Sorry for the mess, I was tierd..

First of all: Of course, I sat the internal sample rate in all units to the same number.
Ensemble 1 is connected to ADAT 1, Ensemble 2 is connected to ADAT 2

The clock source of Ensemble gives the following possibilities:

internal, SPDIF coax, Wordclock, optical,

The following combination don`t run, the second ensemble is locked but not synced:

Ensemble 1 internal  /  Ensemble 2 optical / Raydat AutoSync / Syncmaster: ADAT 1

Ensemble 1 internal / Ensemble 2 SPDIF coax / Raydat Autosync / Syncmaster: SPDIF

Ensemble 1 internal / Ensemble 2 SPDIF coax / Raydat Master (and connecting all ensembles via coax) /  Syncmaster SPDIF

Ensemble 1 optical / Ensemble 2 optical / Raydat Syncmaster / Syncmaster ADAT 1  or ADAT 2

And what I totally can`t reproduce: Setting both ensembles clock to internal and the Raydat to Autosync -> it works. I was listening for 1 minute and could not hear any drop out, but I don`t trust in that .. I can`t control, if there is a delay between the two ensembles, cause I haven`t got a analog mixing console.

Is there something, I overlooked or misunderstood completely?

Thanks ahead...

Thanks a lot, but I fear that there is no ADAT Sync option... the sync option is named "optical"  and it's maybe SPDIF optical only...I try and come back later.

Hi, First of all: I have the old Firewire Ensembles.
The clock sources wäre named
internal, SPDIF coax, optical , wordclock.
Nothing like "ADAT sync" or "ADAT clocking" . If I will have success with  syncing them wirhout drops/clicks, I'll announce that worldwide;-)

I can have a look at this remotely, if you want.
rme.to/tv

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

I´m totally confused now. Connecting both ensembles to ADAT 1 and 2, Clock source internal in BOTH UNITS and Sync Ref to Autosync works perfect. I was testing it: splitting the signal of a picked bass and sending it to input 1 ensemble 1 and input 1 ensemble 2 , listening to the signal after recording -> no delay, no drop. But The indicator on HDSPe settings (Preferred Sync Ref / Input Status) on ADAT 2 sows "sync"for 5 seconds, switching to lock for 1 second and going back to sync.

Al your advices and tipps weren`t sucessful.. the "slave unit didn`t sync to any source. Changing the units -> the same. No sync at the slave unit.But thank you. I try some recordings and watch the system working for a few hours..

Maybe Apogees glossery is different.. The setup now works against all theories. Or the Raydat is cleaning the clocks and syncing it somehow.

Or is it a kind of protectionism, tha Apogge only accept clock signals from Apogee clock sources?

I have read about some simlar issues which had been solved by a firmwaredowngrade..

The Apogee can not detect whether a clock source is from another Apogee device or not....

As for your setup, if "Sync" changes to "Lock" even temporarily, the clock configuration is incorrect. The "Sync" shows that all the devices' clocks are very good and so close to each other that the RD thinks the ADAT signal is in Sync - until it drifts after some time.

You can use an Apogee as master, but only one of them. The second one must sync to the first.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Now first of all THANK YOU! I switched te units (master - slave)  and the unit now accepts the sync signal via optical and SPDIF. Now the sync indicator doesn`t change to lock. One unit is master, the rest runs as slave. I `ll never touch it again...

That was the idea - running a stable system with the RME drivers and zero latency and the apogee sound, these Apogee firewire interfaces still sound great and the prices go down....

If you switch the one in slave me off and on again does that help?

You still have the option to try Wordclock.

Otherwise I would suggest to get something more reliable based on actual converter technology.

This is BTW a very nice setup, which I described in my blog: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ort-DE-EN/

The advantage here is to combine the strength of a PCIe based pure digital card with
- newest AD/DA design and quality (ADI-2 Pro ...)
- comfort and flexibility of ARC USB
- add TM FX capabilities around the ADI-2 Pro which has no TM FX integrated

The RayDAT has also the advantage to have 2 completely independend channels for AES and optical SPDIF.
This makes it very easy to use either the AES or the optical SPDIF output to fully control by the ARC USB,
whether you want to hear something via ADI-2 Pro main monitors or phones output.

ADI-2 Pro is very flexibel and is a very good source to integrate superb magnetostatic phones where you get very decent quality without the need to invest into very pricy electrostatic solutions which require a special preamp.

See 2 other articles from me in regards to this:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … C3%A4rker/
and
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ADI-2-Pro/

Sorry, some of these articles are only available in german, but maybe the diagrams help a little bit to give an overview of basic ideas / concepts.

Did you try spdif from ensemble master to ensemble slave too? If this doesn't work no need to try wordclock imho.

Oh and remember this can also be a bad optical cable. Did you try swapping?

The SPDIF connection is  coax, the ADAT cables are new. The clocking signal is recognized irregulary via WC and/or SPDIF... must be an Apogee Problem. I geh both units locked and synced when the other is turned Off. The connection between the 2 units doesn't work as it should.

No no second WC cable needed and yes it should be terminated.

Raydat issue? No if you can get both units to lock alone to either adat1 and 2 of the raydat it is not a raydat issue afaics.

Can an ensemble indicate when it is locked? If yes is there any way you can lock the 2 ensembles to each other without the raydat? If not, than it is a problem with external clocking of the ensembles. But if you can get one, either one to lock to the other you are in business!

Try Wordclock .. the module is not that expensive and if it should fail, you can still send it back.

BTW what does Apogee support tell ?

If they are not willed to help / fix the issue then I personally would sell the equipment.
Makes somehow no sense to me to be permanently limited by the equipment and the support of this company.

Ramses, if the ensemble doesn't slave to each other via WC it won't from the Raydat either

Thanks for all the good hints. First I´ll try new cables. Due to the fact that the syncing ran for 1 hour, I know that it`s possible... I ordered brand new Coax SPDIF and WC Sync Cabels.
If it doesn`t work, I´ll sell one unit and look for a Fireface UFX.
BtW: Apogee sent me a link to download the older firmware, but the installing had been stopped by my Mac ;-)  Good customer care.

And now I fixed the problem. I downgraded the firmware of one unit and now they`re in perfect harmony without any drop outs. Via SPDIF, WC and optical either. If someone out there has got the same problem, contact me, I have got the downgrade files for the Ensemble.