1 Topic by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2026-08-23 08:36:42)

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Topic: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

I just received  my HDSPe AoX M, installed it as per instructions, using current download files, also FW updated.
I tried EVERY possible combination of clocking and streaming configuration using the card's control panel and HIVE, all I get is glitches and noise.
I tried the card as Windows 11 default output, I tried the card as I/O via AVB.. the same
I hear the same glitches and noise over the Headphone output too (even as Win default I/O) so I guess it is not the AVB connections to blame.

The card:
AoX driver 1.2, PCIe Core 67, Network processor 1.3.2
PC:
Win 11 21H2, GA Z390 UD, 64GB RAM, i7 8700K

All the rest of the devices are AAF / MILAN compatible, they work normally together for long now, using HIVE, AoX is the only new addition.
I also tried to clock the card from MADI (I've also got the optional MADI card) and use MADI I/O, always the same noise and glitches.

However, as I am observing carefully the VU meters on totalmix the signal shows as playing normally the audio and NOT the noise.

One last thing: I am using the AoX internal clock as media clock leader to the rest of the system succesfully.

https://ibb.co/Qv9ryC0x


Help!

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2025-12-15 23:40:31)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

What sample rate and ASIO buffer size are you using?

Have you tried increasing the buffer size at single speed (44.1 kHz) to higher values up to the maximum?
Does it become better by this or even fix the issue?

If that doesn’t help, have you tested all available PCIe slots?
Ideally, use a slot that doesn’t reduce the number of lanes for the primary graphic card and
which does not have PCIe lanes shared with other components that might be in use, like, e.g., M.2 sockets.

Which DRAM do you use, and how many memory cards are in use? 2x32GB or 4x16GB?
If your mainboard/CPU combination is dual-channel, then 2x32 would be more efficient in terms of throughput.

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent
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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Yep, changing PCIe slot was the first thing to do. Buffer size, sample rates, all have been tested.

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

So higher ASIO buffer sizes do not help, not even for mitigating the effect/issue?

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent

5 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2025-12-15 23:49:15)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Did you optimize your PC for DAW work?
Disable energy saving in the BIOS and using High-Performance Energy profile?

Did you measure DPC latencies using LatencyMon?
Use the default settings for measuring method: interrupt to user process latency.
Let it run for 5-10 minutes and present the results.

My system settings and LatencyMon measuring results are here:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … lts-en-de/

Reload this thread sporadically; sometimes I get additional ideas and add something to my posting.

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent
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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

LatencyMon reports system is  fine

7 Reply by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2025-12-15 23:56:26)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

It does not make sense, I suspect I might have a faulty device..
Must keep packaging and other stuff intact for possible return..

8 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2025-12-16 00:02:39)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

skioutsoukis wrote:

LatencyMon reports system is  fine

How fine? On the better (below 100 microseconds) or the lower edge (up to 1000 microseconds)?

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent

9 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2025-12-16 00:06:08)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

skioutsoukis wrote:

It does not make sense, I suspect I might have a faulty device..
Must keep packaging and other stuff intact for possible return..

You seem to have checked a lot of things, which I do not know, as you did not tell.
I am only hunting for more information to get a clearer picture.
Sure, if you think it's the card, then align with the shop.

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent
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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

The truth is I am hunting to find something for hours now and under every set up it produces the same, excactly the same glitch and horrible distortion.
I am just hoping that somebody who has installed the same card shows up and tell me their experience.
The rest of the system is working fine for long time now with several milan devices involved.

11 Reply by Max

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

When you disconnect the network cables, reset the card to factory defaults, create a simple 1 kHz sine using your ASIO DAW at 48 kHz, and route this signal to the headphone outputs (TotalMix switched on, attenuating the level using TotalMix), you hear distortion, right?

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Sounds like a totalmix feedback loop?

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13 Reply by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2025-12-16 08:00:45)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Max wrote:

When you disconnect the network cables, reset the card to factory defaults, create a simple 1 kHz sine using your ASIO DAW at 48 kHz, and route this signal to the headphone outputs (TotalMix switched on, attenuating the level using TotalMix), you hear distortion, right?

ok, I did excactly that before but without the reset, now I did it again with reset.

