1 (edited by fenderchris 2011-10-06 08:52:28)

Topic: Several UFX questions

TotalMix is looking great, but I have a couple of questions:

1. I have two Steinberg MR816CSX interfaces connected to the UFX via ADAT. THe UFX sees them (we have Lock + Sync) but I am getting no levels on the TotalMix Inputs for any audio coming in via ADAT - What am I missing?

2. What is the standard wiring convention for balanced XLR-TRS connectors? - When I was using one of the MR816s as the main audio device I was able to connect from my DI boxes to the MR with XLR-XLR balanced cables, but I now have to re-wire them to XLR-TRS so that they will connect to the UFX.

2

Re: Several UFX questions

1. Either Loopback is active in those channels or the MR simply doesn't send a signal.

2. 1 to sleeve, 2 to tip, 3 to ring.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Several UFX questions

Thanks for the reply.

1. What is Loopback? - I've just taken the UFX out of the box and connected the MR's to it using the same ADAT cables. The MR's were sending ADAT audio prior to this.

All of the inputs that are not showing any audio are the ADATs 1-16 and AES - They all have 'UFL' in the level box just below 'M-S' - What does this mean?

The UFX's analogue inputs are all showing numbers in the same level boxes - these numbers are changing even though there is no audio present - is this normal?

2. Silly question, but does that apply to both ends of the cable (XLR and TRS Jack) ?

It is very nice to have a printed manual - but an Index would help!

Re: Several UFX questions

If I double click on the Level display (just below the 'M-S') in TotalMix, a message appears with the heading 'Display Value (No Entry)' and the legend 'Level Text Left'. If I then click  [Help] a message in German appears indicating that there is no help available.

What is going on?

Re: Several UFX questions

If I left-click in the Output section at the bottom of each channel strip and select an output destination, all channels are set to that same output (all of the Hardware Inputs + all of the Software Playback inputs).

How can I make the selection apply to only the channel I've selected?

I'm reading the manual!!!!!

Re: Several UFX questions

On page 57 of the English section of the user manual (27.3.1 Settings) there is a paragraph called 'Level' - Where is this on the channel strip?

Re: Several UFX questions

What is special about Outputs 1/2 ?

I realise that they have XLR connections, but apart from that are they any different to Outs 3-8 ?  (my previous interface, a Steinberg MR816CSX, had all TRS balanced outputs).

Can I use them for my Main speakers? - If so, how should the XLR connections be wired for balanced connections to my Mackie powered monitors? - I have 3 sets of monitors and would like to use outs 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6.

Re: Several UFX questions

The Index option of the HTML Help does not find the word 'Loopback' ! - Where is it in the Help?

Re: Several UFX questions

"Recording a Subgroup". You can download the pdf manual and search it.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: Several UFX questions

fenderchris wrote:

If I then click  [Help] a message in German appears indicating that there is no help available.

http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=10042

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: Several UFX questions

fenderchris wrote:

1. What is Loopback?

Loopback routes an output channel to the corresponding input. If you activate the loopback button on AN 1/2 output, then the same signal will be available to software on AN 1/2 input.

-I've just taken the UFX out of the box and connected the MR's to it using the same ADAT cables. The MR's were sending ADAT audio prior to this.

All of the inputs that are not showing any audio are the ADATs 1-16 and AES - They all have 'UFL' in the level box just below 'M-S' - What does this mean?

UFL is short for "underflow"; this indicates that there is no signal detected on the input. Basically, here it means that your MR's are not configured correctly for stand alone AD/DA converter operation.

The UFX's analogue inputs are all showing numbers in the same level boxes - these numbers are changing even though there is no audio present - is this normal?

Perfectly normal. You see the level of the input signal, or self-noise of the preamp/converter in the number.

2. Silly question, but does that apply to both ends of the cable (XLR and TRS Jack) ?

As explained already, pin 1 on XLR connects to sleeve on TRS, pin 2 (XLR) to tip (TRS) and pin 3 (XLR) to ring (TRS). You don't have to make your own cables, this is a common cable you can find in any music shop.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Re: Several UFX questions

You say you are reading the manual, but at least some of the answers to your questions are pretty easily found there. An index would be nice, I agree.  But the table of contents is not hard to skim.

1) Loopback - see page 79
2) TRS and XLR wiring - see page 97
3) XLR and TRS outs are all the same, just different jacks.  I run my main monitors on 1/2, and my second set of monitors on 3/4

As for not seeing ADAT signals, the UFX has options to limit the types of signals it sees.  This is a way to reduce bandwidth to ignore any signals you don't need.  One of these options is to ignore ADAT and AES signals, so if you are set up that way it would explain your situation.  Open the UFX settings panel (not TM, but the other RME icon you see in the task bar at the bottom right of your screen).  The icon is yellow/orange.  You'll see options for "bandwidth limit."  Make sure you select the option to use all ADAT and AES inputs.

