1 Topic by Malcolm Jeffery (edited by Malcolm Jeffery 2012-02-23 22:06:21)

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
  • Posts: 10

Topic: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Hi there ive been using a new Babyface for 2-3 weeks now with no problems what so ever.
Lovely interface,
Firmware v 185
Driver v1.66

Mac pro quad core intel xeon 2.66
logic 9.1.5
osx 10.6.8
5 gigs of ram.

But while using omnisphere and copying a part over got a pop that was short but loud enough to light my safety red lights on the Dynaudio Bm6a monitors, they did not turn off but it made me jump as i thought something had blown.

Never happened before and its the first time Omnisphere has been used the buffer of logic is @ 32, is this to low for omnisphere as i know its a greedy plugin, and should the Babyface make a pop loud enough to trigger the safety measures of my monitors?

Thank You
Malcolm

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Yep, raise the old buffer. If you're not actually playing, might as well set it to 512

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
  • Posts: 10

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Thanks but should the pop be that loud, thats getting close to damage if the red light kicks in on my monitors, i had it at a low volume so if i had it turned up my ears would have not liked it, iam still playing notes in.
My old m audio firewire410 couldnt get past 256/512 on a full mix with omnisphere in there, but this should, and ive never heard a pop that loud ever out of any interface, ill try 64 then 128 any more and its not worth using the interface or omnisphere as any fast playing is out the window.
Thanks

4 Reply by arctic (edited by arctic 2012-02-24 11:22:59)

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

That's what daw's can do if you haven't got an analog volume control acting as a fail safe before the monitors. I recommend one to save ears and gear...

5 Reply by Malcolm Jeffery (edited by Malcolm Jeffery 2012-02-24 12:16:37)

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
  • Posts: 10

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Ive got a nano patch plus, elsewhere in the chain, ie on the inputs so i can tame the signal more and route other gear in thats not on xlr but iam sure i can hear high freq roll off when its between monitors and babyface i know u need real short cable runs, ive got about 12 foot is that to much for a passive volume control as its a known fact long runs cause resistance and hf damping.

Can RME join in as the unit is sold as being connectable directly to monitors, and if it damages speakers then its not my fault, as they would say dont forget to buy a passive volume control on the box, and a lot of cheap passive volume controls dont last if the web is to be believed, and sticking a 40 quid one between 1000 quid monitors and a 500 quid interface dont seem right, nor does spending 300 quid on an expensive one.

Thanks

6 Reply by MC

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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Malcolm Jeffery wrote:

Thanks but should the pop be that loud, thats getting close to damage if the red light kicks in on my monitors, i had it at a low volume

That is the point - you did not have the speakers at low volume - maybe TotalMix or the DAW program. Most probably there is a mismatch in levels between the interface and the speakers. Adjust the speakers themselves so that they give high volume only at full output level of the interface / TotalMix, and nothing will happen even with long-term blasts of noise.

And if you don't do that then it IS your fault when the speakers get damaged.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

7 Reply by Malcolm Jeffery (edited by Malcolm Jeffery 2012-02-24 14:23:31)

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
  • Posts: 10

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Dynaudio Bm6a mk 1 do not have volume controls, the babyface output was very low, the music was very low, the pop was very loud.

Iam not having a go, just want to resolve this, after all we are told to connect the unit to speakers, looks like another nano patch and real short leads, i just thought if the Baby face output was low all spikes and pops would be too!.seems they come out at full volume.

Thanks

8 Reply by MC

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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Malcolm Jeffery wrote:

after all we are told to connect the unit to speakers

Every unit is connected to speakers somehow. The outputs of the Babyface are line outputs, not speaker outputs, so there is an external amplifier in the chain. Where do we tell you to connect it to speakers? Especially (in your case) active speakers?

The point remains that the BMs are most probably too sensitive, and the BF has a high output level (+15 dBu). So (also most probably) your TM faders are down more than 20 dB all the time. Problems behind TM will therefore leave the unit at full level. If the Nanopatch colours the sound for you (which usually is not the case) then get simple, low resistance passive attenuators in front of the BMs. Then the sound is perfect and this will not happen again.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Thanks for the reply, ive been a bit dumb as my last interface went through a mixer so everything including pops would have been attenuated!, not using the mixer no more as its died, i asumed you could connect direct to speakers and until a problem occurs thats ok, and yes total mix is way down still sounds fine, but iam sourcing some real short balanced leads and another nano patch i think, that way Babyface can be at full volume and nano controls volume.

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

You can always buy a high quality stepped attenuator, and get rid of that nano crap :-)

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 85

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Like this one:
http://www.nfaudio.com/shop/mc10plus

12 Reply by Malcolm Jeffery (edited by Malcolm Jeffery 2012-02-24 19:30:25)

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

I don't think nano is crap, and iam sure you dont, ive got it hooked up with the shortest cables i can find, and the babyface sounds fantastic, well no difference as it should.

still, i will get even shorter runs of cable to reduce any resistance there may be and to tidy up the back of my desk,I may well be bonkas and any resistance that's noticeable is over big cable lengths and I hear a placebo effect as now I don't think i can hear any difference lol arrg its been a long week.

  I've read that some Nanos have become scratchy after some time so we will see, as for stepped attenuators I am aware of them, Goldpoint do great ones as well but i have not got the dosh to spend.
I am surprised no one has built them into an interface for an all in one solution.
I use to use a mixer which i kinda still miss all those ins and outs and faders and routing anything to anything else, any way I digress, I love the blue box and the sound coming out is very nice, a real step up from my m audio and still expandable with the adat in and out. this is cheap in the uk unbalanced, they do a bigger balanced one as well.

http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/ … ools/qadat

Thanks

13 Reply by MC

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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

That guy is just trolling, ignore him.

One fact you might not be aware of: the low impedance outputs of the Babyface (any modern unit) make cable lengths between the unit's outputs and the passive attenuator a full 'no worry'. Critical is only the cable length (the cable quality) between the attenuator and the active speaker or amplifier, as the output of the attenuator is a much higher impedance. Even small capacitance can then cause a treble roll off.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2012-02-23
  • Posts: 10

Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Thanks MC I have about 7 foot cables from nano to monitors, and i don't think i can hear anything, i may get 3 foot (1 meter) cables just to be sure, to be honest though in a blind test you wouldn't notice any difference.
Malk

15 Reply by MC

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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Personally I would have no probem with 3 meters...but I'm an ex metal drummer, so... DeadHorse

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

I'm not trolling about the build quality on the SM pro audio stuff. It's horrible. I could tell you some stories.

17 Reply by MC

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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

Not in this forum.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
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Re: Babyface Pop lit my Dynaudio bm6a red saftey light

MC wrote:

...but I'm an ex metal drummer, so... DeadHorse

WHAT????  Wow, M.C.  I have a new-found respect for you!!! Right on!!! cool

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