• TDCat
  • TDCat
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  • From: Bristol, UK
  • Registered: 2012-01-02
  • Posts: 6

Topic: RME Fireface UFX - Thunderbolt Dock Crashing M1

Hi,

I have an unusual issue and I'm still not 100% on the details but here's what I believe.

If I connect my Fireface UFX (the original USB version) to my MacBook Pro M1 directly into a port on the laptop, everything works perfectly.

If I go via my Thunderbolt dock, it works fine but causes a very strange issue on my Mac where all video playback will crash. It usually occurs if e.g. I'm watching something on YouTube and scrub through the video. Everything stops and then it's impossible to open any video or audio from any software on the Mac until a reboot. If I shut down quickly, it will comply but many times it's then locked up the whole machine.

The use of the RME is the only thing I can link this to as I have never seen it using my RodeCaster and it never happens without the RME connected.

It has spanned multiple versions of Big Sur and I have reinstalled both the drivers and kernel extensions. I am using the latest public drivers and firmware.

Anyone seen this problem?

Thanks,

Torsten.

TDCat's Website

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,436

Re: RME Fireface UFX - Thunderbolt Dock Crashing M1

Most probably your Thunderbolt dock has crappy USB inside. The UFX has 30 channels I and O, which needs quite some bandwidth and performance. TB has that, the USB in the dock not (it seems).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • TDCat
  • TDCat
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  • From: Bristol, UK
  • Registered: 2012-01-02
  • Posts: 6

Re: RME Fireface UFX - Thunderbolt Dock Crashing M1

Thanks for coming back to me.

I'm not knowledgeable in USB standards or data rates but it feels odd to me that my USB 2.0 hardware from 2011 is a problem for a dock from a decade later because of IO demand? A dock that works fine on every other device and can, though admittedly using a different USB standard, achieve data rates of over 1GB/sec to external drives via the same USB ports.

Though, to be fair. You have the upper hand here. You know the products and have the experience. I'm just a forum user desperate for a solution after months of troubleshooting :-)

How much power does the UFX require over USB? I'm pretty sure the dock is limited to 500mA and wondered if that could be a problem? The Mac reports that the demand on the port is about 150mA but who knows if that is correct.

Thanks again,

Torsten.

TDCat's Website

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: RME Fireface UFX - Thunderbolt Dock Crashing M1

No power is needed from USB.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website