• mika
  • ADAT user
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Topic: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

I have just recently bought a RME Babyface Pro, a Neumann microphone which is connected via XLR on Analog1 and have installed the latest drivers onto my Windows 10 machine. Besides that, I only have headphones on the small 3,5 mm jack.
Drivers, the device and TotalMix work completely fine.

I also understand the concet of TotalMix, that you can create sub mixes and router hardware and software inputs to certain hardware outputs and also loopback to software inputs for recording if necessary.

However, I have trouble getting any signal from my microphone to any other application - like Discord. In the internal Windows Sound settings menu, in the Recording tab, there are the exact amount of WDM devices I have called for in the Babyface setttings. But I fail to get a signal on any of those recording devices shown in this tab, no matter what kind of mix I try to set within TotalMix.

Within TotalMix, the mic signals are fine, I can route it onto the phones and can hear my voice perfectly fine. Also any playback of sounds from Windows through this devices works fine. Spotify, Chrome and everything else are played back.

I feel like I am missing something fundamentally. However, I have no idea what this might be and would love to get some help in here.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,705

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Totalmix does not have an influence on the input signal path for recording, and Loopback is not required for the purpose. In fact, it should be disabled unless specifically required to record playback signals.

If you can see an input signal in Totalmix, any audio application can directly pick up the signal at the input... You should see it at channels 1/2...


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

3 Reply by mika (edited by mika 2018-06-05 20:14:22)

  • mika
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Hi,

this is exactly what I don't understand. If I see a signal in TotalMix, any other application should see it as well. But this is not the case.
I have actually opened the mic input on AN1 to all hardware outputs as you can see in the screenshot below. But, there is no signal being picked up at any of the recording devices in Windows. Thus, no application picks up any signal.

On a side note - playback through the devices (speakers, headphones) works perfectly fine. I don't understand ....

https://imgur.com/a/jrpNqOg

Please help - I am desperate.

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,440

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

The level meter in the Sound control panel is quite insensitive, it needs a higher level to show something.

Apart from that this might be an issue with the current 1.114 driver (we are working on an update). Please download the former 1.099 and try again:

https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/dr … n_1099.zip

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • mika
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Hi MC and everybody else,

I have uninstalled the driver completely and downloaded v1.099 just as you suggested. I have rebooted in between, completely reset the settings in TotalMix and are not successful.

Here is what I did after driver installation and TotalMix Reset:

0. Open Windows/ Sound Playback tab and verified Speakers are set as default device, go to the Recording tab and set ADAT7/8 to default recording device.
1. Set 48V on AN1, raised Gain to 40 and set the Level to 0. Microphone levels are showing input levels, loud enough.
2. Click on ADAT7/8 in Hardware Outputs and raised AN1 level to 0 at Hardware inputs.
3. Checked Input signal at Windows/Recording Tab for ADAT7/8 and saw nothing.

So from my understanding this doesn't change anything.

However, I played around with the Properties of AN1/2 (in the Recording Tab of Windows/ Sounds) and clicked the 'Listen through this device' option and selected the Default Playback. This showed a signal after I hit OK, but I heard myself. I could however then mute AN1/2 in the middle Software Playback rack in TotalMix and the signal was still showing.
Nonetheless, this clearly cannot be the solution to the problem. And I believe I would see the same behavior with the latest driver.

Why are the recording devices in the Windows/ Recording tab not showing any signals??? I just don't understand and need help...

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,705

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

mika wrote:

0. Open Windows/ Sound Playback tab and verified Speakers are set as default device, go to the Recording tab and set ADAT7/8 to default recording device..

Why...? Just use AN 1/2 as inputs...


1. Set 48V on AN1, raised Gain to 40 and set the Level to 0. Microphone levels are showing input levels, loud enough.
2. Click on ADAT7/8 in Hardware Outputs and raised AN1 level to 0 at Hardware inputs.
3. Checked Input signal at Windows/Recording Tab for ADAT7/8 and saw nothing.
.


That's just not how this works... It would if you activated the Loopback option for ADAT 7/8, but there is no need for all this. Just use 1/2 as default input...


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • mika
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Hi Daniel,

Okay, but that doesn't give me any signals at the input, too. "Und jetzt du smile - ich bin ratlos"

Maybe you could tell me what I should do to see if things are working fine, responding correctly or eradicate the error.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,705

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Take these pills and call me in the morning... :-))))
Call the support hotline tomorrow after 1:30 and I'll take a look remotely (rme.to/tv).


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • mika
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for the pills, I slept tightly smile
Hope you are available in the afternoon as well. Looking forward to get your support!

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

If you are using the latest version of Windows (1803) then you need to allow apps access to the microphone in Windows privacy settings even for classic desktop software.

https://winaero.com/blog/microphone-doe … sion-1803/

  • mika
  • ADAT user
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  • Registered: 2018-06-05
  • Posts: 8

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

If you are using the latest version of Windows (1803) then you need to allow apps access to the microphone in Windows privacy settings even for classic desktop software.

https://winaero.com/blog/microphone-doe … sion-1803/

I just did this and it completely fixed my problem.

Even though in the Privacy/ Microphone settings the 'Microphone access for this device' was 'On', there was no signal coming through any of the devices as described above. However, once I flipped the 'Allow apps to access your microphone' switch to 'On', the AN1/2 device in the Sounds/Recording tab picked up a visible signal.

Thank you very much for this little but highly important hint. I think this should be noticed somewhere so that others don't have to struggle as much as I did.

@Daniel - guess you can have a great Feierabend now - there is no need to call you anymore smile . Thank you very much for your support as well.

  • Registered: 2020-06-25
  • Posts: 1

Re: No mic levels on WDM recording devices, Babyface Pro

Hi.

So I have been an RME user on Windows for years now. I have multiple RME devices but currently have only one to check this error.

I have an RME UCX which I have been using for over 5 years on this machine. A week ago, suddenly the WDM input on windows 10 (1909) died. The output works fine. Checked with the Privacy/Microphone settings and everything is fine. I tried to uninstall the driver, reinstalled again multiple times over the week.

Today when I totally cleaned up RME drivers, installed 1168 again, the input still din't work. So I uninstalled the drivers (1168) and then when I tried again, the driver setup wouldn't install and gives and error saying install failed, again and again. So I went ahead and installed 1166 and that driver installed but I still can't see my microphone input in WDM. It works fine under ASIO.

Anyone faced something like this? I have tried every bit of trouble shooting and a windows reset is the last thing remaining. I don't have any other machine accessible to check this but pretty sure its something to do with the driver.

Please help!