• Registered: 2025-02-14
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Topic: Octamic D no input signal

Good afternoon,

I've been enjoying an Octamic D for the past year for my drum recordings but when I turned it on today there was no input signal. The unit powers on, all of the LED lights flash, but there is no "SIG" light activity once it is powered up. I tried swapping mic cables, using different microphones, and using each of the eight inputs with no luck. There is no input signal on all of the mic preamps all of a sudden.

Any ideas what I could try to fix it? Is there a place I could send it for repair? Thank you guys for the time and help!

  • waedi
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

This sounds like broken power distribution internal PSU fail.
Ask your dealer for repair options or contact the RME service partner in your country directly, see the list on the website under Support.

The device is worth to repair and I highly recommend to let do the repair by the service partner.

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

3 Reply by Kubrak (edited by Kubrak 2025-10-27 22:36:26)

  • Kubrak
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Octamic-D has external power source, so if that has failed any similar may be used. Or the one by RME. It accepts 8-28 V DC or 8-20 V AC, 12 Watt. (According to labeling on the unit beside the mains socket.) PSU is rated 12 V/2 A, central +.

Note. Octamic-D has external power source (good for field work, if no mains is at hand...), while Octamic II has internal power source (probably more comfortable, if installed in rack, but harder to replace it and harder to be used in field work.).

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS
  • Registered: 2025-02-14
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Thanks for the suggestions. I found a spare power supply and tried it out but got the same results.

Any other ideas on what I could try?

  • waedi
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

What are the specs of this power supply ?

M1-Tahoe, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • From: Germany
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

What is the unit connected to? Is there a signal at the analog outputs?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

7 Reply by Kubrak (edited by Kubrak 2025-10-29 18:20:20)

  • Kubrak
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

shredmechanic wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions. I found a spare power supply and tried it out but got the same results.

Any other ideas on what I could try?

In that case, circuitry that transforms supplied power to desired one might have failed.... I do not know, if it is replacable part, or if that has to be repaired.

If you are not good in repairing electronics, probably best would be to get it repaired. Or you may open the unit and have a look, maybe that there is replacable power unit. And then you may decide, if you may try to replace something by yourself....

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS
  • Kubrak
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

RME Support wrote:

Is there a signal at the analog outputs?

Good question! It also may be so, that just SIG LEDs do not work.... And everything else works.

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS

9 Reply by shredmechanic (edited by shredmechanic 2025-10-29 20:09:17)

  • Registered: 2025-02-14
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

The spare power supply specs are 12V/2.5A/center positive.

The Octamic D is connected to a Fireface UFX via ADAT and there's no signal at the direct ouptuts.

When the Octamic powers on all of the LED's flash including the "SIG" LED's.

Any other ideas? I'm pretty inexperienced with soldering but if it's something simple like changing out some bad caps I may be able to swing it.

  • Kubrak
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Have a look inside. If it is done similarly, like in ADI-2 (non pro, mk1), there are few caps, one IO (only few contacts) and transformer (or coil, I am not sure).

You could try to check, if there is problem in power section, or other part..... But it looks like, it might be power section.

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS
  • waedi
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

shredmechanic wrote:

The spare power supply specs are 12V/2.5A/center positive.

The specs are ok, polarity doesn't matter, voltage from 8 to 20 V DC is good.

Did you try with all phantom power OFF ?

M1-Tahoe, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

I finally got the Octamic D removed from the rack and on my workbench. I don't see anything that looks damaged, but I'm not very experienced with electronics repair either so I could be missing something.

I tried the Octamic with all phantom power off but still no signal.

Is there anything else I should try?

  • waedi
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

I have no other idea than send in the unit for repair.

Contact the RME service partner in your country

M1-Tahoe, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

No signal where? Have you tried the analog outputs? Is there a light on the ADAT output? If yes, what does the device it's connected to show at the input?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2025-02-14
  • Posts: 9

Re: Octamic D no input signal

No signal anywhere, no "SIG" light, no analog output, no signals on the ADAT output. The Octamic is connected to a Fireface UFX via ADAT and that connection appears fine, the UFX shows a good sync at 48kHz on ADAT1, however still no signal. The Octamic behaves as if all of the mic preamps suddenly died and have zero gain.

16 Reply by Kubrak (edited by Kubrak 2025-11-01 22:42:25)

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Re: Octamic D no input signal

If ADAT seems to work, at least some part of power source must work. I do not know, if it is case for Octamic-D, devices often use two or more voltages, so maybe something from power supply works and something does not.

It seems to me unprobable all Mic preamps would fail. It could happen only if something real bad happens like total failure of power source resulting in too high voltage, or the strike of lightning to power net... Or like.

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Can you show exactly what you see at the ADAT inputs? Complete silence or the AD self noise around -100something?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2025-02-14
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Sure thing; hope this helps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cuZ0S177BA

  • waedi
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

The three mic inputs have plenty of gain but the preamp losing power shortly after power up...
It has no internal power PSU but it has some kind of internal power distribution and something seems broken.
As the issue appeard overnight it is not a slow corrosion or drying out capacitors, but something burnt out I guess.

To me it looks like need for repair. I have still no better idea.

Your video is good, thanks for staying on topic.

M1-Tahoe, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Kubrak
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

I do not want to open my Octamic-D (I did that with ADI-2 mk1 when one guy needed photographs of mains section and readout of ellements...) as it would break guarantie label. (Of course, it is not in guarantie, but if I sell it, label prooves, unit has not been open and possibly repaired or whatever...).

And in ADI-2 (that also has external PSU) is mains circuitry, something that converts AD/DC of rather wide voltage range to what is needed for unit circuitry.

So, something similar must be in Octamic-D. Beside handfull of capacitors, coil or transformer and resistors (probably also diodes), there was a simple integrated circuit.

Maybe OP, could open his Octamic and have a look. Those ellements were located close to PSU inlet. I guess, it will be similar in Octamic. It is natural place the power part close to inlet.

FF UCX II, Digiface USB, Babyface Pro FS

21 Reply by shredmechanic (edited by shredmechanic 2025-11-19 02:58:05)

  • Registered: 2025-02-14
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

I wanted to update this in case someone else has a similar problem. I sent my original Octamic-D off for service and it was the "internal power supply regulator circuit". I just got it back today and it works like new! A big thanks to Jeff at Synthax/RME and Dave at Doc's Radio in Ohio for the great support and fast turnaround.

  • Jeff
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Re: Octamic D no input signal

Great, thanks for letting us know. It seems this was the internal power regulator that needed service.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website