• Arnot
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  • Registered: 2012-09-11
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

Well, I bit the bullet a couple of weeks ago and bought the UCX after a year of deciding just what to do.

I bought it partially as the interface for audio testing and analysis and partially to be able to do my own high quality recordings for subjective comparison testing of loudspeakers ( I design and make 'em)

So far so good, the UCX is excellent quality and seems to do just what I want. So far I have had no problems interfacing with test and analysis software.

Totalmix is a bit of a conundrum, good in parts, concise and accurate but almost counterintuitive. For some reason the only way I can get it to work is to connect the swtiched on UCX via USB to the newly switched on quad core windows 7 64bit machine. Then it just comes up and works. If I switch it off or unplug the UCX, then the only way I can get it back is to reboot the computer… Am I missing something here or have I got a problem with the software installation?

The only real problem I have is that I can’t turn the mic inputs totally off. I can turn them down to display 00 on the display on the UCX, I can turn them down to display infinity on Totalmix. However, there is still an input which can be both monitored and recorded. By the way I am using Reaper and Audacity to record with and both have the same problem of spurious input.

Because I am showing infinity on both UCX and Totalmix, I’m not sure what the true level is but would guess at about -20. It’s enough to make reasonable recordings once normalised and without too much noise. Not good but perfectly audible like 128K MP3.

I have tried everything I know (not much at this stage) today and had no success at all, can anyone tell me where I am going wrong or point me in the right direction please?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,783

Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

The gain control is not an attenuator. Zero dB gain means the mic signal still comes in with its original level. This means the signal will indeed always be recordable.

Faders in TM, however, will attenuate all the way. If you are not getting the desired effect, your fader is not controlling the level /routing you want controlled...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Arnot
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  • Registered: 2012-09-11
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Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

Hi Daniel, thanks for the fast response...

If the gain control is not an attenuator then what exactly is it? Logically I expected that if I turned it up and got a higher level (and I do) then when I turned it to zero I would get - zero? As it is, if I turn it up then the signal and clip lights on the UCX register this increased sensetivity.

Any software (including TM) I am connected to also shows control over level but only down to a floor level. One point though, the fader on the input channel in TM does not track the control on the UCX and vice versa.

You are absolutely correct in saying that I am not getting the desired effect, the question is how can I :-)

I am sure that it was OK a few days ago and this problem has just started (but I may be wrong), could it be that a hard reset would help? If so how do I do this?

Arnot

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,783

Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

Gain means amplification. With no amplification (and no attenuation, either, because that is not what the gain control does), the mic signal will remain exactly as it goes into the input. And it will go into your audio software that way...

As for the mixer, try this tutorial for a refresher... If specific questions remain, let me know. Hard to tell what you are doing wrong without seeing what you do.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Arnot
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  • Registered: 2012-09-11
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Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

Missing link? ;-)

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,783

Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5039

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2011-05-04
  • Posts: 249

Re: Is it me or is it the UCX? Can't turn mic inputs fully off.

Regarding the Total Mix FX unavailable after plugging out, my Total Mix FX for UFX sometimes disappears from the notification area (right lower coner). I just log off and log on, and it comes back. Of course, to be able to log off, I have to save some data and quit several applications, but no big deal doing that. One day I wanted to track down why it happens, but it appears depending on the machine. Once I learned 'logging off fixes it', then I stop finding out the reason. OP may try this 'workaround'.