• Registered: 2021-03-09
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Topic: Tips for Subwoofer integration

I'm a happy new owner of a UFX+ ARC and want to - optionally - add a passive subwoofer with an extra amp to my active A monitors (Munroe Eggs). My B monitors (Tannoy) can go without subwoofer. If its possible to add the sub for the B's as well - here with another X-over frequency - all the better, but it's not necessary.

I am sure there will be a good solution in TotalMix (being too new to me) and I would be more than pleased if I could then easily switch the sub on and off for comparison.

2 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-30 16:57:01)

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Toggle between two snapshots in Totalmix is a way to switch between two different setups.
The sub can be connected to any output of the UFX and in Totalmix you can mute that output via ARC.
So you can switch the sub on and off.
Having different x-over is a bit more advanced.
You can connect the sub to the main out.
Two other hardware outputs that are unused can have EQ adjudstments for your x-over.
The Cue button of the output with the x-over brings this output on the main out.
The two snapshots can have the different Cue-buttons active for having different EQ adjustments on the speakers.
Of course the signal has to go to those outputs, you have to do that routing and have it stored in the snapshot.
Very good training for Totalmix skills.
I hope this helps you a little.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-03-09
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

waedi wrote:

Toggle between two snapshots in Totalmix is a way to switch between two different setups.
The sub can be connected to any output of the UFX and in Totalmix you can mute that output via ARC.
So you can switch the sub on and off.
Having different x-over is a bit more advanced.
You can connect the sub to the main out.
Two other hardware outputs that are unused can have EQ adjudstments for your x-over.
The Cue button of the output with the x-over brings this output on the main out.
The two snapshots can have the different Cue-buttons active for having different EQ adjustments on the speakers.
Of course the signal has to go to those outputs, you have to do that routing and have it stored in the snapshot.
Very good training for Totalmix skills.
I hope this helps you a little.

Thank you a lot! It's not all clear, I try ...

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Is this UFX your first RME interface ?
Do you need step by step help ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-03-09
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

waedi wrote:

Is this UFX your first RME interface ?
Do you need step by step help ?

Yes and Thank you! that would be great indeed!

6 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-30 18:06:30)

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

First goal, listen music from computer on a headphone connected to the UFX.
Have you downloaded the latest drivers for your computer and installed them ?
Do you find it ?
Have you a headphone ?
What is your computer ? Mac or PC ? Operatingsystem ?

Have you the user manual by the hand ?
Is it possible for you to read the entire book and try to set up the interface with the drivers until you have Totalmix opening ?
When the Totalmix program is opening the window and shows the faders, then you are ready for further steps.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

I'm up and running with latest drivers and firmware, one speaker pair and headphones, I know the EQ. ARC came today, still unpacked. And I already tried the TM Remote on the iPad, great thing!

  • Registered: 2021-03-09
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

I'm on Mac...

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Oh wow ! Great !
Did you connect that speaker pair with XLR cables to the XLR output connectors on the UFX ?

What connectors has the second pair of speakers ?
Is a Jack cable connection possible ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Yes, XLR connection for A on 1 and 2.
I'll set up B now, jack cables are there and I guess, outputs 3 and 4 are by default for the B's on the ARC

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Try it out.
May be there is a little thing in Totalmix to do.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

Since I connected the ARC USB to the UFX+ TotalMix hangs during startup. Whatever I do, restarting the UFX, restarting the Mac, disconnecting the ARC, nothing helps. As soon as I turn up the UFX the RME TB Settings starts and TM wants to start but the icon just hops .... and right now after many tries TM has succeeded to come up, telling me: "Changes detected... Click Yes to use TM settings ..."
weird, I understand the message - because I changed Master Vol on the ARC - but I do not understand the many tries now

13 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-30 21:31:19)

