• Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Topic: RME UFX USB not working

I have a RME UFX and I am having trouble connecting it to both a 2017 Macbook Pro (macOS Ventura) and a Windows 11 laptop. I am sure it is not a driver issue as I was previously successful in connecting it to both laptops. II have tried numerous cables but I get the same behavior. On a Mac, I get an error message saying that the USB Devices Disabled due to too much power consumption and on the windows laptop I get the error message "USB device not recognized". Is this a hardware issue or did I change some setting accidentally?

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: RME UFX USB not working

Did you activate CC mode because you tried to use it with an iPad?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: RME UFX USB not working

Seems there is no (or not enough) power. The Mac message I know from other peripheral devices which can work on USB power only but in most cases need external power anyway.
Could it be a faulty power supply?
What do the LED lights on the UFX show? Is it like normal when connecting / starting it?

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

Did you activate CC mode because you tried to use it with an iPad?

Nope. I just verified again by going into Setup -> Options -> Hardware/Diagnosis that CC mode is off.

Seems there is no (or not enough) power. The Mac message I know from other peripheral devices which can work on USB power only but in most cases need external power anyway. Could it be a faulty power supply? What do the LED lights on the UFX show? Is it like normal when connecting / starting it?

I am not sure. The Mac and Windows systems were both connected to their charging adapters, and still no luck. The UFX works fine in my use cases in standalone, and the LED lights work just fine. It is just the USB connection thus far which is failing. I have also tried connecting it to a Dell WD19TB dock, and I still don't seem to be able to get the USB to be detected. And I can confirm that the USB connection worked through this dock, just as of a few days ago, while being used with both the Mac and Windows systems.

Could this be a hardware failure? And if so, where can I get it fixed in the US?

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: RME UFX USB not working

RMELearner wrote:

I am not sure. The Mac and Windows systems were both connected to their charging adapters, and still no luck.

I was thinking on a powering failure on the UFX, regardless of how the computer is powered. But the unit works in standalone mode so…??
To me it seems like for some reason the computer 'thinks' it has to power the UFX over USB which of course is not possible.
I would try another USB cable for the UFX once.

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

oli77sch wrote:
RMELearner wrote:

I am not sure. The Mac and Windows systems were both connected to their charging adapters, and still no luck.

I was thinking on a powering failure on the UFX, regardless of how the computer is powered. But the unit works in standalone mode so…??
To me it seems like for some reason the computer 'thinks' it has to power the UFX over USB which of course is not possible.
I would try another USB cable for the UFX once.

I tried three separate cables already, standard printer cables and one from my former Steinberg interface. Does RME recommend some particular standard of USB cable?

7 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2023-05-22 15:42:58)

  • ramses
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Re: RME UFX USB not working

Only a normal USB2 cable.

> where can I get it fixed in the US?
https://www.rme-audio.de/support.html

Contact Synthax USA.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

Contacted Synthax USA. They have me a ~$500 dollar estimate + to and fro shipping which I have to handle. That'll put me at $650 which is almost 2/3 of what I paid of it. Can anyone confirm if this is some kind of power problem and if changing the power supply would help in anyway given my current symptoms?

9 Reply by RMELearner (edited by RMELearner 2023-05-22 22:01:22)

  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

I looked into the unit and this is what I found. Looks like a short, there are burn marks near the component labeled "VD500", right in front of the USB port. Can anyone confirm they are seeing what I seeing? Even the ribbon cable I pushed aside seems have residue on it from the possible short. If this is so, do I have a solution other than having the entire board changed? Can I purchase the spare parts myself?

Perhaps the RME folks can provide additional info here. Synthax said I can use the firewire port instead. But given that Apple has dropped official support for firewire, will RME continue to put out drivers? How does firewire support look long term? If RME doesn't recommend relying on firewire (through thunderbolt) long term, I'd rather get it fixed now.

https://i.imgur.com/NiVTOSN.jpg

  • Registered: 2021-12-30
  • Posts: 151

Re: RME UFX USB not working

when one of my non-RME converters stopped working on one channel, I found a scorched part like this on the main board. thankfully it was a legacy product (no longer supported) and technical support was kind enough to send me a diagram with all the components in the circuit that were likely affected.

I bring this up because it's highly likely that it's not just that chip and if you try to fix it without a schematic or understanding of the circuit, you'll not just be potentially wasting your time, you could cause more work for RME and expense for you if you decide to send it in. not to mention the added delay in getting your repaired unit back.

bummer. sorry to hear about your problem. hope you get it working again soon smile

11 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: RME UFX USB not working

That chip is the protection for USB input - if it goes up in smoke then there has been a serious voltage at that port, and often enough the USB chip beside it is also affected. Both have no relation to the power supply of the unit.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: RME UFX USB not working

Ouch!
You could try to connect and use the UFX over FireWire. At least on the Mac using the Thunderbolt adpters and of course the FireWire driver it should work.

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

MC wrote:

That chip is the protection for USB input - if it goes up in smoke then here has been a serious voltage at that port, and often enough the USB chip beside it is also affected. Both have no relation to the power supply of the unit.

Thanks for the pertinent info MC, do you have a solution other than having the entire board changed? Synthax gave me a pretty hefty estimate, so I was hoping to avoid that cost if possible. Can I purchase the spare parts myself? I am a novice at handling a soldering iron, but am a quick learner. Do you suggest I handle it myself?

Also about the firewire, does RME have any official stance on if they intend to continue supporting the standard in the long-term given that Apple has made it obsolete? I intend to own this unit for many years.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: RME UFX USB not working

I don't think this is something that would be easily doable DIY...
As for Firewire, with Apple dropping support on the horizon, I don't expect there to be a DriverKit driver... Apart from that, Firewire devices will continue to work on systems that do support it if you don't opdate.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2023-04-20
  • Posts: 9

Re: RME UFX USB not working

Thanks all for the help everyone! The USB was fried and required a main board replacement. I had to consider that since firewire is not a reliable standard long term with Apple dropping it. I can report that RME service was great in the US. Straightforward communication and upfront prices. However, it was expensive!! At $500, it was no cheap fix, and has brought the net cost of owning a UFX much higher than I had hoped. Hopefully I will put the unit to good use to justify the cost. And hope this is the last of any issues with RME things needing replacement.