As for routing within TM, it can be confusing at first, but intuitive once you play with it a little.  First thing I would do is click the box to use submix view.  It is much easier to navigate.  That way, when you click on any outputs, all of the faders, pans etc. for input and playback channels apply only to that output.

Good luck.

Re: Several UFX questions

Many thanks for your reply.

Page 79 in my manual relates to MACKIE  Control Protocol!

Page 97 is the Appendix and Trademarks!

I've opened the UFX Settings panel (it reads Fireface USB Settings and has 2 tabs: Fireface UFS(1) and 'About'). There is no "bandwidth limit." option - It just has boxes for Buffer Size (Latency), Options, Clock Mode and Input Status - nothing about "bandwidth limit."

Re: Several UFX questions

Pages 73 and 97 in the current manual... https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/fface_ufx_e.pdf

The USB driver does not have the "Limit Bandwidth" setting.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: Several UFX questions

Got everything synced-up and working at 48khz today - it is fantastic!

I'm linking two Steinberg MR816CSX units to the UFX via ADAT. The system completely overcomes the shortcomings of using multiple MR's on their own - TotalMix is amazing - zero-latency, although I'm getting very low latency with the system now even without direct-monitoring routing.

Re: Several UFX questions

fenderchris wrote:

Got everything synced-up and working at 48khz today - it is fantastic!

I'm linking two Steinberg MR816CSX units to the UFX via ADAT. The system completely overcomes the shortcomings of using multiple MR's on their own - TotalMix is amazing - zero-latency, although I'm getting very low latency with the system now even without direct-monitoring routing.

Hi,
Excellent news!
The stand alone setup on the MR is the hardest part. Once that is sorted out the rest is a breeze.
Now you have a 28 channel analog mobile recorder! tongue

Chris

Chris Ludwig
North East USA Sales | Synthax/RME
www.facebook.com/RMEAmericas
Twitter @RMEAmericas

Re: Several UFX questions

I have 3 pairs of monitors - Big, Med, Small.

I use Nuendo-5 and a SmartAv Tango control surface that enable me to switch at the touch of a button between the three pairs (at least that is what was happening when I was using a Steinberg MR816 interface). The Stereo mix would simply be routed to a single pair of outputs on the interface, depending upon which one was selected.

That no longer seems to work with UFX/TotalMix.

The monitor pairs are connected to UFX outputs 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6. With these hardware output faders pushed up in Totalmix, and with TotalMix closed, I can hear audio out of all three monitor pairs at the same time regardless of which pair is selected on the control surface.

I can see that a second pair of monitors (Speak. B) can be set up in TotalMix, but I need 3 pairs and also do not want to have to open TotalMix everytime I need to swap monitors.

How can I get the system to switch between the monitors as normal?

Re: Several UFX questions

Hi,
Is Smart AV using Nuendo's studio section to do this A/B speaker switching?

Chris

Chris Ludwig
North East USA Sales | Synthax/RME
www.facebook.com/RMEAmericas
Twitter @RMEAmericas

19 (edited by fenderchris 2011-10-08 17:33:36)

Re: Several UFX questions

ChrisLudwig wrote:

Hi,
Is Smart AV using Nuendo's studio section to do this A/B speaker switching?

Chris

Hi Chris,

It uses the Control Room section.

It just routes the stereo mix directly to one of 3 pairs of outputs (in my case 1/2, 34/ or 5/6 - A/B/C)

Re: Several UFX questions

Hi ,
Ok then you should not be using the Totalmix FX along with Total Mixes routing as well as the Nuendo Control Room.
Using the 2 together will lead to mis-routing and confusion most likely. You need to use the Output monitoring option in Nuendo or Total Mix not both. You can still use the knobs on the UFX to control individual hardware outputs to the speakers and head headphone but the the switching should be happening in Nuendo//Smart AV.

Here are examples setups.

VST Connections Outputs

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/vst%20connection%20outputs.png

VST Studio and Control Room setup

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/forum/Studio%20connections%20and%20Control%20room.png

Total Mix FX Mixer setup

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/forum/TMFX-N5studio.png

Total Mix FX Matrix view

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/forum/TMFX-Matrix%20N5%20Studio.png


You can still us Total Mix Fx to do routing beyond what Nuendo's Studio section can do just be careful not to route signals to the same channels Nuendo is using for it's studio section.
Total Mix FX is still usable for hardware monitoring as well as with Nuendo's Direct Monitoring. This should interfere with you studio setup.

Thanks Chris

Chris Ludwig
North East USA Sales | Synthax/RME
www.facebook.com/RMEAmericas
Twitter @RMEAmericas

Re: Several UFX questions

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for your help.

Everything is now set up correctly and working well. :-)