1 Topic by tomasvaneyk (edited by tomasvaneyk 2024-03-04 19:42:12)

  • Registered: 2024-02-24
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Topic: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Hi,

I already made a topic where I had an issue on my pc not detecting my Fireface UC. I have Ableton Live installed and after changing driver type from ASIO to MME/Direct X it worked fine. Now I have the problem that my microphone (the t.bone SC400) does not work on my system. It is connected on the front input (1) with an XLR cable.
My PC is 1-2 weeks young and I installed w10 Pro on it.

What I tried so far:

- reinstalled the audio driver for my audio interface several times
- tried the same procedure in Ableton as mentioned above which didn't help
- installed ASIO4All
- switched between inputs as seen on pictures below. Tbh I really don't know anything about ADAT or SPDIF so I just activated them one after another to see if my mic works

Those are my current settings:

https://ibb.co/6ys33q2
https://ibb.co/H4mtNcb
https://ibb.co/DkvQ6BY


Any help would be great, maybe somebody experienced the same issue before. I feel like I'm out of ideas.
Just let me know if you need further informations about my system.

Best regards,
Tomas

  • waedi
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

https://i.ibb.co/fX0hhTb/device-manager.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/xLV1mnB/mic-sound-settings.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/TR7tnQ1/output-sound-settings.jpg

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

3 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-03-04 20:00:51)

  • ramses
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Do not use ASIO4ALL, it is not the real ASIO driver for your recording system.
Browse the forum, I explained it several times.

Install the suitable ASIO driver from RME.
If you can't find the RME driver in Ableton, maybe your Ableton version or installation has an issue.
Simply try another application that can make use of ASIO, e.g., another DAW like Cubase, Reaper or even simpler, install MusicBee, a well music player with ASIO support built-in that supports even automatic sample rate changes.

Why do you mention ADAT or SPDIF? That I/O ports you do not need for the by you mentioned devices: neither for connection to PC nor microphone.

In device manager I see the RME UC recognized.

Next thing, do not enable all WDM devices in the driver settings.
Your music / recording programs will use the RME ASIO driver.

In RME driver settings create a WDM device at maximum for your active monitors and headphones.
There in the "Speaker" TAB mark the device where the speakers are connected to.

This creates Windows compatible drivers dynamically, you will find them in the Windows Sound settings.
And a special icon for the speaker device.
Right click to it to make it to the Windows default sound device.
Then all applications that are not supporting ASIO will use this device for audio output (so ... Windows, Firefox Browser and alike).

If you connect a microphone which needs 48V, then you need to activate it in TotalMix FX.
It is a bit hidden, right besides the Mic input, click to the "wrench" symbol, this expands the input and you get more controls.

Further sources of information (YouTube Videos, my step for step setup primer) you find in this sticky:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=34394

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

4 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2024-03-04 19:54:25)

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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

In Ableton use ASIO RME driver
In Fireface Settings Dialog make number of WDM devices 1.
In Totalmix activate phantom power on the microphone input channel and open the gain a bit, let's say a quarter.
Open the channel with the wrenchtool button to see the phantompower button 48V.
Delete the ASIO4all !

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Install the suitable ASIO driver from RME.

I did, I installed the rme drive from the official website several times because I hoped that would fix it.
I installed the ASIO4All driver today but also removed it already.

Why do you mention ADAT or SPDIF?

I said I have no knowledge in this field. I thought this has something to do with the microphone because as seen my sound settings has various ADAT and SPDIF options.


I am confused because I reinstalled the driver again now and only my Interface is shown in the device manager.
You said I need to set this up in TotalMix but every time I had to install the RME driver everything worked fine from the beginning. I can't tell why it is a matter of TotalMix.

This is how my device manager looks now:

https://ibb.co/7XZKBbJ

I guess I expect to just work properly once I installed the driver since the mic is connected to the audio interface and not directly to my motherboard.

Best regards,
Tomas

  • waedi
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

The Mic is a condenser mic it needs 48V phantom power and every interface with this feature needs to have this phantom power switched ON.
And for your RME interface the switch is inside Totalmix.
Therefor you have to open Totalmix and do it.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Well, I could set this up in TotalMix. It works now.... I won't blame it on TotalMix but having to set it up manually is kinda weird. All I did is puhed the slider to increase volume of Mic 1 and clicked on 48V. This should be enabled by default, people like me get confused pretty easily.

Thanks for your help!

Best regards,
Tomas

  • waedi
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Pushing the slider ? You don't need to push a slider in Totalmix for recording but for routing to monitoring.

You are the owner of a professional audio interface with a huge amount of features and routing possibilities.

Youtube offers a lot Totalmix-Videos, they are very good education.

In your screenshot from the device manager there are tons of audio devices active, most of them onboard stuff from the motherboard of the computer.
In the BIOS is a option for disable onboard audio, I would disable all onboard audio, you don't use it and it is in the way.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Jeff
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

tomasvaneyk wrote:

This should be enabled by default

Sorry, this cannot be the default. 48v has to be switched on after the mic is already connected, and switched off before it is unplugged.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

10 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-03-04 21:13:30)

  • ramses
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

And .. some mics cannot even handle 48V and would be destroyed by this, e.g., some (most?) ribbon mics.

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

11 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-03-04 21:19:51)

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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

> I said I have no knowledge in this field.
> I thought this has something to do with the microphone
> because as seen my sound settings has various ADAT and SPDIF options.

ADAT and SPDIF are digital ports. Your Mic is analog. Doesn't match.
Read the manual, also such information is included. ;-)

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: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

> I am confused because I reinstalled the driver again now and only my Interface is shown in the device manager.
> You said I need to set this up in TotalMix but every time I had to install the RME driver everything worked fine from the
>  beginning. I can't tell why it is a matter of TotalMix.

The driver is needed so that the interface can be accessed by
- applications loading this driver
- TotalMix FX, which is the digital mixer of your recording interface
- The driver settings are for setting some physical things on the hardware (clocking, wdm driver and other stuff)

Somewhere, the activation and deactivation of 48V needs to be controlled.
It makes sense that this happens in TotalMix, because not also the routing and fader positions can be stored in snapshots and workplaces but also such settings, that it is possible to restore a workspace with ALL settings.

Looks like you have to learn a lot, but relax, also Rome has not been built in a few days.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Didn't know about that 48V stuff, thanks for the clarification.

I think I handled this interface as a basic audio output but as i learn more about TotalMix it all makes sense and I understand why it should run in the background. So I have normal audio coming from Ableton now but windows audio (youtube, spotify etc.) doesn't work now. the device manager again recognizes RME Fireface UC as my audio device but in Sound settings it is not listed..

https://ibb.co/ydr1wdJ

Or do I have to set windows sound only inside TotalMix?

14 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2024-03-04 21:46:51)

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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Can you find the program "Fireface Settings Dialog" ? This is the settings for the driver, inside is a number you have to set.
1 or bigger, not zero WDM device number.

Then see in Totalmix the windows sound is in the software playback channel from where you have to route it to your desired output. Monitor loudspeakers or headphones.

Bottom left corner of your windows display there should be a shortcut icon with fire, thats the Fireface settings, next to the Totalmix icon.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Bottom left corner of your windows display there should be a shortcut icon with fire, thats the Fireface settings, next to the Totalmix icon.

Yes I found it and could set WDM to 1
It didn't work at first but then I checked another thread where it says to perform a soft-reset. After that everything works fine now, my mic, ableton and windows as it is supposed to work. thanks for the help!

Best regards,
Tomas

  • waedi
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Re: Microphone not recognized (Fireface UC, Windows 10)

Glad you can work.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue