• Registered: 2021-10-05
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

Hey everyone!
I'd love your advice.

I'm on OSX Mojave on a Mac Pro. I have to FF800's running as a aggregate but have scaled back to just the one Fireface to better isolate this problem.

About once to about five times a day, I hear my audio slowly deteriorating into a robotic distortion that sounds like a sample rate problem. It has been going on for about a year and I've tried a lot of things to fix it.

The thing that usually (temporarily) fixes it, is switching to a different sample rate and switching back again. It works for now, but it's not ideal and feels like cheating a bit. I'm also worried about the overall clarity of the audio. I work as an audio professional in broadcasting and can't really afford a lot of downtime.

I've tried:

-Clocking from my second FF800 (can't use that as main unit, since both FW800 ports broke off)
-Clocking from external AD-converter (Behringer ADA8000)
-Reinstalling OS
-Reinstalling drivers and Totalmix numerous times
-Bought a Digiface USB to use as a clock
-Different computers (this is the second mac with this problem)
-Different FW800 cables
-Different FW cards in my mac (yes, really)

I've ordered a UFX II at my dealer last May (and reserved one at another store last month just to be sure) but I'm not sure if I'll ever get lucky so I'm looking for a solid solution that can keep my studio afloat in the meantime. I don't really want to go with another brand, because apart from this problem and the shoddy FW ports on the FF800's RME has been solid as a rock.

Does this issue sound familiar to anyone?

Thanks in advance!

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 441

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

Hi!

It can be a PSU problem with the Fireface 800 if it's older ones (distorting or clocking issue)
RME support will have ideas or other users I think.

regards S-EH

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,179

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

Sounds like phase shifting flanger problem, could be a defect in the FF800.
To isolate the problem I would do some tests.
1. Digiface USB only at Mac and listen the headphone output.
2. Listen adat signal from the Digiface via ADA8000
3. Listen the same adat signal via FF800 as a standalone converter.
When FF800 in use as standalone converter delivering bad sound then it's broke.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-10-05
  • Posts: 5

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

S-E Hansson wrote:

Hi!

It can be a PSU problem with the Fireface 800 if it's older ones (distorting or clocking issue)
RME support will have ideas or other users I think.

regards S-EH

Thanks for the reply Hansson. I hope that's not it, but knowing is half the battle. Would the PSU be fixable? I'm okay with a soldering iron, but not a pro.

  • Registered: 2021-10-05
  • Posts: 5

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

waedi wrote:

Sounds like phase shifting flanger problem, could be a defect in the FF800.
To isolate the problem I would do some tests.
1. Digiface USB only at Mac and listen the headphone output.
2. Listen adat signal from the Digiface via ADA8000
3. Listen the same adat signal via FF800 as a standalone converter.
When FF800 in use as standalone converter delivering bad sound then it's broke.

Thanks waedi, I'll give those a try. If it persists with just the Digiface attached it's sure to be a software or computer problem. Excellent suggestion.

  • Registered: 2021-10-05
  • Posts: 5

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

audioflamingo wrote:
S-E Hansson wrote:

Hi!

It can be a PSU problem with the Fireface 800 if it's older ones (distorting or clocking issue)
RME support will have ideas or other users I think.

regards S-EH

Thanks for the reply Hansson. I hope that's not it, but knowing is half the battle. Would the PSU be fixable? I'm okay with a soldering iron, but not a pro.

Did a bit of reading. Dried out caps - makes sense. If it is indeed the psu, that would be an easy fix. I'll try waedi's suggestions and if the Fireface seems faulty, I'll take an afternoon of downtime to do some soldering.

  • Registered: 2021-10-05
  • Posts: 5

Re: Distorted sound on FF800 - possible clock issue.

Hey all,

Decided to do an update, since maybe others stumble upon this post while searching.

I did a recap, wasn't too hard. The fireface seems more stable overall (no more confused lights now and then). But the real culprit, I'm ashamed to say, was on the software side.
I think Loopback (the routing software from Rogue Amoeba) was messing with my sample rates. I've disabled it about a week ago, checked if all my settings were sttill on 48k and haven't had clocking issues since. I just use Totalmix for routing now.

For other Mac users searching for answers: also check your aggregate and audio/midi settings. Those weren't the problem for me, but can also cause problems. What else... everything that routes.

Thanks Hansson and waedi for your help!