1 Topic by tzzsmk (edited by tzzsmk 2019-06-25 17:12:54)

  • tzzsmk
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Topic: HDSPe AIO, TotalMix and Bluecat Patchwork Standalone (MacOS)

Hello again friends,

I'm exploring ways to calibrate my studio monitors "realtime", with help of RME Loopback feature and standalone software plugin host, here's current setup:

RME HDSPe AIO, latest Mac OS X driver Version 4.12,
MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G65) system
Blue Cat's PatchWork Version 2.31 application
IK Multimedia ARC 2 Version 2.5 (7H01) plugin

in TotalMix FX I use first 2 software playback channels (Analog 1/2) as "SOURCE"
AES hardware output in Loopback mode to send signal into Patchwork, named "LOOP"
Patchwork is running at 96kHz with 128 samples Buffer (3.8ms latency), and only one instance of ARC2 callibration system plugin
second 2 software playback channels (Phones) as "ARC2" output from Patchwork
Main output to feed monitors is hardware output Analog 1/2
in HDSPe Settings I have Clock Mode set as AutoSync, and System Clock shows Mode Master at 96000Hz,

now the problem is, some software like for ex. Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 16 (Beta 4) does not play any sound through Patchwork, only if I kill Patchwork, reload it with 48000Hz samplerate (to match project in Resolve) and open Resolve again;
on the other hand for ex. Reaper DAW (which syncs automatically, and can run project at any given samplerate, regardless of source files used), or Google Chrome (can't really say if it upsamples itself too) do play sound without any problems;

how exactly is RME HDSPe AIO treating the clock mode sync'ing from MacOS applications?
I assume it tries to snatch most "top" application as master, or allow multi-client operation within CoreAudio driver, but that is bound to fail if applications of various samplerates try to communicate together while using Loopback functionality in TotalMix FX, respectively internal onboard RME DSP?

screenshot of the setup:
https://i.imgur.com/kGot0df.png

HDSPe AIO, ADI-2 DAC, Fireface UFX, Octamic D, Octamic II
Reaper, High Sierra
  • tom74
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Re: HDSPe AIO, TotalMix and Bluecat Patchwork Standalone (MacOS)

Hello,

I believe you have the same issue as mentioned in this thread:

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=15349

Good Luck!

Multiface, Digiface, Raydat

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: HDSPe AIO, TotalMix and Bluecat Patchwork Standalone (MacOS)

I have a feeling that your whole description boils down to Blackmagic only working in 48 kHz. Or is limited to such because it plays a 48 kHz project. AFAIK software can have preferences where you allow resampling or not. The HDSPe AIO is not responsible for that, it only communicates with Core Audio.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

4 Reply by tzzsmk (edited by tzzsmk 2019-06-26 13:38:56)

  • tzzsmk
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Re: HDSPe AIO, TotalMix and Bluecat Patchwork Standalone (MacOS)

@tom74 hmm that sounds like similar issue, but should not happen such way,
because on Windows there's WDM (used by Windows and apps like Chrome) and ASIO (used by DAWs and other professional audio apps),
on MacOS though, there's only CoreAudio, so by design it should not cause issues like that;

@MC oh I think I didn't properly described the operation, Reaper by default settings which I use does automatically handle samplerate, regardless of audio interface, project settings, or project audio files, out of the box it just works, because it "accepts" aforementioned 96kHz,
if I go into Reaper settings and explicitly request different samplerate from the audio interface, then it fails to produce sound (but visually playback in Reaper starts, similarly as indicators in Blackmagic do show theoretical audio playing)
that confuses me even more, because my common experience with mismatched samplerates usually cause either playback fail to start, or playback speed be faster or slower (neither of it happening in this case);

I've been thinking about the whole route setup, and I wonder this (not sure if the question makes sense):
if I use internal RME Loopback, does it "lockdown samplerate inside itself", so the input samplerate is same as output samplerate, or does it handle some internal dynamic clock (such as for ex. SteadyClock when multiple ADAT sources don't crackle, even with no WordClock cables used) ? (I assume there shouldn't be any "internal ADDA conversion" happening)
I can clearly see in the heading of TotalMix FX window a certain samplerate, but since RME interfaces do support multiclient operation at varied samplerates, what exactly such number represents on TotalMix FX?

HDSPe AIO, ADI-2 DAC, Fireface UFX, Octamic D, Octamic II
Reaper, High Sierra

5 Reply by MC

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Re: HDSPe AIO, TotalMix and Bluecat Patchwork Standalone (MacOS)

> but since RME interfaces do support multiclient operation at varied samplerates, what exactly such number represents on TotalMix FX

We don't. It is always the OS doing the resampling (WDM in Windows, Core Audo in Mac OS). Otherwise it is not possible.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website