• hiura
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Topic: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

Nice to meet you. Hello. I'd like to ask about my Multiface AE. I have an HDSPe card installed in my PC. This wasn't there before, but recently I've started to hear a tiny bit of subtly audible white noise on analog INPUT 1-8.
I can hear it through headphones and monitors, and there's a green indicator from below the analog input fader in Total MIX up to about two increments, so I know there's some kind of white noise.
This may be obvious, but if I check DISCONNECT in the I/O BOX in Hammerfall DSP Settings, the green indicator disappears up to about two increments.
I also have two Multiface units, not just regular AE units, and when I switch to the Multiface units, there's no input noise at all, so I'm thinking there must be a problem with the AE.
I haven't noticed this white noise for a long time, but is it specific to my Multiface AE? Or is it a hardware malfunction - for example, a specific IC chip that processes the input is broken? Or can it be resolved by changing a software setting?
I'd be grateful if someone could tell me.
Thank you in advance.
By the way, the other day I thought it might be the output board, so I replaced all 16 220μF 25V electrolytic capacitors on the lower board of the Multiface AE, the 220μF 35V electrolytic capacitor on the input board, and the 1000μF 50V in the power supply part with new ones, but the situation didn't change.
Could it be a specific chip?
RME ToatalMIX white noise

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

Had to look this one up, the AE is apparently a specific japanese version of the MF2 from 2007...

I'm afraid I can not tell you exactly what might be defective, please send the unit in through Synthax Japan and it can be examined.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • hiura
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

Hello, Daniel Fuchs.
And thank you.
I do use my Multiface ME in Japan.
Sending the ME itself to Germany would require shipping costs, and repairs would require technical support.
I'm not rich, so I wondered if I could fix it myself, which is why I posted my question on this forum.
However, now that a comment from an RME employee has been posted, it's probably difficult for anyone who knows a solution to the white noise issue to comment.
In other words, it seems my decision was wasted.
So, if you can help, please give me a hint or two about the cause of the white noise.
Thank you in advance.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 10,961

Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

My comment does not keep anyone else from adding to the post... But I doubt that it's possible to identify the component that may cause the issue without someone examining the device.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

5 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2026-03-05 14:45:05)

  • vinark
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

I noticed ch7-8 says UFL, no signal, that is strange!
Apart from the noise, do they still work? Is it plain white noise?

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 10,961

Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

UFL says the conversion is defective or not happening...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • vinark
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

Exactly, what indicates a problem in that area?

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

8 Reply by hiura (edited by hiura 2026-03-16 17:50:35)

  • hiura
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

vinark wrote:

I noticed ch7-8 says UFL, no signal, that is strange!
Apart from the noise, do they still work? Is it plain white noise?

Thank you for your comment. That's right! After I posted the image, I also noticed that channels 7 and 8 didn't have the latent noise like the other channels. This is simply because the LoopBack setting for channels 7 and 8 was turned on, resulting in a different image from the other channels. When I turned that setting off, I was able to confirm that all analog channels had latent white noise. The noise is a small amount of white noise, and even when monitoring at normal volume levels, a hissing white noise can be heard. I've tried replacing the electrolytic capacitors and coils in the vicinity, but I'm starting to think that one of the IC chips on the circuit board might be broken. I was wondering if anyone on this forum has experienced the same symptoms.

The image I uploaded this time is not from the AE with white noise, but rather from the analog input on a regular Multiface I used to use. With this one, no white noise is audible, and the reading is around -90dB.
https://1993.jp/tmp/totalmix-2.jpg

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=27915
My symptoms might be the same as those described in this topic. It seems there's a problem with the upper circuit board. I'm curious about the exact location of the problem, but it's fortunate that the affected area has narrowed down a bit.
Professor Daniel Fuchs, could you tell me which chip it is? Probably not... Germany is so far away from Japan.

https://1993.jp/tmp/RME_up.jpg
Since this happened due to aging, I suspect it's related to the electrolytic capacitors. Because it affects all 8 channels, it's likely a component that impacts the entire analog input.

9 Reply by Kubrak (edited by Kubrak 2026-03-16 20:44:13)

  • Kubrak
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

I cannot help with HW part. But just small notes.

1) You must have pretty old TotalMix... As TM indicates loopback activated by orange dot already for a year or two, or even more. Time passes fast.... There is no orange dot indicating loopback on channel Analog in 7/8.

2) Even if loopback is activated, TM shows state of incoming signal, not the loopbacked. So, activating loopback should not change what TM shows on given input...

Cannot you update TM to current version? Or is there an obstacle, because of using too old OS or like?

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS
  • hiura
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Re: White noise on the analog input of Hammerfall DSP Multiface AE.

Thank you all for your advice. Ultimately, I determined the problem lay with the upper circuit board of the Multiface. However, when I restored the electrolytic capacitors, a line on the board may have been severed, causing the Multiface's AD conversion to stop working and ultimately breaking it.

Therefore, I've decided to give up on this AE and use a regular, functioning Multiface instead. This concludes my discussion. Thank you.