No Playback After Windows 10 "Creator Update" Foisted On Me

Discuss playback problems, including VST, Garritan, MIDI, etc.

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RGreenhouse
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:20 am
Finale Version: 26+
Operating System: Windows

Post by RGreenhouse » Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:27 am

As a longtime user of Finale (since version 3.7 in the early 1990's), I have been through many upgrades, computer systems, operating systems, audio interfaces and soundcards - never had a major issue with playback until Microsoft foisted their latest "Windows 10 Creator Update" on me. Playback stopped. "Audio engine failed to load". I have been troubleshooting this for weeks now with the aid of some very patient customer service people whose help I greatly appreciate. For a half day, sound magically returned for no reason that I can determine, and then it went away.

We have checked all the logs, the ini files, the sound settings and so far have been unsuccessful in determining the cause. It is clear from a Google search that I am not the only one with sound issues after this major Windows update.

But the strange thing is that Finale seems to be the only midi / audio program affected. Pro Tools 11.2, Band in a Box, WMPlayer. QuickTime, CD, DVD, and even (dare I mention) Sibelius 7 all work fine.

I am sure the fault lies with changes made by the OS, since the malfunction roughly corresponds to the upgrade date.

All kinds of random advice is out there, some on YouTube, some in different music / sound forums, but it is hard to find anything specific to Finale.

I am using direct sound with an MBox2 as my audio output. If I disable this interface, the error does not occur, but there is no audible output because the only speakers I have are connected to MBox 2, which I have been using without a hitch since 2008. Finale version 25.4 / Windows 10.x

I would welcome any ideas.


User avatar
zuill
Posts: 4418
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:35 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2011-v26.3.1
Operating System: Windows

Post by zuill » Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:06 am

I can't say much, as I use Win 7 (for obvious reasons, at least to me). One thing to check is that the sample rate is the same between the audio device and Finale. With the newest versions of Finale, MakeMusic states that you can use any sample rate that you want, but I still think 44100Hz is the best for Finale.

Zuill
Last edited by zuill on Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Windows 10, Finale 2011-v26.3.1
"When all is said and done, more is said than done."

RGreenhouse
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:20 am
Finale Version: 26+
Operating System: Windows

Post by RGreenhouse » Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:34 am

Thanks for the suggestion - both are set at 44100Hz. The Tech help guy told me to put the bit depth at 16 for best performance of Garritan, and I did that too, although I always work at 24 with Pro Tools.

oldmkvi
Posts: 384
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 6:13 pm
Finale Version: 25
Operating System: Mac

Post by oldmkvi » Thu Sep 28, 2017 6:08 am

I'm on Mac, use 24/96 for Garritan/Aria Playback, and I'm very happy with the results.
I use an external Dac and Powered Speakers.

ttw
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:29 am
Finale Version: 27.4
Operating System: Windows

Post by ttw » Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:41 am

See my answer to the reverb question in the general help section. Somehow (maybe due to system update as I have Finale 25.4 and haven't changed it in a while) Finale was playing through the wrong speakers.

RGreenhouse
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:20 am
Finale Version: 26+
Operating System: Windows

Post by RGreenhouse » Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:07 am

Thanks ttw - I only have a single choice for output. The crazy thing is tht when I test the output from within the Windows Control Panel, there is a sound loud and clear out each speaker and the virtual meter registers the sound. When I do the same test from within Finale audio setup, there is no sound, no signal on the virtual meter.

The no sound issue seems to be exclusive to Finale. Every other audio program works - Pro Tools, Band in a Box, Audacity, streaming audio / video, WMPlayer, CD/DVD players, midi players. The MakeMusic tech support wants to blame it on the fact that my audio interface, MBox2 by Avid is no longer supported by Avid - yet none of these other programs has any issue with the sound output. I have been in discussions for two months now with three different tech help people and with each I have gone through all the logical possibilities. The most frustrating thing about the problem is that spontaneously, without apparent cause, the "Audio Engine Failed to Load" error message does not appear and Finale works perfectly until I turn my computer off and start it up again the next day. Then the failure will occur for another couple of weeks.

I think out of frustration the tech person finally said, well Avid no longer supports the device, so that must be the problem. Well Behringer no longer carries my speakers, but they work perfectly well. I have seen no evidence that the audio interface is the problem, simply because it works well with all other audio applications. Aargh!

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