Even more -> Simply connecting the RME Multiface via Firefire, to the CardBus PCI Slot on the back of the Mac introduces this Video Noise interference into my setup here, So The RME is only plugged into the Mac. no audio cables connect the RME to the Mixer.

What is a "CardBus PCI Slot on the back of the Mac"? Mind that you can not connect the MF to Firewire.
The whole thing does appear to be some kind of ground loop issue...

On weekends and public holidays, reaction may be slower....

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

If you can also try another firewire cable. If the shielding of this one is not ok, this could cause it.

Update. So if i plug the Outputs of the Multiface into a handheld battery powered recorder, the interference noise is gone.. so this means the Multiface is not causing the noise.. so is this the definition of a 'Ground Loop' ?

If i disconnect everything except the Mac, Multiface & Powered Mixer, no other devices either powered up or audio cables plugged into anything, I can hear the noise..  The Mac & RME are on one powerboard, the Mixer on another. The Noise is there.. same as before. I've tried this also with a different mixer.. plugged into a different power source..

Any advice is appreciated.
tahnsk

One thing you could try and I have no idea if it will help, is to use a "special" firewire cable. Buy a firewircable with on one side a small firewire plug (for mobile devices) plus an adapter from small to normal. The small firewire plug does not carry power so effectively you now have a powerless firewire cable. If the noise is comming through the power line, which is a real possibility, this will eliminate it. You do need your power adapter for your multiface of course.

Also if you are on a pc, don´t forget to turn of cpu power saving options like C1E enhanced and C3 in the bios. This would also help on a mac if you could do it, but apple doesn´t give the option.

Sorry forgot about that! Is it something they can try anyway? It is most logical if the same core is used for power.

Yes, I can hear all the noise through the headphone jacks.

Thanks Chris,

I'll give that a shot, but the issue is that this has been the case with every piece of gear attached in various locations. If it was isolated to, say, my Trident console or my monitor board, that'd be one thing, but it happens through any monitoring situation with any computer and any power source.

I think I read through all of the attempts to fix this issue.

Is your computer (DAW) plugged into a UPS?
Nothing is plugged into a "surge" protector or directly into a wall outlet, correct?

If someone is building your DAWs for you ask them what kind of PSU's (power supply) they installed -  get the make and model. (this will not help the mac person).

Thanks!

This just proves that you have a 'simple' ground loop problem. Before buying so many workarounds you might consider to have a technician examine the situation in your studio to find a better solution.

Has there been a fix with the above problem ?
Has anybody found a solution ?

I have the same issue with my multifaceI, connected with
the hdpse pci adapter and my computer.
This problem occurs only with my rme card (motu ultralite mk3 works fine)

The noise stops if i disconect the firewire cable (i've been through a number of them, my latest one being a unibrain )
I've changed possition of the card (away from the graphic card ) but again no solution.

Hi,
I'm having the exact same problem that anybody else, it looks.
Multiface II with pci-e card. Windows 7 x64.
However, what I think is a bit odd, is that the noise occur specifically when ASIO is active.

For instance (I use Ableton Live), when I use the WDM driver there is no noise, but as soon as I switch the driver to ASIO (who would use WDM for music anyway?), there is background hum, and awesomely bothering noises when I move any window on screen, or even just move my mouse jog (it doesn't move anything on the screen).

I also noticed that it did happen at the same level when playing video games. But it never happens when I play music with VLC for instance. The noise is there even if the faders are at -inf in totalmix.
Sometimes the volume will change, according to the weather or the position of the stars I think. Some days it will be loud and other days not. Couldn't isolate any factor.
Finally, I have some doubt about the ground loop thing : the pitch of one of the main noises changes when sample rate of the multiface changes.

Thanks for all.

All RME has told me is that it's a 'simple ground loop'. But not simple enough to tell me how to fix it.

I have officially tried everything at this point:

- lifting various grounds
- eBtech hum-x
- different power supplies
- different computers
- different buildings
- different circuit breakers
- different consoles, cables, patch bays, etc
- Granite Digital FireVue 1394 cable
- tape over FireWire pin1 and using external power supply for converter
- 1:1 audio transformers

The only thing that has made any difference is the last one - 1:1 transformer hum eliminates in the audio circuit.

I'm not about to buy 48 channels of that, so the multifaces have to go.
I give up.

There is no general issue and hence no "fix" that will work in every such case. Ground loops are an issue of the individual setup.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Hi, I have a very similar problem to the above.

I am using a Multiface II and a Quad 303 Amp. I thought that the amp was faulty, so had it serviced by an excellent technician. The amp sounds perfect with any other input. Likewise, the multiface sounds fine with two other amps I've tested it with, and fine through the headphone output.

