BTW, I've updated my signature:

2021 MacBook Pro+M1 Max Chip+64GB RAM
AI Master: RME Fireface UFX II
AI Slaves: MOTU 8Pre, Focusrite OctoPre
OS: Sonoma 14.4.1
DAW: Logic X 11.0.1

Thanks

Try this way :

RME                    Focusrite            MOTU 8 Pre         
ADAT 1 Out ———>ADAT In
                          ADAT Out   ———>ADAT In

( The slaves need to receive clock from the master )

Focusrite and Motu need setting clock-mode external optical, not fix 48kHz internal.

If you want to receive the signals from the others in the RME, you have to use two cables In and Out.

RME                    Focusrite            MOTU 8 Pre         
ADAT 1 In <———ADAT Out
  ADAT 1 Out———>ADAT In   
ADAT2 Out————————————>ADAT In
ADAT2In<—————————————ADAT Out

Same clock setting, RME clock-mode internal 48kHz, Focusrite and MOTU clock-mode external optical (or however they call it, maybe "sync-to-adat")

OK, no change yet. To the previous config, I've added the OUT of the RME to the IN of the MOTU; and the OUT of the MOTU to the IN of the Focusrite. So it looks like this:

RME                      MOTU 8 Pre         Focusrite OctoPre
ADAT 1 In <——— ADAT Out
ADAT 1 Out——>   ADAT In
                           ADAT Out ———> ADAT In
                           ADAT In <———-  ADAT Out

The Focusrite has the following front panel settings for syncing:

-Internal
-ADAT
-W/Clock
I have this set to ADAT.

There is a separate setting for Sample Rate (Is this different than Clock sync rate?)
This is set to 48kHz.
There is no Focusrite applet nor driver for Mac OS, AFAIK.

The MOTU has the following front panel settings:
Clock = 48 (There is no option for "ADAT", "External", etc; only typical frequencies for Sample Rates.)
Optical In = 1x (2x changes the 48k clock rate to 96k)

The MOTU Audio  Setup applet has the following relevant settings:
Sample Rate = 48k
Clock Source = ADAT Optical
Optical Input = ADAT
Optical Output = ADAT

The Fireface settings are...

Properties:
Firmware=v26
Driver=v4.10

Options:
AES Input Source = XLR
AES Output Format = Professional
Optical 1 Output = ADAT
Optical 1 Output = ADAT

Clock Mode:
Sample Rate=48k
Clock Source=Internal
Word Clock Termination = unchecked
Word Clock I/O = Checked

Input Status:
Word Clock = No lock
AES = No Lock
ADAT 1 Display: Bounces between "Lock" and "Sync" for no apparent reason; and also displays "48kHz"
ADAT 2 Display: "No Lock"

The above lists are pretty exhaustive; I'd attach screenshots of the Fireface and MOTU setting screens, but don't see a way to attach to this reply. (For an HTML embedded link, I *think* I'd need to have a public-facing website to point to the jpegs.

Thanks so much for any ideas!

@SurfaceTension: please post the URL to the product page of the products that you use (for Motu and OctoPre, the UFX II is known).

Why? There are many product variants, especially for the Focusrite OctoPre some of which only have ADAT outputs. It needs to be clarified whether these products have ADAT inputs as well as ADAT outputs to be able to receive clock from a master (ideally from the UFX II) via their ADAT inputs.

Using Word Clock (WC) could be an alternative, but the separate word clock cabling is better avoided if it is not absolutely necessary, as it does not improve the clock quality compared to using the clock signal that is also supplied "in band" while transmitting audio data via ADAT.

I suggest you read my blog article about clock synch, to get some basics on this topic:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … ios-en-de/

It's pretty clear that your idea for such a setup does not work because the clock signal
- is sent by the clock master out on all of its digital outputs (or WC OUT)
- can only be received through an ADAT input (or WC IN)

You configure a device as clock master by configuring it to use its internal clock (only one device in the setup).
For the other devices, the clock slaves, you need to configure from which digital input (or WC) to read the clock.

Therefore, this setup can't work, if I understood you correctly, then you want the UFX II to act as clock master and slaves are the Motu and the Focusrite preamp.
The weak points here:
1. How shall the Motu get the clock from UFX II?
2. How shall the UFX II get the data from the Focusrite? Through the Motu, how?!

RME                    MOTU 8 Pre         Focusrite OctoPre
ADAT 1 In <———ADAT Out
                           ADAT In <———-ADAT Out

From your other posting, it seems to be the case, that both preamps also have ADAT IN.
So we do not need to use Word Clock, and also we can keep the UFX II as clock master.

The only thing which will make most sense, if the two Mic Pres have ADAT IN and OUT:

[clock master]                                                                                                     [clock slaves]
UFX II+---ADAT1 OUT---------[data and clock signal]------------------>ADAT IN----+MOTU 8 Pre
         +---ADAT1 IN<----------[data]---------------------------------------ADAT OUT---+
         +---ADAT2 OUT---------[data and clock signal]------------------>ADAT IN----+Focusrite OctoPre
         +---ADAT2 IN<----------[data]---------------------------------------ADAT OUT---+

Configure UFX II in driver settings: clock source "internal"
Then the UFX II acts as master and sends out its clock signal out on every digital output and WC.

Configure Motu and Focusrite Preamps as clock slave by setting clock source to ADAT IN.

Validate the setup in UFX II driver settings under "Input status" that you see
ADAT1 in status "sync" and also
ADAT2 in status "sync"
Status synch indicates that the UFX II received its own clock back from the two preamps, only then the devices are clock synchronized.

In terms of ADAT cabling.
If your preamp has two ADAT inputs and outputs (to be able to support double speed), then you need to use the primary ADAT input and output port to connect to the UFX II. On Focusrite preamps this port is often labeled additionally as "1..8".

That is not daisy chain. Daisy chain is for MADI equipment.
Adat devices are connected just normal.

For the clock, yes the sync can be done by forwarding thru another device.
But after all we want audio signals transferred, right ?

The 60 channels of the UFXll is available by analog connections when you connect 2 ADDA converters, not other interfaces !
This MOTU seems to be something like a interface ? And it is connected with USB to the computer ?
Better get rid of it and buy a Adat converter.