1 Topic by opcode (edited by opcode 2020-04-18 20:17:33)

  • Registered: 2020-04-16
  • Posts: 3

Topic: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

Hello! I am new to the forum; I just got my Fireface UC earlier today and am having trouble getting it to work flawlessly in Cubase 10.0.60 on Windows 10:
If I change the buffer size to anything lower than 128, there's a high chance of getting no sound, with the Cubase meters not responding to inputs (yet TotalMix still displays the level going in, as does the hardware LED).
At buffer size 128, there is about a 50% chance, while at 256 and above, it virtually always works as expected.
The issue is not restricted to changing the buffer size: If I open a new project while buffer size 128 is set, then there is, similarly, about a 50% of there being any sound after the new project has been loaded.
It appears that Cubase has trouble initialising its audio engine.
Instead of switching around buffer sizes, I can also get Cubase to reinitialise its audio engine by playing around with the "Audio Connections" settings and changing an input or output (i.e. at 128 buffer, making a change or two there will usually fix there not being any sound).

The issue does not affect other applications that use ASIO. I can use any buffer size when using IK Amplitube 4 or NI Guitar Rig 5. However, this is not purely a Cubase problem either, because I can use other audio interfaces with the same computer at low buffer sizes when using Cubase without any problems.
In addition to Cubase Pro 10.0.60, I also fired up Cubase Pro 8 - the same problem.

I am using driver version 1.168 and firmware version 138.

I have more or less ruled out the USB controller, as I tested with all three I have available (AMD X370 USB 2.0, AMD X370 USB 3.1 Gen1, ASMedia ASM2142 USB 3.1 Gen2).

I hope someone here can help me get this sorted out.

2 Reply by opcode (edited by opcode 2020-04-17 08:28:51)

  • Registered: 2020-04-16
  • Posts: 3

Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

I have done some further testing and found the problem to be related to TotalMix. If I exit TotalMix completely (end the process), the problem goes away, and the vast majority of buffer size changes (and presumably project loads) succeed - regardless of buffer size - without the sound going away.
Is TotalMix somehow interfering with Cubase and is there a way to change its configuration to avoid this? After all, I might want to use TotalMix to change input gains, for example, while in a Cubase session, so it seems appropriate to always have it around.

3 Reply by opcode (edited by opcode 2020-04-19 20:03:52)

  • Registered: 2020-04-16
  • Posts: 3

Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

I am happy to report that my issue has been resolved. After having installed a new USB 3.0 controller with Renesas µPD720202 chip, the problem is completely gone: I can switch to any buffer size while using Cubase and have TotalMix running in the background without any silence issues.

  • ramses
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Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

Congrats and thanks for reporting back !

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

5 Reply by Mr Zorro (edited by Mr Zorro 2020-12-08 17:50:17)

  • Registered: 2018-11-19
  • Posts: 11

Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

I also have this problem, really annoying. Buffer size 512 is working but as soon i go below that everything dies. I tried to go with the "Generic Low Latency ASIO" driver without any problems. But i dident buy the RME card to use the ASIO. Please help, i don't now why i should install a new USB 3.0 controller, what does that have to do with the buffer size?

I think this happened when i updated to the latest driver :-(

I use Cubase 10.5 and RME Hdsp AIO.

UFX II, Cubase 12 Pro, Windows 11 23H2, i7 14700K, ASUS Prime Z790-A WIFI, Corsair 32GB DDR5 5600MHz

6 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2020-12-08 20:25:21)

  • ramses
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Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

Why should you install a USB 3.0 controller when you use a HDSPe AIO? The AIO is not a USB recording interface. The card is connected directly to the PCIe bus of your computer.

If you really have a HDSPe AIO, please open a separate thread for it. This thread is about the RME UC, which is a different product.

In the new thread you should also give detailed information about your computer (operating system&version, CPU, mainboard, whether/what other PCIe cards are installed to that system) and the firmware/driver version of your AIO.
Please also describe your DAW project. How many tracks ? How many VST or VSTi do you use ? How high is the CPU load ?

Sorry, but the comparison to Steinbergs Generic ASIO driver is invalid:
1. It works with even much higher input and output latencies of 40+40=80ms compared to a RME driver which works with a RTL (Round Trip Latency) of usually under 10ms.
2. It works with only 2 (!!) channels instead of 36 channels with the RME driver.

Please note: iit's very unusual that a system with a RME PCIe card/driver has issues loosing audio at such a high buffer size. You need to find out whats wrong with your system and blocking your CPU cores from processing audio in time. You can use LatencyMon for checking the internal latencies of your PC and which driver is maybe blocking CPU cores.

Many thanks.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

7 Reply by BuckleBean (edited by BuckleBean 2021-05-12 02:09:22)

  • Registered: 2016-10-26
  • Posts: 17

Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

TL;DR: swapping USB ports fixed this for me.

I'd like to thank opcode for posting this issue + solution. I have been having a similar (if not the exact same) issue with my BabyFace Pro and Cubase 11. It's been hard to narrow down the cause because the issue arose at the same time I updated the RME firmware + drivers, upgraded to Cubase 11 from 10.5, and added outboard gear. Seeing references to USB controllers and chips brought back some old headaches from when I was playing with new VR hardware circa 2014. I became more familiar than I ever wanted to be with USB drivers, controllers, and power preferences.

In any event, after checking to be sure all of my USB drivers were up to date, it hit me like a bolt of lightening. A couple of months ago, when I was under my desk routing the cables for my new outboard stuff, I unplugged some USB devices no longer in use. And I moved the Babyface Pro to the nice red USB port thinking that it was somehow "better" for no good reason. About an hour ago after seeing this post, I moved it to a different port and it looks like my issue is fixed. I've opened several projects thus far - no problems.

I have an Asus Maximus IX Code motherboard and the offending USB port is ASMedia 3.1.

  • Registered: 2023-08-11
  • Posts: 2

Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

Hello. I use Cubase 10 and also have an RME Babyface Pro fs audio interface. Windows operating system. So far everything has been working well. But suddenly, when the buffer size is less than 512, the sound is lost. Meters in Cubase are no more active. It is important to note that this happens when another audio program is running in the background, such as the VLC player or the RME total mix audio interface mixer. Is there a way to solve the problem. I also have to mention that this problem  occurred after power outage. Some one in the RME forum with the same problem said that he solved the problem some how manipulating with USB thing. Please Help. Thank you.

9 Reply by MC

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Re: No sound in Cubase 10 with buffer size below 128 using Fireface UC

Changing the buffer size while a Windows Audio app is running will break audio. Having background apps like Sonarworx prevents buffer size switching from working correctly.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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