Topic: ADI 2 Pro FS R Black - Relay clicking issue & occasional desync issue?
Hey everyone,
I've owned an ADI 2 Pro FS R Black for about a year and a half now, and have had a somewhat unreliable experience with two odd issues that I've been trying to figure out. I have this device set up in a kind of unique way, so apologies for the big wall of text here!
I'm using this ADI-2 as a set of mastering converters, plugged into a UFX+. Outputs 1-2 are being used as monitor/phone outs, Outputs 3-4 are being used as analog outputs into the mastering chain, and Inputs 1-2 are being used as analog recording inputs from the mastering chain. That makes it work as a sort of 'all-in-one mastering box', giving me good conversion for my monitors as well as one separate set of analog inputs and outputs. It really is a fantastic do-everything mastering converter for these purposes, because it offers high quality conversion for your monitors, as well as separate high quality conversion for a pair of analog inputs and outputs. What would normally require me three AD/DA mastering devices is consolidated into one.
In order to get it working like this, I plugged the ADI-2 into my UFX+ via AES cables, and plugged both the ADI-2 and the UFX+ into the PC separately, via USB. The ADI-2's settings are as follows:
-Main Outputs 1/2 AD/DA Source: AES (From the UFX. This allows the UFX's remote control to work as a volume knob and monitor controller.)
-Main Outputs 1/2 Auto Ref Level: On
-Phones Out 3/4 (Plugged into a Stereo-to-2-Mono splitter cable, then plugged into a Radial JDI to balance the two unbalanced signals): AD/DA Source: USB 1/2
-Phones Out 3/4 Hi Power: On
-Phones Out 3/4 Auto-Ref Level: Off
-Options/Settings - Phones: Dual Phones On. Bal Phones Off. Toggle Ph/Line Off. Mute TRS 1/2 On. Mute TRS 3/4 Off.
-Options/Settings - Device Mode: Basic Mode AD/DA.
-Options/Settings - Clock: Clock Source AES. Sample Rate 88.2 (what I track/mix in most of the time).
With it set up like this, outputs 1-2 always go to monitors. Their volume is controlled via the UFX+ (AES outputs in the UFX are set as the main outputs, and are controlled by the UFX+'s remote). When I plug headphones into Phones Out 1/2 on the ADI-2, it mutes the monitors.
Phones Outputs 3-4 and Analog Inputs 1-2 are used as separate analog inputs and outputs, for sending to and receiving from an analog mastering chain. Analog Inputs 1-2 are accessible via the UFX+ and are labeled as AES inputs.
Phones Outputs 3-4, since their AD/DA source is set as USB 1/2, are accessible differently. This could be where the clocking issues are coming from. So, this ADI-2 is basically connected as two digital devices at once- It is set up as an AD/DA converter connected to the UFX+ via AES cables, which are responsible for Inputs 1/2 and Outputs 1/2, and a DA converter connected directly to the PC via USB, which are responsible for Outputs 3/4.
When I choose "Madiface USB" as my ASIO device in my DAW, the UFX+'s inputs and outputs appear as "Analog 1 (1)", "Analog 2 (1)", "Analog 3 (1)", etc, the and the ADI-2's outputs 3/4 appear as "Analog 1 (2)" and "Analog 2 (2)".
With as odd as this setup is, it works remarkably well MOST of the time (but not all of the time).
Here's a crude drawing I did of how it is set up:
However, there are a few odd behaviors/glitches that I haven't managed to solve, and was hoping to ask here on the forums if anyone has encountered either of these things.
1. Sometimes, the ADI-2 will fall into a state of crackling/popping upon playback. When it begins to happen, it crackles consistently and frequently- It is not just an odd click or pop every minute or two, but rather, a more constant sound. This happens most often after changing sample rates or buffer sizes, but can sometimes happen just entirely randomly. If I go into the RME settings panel, and change the buffer size 1-3 times, it usually clears up the issue, but not consistently. (It is worth noting that when I change buffer size or sample rate on one RME device, the UFX, for example, the other one follows automatically).
This glitch does not happen very often, but it does enough to be somewhat frustrating when it does, since it can ruin an otherwise decent recorded take. I assume this is a clock desynchronization, since changing the buffer size sort of 'resets' it and clears it up. It does not matter if I change the buffer size to smaller or larger, it is just the change in itself that fixes it.
2. This one feels more like a firmware issue. I certainly hope it's not hardware related. Sometimes, when I unplug headphones into Phones Out 1/2 of the ADI-2, I hear a constant relay clicking noise that does not stop until I turn off the device and turn it back on again. This happens semi-frequently, at least a few times per week. The ADI-2's screen will sometimes dim or flash slightly during this glitch. I have also had this issue happen randomly with only Phones 3/4 plugged in, although this is much less common. Disabling Mute TRS 1/2 on Phones 1/2 made the problem happen less often, but I still had some odd relay clicking bugs from time to time.
At first, I assumed this was a hardware issue, but restarting the device is always able to fix it, so perhaps it is firmware-related. I contacted the support department at the retailer I bought the device at (SX Pro Audio in the UK) and they quoted me something like 5-8 weeks to get it back from RME for repair, which is unacceptable for a device that I rely upon for my work, and unfortunately, I can't afford to just buy a spare ADI-2 to use in the meantime. So, hopefully there's a simpler solution to this issue, instead of spending $2k for a spare one, or waiting 2 months without being able to use mastering converters. It is a bit surprising, as I've owned RME devices for about 10 years now, and the ADI-2 is the first device to give me this much trouble.
Has anyone else experienced either a desync/crackling or continual relay clicking issue with their ADI-2 Pro FS R?
Thanks everyone, much appreciated!