But, Multiface + Quad amp and I get the noise issues described above. The noise appears, as above, when I plug in the FW cable, regardless of whether the computer is turned on. In fact some noise is apparent even if the computer is unplugged. Plug in the computer, the noise gets worse. Turn on the computer, worse still. I've tested it with two difference computers and with both a PCMCIA card and a PCI card, same in all cases.

Please offer some advice. If it's a ground issue, what do I do to resolve it?? And, can it be a ground issue if it happens without the computer or multiface even being plugged in??

Thanks in advance for any assistance. This is starting to drive me mad now. I've not been able to record for weeks!!

I also have this problem.

It definately related to the graphics card updates and can become unworkable in certain situations, like making a video game on PC where graphics resources are high and ineference to audio is audible.

Still the same crap... I'm about to finally ditch the RME and NEVER go back it would seem...

I'm back online searching for an answer to this same old issue again and stumbled across this old thread which I contributed to last time I couldn't take it anymore..

Real shame because on the whole I love my RME products and I like total mix...

I feel disappointed to be looking for an alternative...

Once I make the jump and find my replacement interface I'll write an article all about this for my bog...

Zz.

Still no more replies on this topic?

Do you need an 'RME' psu for a Multiface II or can I just buy a generic one to try?

Still getting these pops and crackle, digital blips and bits In my audio, definitely the sound of the computer working being transmitted..

So annoying and frustrating..

Zz.

Just in case anyone else out there has this problem and wants a solution I have one. I used a digiface for years with no issue. At some point I picked up some multiface 1's at a good price and started using them. I have 3 now. They are a good value on eBay BUT. There was this noise issue. As above it is best described as "digital Morse code" whenever applications are opened and closed or windows moved around. I tried everything listed above to no avail. RME has claimed it is a user deployment issue but this is FALSE. These systems have a design flaw in them which causes machine and computer system noise on some systems to be transmitted from the PCI card to the multiface. In this thread RME claims it was a groundloop problem caused by other equipment not properly interfaced with the multiface or electrical problems etc. This has caused many users on this very thread to go to great expense, hiring electrical experts, servicing other equipment etc. to no avail to remedy this problem. I have done exhaustive testing and have found one and only one solution. It does involve some sort of 'ground loop' as RME has indicated but it is only a groundloop between the PCI card and the Multiface. As recommended above by using tape you can cover pin1 (and yes it is the same pin 1 as other firewire devices) to isolate the power supply. You then can use your external "AUX" power supply. You must cover pin 1 as mixing power supply sources could cause damage to your computer. I found this fix to be inadequate though. I still had noise. You must isolate the box from the PCI card completely. Since it is a groundloop problem you must also cover pin 2 (gnd) with tape. I also covered the outside of the connector (shield) for good measure but that might not be necessary. This cleared up the noise completely and now these are great units!!! As far a RME goes, shame on you for refusing to actually look into this for your customers over the years who have repeatedly on forums all over the net complained of this problem. This is a design flaw. Isolating your audio path from computer system noise and noisy switchmode power supplies has been a basic part of PCI interface design since the 1990's when they first emerged mainstream. Even though this product is no longer manufactured by RME please at least apologize to your users for this utter failure in design and customer service.

Hmmm... I picked up a Multiface 1 with PCI HDSP about a month ago and have been going nuts trying to troubleshoot a pitched whine while playing music.  Volume sort of matches the fader levels in TotalMix.

I have a GTX980 on my motherboard PCI-e x16 slot and a Creative soundcard only used for game audio in a PCI-e x4 slot since this is my 'all in one' hobby computer.

Guess I'll be trying to cover the pin 1 and pin 2 as discussed above to see if it helps.   I already have an external PSU for the Multiface 1.

With Black Friday coming I may just go for a Fireface UCX.  I already have a good TI chipset Firewire PCI-e card in my system since I was using an M-Audio Firewire 410 before buying the Multiface 1.  As I recall using the FW410 I did NOT have this noise/whine issue regardless of playback volume.

Got the same problem over here with a Multiface II + HDSPe (that I don't get with the same setup and a MOTU soundcard that I was lended).

Computer, two HS80 + 1 HS10. Whenever any kind of 3D content is shown on screen, eg games, web pages that uses opengl, whatever, I get humming and buzzing that seems to match the various processing that occurs on the computer. I tried the PSU, switching the RME card position, but to no avail.

edit: oh well, I already posted in this very thread five years ago it seems. Since I've moved multiple times and changed computer but the problem wasn't fixed either.