• Registered: 2008-09-01
  • Posts: 5

Topic: FF800 Pre-Amp Channels 7-10 Static, Pops, Sizzle with Condenser Mics

My FF800 has been working fine for 2.5 years.
I got a new condenser mics (AMT 350s) for my room drum mics.
I noticed very extreme popping sizzling, crackling noise where LED lights hitting towards unity.
This was only on one channel (7, I think).
I unplugged the condenser and put it in 8.
The problem then appeared in 8.
I unplugged my overheads in 9, the problem happened there.  When I plugged back the condenser I had in 9, the problem continued.
I then turned off phantom power and plugged in a dynamic (sm58).  No noise.
I then put the AMT 350 mic in my separate mixer -- clean, no noise whatsoever.
I checked cables, turned off my dac (logic), and rebooted, used a completely different condenser and preamps 7-9 are still unusable -- sounds like frying bacon.
Is my RME preamp chip blown?
If so, what caused it and how can I 1) repair it; and 2) avoid it in the future?

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: FF800 Pre-Amp Channels 7-10 Static, Pops, Sizzle with Condenser Mics

Not the preamp chip (dynamic mic works), but the phanton power supply or the protection circuit is broken and needs repair. And yes, pluggin/unplugging mics while phantom is on is dangerous.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-09-01
  • Posts: 5

Re: FF800 Pre-Amp Channels 7-10 Static, Pops, Sizzle with Condenser Mics

OK, thanks, I sent Jeff a note at Synthax, hopefully this can be fixed easily.