Topic: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

Hi I'm new here!

I am experiencing a strange problem with my RME UCX. I have an input (a dynamic microphone) connected to the front of the unit in either channel 3 or channel 4. The signal from the mic is being picked up by TotalMixFX. The DB meter shows a signal when I speak through the mic, and I can also route the signal through my headphones and it sounds absolutely fine. However, when I select Analog 3 or Analog 4 in my DAW (tried both Cubase and FL-Studio 12.1), the DAW does not recieve a signal. When I plug the dynamic mic into channel 1 or 2 at the front, and try to select Analog 1 or Analog 2 in the DAW, the signal does come through and everything seems to be fine.

At first I thought this was a DAW problem, so I tried to see if I could get a signal in the windows sound overview (control panel -> sound -> recording). Here I see the same thing. When the mic is connected to input 1 or input 2, the signal comes through fine, as the green bars rise when I speak through the microphone in the windows sound overview. When I then connect the microphone to input 3 or 4, set the gain properly in TotalMixFX, and then look at the sound overview, no signal is coming throug at input 3 or 4...

So the audio on input 3 & 4 is picked up by TotalMix FX, but I cannot find the signal in any other program including the Windows sound overview. It seems as if TotalMixFX doesn't route the audio to the OS...? (this is my assumption, but I'm no expert on this)

I have already tried several things to fix this:
I restarted the unit and my computer.
I've updated to the latest UCX driver (I'm now on 1.166).
I've unplugged and replugged the UCX Usb cable.
I've tried a different USB port on the computer.

None of the above has resolved the issue. I'm desperate for a solution, maybe anyone here has an idea of what to do?

Thank you in advance!

Technical information:
OS: Windows 10 pro 64 bit;
PC: I7 5280K, GTX980 TI, 32 GB Vengance 1600 Mhz Ram, MSI Gaming X99A motherboard, Samsung 240 EVO SSD;
INTERFACE: RME UCX revision 46 running driver 1.166;
MIC USED: Shure SM58;
DAWS: Cubase 9.5.40; FL-Studio 12.1.3 64 bit;

2 (edited by ramses 2018-12-16 22:09:55)

Re: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

The mic inputs of the UCX are Analog 1+2 IN, not Analog 3+4 IN, the latter are pure line inputs.
So pls use Analog 1+2 as Mic input.

The rest is IMHO a Cubase not a RME question, but anyway...

In Cubase press F4 for audio connections. Add all inputs and outputs that you require for your UCX,
either as Mono or Stereo channel, as required and map it to the proper Hardware Channels of the UCX.

From your error description I assume, that you have only inputs and outputs defined for Analog 1+2.
Therefore the Mic works with Analog 1+2, but not 3+4, because Analog 3+4 is not defined as input.

BTW, the latest Cubase version is 9.5.41, mayve you want to check and upgrade.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

Re: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

Thank you for your quick response!

ramses wrote:

The mic inputs of the UCX are Analog 1+2 IN, not Analog 3+4 IN, the latter are pure line inputs.
So pls use Analog 1+2 as Mic input.

You're right, input 3+4 are line inputs. I was using a microphone with an adapter to simulate a line input. I have just now tried the same setup by plugging in an acoustic guitar (with a 6.3 mm mono guitar cable) into the input 3 or 4. I get the same results, so the signal does reach TotalMixFX (and I can monitor it back through the headphones), but I cannot get the signal in any other program or DAW.

The rest is IMHO a Cubase not a RME question, but anyway...

Well the problem also occurs in FL-studio and also in the Windows microphone overview so it seems it's not Cubase specific.

From your error description I assume, that you have only inputs and outputs defined for Analog 1+2.
Therefore the Mic works with Analog 1+2, but not 3+4, because Analog 3+4 is not defined as input.

I have just checked, and Analog 3 and Analog 4 are both seperately defined as mono inputs in Cubase, just like Analog 1 and 2.

4 (edited by ramses 2018-12-16 22:56:11)

Re: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

Are you using the RME ASIO driver in your DAW ?

Could you kindly send a screenshot of your Cubase
- studio settings (driver) and
- audio connections ?

Many thanks.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

5

Re: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=27312

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: RME UCX channel 3 & 4 not sending audio to windows?

I have found out what my problem was. I was being a dumb dumb. Apparently, I still had the loopback function for output channels 3/4 enabled in TotalMixFX. This function links the output channels 3 & 4 to the input channels 3 & 4, and unlinks the hardware inputs from any DAW or program. However, the hardware input is still present in TotalMixFX , the DB meters show that there is signal and the signal is also monitorable, even though the signal is not sent anywhere.

Thank you all very much for your input!