• Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Fireface 400 not connecting to host on multiple computers and OS

I have seen similar problems on this forum but no specific solution. My Fireface400 which has worked reliably for 15 years is no longer giving me a green light upon boot. it's stuck on red, I am using the latest drivers for updated Mac os's Catalina, Monterey, and it's been working beautifully until a few days ago on multiple installs and also on vintage OS X such as El Capitan and Mavericks, also it's been working on 3 machines.  I see no reason for it to be damaged, all the LED's look to be normal, I am running it on buss power, however when I switch to power adaptor the LED's dim, so possibly the Power supply is going out, but why would it not continue to work on Bus power only?...any thoughts?

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,541

Re: Fireface 400 not connecting to host on multiple computers and OS

May be there is an internal power distribution broken ?
Up to you if it's worth to send in for repair, I would try.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • cyrano
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2015-04-28
  • Posts: 701

Re: Fireface 400 not connecting to host on multiple computers and OS

This is a "dad" story...

We have a FF400 that I rescued from the trash. Gave it to our repair guy, who also deemed it broken.

I can be very stubborn at times. Took it home, connected it to a MB Pro and it still didn't work. Logs suggested a driver problem.

I also had the most recent G4 powerbook around for testing. It already had the RME driver installed, so I guessed it was worth a try.

The green light came on immediately...

I was already glad it worked and I planned on using this FF400 at home with the G4. Much to my surprise, it also worked with a recent MB Pro when I mistakenly connected it months later.

I won't even pretend to understand what happened. My take on it is that caps were on their last legs. The FF400 had spent almost a year on the scrap pile. Powering it up numerous times must have reformed them?

Also, G4s have a different FW chip.

Anyhow, I gave it to the repair guy and told him to recap the unit. It took a while but when recapped, it kept on working. That was over ten years ago. The unit is still in use today.

Maybe it's worth recapping the unit?

And if you can't find a tech you can trust, send it in to RME. A full board replacement doesn't cost an arm and a leg and you get a new GG400 back.

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

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