• From: Barcelona
  • Registered: 2011-01-28
  • Posts: 9

Topic: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

Greetings,

Since this is my first post, I'd like to say hi to everybody here. HI! smile

I have a pair of Yamaha MSP5 studio monitors connected to the outputs 1 & 2 of my Fireface 800. I usually work in Cubase and I use headphones most of the time,  but occasionally I need to check the "real" sound on the monitors. I have noticed that most of the times I turn on the monitors, Cubase stops responding and hangs. No other applications are affected as far as I know. This makes me think that maybe it's the Fireface who is affected by the peak power consumption of the monitors when being turned on. I'm not expert at electronics but that's the only thing I can guess.

Does anybody have the same problem here? How can I avoid it? You can imagine how harmful is to switch on the monitors and lose all the work...

I have also noticed that my Fireface produces lots of crackles and clicks when I set it at 96khz or higher frequency, but this only happens the first hours of use. The clicks disappear gradually as the interface temperature rises.

I'm using: Windows 7 64 bit, Fireface 800 driver ver. 3.034, Hardware Rev. 2.77

Cheers,
Alberto

  • vinark
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,779

Re: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

Only thing I can think of is a grounding issue in your system (at least make sure the monitors are grounded. Or if they already are, disconnect them from the ground and see what happens or if that doesn´t help, disconnect the shield of the cable which connects the fireface to the monitors at the side of the fireface, that is if you use balanced cabling there. If not try balanced cables). Sorry lot to try.....

Does it always happen?
Does the fireface still work for other programs for example windows media player? Or has it crashed completely? If yes, what you could try in a test situation, not with real work, is when this has happened and cubase hangs, is turning of the fireface. Now an error might pop up, but you might gain control over cubase again and save your work (but this is only as a last resort).
If you can´t find any grounding issues, it will be just a matter of closing cubase and turning of the fireface, before you turn on the monitors.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • From: Barcelona
  • Registered: 2011-01-28
  • Posts: 9

Re: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

Thank you very much for your reply.

I have tried plugging the monitors and the computer to different places. My computer was ground lifted (I haven't a properly grounded electric instalation), and I tried grounding all again, but the problem persists.

But I noticed something, when Cubase hangs, it continues playing the project, it's only that the screen is not refreshed anymore. This lead me to try different things... and I have discovered that, when Cubase is hanged, unplugging the USB cable of my Presonus Faderport brings it back to life O_O!

So, in the end, it seems to be a problem of the Faderport, or maybe the motherboard... who knows. I'm glad it's not the Fireface. :-)

Cheers,
Alberto

  • Registered: 2010-03-02
  • Posts: 16

Re: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

Man, you really should take a look on your electric installation... Computers must definitely be grounded, as well active monitors and external soundcards like FF800...
It seems to me that current spikes when you turn on the monitors, are interfering with system clock making it unstable...

  • Registered: 2007-06-16
  • Posts: 214

Re: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

About your FF800 crackling at 96Khz... Some FF800 devices have problems with the latest firmware, maybe tech support can tell you more about that...

  • From: Barcelona
  • Registered: 2011-01-28
  • Posts: 9

Re: Cubase hangs when turning on monitors connected to Fireface 800

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I'm not able to change my electric installation right now. Perhaps someday I could live in a flat with better electric installation and proper grounding.

I'll ask tech support about the crackling, but I'm afraid they will tell me to send the unit for repair...

Cheers,
Alberto