No, I do not hear the same distortion
I hear glitches, the closest to describe them is like listening to vinyl static noise loud.

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

That’s clocking, you have 2 conflicting clocks somewhere.

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15 Reply by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2025-12-16 08:40:56)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Raphie wrote:

That’s clocking, you have 2 conflicting clocks somewhere.

No. The 1khz sound cannot be heard at all, it is just crackles and glitches.

It looks to me like something different than just conflicting clocks. If you look at the screenshot in my first post there are no clocking problems at all.

16 Reply by Raphie (edited by Raphie 2025-12-16 09:47:17)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

In order to avoid any conflict, can you disconnect everything from the AoX, unload / reset hive and set the HDSPe clock to INTERNAL, connect HP’s or monitors to the HP out and use it as a simple 2 channel sound card. Is the sound now distortion free?

www.analoguemastering.com

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Raphie wrote:

In order to avoid any conflict, can you disconnect everything from the AoX, unload / reset hive and set the HDSPe clock to INTERNAL, connect HP’s or monitors to the HP out and use it as a simple 2 channel sound card. Is the sound now distortion free?

Thanks my friend, but I' ve done everything you describe already.

Let me clarify. The matter is we are not talking about distorted sound: THERE IS NO SOUND, just clicks and pops.
That is why Max told me to disconnect everything from network, direct 1khz signal straight to the card and listen to the headphones and again THERE IS NO SOUND, just clicks and pops.
MAX nailed it. I think he knows what I am talking about.

18 Reply by Max

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

That’s likely a defective headphone port then? A bit surprising because it gets tested in the factory prior to shipping out. Please request an RMA with your dealer or distributor and get the card serviced or replaced.

19 Reply by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2025-12-19 23:08:53)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Ok,
after countless attempts on various configurations I found out that the correct function of the card depends on the selection of the PCIe slot to be used.
Apparently inserting a PCIe x4 card to any x16 slot does not work well.
The mobo has to be able to support bipurification in BIOS settings so as to divide correctly the x16 slots in order to support electrically the x4 AoX.
But even after this, in my case, I had to select the slot which connects straight to the CPU.
Yes, the card works, it not defective at all BUT configuring the BIOS and choosing the correct slot was the key in my case.
I use the card on a GA Z390 UD.
I will be back with more details.

If anyone has the same experience pls share here

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

For others reading along:
Running 512 channels of real-time audio places a significant load on the system. Older mainboards, non-optimized systems, or specific hardware limitations—such as system configuration details or PCIe slot capabilities (as you just discovered)—may not be able to handle this reliably.

Oftentimes, such a high channel count isn't required. That's why the settings dialog includes a channel count selector. Reducing the channel count to 256 or 128 dramatically lowers the load on the PCIe bus and is a very good first troubleshooting step when encountering issues like the ones described above.

Best regards
Marc

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

P.S. I'm very happy to hear that you've been able to figure that out! Never heard of such limitations before, it's good to know that if others have similar issues in the future!

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Marc S wrote:

P.S. I'm very happy to hear that you've been able to figure that out! Never heard of such limitations before, it's good to know that if others have similar issues in the future!

Thanks for replying Marc,
Yes I can now confirm that PCIe slot limitations was definately the issue.
I had to move the GPU card to another x16 slot and put the AoX M to the main PCIe slot to solve it completely(!)
Even Bifurcation, which is supported by the mobo, did it, as there were still signs of instability.
The AoX needs a REALLY STRONG supportive slot to operate up to its capacity.
In my case, with a GA Z390 UD, using the first/main PCIe slot was the only option.
I guess I have to speed up my upgrade intentions for a serious current tech PC setup.

Furthermore, even after the succesfull installation, I get distorted sound with other AVB devices, both MILAN and AM824.
Are there any other users which after installation have the same experience?

Here is my HIVE screenshot with AoX as CRF leader
https://fileport.io/mXXGFUxFSk1e

I get terrible distortion.

I could also provide the relevant HIVE dumb file

Thanks!

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Christmas! Best wishes to everybody!

