Topic: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

I'm having an unusual and frustrating problem that only started occurring after I recently updated my drivers and TotalMix.

During playback in Pro Tools and Logic, I am getting output in my Main Outputs in TotalMix (Outputs 3/4 which have been assigned to my monitors), but not in either of my headphone outputs - which are set to the default 9/10, 11/12. In fact, in Totalmix, the faders for both of these outputs indicate no audio passing through them whatsoever, even when the faders are turned all the way up. I've never had this issue before. I have the latest drivers and software versions installed and I've tried resetting my Macbook, my DAWs, etc. - all to no avail. Is there some new added functionality in the latest updates that I'm missing which has somehow circumvented my previous routing...? Help is needed. Thanks!

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Hi,
wich faders you turned up? playback or Output?

Fireface UFX | Fireface800 | Babyface | Octamic II | ADI-2 | ADI-648 | Audient asp 008

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Both - both the Software Playback and Hardware Output faders are turned up for 9/10, 11/12 (Headphones).

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Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

And do you play back a signal on channels 9 to 12 so there is something to be routed?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

I'm just playing back audio in my DAW which typically automatically routes to the headphone outputs and the main outputs (unless changed). For some reason, it is completely bypassing the headphone outputs altogether and sending no audio to them. Same thing is happening in two different DAWs - Pro Tools and Logic (both of which have had no settings changed). I can only imagine that TotalMix is the problem at this point. Everything seems to be routed correctly in TotalMix's I/O section as well. Am I just missing something glaringly obvious?

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Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Yes, telling us exactly what you see. TotalMix FX second row: any level meter activity on channels 9 to 12 (in your first post you mentioned only faders, not level meters)? If not then your DAWs are NOT sending signals to these outputs and need to be reconfigured to do so.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Hi Matthias,

I experience the same problem, luckily only on 1 of the 2 headphone outputs.
To illustrate it, I configured my DAW such that audio was routed to AN1/2, PH9/10 and PH11/12 as you can see in this picture
TotalMix Window showing audio on 3 SW outputs
All 3 outputs Main, Phones 1 and Phones 2 are configured equally, to transfer sound from all 3 SW outputs at 0 dB.
TotalMix Window showing Phones 1 and 2 and Main outputs with meter activity only on Phones 2 and Main
As you can see, both the Main and Phones 2 output meters show activity, but the Phones 1 meters are not showing anything at all.

I noticed this issue initially while I was doing a live recording and stood up with my headphones on. It yanked the cable, so I expected to have broken a solder joint in the FireFace UFX 'PHONES 9/10' output port.

But what surprises me is that there is also no activity on the meters in TotalMix. So could I have accidentally enabled some mute function that I am not aware of?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Jan

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Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Do a 'Total Reset' under Options and see if it starts working again.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Thanks Matthias, That dit it !!

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Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Ok. From time to time, caused by either strange events or sometimes updates of the program while using very old workspaces, parts of the current snapshot/workspace get corrupted and then screw the mixing/routing. If your setup was important and is still available as file you could send it to us and we could try to fix it.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

Thanks for the info. I hardly ever save setups (too many things I would have to remember). The one or two I did have, I can recreate myself.
Kind regards,
Jan

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

I had the same problem with my UFX.  I've written to the rme service who eventually told me to ship the card to a repair center.  The repaur center told me to ship it to a music store wich will ship it to them.  Minimal cost 15-$ dollarss just to diagnose.  Plus the fixing plus the shipping plus labour you average a price of 600$.  So I've  made my research on forums and found out that a lot of people have the same issue and there is some solutions.  I also have a rme firewire 800 wich I changed the power suplly a couple years ago (what another power supply problem?).  So I placed that PS in my UFX and BINGO!  I think that in most of cases you see everything moving on your UFX but no sound out, try the power supply.  They sale the unit for about 150 dollars on rme site wich is way less than a new UFX card.  But its a shame that RME won't recognize they have a design problem with their power supply.  They all will eventually break!!! (I've know to much persons who had the same problem) I've talk to a former representative in canada and he told me that RME knows about this issue but they will just pretend they don't.  Don't get me wrong,  I love my UFX more then my FW800 and more than a lot of sound card on the market.  But when you pay more than 2k for a soundcard it would be nice they would offer a replacement card for way less money,  knowing that its their fault.  Especially when we all know that those power supply costs a couple of box to broduce. Good luck all.

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Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

First: It seems you posted in a wrong thread, this is about TMFX, not what you wrote about.

Second it is US in numerous posts who point out that the power supply might be broken, so how can you come up with this false statement:

>  But its a shame that RME won't recognize they have a design problem with their power supply.  They all will eventually break!!! (I've know to much persons who had the same problem) I've talk to a former representative in canada and he told me that RME knows about this issue but they will just pretend they don't

And the power supplies that you refer to are not sold by RME. It's a dutch company that sells all kinds of RME spare parts online.

Finally:
> But when you pay more than 2k for a soundcard it would be nice they would offer a replacement card for way less money,  knowing that its their fault.

It is not our fault. Electronics have a limited lifetime. The parts that typically break in the power supply are specified correctly and should perform as intended. If they don't do anymore after some years of constant usage then this is a) nothing we could predict, b) a fully normal issue with electronics, and c) can be repaired for a reasonable amount of money, as you have proven. Getting this repaired directly at RME after the warranty period is over is no requirement.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

MC wrote:

Do a 'Total Reset' under Options and see if it starts working again.

Hello RME,
I have a brand new Fireface UFX III and only my 11/12 headphone jack is working and showing signal in TotalMix.  My 9/10 head phone jack does not seem to work.  I did a 'Total Reset' under Options several times, but it still does not work.  How can I resolve this issue?

Re: No sound in headphone outputs - Fireface UFX

banski wrote:
MC wrote:

Do a 'Total Reset' under Options and see if it starts working again.

Hello RME,
I have a brand new Fireface UFX III and only my 11/12 headphone jack is working and showing signal in TotalMix.  My 9/10 head phone jack does not seem to work.  I did a 'Total Reset' under Options several times, but it still does not work.  How can I resolve this issue?


I have exactly the same problem! Brand new UFX2! Headphones works only randomly. It’s a 2100 Dollar Interface, whats wrong, RME? Is it a well known hardware issue or a driver thing? All Software is up to date in my case. What to do??