1 Topic by chris123 (edited by chris123 2017-10-15 22:31:37)

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Topic: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Hello,

i have a weird problem with the ADAT out on my AIO. I rarely use it, but i think it was to set up as easy as anything.
However, despite everything is routed accordingly and in totalmix there is a signal shown on the corresponding ADAT output channel, my DA is not receiving anything. It's a Swissonic DA24, it's "lock" LED stays off, meaning no (valid) ADAT signal is detected. The lightpipe is working (red light), i changed cables and even the DA with the same results.

Is it possible that the ADAT out is broken despite that it lights up ?
A while back i was curious to try if my old 9652 Wordclock card would be compatible with the AIO. It was not, and all it did was producing some unpleasant smell on the PCI card...is it possible that i grilled my ADAT out with this experiment ? (the card was otherwise working fine though, thank god)

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,770

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Is there red light seen at the TOSLINK output? Is the optical output set to SPDIF in the AIO's settings dialog? Why didn't you try the most obvious - simply plug the cable back into the AIO's TOSLINK input and check the signal format in the settings dialog Status section?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

3 Reply by chris123 (edited by chris123 2017-10-16 10:00:18)

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Thanks a lot for the quick response  ! (highly appreciated as i need to mix today)

Yes. the red light can be seen at the output (and the cable's end).

Why didn't you try the most obvious - simply plug the cable back into the AIO's TOSLINK input and check the signal format in the settings dialog Status section?

This is so simple and brilliant ! No wonder i didn't come up with it myself smile

So i tried that, and it seems now that the AIO is stuck at 32KHz Sampling Rate, although the project sampling rate is 48K (or to whatever i change it, the AIO's won't follow). The optical out was not set to SPDIF.

Here are some screen caps of the settings. This is what it shows when the ADAT out is looped back. Cubase project in the background is set to 48 Khz.


Clock-Source: ADAT in

https://image.ibb.co/k3QCMR/aio_0.jpg



Clock Source: Internal

https://image.ibb.co/jzYrgR/aio_2.jpg


So it is clear now why the DA wont see anything, but where does the 32KHz rate come from ? I never set that anywhere ?

More things to add:
When the sample rate is set to "internal", it should usually not be greyed out ?
There is no clock connected to the AIO (i wonder where that "sync in" comes from).
With the loopback plugged in, there is a constant crackling sound (at ADAT sync) or a high pitched tinitus-like whistle (at internal sync) that sets in after a while.

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

there is probably no quick solution to this ? Cause i'll have to replace the card today otherwise hmm

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,770

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Your first picture is user error - you patched a clock loopback but did not set the card to Internal Clock mode. The sample rate will then run away (like feedback on a mic).

With the card set to Internal a sample rate switch should work. And you do not need  Cubase to test this. With no audio program running you set the sample rate in the Settings dialog directly, to whatver value, and see if the input sample rate of the loopback cable follows.

I am astonished that the Settings dialog shows a signal coming in on the internal Sync connector. Is there something connected?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

6 Reply by chris123 (edited by chris123 2017-10-16 17:56:52)

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Hello Matthias, thanks for your reply !

you patched a clock loopback but did not set the card to Internal Clock mode.

No, i don't even have a clock card for the AIO. Oh, or did you mean the ADAT-clock loopback ? But set to "internal" wont help either, the 32 KHz stays.

With the card set to Internal a sample rate switch should work.

Thats what i was thinking too. But it doesnt - it's greyed out and won't let me change the rate.

I am astonished that the Settings dialog shows a signal coming in on the internal Sync connector. Is there something connected?

Nothing connected.

So there is obviously something wrong, it's not a user error ? Is there anything i can do to fix this ?

Edit: is there some kind of hardware reset that i could try ?

7 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,770

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

With the sample rate greyed out the card is in use. Reboot the computer to make sure nothing is going on.

If you damaged the card before this might cause such an error too. No one can say what exact problems such an action causes.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

8 Reply by chris123 (edited by chris123 2017-10-17 08:51:49)

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

After a reboot, the sample rate is at 48 KHz, still the DA does not get a signal. Is it technically possible at all, that there is a different rate at the ADAT output than the systems rate ?

Can you estimate if it is possible to repair the card (does RME offer this at all) / would it be less expensive than a new one ?

9 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,770

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

chris123 wrote:

After a reboot, the sample rate is at 48 KHz

And can you change it in the Settings dialog?

chris123 wrote:

still the DA does not get a signal

Does what mean exactly? You see a signal in TotalMix FX AS1/2 output level meter? With Loopback that signal shows up at the AS1/2 input level meter?

chris123 wrote:

Is it technically possible at all, that there is a different rate at the ADAT output than the systems rate ?

No.

chris123 wrote:

Can you estimate if it is possible to repair the card (does RME offer this at all) / would it be less expensive than a new one ?

We can estimate as soon as we got it to check. But I am still not convinced that it is defective.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2012-11-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

chris123 wrote:
After a reboot, the sample rate is at 48 KHz
And can you change it in the Settings dialog?

No, seltsamerweise not. Even after a reboot the field is greyed out. What could cause that ?

still the DA does not get a signal
Does what mean exactly? You see a signal in TotalMix FX AS1/2 output level meter? With Loopback that signal shows up at the AS1/2 input level meter?

The DA converter can read 44.1+48KHz only. It does also have an ADAT lock indicator LED, which is not lighing up, nor do the input meters show any activity. Despite everything is correctly routed within Cubase and Totalmix.

Interestingly, as you suggested with the loopback setup and sending audio through it - it does show at the input ! I'm totally confused by now. I would think that the DA is broken, but i got a 2nd one for testing, and the owner told me that it is definitely working, he tested it just before i got it. So i have an AIO with some strange clock behaviour one one side - or 2 defective DA converters on the other. I'm lost roll

11 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,770

Re: RME AIO: ADAT out broken ?

Well, then sending in the card for checking seems like a necessary task...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website