1 Topic by NewtoRME (edited by NewtoRME 2011-05-19 15:37:01)

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Topic: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Hey guys,

just got a RME HDSP 9652 and I'm trying to hook it up with SSL Alpha Link Madi AX
on PT 9, Windows 7 Home Premium

Intallation of the RME card went smoothly, PT sees all the IO just fine, problem is, I've never used the
Totalmix and I sense most likely there is where lies the rub.

I have all the 24 IO of the SSL connected to two patchbays, with all the pres and ouboard already

SSL Alpha is connected with the 9652 via ADAT, (all 24ch, so ADAT IN of the SSL into ADAT OUT of the RME and way back)

I can see analog signal running thru the SSL from the preamps, and I can see the the analog outputs showing signal on the SSL as well.
But PT won't record anything, nor it will show signal in the meter section while recording.

Anyone who can walk-me-thru the setting of the three?


Thanks in advance

EDIT: SSL is default from the factory, SSL is master clock but I'm not connecting it to the RME thru the BNC, just Adat, is that gon' be a problem?
Do I *need* word clock BNC cable?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,558

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Hello,

the mixer does not control input into PT. Have you tried another audio software for a test, e.g. Digicheck?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

3 Reply by NewtoRME (edited by NewtoRME 2011-05-19 18:42:43)

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Hi Daniel
thank you for chiming in

I figured out the first problem which was setting the SSL routing to Analog IN to Adat OUT / Adat IN to Analog OUT
Now I've go totalmix seeing signal fine and PT too

I spent a some time on it and it seems pretty intuitive, I guess just the time to
get used to it.
Only problem now seems to be PT9 which keeps making a mess with the I/O setting.. It seems not to map correctly the RME I/O

Could you tell me if the setup of the RME looks ok like this?

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/3156/rmeg.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

(adat 3 is listed as not connected, I missed a cable, I'm gonna connect it right now, could that be the cause of wrong I/O mapping?)

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,558

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Looks ok. What exactly is the problem in PT?


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Thanks Daniel,

actually it must have been just a glitch.. I deleted the prefs in PT and went for the "default" on every tab of the I/O setting and everything's ok

I guess was just PT being bitchy (go figure..)

The problem was that I had a couple of loops in three channels, at first I checked the patchbay/outboard
but everything was fine, restarted and the problem disappeared.

I gotta say it, this is the first time I use RME and it's ridiculous how easy it has been to set up a whole new system with it, seriously,
great features, solid drivers.. Major update here from Digidesign hw to RME+SSL and damn, there's no match.

Thanks Daniel and keep it up RME!

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Ok I do have a problem that I can't solve, weird one..

It appears like the first 8 channles have a problem, in the AD/DA roundtrip whether or not I use outboard in them
the sound is all digitally distorted (sounds like a bitcrusher) and there are clean audio drops, it mutes for a split second then comes back
every 2/5 seconds.

My guess is some setting in the Alpha or most likely some setting in the PT I/O but I'm running the "default" setting I/O for everything, busses, inputs and outputs..
It is not a cable/patchbay problem, I tested that and everything is ok in the analog domain and the PT project is new and clean with only one track for testing.

I'm noticing now that even when nothing is playing both the SSL and the Totalmix shows spikes of signal, they look like pops and clicks, in the first 8 channles.

Is this has something to do with the fact that the default main output in the RME seems to be 1&2 and I forced it to outs 23&24?

For example: on ch 6 I have my 1176 (talking about hardware of course) if I put that one in insert (same in, same out as PT requires) the sound is all distorted and as I mentioned it drops, but if I insert for example my SSL G comp which is on Ch. 12 and then route its out into the 1176 (thru the patchbay) and then back into Ch 6 input, everything sound ok..

Any idea? It seems there's some sort of communication problem with the first 8 channles but for the life of me I can't think about what that could be
Any help is much appreciated

7 Reply by NewtoRME (edited by NewtoRME 2011-05-23 23:19:38)

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

I've noticed that I do have some loop feedback in the Totalmix, totally random, in some (always different) of the first 8 channels (which is showing on the SSL meter as well).
The thing is, I have them even if in PT I set NO output and NO input for anything..
The project looks like this: 2 tracks, one mono, one stereo, 1 stereo master track.
Even disabling all the inputs and all the outputs in the I/O panel of the tracks, I still get the feedback loops in the totalmix, even when not playing.
I close PT and the mysterious signal disappear.

I reopen the session (more than one session, I made 3 new one just in case was a specific session problem) tested ONLY the input of - just and example, from the first 8 channels -
channel 6 and the audio was fine. I tested ONLY the output and it was fine. I tried to use ch 6 as insert (with the 1176 in the path) and it was ok.

That is was drives me crazy.. I didn't change anything and I can't reproduce it.
Same session, same setting, the insert 6 didn't work, after routing the out to it's input from another channel (12, so not one of the first 8 which weren't sending any audio out)
and its output to another (again, non first 8ch) input, magically it worked.. It makes no sense to me.

But before doing that, all the drops and clicks and feedback noises were there, randomly in the first 8 channels.

The problem is not solved, it still does that, just not all the time, and I'm not changing setting, so I have no clue of why.. Sync problem with PT? with the SSL? I/O mapping?
I'm using the internal clock of the SSL and I have all the 3 ADAT I/O connected to the RME (24ch I/O)
PC is W7 32 bit, 8 cores i7 860 w/ 4GB or Ram, no other PCI bus are used if not one for the video card and the firewire card which is not connected to anything tho'..

Is there anything in the control panel that I haven't checked or that I could try? thanks

  • Registered: 2011-05-19
  • Posts: 44

Re: RME 9652 with SSL Alpha Link & PT9 new to RME, help needed

Ok some more testing with the help of SSL support.

Long story short: it seems to be a clock issue.

While is true that clock/sync issue should affect ALL the channels, is also true that - as it's shown in the RME setting image that I posted -
the Alpha and the RME clock is sync'ed via ADAT, specifically ADAT 1 so the first 8 channels, which is where I have the problems.

Setting the RME as master and the SSL as slave solved the problem.

But not really. Meaning, I want to use SSL internal clock.. how can I do that without occurring in that problem?

Would clocking the two using a Wordclock/BNC cable will solve this problem?

please don't let me hang in here