• Registered: 2009-04-19
  • Posts: 38

Topic: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

Hi,

I've had this problem for a while... So Fw800 looses adat sync totally randomly. Both adat1 and adat2 seems to malfunction. Usually the sync is fine for hours but the suddenly it looses the sync and the sync light in front of the unit starts to blink. Sometimes shutting down the unit and putting it on again, fixes the issue. Sometimes not. Its very random. All the adat wires have been checked and I've tried several different units with the Fw800 and the behaviour is the same with all of them. So the problem is narrowed down to Fw800 adat section. Unit was actually checked by Rme staff in Germany (I sent it there) but they reported that there is nothing wrong with the unit. Well I'm quite positive that this is not the case.

So does anyone have the same problem or might have a clue what is the problem? I think it might be something to do with the cooling of the unit. Many times the sync is fine at the beginning of the session but after a while the problem occurs...

Simo

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

I have also had the same problem for a long time and can not figure it out. I've tried every configuration of WC, ADAT clocking using the FF800 as both Master and Slave. I've tried using multiple brands of adat interfaces to see if it was brand specific. It's not. Nothing works consistently. I've tried T-bars, external clocking sources, 75ohm terminators. Nope. The drivers and firmware are all up to date so it's not that. The clicks and pops appear randomly on both adat 1 and 2, sometimes together, sometimes one at a time. Sometimes immediately when I start recording, sometimes after 20 minutes or 40 minutes. Then it will sometimes sync back up again and be ok for a while but eventually it loses sync. I have spent a lot of time and money troubleshooting this, and have had to invest in a Joeco Blackbox recorder as a backup just to feel safe when I'm at live events recording for longer periods of time. I don't believe there is a solution because I've tried everything. If anyone on the forum or at RME has the solution I would be forever grateful.

I just bought the UFX to test it to see if it has the same problem (more money spent just on testing). If it doesn't work, I'll be returning it. All I want to do is be able to record 24 channels at once without losing sync, can't do it, been trying with this unit for years.

The analog inputs on the RME are reliable though, never had a problem there.

Please help if anyone knows the solution.

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,221

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

These problems can be caused by a power supply starting to degrade (on older units), and by TOSLINK receivers not operating as they should. It is easy to check the power supply and/or replace it, as well as replacing the TOSLINK receivers.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

Thanks for the response MC. I got the UFX today and but I can't test whether or not the same sync issues will happen for me with it because the Total Mix will not open. Let me explain and let me know if you have any ideas. The Fireface Setting application opens fine but the Total Mix app keeps bouncing and "is not responding". I have to force quit.

It's a little unclear which driver I should be using:

I'm running OS 10.7.5 on an Intel Macbook Pro from late 2011.

With my FF800, I am on the latest firmware, but the latest driver 3.29 doesn't work for the same reason, the Total Mix won't open. So with the FF800 I've had to say with the 3.06 driver. If I do that it works.

With the UFX, I was able to update it to the latest firmware via USB. But Total Mix won't open with any of the drivers. I wasn't sure whether or not I was supposed to be using the Firewire or USB drivers though, so I tried them both. None of them work. And also the 3.06 driver doesn't open Total Mix either, as it does with my FF800. I have tried connecting the interface with both USB and Firewire and the same results.

EXCEPTION: 1 time with the UFX the Total Mix app opened with the Firewire 3.06 driver installed. It gave me this message though:
"Mismatch detected - Channel and FX settings of Device and Total Mix are different.
Click Yes to use Total Mix settings (default)
Click No to upload the Device settings into Total Mix
Note: if unsure click No to check the unit's settings first; ten hit undo to restore the last TotalMix settings.

This only happened after letting the app bounce up and down for 5-10mins. and I can't recreate that again. I screen grabbed this message when it came up.

So...

I would love to get the compatibility issues resolved so I can continue testing to see if I can get the UFX sync'ed with both adats in use for (2) external Focusrite Octopre mkII dynamics racks. That's what I'm trying to do so I can have at least 24 ch. going. 

And when I was trying different drivers I was installing them right over each other. And then when I had systematically gone through all the options, I tried going in and manually deleting so I could install clean (using instructions an RME admin gave on this forum). Still can't get it to work.

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,221

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

If you used an older driver before you might have looked at the wrong TotalMix - the newer ones come with TotalMix FX. Check your application folder, the file date, and that only one is in there with that name.

Regarding the long wait time - that might have the same reason just pointed out in another thread:

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=22306

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

Hi, I tried everything suggested in that thread and it still will only load Totalmix after 5 minutes. And then it still gives me the "Mismatch detected" message.

Just to confirm, I am trying to install the Firewire drivers, not the USB Drivers. Is that what I should be doing? It's confusing because the UFX has both firewire and usb. The UFX is considered a "Firewire Series" Interface right? Either way, I've tried them both so...

Is there anything else you can suggest? Or any way you can help me figure out what is wrong?

Also re: Totalmix v. Totalmix FX, they both show up in Applications as "Totalmix", I don't think the application is named "Total Mix FX". Right?

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

Here's a piece of my consol report, it seems like there is a problem with the MIDI Server or Midi Driver? I actually was not able to open the MIDI Window in my Audio Midi Setup to delete and rescan. Could this be it? Bt if so, how can I rescan if it doesn't give me the option or open the midi window?

