1 Topic by schmidt (edited by schmidt 2017-04-23 18:47:56)

  • Registered: 2017-04-21
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

I recently purchased the new UFX+ interface and as it will (at least I hope so) replace my old DIGI002 rack, I have been immensely looking forward to getting it up and running. However I've not yet succeeded in making it work.

- I'm running the interface via USB3 on a Windows 7 Pro 64-bit (intel i7-4930K CPU, 32 GB of RAM) stationary pc.
- I installed/updated the madiface drivers
- I updated the UFX+ firmware to version 37 with the Flash Update Tool
- I have the Totalmix FX and the MADIface settings running

When I launch Pro Tools 10 or 11 it is a bit slow to initialize but eventually gets going. I am able to choose the UFX+ as my interface, but nothing works. I can't play back a simple audio track bacuse PT just goes into "pause" instead of playing back the audio, and IF it plays back the audio all I get is glitches and "stutter". I checked that the resolution and sample rates match up, but this is not the issue.

Also, I noticed that the MADIface settings dialogue reports multiple USB errors in the "USB Diagnosis", but I have no idea what causes these errors, only that there currently are "128|448|18" of them.

I'm totally frustrated because all I ever hear about the RME stuff is that they are class compliant and no-trouble products.

What am I doing wrong here?

  • Registered: 2017-04-21
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Anyone?

3 Reply by dabbler (edited by dabbler 2017-04-23 19:15:39)

  • Registered: 2016-05-08
  • Posts: 46

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Try different buffer sizes in Pro Tools playback engine setup. For whatever reasons, with most current Pro Tools and RME drivers / firmware on original UFX I nowadays getting massive problems with USB errors in RME driver with 1024 buffer size, but all fine with 64 samples buffer size.. Weird, but true.

  • Registered: 2017-04-21
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Thanks for your suggestion. However, I found out that the issue is not at all related to the buffer size.

The problem is that the USB 3 ports on my Asus P9X79 motherboard are AsMedia hardware, which for whatever reason is not compatible with the USB 3 on the UFX+ unit. The unit works with USB 2, but this excludes me taking advantage of the MADI channels, which is not optimal. I have been in touch with the RME support (Facebook) and they recommended that I buy this PCIe expansion card:
https://www.inateck.com/inateck-ktu3fr- … -card.html

As it is not listet in the manual's compatibility chart, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Inateck products?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,708

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

The compatibility chart lists USB 3.0 chipsets, not individual products. The Inateck cards that I have seen use the Fresco chip, which works well.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • ramses
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
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Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

This one works very well and gives enough "headroom" to connect "even more" as each of the ports has a fresco USB chip of its own.

https://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/son … 79334.html

You should only ensure to have at least one x4 PCIe socket free on your mainboard.

You can plug it also on a x8 or x16 socket, you need only to check in the manual of your mainboard wheather this "steals" PCIe lanes from other resources. Typical example is that your primary graphic card might end up running with only x8 instead of x16 PCIe lanes ...

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2017-04-21
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Thanks for your helpful replies and recommendations, Daniel & ramses.

The Sonnet card might be a bit overkill, since I already have plenty of well functioning USB 3 ports for other connection purposes. The UFX+ is the only device that is not compatible with the AsMedia USB 3 chipset on my MOBO.

However, I am still trying to figure out various other, more pressing, issues with UFX+ and Pro Tools - e.g. experiencing extremely long PT startup and session launch times.

When I use my old DIGI002 interface the startup and loading only takes a few seconds, but with the UFX+ the same process goes significantly slower. Looking at the taks manager, it seems that the PT process is switching between "running" and "not responding" while starting up or loading a session. Any ideas what could be causing this?

8 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2017-05-04 09:17:45)

  • ramses
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Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Does the opened driver settings dialog show USB transfer errors?

How many wdm devices do you have in use?
Does it make a difference when deactivating all?

Does ist make a difference when limiting the number of channels by connecting UFX+ to an USB2 port?

While you do all that watch for USB transfer errors, to exclude errors in that area.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • ramses
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Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

schmidt wrote:

The Sonnet card might be a bit overkill, since I already have plenty of well functioning USB 3 ports for other connection purposes.

The UFX+ is the only device that is not compatible with the AsMedia USB 3 chipset on my mb ...

I know what you mean. But even on my serverboard I experienced mutual influence of USB3 and USB2 ports of the Intel C612 chipset.

When I added the ADI-2 Pro on USB2 I got issues. They vanished when removing an USB3 hub with a USB bluetooth interface.

So based on that I think it can't be wrong to have reserves, as this is fully decoupled from all USB ports of the chipset and in your example the ASMEDIA ports are not compatible.

Only wanted to strenghten this particular point.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

10 Reply by schmidt (edited by schmidt 2017-05-04 18:35:43)

  • Registered: 2017-04-21
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

ramses wrote:

Does the opened driver settings dialog show USB transfer errors?

How many wdm devices do you have in use?
Does it make a difference when deactivating all?

Does ist make a difference when limiting the number of channels by connecting UFX+ to an USB2 port?

While you do all that watch for USB transfer errors, to exclude errors in that area.

The MADIface control panel shows zero USB errors, if that's what you mean.

Only a few other external devices are connected (usb keyboard/mouse + external USB drive) and I can't imagine they are causing trouble. Have used them for a long time simultaneously with audio interfaces. (I've no advanced technical understanding of the WDM framework, so I'm not really sure which devices would apply in general).

Currently, as a direct consequence of the AsMedia incompatibility, I have no other option than to run the UFX+ on a USB 2 port, which is where I'm experiencing the slow startup/loading issue. Same problem was present when I was still trying to make the UFX+ work with my AsMedia USB3 ports.

No USB transfer errors so far.

Could it be something related to MIDI? E.g. PT possibly register the UFX+ as a MIDI device/controller/unit/something...

  • ramses
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Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

I would get an USB3 card with fresco chipset and retry with it.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

12 Reply by fiddler2007 (edited by fiddler2007 2017-05-24 19:59:09)

  • From: Netherlands
  • Registered: 2014-06-18
  • Posts: 82

Re: Fireface UFX+ Pro Tools 10/11 troubles

Check your graphics card drivers first, get the latest, switch off all acceleration trickery meant for games. -F