• Registered: 2018-02-05
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

Hello all! Ran into a VERY Strange monitoring issue with my FF800 today and hoping someone can advise. I was testing out some new impulse responses with my amp and for some reason, I could not control the monitoring level of the input signal. It's as if it was just passing through. The issue occurred EVEN WITH THE INTERFACE OFF. As if it was just passing it straight through to outputs 1 & 2.


Signal path:

Line out from Attenuator > Front input 8 of FF800 (issue occurred on all inputs) >Mackie Big Knob Passive > HS80s

So as I said I could hear the line out signal coming through my monitors all the time. TotalMix showed the signal but even when muted it passed through. Also even with the Big Knob on 0 or muted it still passed signal through. I cannot for the life of me figure it out. The only way to stop it was to either turn off monitors, unplug source, or unplug the cables going into or out of the Big Knob. Also, adjusting the level on the interface affected the level showing in the DAW / total FX, but DID NOT ADJUST THE LEVEL I WAS HEARING. Only adjusting the output on my amp setup made a difference.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I find it exceptionally weird that it did it with the unit off as I thought everything hit the A/D converters.

Thanks!

2 Reply by Randyman... (edited by Randyman... 2018-02-05 21:49:29)

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

Assuming your monitors are connected directly to the Big Knob, your description points there IMO.  Do you have any alternate inputs feeding the Big Knob?  From where?

Any RME device I'm familiar with passes an input signal from AD to DA output (no analog routing exists there), and this will simply not happen if the RME unit is switched off.

Otherwise,  can you clarify your system configuration - focusing on the Big Knob's I/O?

cool

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3 Reply by KamandaSD (edited by KamandaSD 2018-02-06 14:22:43)

  • Registered: 2018-02-05
  • Posts: 4

Re: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

Thanks Randyman! That was my thought too. I''ll have some more time to experiment tonight. If it continues I may try and make a video.

However here is my setup:

RME Out 1&2 > Into the A source of big knob passive > A Out of big knob passive into monitors. I don't have anything in source B or Monitor B.

The big knob affects anything I see in totalmix, but does not affect the source.

The only time the the sound stops is when I unplug from the big knob or unplug the source from the front of the RME. That's what is so strange. If I unplug from the RME, nothing. As soon as I plug it in, there's sound. This is what's making me believe something is going on there (and that I don't accidentally having another feed going in somewhere). But like you said...that makes no sense...

  • Registered: 2018-02-05
  • Posts: 4

Re: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

So here's a video showing it. You can clearly see the unit is off.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Jqti5 … LIg-s7oIdJ

I have checked the signal path and can assure you there seems to be no other factor here. It's as if it's passing right through. I even put it through the ADA8000 > FF800 and same thing, even the gain knob on the ADA8000 did nothing to the volume on my speakers, even though it showed it clipping hard.

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,586

Re: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

You're looking in the wrong place. That is not the guitar cable that you plug into input 8. You just make a ground connection that way, from whatever source to the whole rack. Big ground problems here...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

6 Reply by KamandaSD (edited by KamandaSD 2018-02-08 18:38:31)

  • Registered: 2018-02-05
  • Posts: 4

Re: Strange FF800 monitoring issue

Hi MC,

That is not the guitar cable, but the cable going from the line out on my attenuator. I have tried both TS and TRS cables.

Could the line out be wired incorrectly perhaps?

EDIT: Let me provide some more detail, and I'm thinking the problem exists with the line out on the attenuator. If I plug in any other device's line out (for ex. the preamp itself) it works as expected. Seems to be ONLY with this device.