2/21/16 11:29:23.982 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [439] starting; arch=x86_64
2/21/16 11:29:23.989 AM MIDIServer: PlugIn DigidesignFireWireMIDI.plugin -- file://localhost/Library/Audio/MIDI%20Drivers/ does not contain a supported architecture.
2/21/16 11:29:23.989 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer relaunching because a 32-bit driver was found
2/21/16 11:29:23.998 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [439] starting; arch=i386
2/21/16 11:29:24.000 AM kernel: Data/Stack execution not permitted: MIDIServer[pid 439] at virtual address 0x1d98000, protections were read-write
2/21/16 11:29:24.550 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver[439]) Job appears to have crashed: Bus error: 10
2/21/16 11:29:24.550 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
2/21/16 11:29:24.635 AM ReportCrash: Saved crash report for MIDIServer[439] version ??? (???) to /Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112924_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:24.636 AM ReportCrash: Removing excessive log: file://localhost/Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112553_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:34.561 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [440] starting; arch=x86_64
2/21/16 11:29:34.566 AM MIDIServer: PlugIn DigidesignFireWireMIDI.plugin -- file://localhost/Library/Audio/MIDI%20Drivers/ does not contain a supported architecture.
2/21/16 11:29:34.567 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer relaunching because a 32-bit driver was found
2/21/16 11:29:34.575 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [440] starting; arch=i386
2/21/16 11:29:35.122 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver[440]) Job appears to have crashed: Bus error: 10
2/21/16 11:29:35.122 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
2/21/16 11:29:35.000 AM kernel: Data/Stack execution not permitted: MIDIServer[pid 440] at virtual address 0x1dc6000, protections were read-write
2/21/16 11:29:35.205 AM ReportCrash: Saved crash report for MIDIServer[440] version ??? (???) to /Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112935_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:35.206 AM ReportCrash: Removing excessive log: file://localhost/Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112603_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:45.134 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [441] starting; arch=x86_64
2/21/16 11:29:45.141 AM MIDIServer: PlugIn DigidesignFireWireMIDI.plugin -- file://localhost/Library/Audio/MIDI%20Drivers/ does not contain a supported architecture.
2/21/16 11:29:45.141 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer relaunching because a 32-bit driver was found
2/21/16 11:29:45.150 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [441] starting; arch=i386
2/21/16 11:29:45.721 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver[441]) Job appears to have crashed: Bus error: 10
2/21/16 11:29:45.721 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
2/21/16 11:29:45.840 AM ReportCrash: Saved crash report for MIDIServer[441] version ??? (???) to /Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112945_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:45.842 AM ReportCrash: Removing excessive log: file://localhost/Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112614_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:46.000 AM kernel: Data/Stack execution not permitted: MIDIServer[pid 441] at virtual address 0x1dc6000, protections were read-write
2/21/16 11:29:55.731 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [443] starting; arch=x86_64
2/21/16 11:29:55.737 AM MIDIServer: PlugIn DigidesignFireWireMIDI.plugin -- file://localhost/Library/Audio/MIDI%20Drivers/ does not contain a supported architecture.
2/21/16 11:29:55.737 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer relaunching because a 32-bit driver was found
2/21/16 11:29:55.745 AM MIDIServer: MIDIServer [443] starting; arch=i386
2/21/16 11:29:56.000 AM kernel: Data/Stack execution not permitted: MIDIServer[pid 443] at virtual address 0x1d65000, protections were read-write
2/21/16 11:29:56.295 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver[443]) Job appears to have crashed: Bus error: 10
2/21/16 11:29:56.295 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (com.apple.midiserver) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
2/21/16 11:29:56.378 AM ReportCrash: Saved crash report for MIDIServer[443] version ??? (???) to /Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112956_juc.crash
2/21/16 11:29:56.379 AM ReportCrash: Removing excessive log: file://localhost/Users/jeffcurtin/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/MIDIServer_2016-02-21-112624_juc.crash

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

Ok, I deleted the DigidesignFireWireMIDI.plugin from the Midi Drivers folder and Totalmix 3.29 for FireWire Series opens fine! Sometimes I hook up a 003 so maybe that was it. I'll see how the sync goes, thanks for your help. If anything else seems weird about what I'm describing, let me know.

9 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,221

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

We will examine this weird delay effect.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

10 Reply by jeffcurtin (edited by jeffcurtin 2016-02-21 23:43:58)

  • Registered: 2011-10-08
  • Posts: 6

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

smile I know, it's a similar issue. thanks

11 Reply by drifter7508 (edited by drifter7508 2023-11-28 17:31:12)

  • Registered: 2023-03-04
  • Posts: 19

Re: Rme Fireface 800 looses adat sync

I have the same problem with my FF800. Losing sync randomly.
The PSU is brand new so that was not the problem. Today I replaced all the toslink ports with new ones.
Will report back if the problem is gone.

"These problems can be caused by a power supply starting to degrade (on older units), and by TOSLINK receivers not operating as they should. It is easy to check the power supply and/or replace it, as well as replacing the TOSLINK receivers."