• hedac
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Topic: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

I have the Fireface 400 Firewire.. Used without problems for years now...  But recently I'm seeing that it drops audio and red light appears right when I switch on the microphone (Rode K2).
The procedure is simple. The cable is connected to Input 1, microphone OFF, Input level around 30. Then I switch ON the microphone and Fireface stops responding. I have to unplug the firewire and and plug it again and then it works and I can record with the mic. But it's annoying and I don't know if I can damage the fireface or the mic.
I need some advice. Thanks

  • Max
  • Max
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  • Registered: 2007-05-09
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

Hi,
a) does this problem occur if you leave the k2 switched on and plug in the XLR instead of using the switch?
b) does this problem occur if you use a different microphone?
Regards,
Max

  • hedac
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

Hi. thank you for the reply
I tried a) and now it doesn't happen!  I wonder why... is this the normal procedure? One thing worries me is that I've been switching on with the cable plugged many times and it didn't happen before. Maybe I damaged something? I was having the cable connected all the time because I'm lazy to plug and unplug the cable each time. But I guess from now on.. I will switch on the microphone and then plug in the cable to the fireface.   

I had read this in the manual of the K2
"Having ensured that the power supply is set to the
correct voltage you can begin to connect the K2
to the power supply. Do not connect the power to
the mains before connecting the microphone"

But maybe it's only the microphone itself.. not the cable to the fireface...

I don't have any other microphone now to test option b)

Thanks!

  • hedac
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

this is getting strange now...
now fireface disconnects when I turn on the microphone even if I don't have the mic plugged into the fireface but only if I have the sequencer running.
maybe it is an electrical problem in my installation... Could it be a ground problem or something that generates a spike and then the fireface disconnects? I have it using the power from the firewire cable.

I'm going to try to use the power adaptor now and see the results.

5 Reply by hedac (edited by hedac 2010-10-03 12:53:13)

  • hedac
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

using the power cable instead of power from firewire.. works perfectly now. I've noticed that the unit maybe is hotter.. but maybe it's normal when using power cable.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

What kind of PC and FW interface is this?


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • hedac
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Re: Fireface 400 drops connection right after switching on the mic

it's an asus motherboard P5B deluxe, with texas instruments firewire chip.