Problem: RME Fireface400 > MacBook Pro

**andretoscano** · **09-03-09, 07:57 AM**

Hi again.

Having configured and measured the Presonus Audiobox USB, I would really like to use my RME Fireface400 as I believe it is a much superior product.
However, I'm having some trouble configuring the unit to work with REW.

Here's what I've done so far:

1. Selected the Fireface400 as my Default Unit in the Sound Preferences

2. Left the Default Device option menu selectic (as it was by default)

3. Connected a loopback cable from Output 1 into the front panel Input 1 (tried with both a balanced and an unbalanced cable)

4. Started the measurement option in the REW panel so I could adjust the levels, just as I did for the Presonus

5. REW sends the test tone to the outputs. But I only get chaotic pulses at the input meter bars.

6. Checked the RME Fireface mixer:

6.1. Levels are coming out ok from the Playback outputs
6.2. Levels are being correctly routed to the physical outputs
6.3. Levels seem to be coming in correctly at the physical input 1
6.4. The physical input is not being routed to any outputs so as not to create feedback loops

So I'm guessing this is probably some driver/software/version/bug issue with REW and the Fireface/OS X (10.5.8) ?
Has anyone faced a similar behavior with a RME Fireface400 under Mac OS X?

Thanks for your help.

Best regards from Lisbon.

André Toscano

**brucek** · **09-03-09, 08:33 AM**

Quote:

So I'm guessing this is probably

Firewire 1394 soundcard inputs do not work with Apples Java implementation - this holds true even when the card is selected as default.

Only external USB or internal audio cards are allowed with REW on a Mac.

brucek

**andretoscano** · **09-03-09, 08:55 AM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

Firewire 1394 soundcard inputs do not work with Apples Java implementation - this holds true even when the card is selected as default.

Only external USB or internal audio cards are allowed with REW on a Mac.

brucek

Thank you for your quick reply and info.
And... what a shame!
Such a nice soundcard with good converters... it would make a superb multichannel analysis tool... oh well...

Best regards.

André Toscano

**brucek** · **09-03-09, 09:33 AM**

Quote:

Such a nice soundcard with good converters... it would make a superb multichannel analysis tool... oh well...

I guess if you're a Mac guy, I won't suggest using it on a PC........

brucek

**andretoscano** · **09-03-09, 10:15 AM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

I guess if you're a Mac guy, I won't suggest using it on a PC........

brucek

I'm not really a fan of the Mac vs Win debate. If it works, it works. Not a fundamentalist here.
Truth is the last time I used a Windows computer was in 1997. I'd have to buy something new and the cost would defeat the purpose. From the little that I know (and am able to understand) I like this REW software. I would like to learn a lot more about this stuff (acoustics, analysis, etc.) and this looks like an excellent place to start.
But this (paid) software (faberacoustical.com/products/electroacoustics_toolbox) would work with what I have and it would be cheaper than buying a new laptop.

I mean.... I guess. Windows laptops are probably cheaper than Mac's. I'll have to check what's available out there.
Thanks anyway.

Best regards.

André

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **09-03-09, 10:57 AM**

Quote:

andretoscano wrote:

Having configured and measured the Presonus Audiobox USB, I would really like to use my RME Fireface400 as I believe it is a much superior product.

Quote:

andretoscano wrote:

Such a nice soundcard with good converters... it would make a superb multichannel analysis tool... oh well...

None of that matters for using REW. The soundcard calibration routine allows even the cheapest soundcards to work fine. I'm using a basic Creative card that only cost $35.

Regards,
Wayne

**andretoscano** · **09-03-09, 11:08 AM**

Quote:

Wayne A. Pflughaupt wrote:

None of that matters for using REW. The soundcard calibration routine allows even the cheapest soundcards to work fine. I'm using a basic Creative card that only cost $35.

Well... yeah, I guess. But somehow it doesn't feel right using a cheaper product in favor of a superior product that I already have.
Truth is that the Presonus Audiobox is the only other USB card I can get hold of right now, so it will probably have to do. But if it stops just below 20 kHz... maybe ok for acoustics work. Not too sure about using it for analysis of analog pre-amplifier frequency response curves and stuff like that. I'd probably need a higher sampling rate and more stable converters to do that. At least, the way I see it (as an almost-layman regarding this stuff). But I digress here.

Best regards.

André

**JohnM** · **09-03-09, 01:36 PM**

Take a look at FuzzMeasure also, which is a very good paid OS X app. http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/FuzzMeasure/

**andretoscano** · **09-03-09, 03:10 PM**

Quote:

JohnM wrote:

Take a look at FuzzMeasure also, which is a very good paid OS X app. http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/FuzzMeasure/

Thank you for this info. Looks like a good piece of software for a third of the price of the Electroacoustics Toolbox.

Thing is I like this sense of community you guys have here, so I wouldn't like to get away from REW yet. I will try to use Bootcamp in my Mac, get some Windows installation and see if I can use the Fireface400 that way. If not, I'll use the Presonus Audiobox. I have a lot to learn here. Not a time to get away.

Best regards.

André Toscano

**fitzj** · **09-30-09, 03:59 AM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

I guess if you're a Mac guy, I won't suggest using it on a PC........

brucek

This is a familiar setup for me and I use a PC. So it should work for me.

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