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RME User Forum → FireWire & USB series → Headphone out clicks
Hello
Since last year I experienced sometimes clicks in the headphones out of my RME Fireface 800, now it is become very annoying and almost always present
What it could be?
I don't have FW800 bandwidth problem, I don't experience clicks in other outputs or inputs
Thank you
Which driver/firmware are you using?
What's the unit's serial number? And which driver/firmware have you installed?
Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME
I've been having the same problem perhaps 1-2 years. It may be related to using 96 kHz sample rate. I think it disappears after a longer period (~ 10-15 min); I haven't become so fond of listening to it, so I always mute headphone output. Years have gone but now - as usual - I'm using the latest drivers and firmware - Win 7, 64 bit. I can check the serial number when I'm at home and tell it later...
Serial number is: 22416332
Well, my unit is #BC57AB98 and I have last firmware and last driver (the control panel says v2.90 and v2.77) and last OSX updated
The serial number is found on the rear panel on a small barcode, it's 8 digits long and starts with 22 or 23.
ok, that's the SN 22353810
Thanks
So, now you have all the informations you need and no response? What's the problem?
Thanks
I have a question regarding this issue also. I was told that my Fireface 800's serial number puts it within the range of the units that may need to be repaired. However, so far I have not had this headphone issue, even with driver 2.90 and firmware 2.77. I'm having a bit of downtime and this would be an opportune time to do the repair, but I don't want to fix it if there's no problem. At the same time I don't want to have overlooked something and will later rear it's head when least expected. So, I ask anyone who knows the details, if they could be a little more specific as to when, where and how this problem(s) manifests itself, in case I've just overlooked it. Is this platform specific (I'm on Mac OSX 10.6.6)? Or all units within the problematic ranges of serials certainly affected?
Thanks for any answer.
Not all units within the specified range will show the problem. There is no way to predict which one does and which one not. For the legal reasons stated earlier we will not publish any mods that forces the user to open a unit running on dangerous voltages.
No way! No, MC. I didn't mean personally doing the repairs. That's not for me. no:
I meant, looking out for audible and functional symptoms of the problem so that I can decide if it's worth sending the unit out for repair. Being that I haven't personally run into the problem yet, I just wanted to know particularly how it manifests and/or in what usual situations (if it's predictable/reproducible), so that I could evaluate if it's worth my time to get in repaired, just to be on the "safe" side. It's good to know that not all units may be affected though, I'm just trying to see if I'm one of the ones who wasn't.
Thanks for the reply.
If your headphone out has no clicks at 48 and 96 kHz then there will be no problem of that kind at all.
Thanks, MC.
If your headphone out has no clicks at 48 and 96 kHz then there will be no problem of that kind at all.
And the rest of us... time for a repair - I suppose...
Are there any consequences if I don't send unit for a repair, will it blow up some day? I can monitor with headphones using my headphone amp (feeding outputs 3-4) if FF800 crackles.
Treefingers, I keep getting bounces from your email address from thread update notifications (550 mailbox unavailable). Please unsubscribe from the thread or check your mail account.
Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME
> Are there any consequences if I don't send unit for a repair, will it blow up some day?
No.
but now, last couple of days, it was silent, no crackles at all, I mean couldn't be something software?
If it was broken it should crackle all the time..
I don't think there's much point in arguing about this one :-) It's a design fault. The user pays for the repair. Tough.
but now, last couple of days, it was silent, no crackles at all, I mean couldn't be something software?
If it was broken it should crackle all the time..
According to my list, your FF is not affected, so there must be another reason.
Regards,
Daniel Fuchs
RME
Thank you 
So, now.. is there a way to find out which is the reason?
Sometimes it crackles, sometimes not.. it's like a sequence of little micro clicks.. like one ms each.. (judging by ear)
Sometimes just one click now and then.. other times it's just perfect, no clicks at all.. but what makes me upset is that obviously.. the clicks appears when I need to finish something fast.. last time I when to the shop buying another pair of headphones because I was sure the problem were the headphones.. so I found out was the fireface...
I wonder how valid your statement is that no other outputs have clicks - when they show up so randomly. The only way to rule out a hardware problem is to use the FF on a different computer. If it works there then you know that these are 'normal' clicks and dropouts, which need an optimized computer to get rid of.
As said try with different comp. Try also disabling wlan, bluetooth, (using device manager by clicking "Disable device"), not just turning it off. Check clicks on other channels also.
I wonder how valid your statement is that no other outputs have clicks - when they show up so randomly. The only way to rule out a hardware problem is to use the FF on a different computer. If it works there then you know that these are 'normal' clicks and dropouts, which need an optimized computer to get rid of.
Because I hear clicks quite often when I need to use headphones, I never heard 1 click when I use monitors, I never got any clicks in any recording or monitoring hardware stuff..
I think that's a valid statement, otherwise I would have noticed as it happens with the headphones, because I use headphones just sometimes and monitors and hardware stuff connected to the inputs, all the rest of the time.
Also I have 2 buss Firewire and now I got a rid of the other Firewire interface I was using, so I have one FW bus only for the Fireface, connected with FW 800 to the Mac Pro mother board, no way to get FW bandwidth clicks or drop outs, when I was using two interfaces with only one bus FW I got some drop outs in the recording, but not in the headphones... 
Anyway, in these days is working properly, so even if I connect it to my laptop surely I will not get any clicks.. to figure out if the problem is the computer I should use another computer for, say, a week, a month.. as I use this one, and my laptop don't allow me to work on it as I do in the Mac Pro.. that means I ask you other way to figure this out because I can't loose a week or a month working on the laptop, it is simply not possible..
Thanks
P.S. I also think, if the clicks appear continuously, I could disconnect and connect to the laptop to see if it does the problem, but probably, turning off and then on the fireface, probably the clicks will stop.. anyway, next time they'll appear constantly I'll try on the laptop
ehm, no news? What should I do? Now is quieter, but it will click again....
Please send it in for a check.
Mine seems to be in the headphone amp after the level pot as the crackles and pops are not affected by adjusting it.
Can't get to SN as its in a rack, but it is well outside warranty! 2.77/3.069
I have a similar problem with my fireface 800. Clicks only on headphone out. My s/n: 22421794
What options do I have at this point to fix this? Will replacing the power supply help?
Unfortunately not. Please contact your local distributor. Sending the unit in for a check is highly recommended, as these old units usually require some service for continued operation.
RME User Forum → FireWire & USB series → Headphone out clicks
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