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

May be baby sickness,
You still get music out of speakers A ?
The speakers B are connected to output 3/4 but no sound there ?
Open Totalmix, it should be open all the time now during this work.
Bottom row of faders, the hardware output channel 3/4 can you see it ?
Click on it once.
Now it should be highlighted. It is activated for submix.
Any fader of the upper two rows of channels are sending (routing) signal to that output.
Middle row, first fader, doubleclick on it.
Is music coming now also out of the speakers B ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-03-09
  • Posts: 27

Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

after TM has succeeded starting up both speaker pairs work fine. I've connected the B's to 7/8 and assigned the ARC button properly. Made some EQ adjustments, saved presets.
Now I switched off, quitted TM, started up again, and as before, TM icon hops some seconds and can't start. The second try worked after having switched UFX off and on again.
On the 3rd try same as before, TM does not start.
Then I quitted RME TB settings, switched UFX off and on again. TM succeeds after ~2 minutes to come up.
What could be the reason for this?

Other: The 4 connected Outputs produce a loud plop-sound on the speakers when UFX+ is turned on or off :-(
Is this really as it should be?

I have to say the UFX+ unit I have is a B-Stock, it has been returned to Thomann by a customer during the 30days trial.

15 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-31 02:24:13)

  • waedi
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

There is no problem with B-stock from Thomann, the guarantee time is valid.

But have you done a firmware update ?
New products sometimes already has a firmware update ready.
Do you run BigSur ?
Download this thing and try to run it. It will tell you if the firmware is good or not.
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/fut_usb_tb_mac.zip

Btw you have asigned the ARC buttons and hooked up second pair of speakers, that is awesome !
You have excellent performance !
Your setup will work fine pretty soon, sure !
edit :
The problem with two different x-over for the sub is much easier to solve as I wrote in my first post.
The snapshot is storing the EQ together with all other settings in Totalmix. Maybe a workspace has to be stored as well.
Toggle between two snapshots will do the trick and is easy to configure.
First get the unit working proper with the latest firmware.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

16 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

VayouApp wrote:

TM succeeds after ~2 minutes to come up.
What could be the reason for this?

Something blocks MIDI which makes TM FX hang until timeout. Example:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=25657

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2021-03-09
  • Posts: 27

Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

waedi wrote:

There is no problem with B-stock from Thomann, the guarantee time is valid.

But have you done a firmware update ?
New products sometimes already has a firmware update ready.
Do you run BigSur ?
Download this thing and try to run it. It will tell you if the firmware is good or not.
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/fut_usb_tb_mac.zip

Btw you have asigned the ARC buttons and hooked up second pair of speakers, that is awesome !
You have excellent performance !
Your setup will work fine pretty soon, sure !
edit :
The problem with two different x-over for the sub is much easier to solve as I wrote in my first post.
The snapshot is storing the EQ together with all other settings in Totalmix. Maybe a workspace has to be stored as well.
Toggle between two snapshots will do the trick and is easy to configure.
First get the unit working proper with the latest firmware.

Thanks, Everything was up to date ! Is the popping noise when powering up/down ok? No relais in the UFX are preventing this?
I will continue setup on Saturday, thank you so far!

  • Registered: 2021-03-09
  • Posts: 27

Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

MC wrote:
VayouApp wrote:

TM succeeds after ~2 minutes to come up.
What could be the reason for this?

Something blocks MIDI which makes TM FX hang until timeout. Example:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=25657

I have nothing special installed on this Mac and nothing connected to MIDI. I also checked AudioMIDI Setup. In the MIDI Studio window I just see the UFX+ as active device. IAC driver and 3 other devices I used long ago are displayed as inactive/greyed out.
What else could be the reason then?

(Having a user alert, displaying the reason which makes TM FX hang would be fine though.-)

19 Reply by MC

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Re: Tips for Subwoofer integration

It won't alert you when hanging...

You could update the ARC USB to use SysEx communication, might help. And make sure you use the latest TM FX (1.73b3 from this forum).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website