plugins and have not seen this issue with any others so it seems to be specific to Pianoteq.

Any help would be really appreciated!

Reply by daniel_r328

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Re: Crackling/popping noises

I'd suspect that's clipping (running the signal too hot so that the amplitude tops out, causing a crackle).

Pianoteq has a high dynamic range compared to many virtual instruments, so to get the best signal you want to run it at a low enough volume to avoid clicking and then add gain at the right point in your signal chain (depends on your set-up).

alternatively, reducing the dynamic range (below the volume slider) reduces the peaks so would be a quick fix for clipping. This could take some expression out of your play though, so you need to experiment in the context of your set up to get the best balance of settings

Reply by mlee

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Re: Crackling/popping noises

daniel_r328 wrote:

I'd suspect that's clipping (running the signal too hot so that the amplitude tops out, causing a crackle).

Pianoteq has a high dynamic range compared to many virtual instruments, so to get the best signal you want to run it at a low enough volume to avoid clicking and then add gain at the right point in your signal chain (depends on your set-up).

alternatively, reducing the dynamic range (below the volume slider) reduces the peaks so would be a quick fix for clipping. This could take some expression out of your play though, so you need to experiment in the context of your set up to get the best balance of settings

Thanks! Tried a different PC with Bluetooth and the issue was still there, so it's not the PC.  Tried the same headphones with a wired connection to the PC headphone jack and I'm no longer hearing the noise no matter the volume or notes played, which rules out the headphones themselves as the problem. So it appears it has to do with Bluetooth in some way, not sure why but at least it seems no longer an issue with direct output from the headphone jack.

Reply by brundlefly

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Re: Crackling/popping noises

daniel_r328 wrote:

alternatively, reducing the dynamic range (below the volume slider) reduces the peaks so would be a quick fix for clipping.

It seems the OP has determined the issue is Bluetooth but just for the record I wanted to note that lowering dynamic range is largely a form of upward compression; it raises the amplitude of low-velocity notes much more than it lowers the high-velocity ones.

The center point seems to be around velocity 101. Anything below that will get louder, and anything above it will get quieter but to a much lesser extent. Only the highest velocities from around 115-127 will be noticably reduced by lowering the dynamic range, and then only if the reduction is pretty radical. For all intents and purposes, you can consider the Volume control to be setting the upper limit, and Dynamics to be setting the lower limit.

Reply by mlee

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Re: Crackling/popping noises

brundlefly wrote:
daniel_r328 wrote:

alternatively, reducing the dynamic range (below the volume slider) reduces the peaks so would be a quick fix for clipping.

It seems the OP has determined the issue is Bluetooth but just for the record I wanted to note that lowering dynamic range is largely a form of upward compression; it raises the amplitude of low-velocity notes much more than it lowers the high-velocity ones.

The center point seems to be around velocity 101. Anything below that will get louder, and anything above it will get quieter but to a much lesser extent. Only the highest velocities from around 115-127 will be noticably reduced by lowering the dynamic range, and then only if the reduction is pretty radical. For all intents and purposes, you can consider the Volume control to be setting the upper limit, and Dynamics to be setting the lower limit.

Thanks for this. I tried adjusting the dynamic range and it had no effect on the problem, as you would have guessed. I'm still very confused on why this problem is occurring with Bluetooth but at least I have a workaround now.