I found some time to today to make more observations with the AoX M.
After hours of various configurations:
Apparently the distortion comes from the left channel.
In totalmix when you turn the balance L100, distortion dissapears.
When you turn the balance R100 clean audio signal on the right channel, but then even at R100 you can still hear pops and glitsches on the Left channel.

I don't know if these observations make any sense to developers and engineers.

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

On which channel do you turn balance to L100?
What is the signal flow?

There was a theory that the PC might have issues with the amount of channels.
What buffersizes and sample rates are in use?
Does the issue change (less frequent pops) if using bigger buffers?

Somewhere in another thread it sounded as if the amount of channels is configurable somewhere, if I didn't read or recap it wrong. If there is a function to limit the total number of channels for the card, did you try that to check whether it makes a difference? Sorry, I do not have such a card, I am in pure speculation mode.

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent
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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Thanks ramses,
all these parameters you mention (number of active channels, buffer size, sample rates etc) have been tested extensively and proved to be irrelevant with the noise. The card is well placed to a sufficient slot and there is no lack of resources, there is plenty of headroom in all aspects.

It looks to me that the problem is "volume" related.
Example (and funny fact!): When connected here https://www.radioswisspop.ch/de/webplayer and turn the volume of the web player to maximum (with totalmix fader @ 0db) the noise dissappears!
But then if you try to reduce the volume using the fader in totalmix, even with the slightest movement down the noise kicks in again!

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Hi,
I'm not entirely sure I understand where exactly you observe the distortion:
- On the card's headphones *only*, either with signal from the PC or from remote (Joyned) AVB devices
- On every output of the card, including AES3 and AVB outputs, which you use too feed Joyned AVB devices and listening to the signal there
With this information we can come up with a better troubleshooting strategy.

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Marc S wrote:

Hi,
I'm not entirely sure I understand where exactly you observe the distortion:
- On the card's headphones *only*, either with signal from the PC or from remote (Joyned) AVB devices
- On every output of the card, including AES3 and AVB outputs, which you use too feed Joyned AVB devices and listening to the signal there
With this information we can come up with a better troubleshooting strategy.

Marc, you are right
I did not clarify my situation AFTER the successful installation using a proper slot

- On the card's headphones *only*, either with signal from the PC or from remote (Joyned) AVB devices

NO, after the successful installation the headphones output is clean. In fact it is the only output to get undistorted sound now, works flawlessly.

- On every output of the card, including AES3 and AVB outputs, which you use too feed Joyned AVB devices and listening to the signal there
YES, that is the problem now. ALL digital outputs (MILAN, AES, MADI) give me distorted audio. I tested each and one of them independently, same result. At the beginning I thought it was only AVB related missmatch clocking but no..
Distortion comes mainly (if not only) from the left channel.

BUT, please take in account this strange (to me) condition that the audio clears when you feed the card with enhanced volume sources. For example when connected to https://www.radioswissjazz.ch/en/webplayer or https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_one and you turn to max the volume of the web player distortion dissapears, you have to have all faders in totalmix to 0db though, even the slightest move to decrease the volume and distortion kicks in again. I feel bit silly to describe this but this is excactly what happens.

So
Headphones output CLEAN
All digital outputs DISTORTED (with the exception described above)

thanks!

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

Sounds very strange, I would send in the card for checking and repair, ask the seller or contact RME service partner in your country.

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29 Reply by skioutsoukis (edited by skioutsoukis 2025-12-28 11:33:47)

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

waedi wrote:

Sounds very strange, I would send in the card for checking and repair, ask the seller or contact RME service partner in your country.

Thanks, but I have  the impression that it is not hardware issue, it looks to me more like a software/driver issue. I am not aware of the excact software mechanics but I have been reading some things about the importance of volume in bit excact applications, maybe there.. I don't know.

By the way, am I the only person on this planet facing such problems with the AoX M?
Can someone report here a successful installation and operation of the AoX M without such problems and possibly give me some hints?
Thanks smile

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Re: Just installed HDSPe AoX M - PROBLEMS (SOLVED!)

With the release of the latest Firmware version 1.5.0-67. ALL issues related to the integration of AoX M into my AVB ecosystem have been completely SOLVED.

This is trully a GREAT card, the AVB/MILAN technology behind it will get your experience to new levels on every aspect, trust me.

Thanks RME!