Hi I did submit a request for support to the RME suppliers in the UK but after some questions in response, which I answered, they went away on holiday, but I’ve completed a full set of tests - with no obvious solution to me - and submitted that today. It is very long and I set it out here in case you’re interetsted - if there is anything that you can suggest plese let me know?
RME Soundcard Issue
I’m running both Cubase Pro 14 and Wavelab Pro 12 on Windows 11 using an RME 9652 (drivers are up to date). However, there is an issue with white noise which appears when record is enabled and monitored in both apps. I’ve also checked in Ableton Live and the same issue occurs; when I activate the record enable it shows the white noise in the monitors and when I activate the audition/monitor I can hear it - and it is the same noise as in Wavelab and Cubase. I have also disabled all 3rd party plugins in Cubase and the issue is still there. So, I do not think it is the software apps. I’ve tested the cables (ie switched them round and they all work fine).
The Setup is this:
The RME has 3 ADAT slots, The first 2 slots (channels 1-16) of the RME go out to an 01v96v2 via the 2 ADAT inputs into the 01v96’s second-layer of channels 17-32. The RME card is sent channels 1-16 from the 01v96, (ie the 16 analogue inputs on the top layer channels 1-16) which are sent out direct out from the 01v96 to the first 2 ADAT IN slots channels 1-16 on the RME Card. The Spdif is connected to a Lexicon MPX 1 and syncs ok at 44.1 in the RME Settings.
The 3rd ADAT slot OUT on the RME (Channels 17-24) goes direct to an ALESIS AI-3 which has 8 analogue in and outs, sending analogue signals to outboard gear and acting as a patch bay. The ADTA out is sent back into the RME 3rd ADAT Slot IN on channels 17-24. As all the outboard equipment has two sets of analogue outputs each (balanced and unbalanced) I can also monitor the signals by sending the unbalanced outputs to the analogue inputs on the 01v96 channels 1-16 on the top layer, which route to the stereo out.
The clocking: In the Settings for the RME everything (the 3 ADAT Slots and Word Clock) is synced, and I have Word clock sent from the 01v via the BNC cable to the RME. The 01v is synced too (and always shows flashing error messages when not properly synced). Cubase is set to external word clock. Everything is set to 44.1 in the 01v and the ALESIS but the sample rate in the RME settings window is greyed out; it shows as 44.1 in the Cubase Audio System. I have tried similar tests at 48k too and the same issue occurs. I have also swapped the BNC cable but whether I choose external clock or internal clock the white noise is present but only on the inputs.
When I tried using no BNC cable and syncing to external clock in Cubase with Adat from the 01v. The 01v locks - it always gives a flashing warning when not synced and that was not flashing - the RME settings show no word clock sync but the Adat 2 is synced (this was the only connected Adat) if I select word clock source as ‘Adat 2 In’ it shows in the settings as current: Adat 2. If I then select Adat Sync from the REM Settings it still shows Current: ADAT 2. But in either case the white noise remains.
In both Wavelab and Cubase everything plays back fine through all the equipment. Any audio files or VST instruments in both apps can be sent to any of the outputs – which I can monitor via the 01v96 main stereo bus out to the speaker monitors and there is no white noise.
However, when I raise any of the input faders in Cubase it shows white noise. When I try to record audio ie activate the record and the monitor icon in Wavelab or Cubase I get white noise, this happens even when just activating the monitor icon. The white noise is visible in the channel when the input fader is raised, and this occurs on all 24 inputs and the SpDif. The white noise does not show in the RME Total Mix software when the input channel fader is raised nor when the record icon is enabled, however, it does show when the monitor icon is activated. The white noise shows in the Hardware output channel and the software output channel of the RME at this point. It only becomes audible and visible in the 01v when the monitor icon is activated too.
Also, on the Spdif channel which is sent to a Lexicon MPX 1 completely independent of Cubase and the 01v and the Alesis, white noise shows in that input channel when the fader is raised in Cubase, and when a signal is sent from Cubase via the Spdif and the record track is record enabled to receive the Spdif signal back from the Lexicon MPX 1 the white noise appears.
The white noise is visible in the input track and the audio track it is being recoded on and the stereo out. It shows in the Hardware Output in Total Mix and in the corresponding Software Playback, but it is only audible when a signal is being sent to the MPX 1 as a mix of white noise and the signal. If the signal is stopped the white noise remains visible exactly as just described but is no longer audible. Lowering the input fader in Cubase removes the white noise from being visible. When it is raised again without a signal being sent to the MPX 1 the white noise shows in the input, the record and monitor enabled audio track, the stereo out and in the Hardware Output in Total Mix and in the corresponding Software Playback, but it is not audible! If an audio signal from a track is played and sent to the stereo out, it is not audible if the record enable and monitor is set but does become audible when the monitor I deactivated. The white noise signal also then stops in all windows.
I have tested it by turning off the ALESIS but leaving the ADAT connections connected and there no white noise showing nor any audible white noise when record or monitor is enabled. When this first started the Alesis showed white noise in the Hardware inputs in Total Mix when the Alesis was turned on - I took out the cables to see if that would have any effect on the 01v issues (even though they are not directly connected) but it did not. However, when I replaced the cables and switched on the Alesis the constant white noise stopped showing in the Total Mix. However, when it is turned on it still shows on the inputs when the input faders are raised, it does now show when record is enabled on the track receiving the signal, and does not show in Total Mix in either of those circumstances either. However, it does show and is audible when record and monitor is enabled in Cubase. It shows in both hardware output and software playback in Total Mix.
Even when the Alesis is removed from the RME ie the cables removed from the slots in the card, the 01v still shows white noise in Cubase when any of the input channels 1-16 of the RME input slots 1 and 2 in Cubase are pushed up.
If I send a signal into channel 1 on the 01v and direct out to Channel 1 on Slot 1 of the RME Adat in, it shows in the Hardware Input channel in Total Mix with no white noise. When the fader is raised on the Channel 1 input in Cubase it shows both the white noise and the audio signal. When the record is enabled and monitored via Cubase the white noise and audio signal are present. However, there is a noticeably different noise in this slot, more like distortion and a hum together with the white noise but the electric piano sound being sent to the channel is audible as a distorted piano. I can send the signal coming from the input directly to the RME without being sent to the stereo output bus or can send it to both. When I monitor the input via the stereo bus the signal is clean. So the distortion is being added on the way out to the RME or by the RME.
When I try the same test on channel 2 the same things happens but the distortion is more like high frequency distortion and white noise but different from the Alesis white noise on Slot 3.
When I try the same test on channels 9-16 going direct out of the 01v to Adat Slot 2 Channels 9-16 there is no signal showing in the Hardware inputs in Total Mix. There is a signal going into the 01v which is sent to both direct out to the Slot 2 on the RME and the stereo out on the 01v. There is definitely a signal being inputted as it is being monitored but nothing shows in any of the 8 ADAT Slot 2 channels; I sent a signal into all 8 to test them. But ADAT slot 2 outputs work fine. It sends 8 channels out into the 01v channels 25-32 on the lower level and all of them work. I use channels 7/8 of Slot 2 for my main stereo out of Cubase to channels 31/32 of the 01v and that and the other 96 channels all work fine. I’ve switched the cables round to check whether it is the cable, but the outputs work fine on both cables.
I also tested the Alesis separate from the RME Card by connecting the Alesis to receive signals from one of the 01v ADAT slots so I can monitor the Adat signal back from the Alesis and it works fine into the 01v on Adat. I have sent a stereo signal from Cubase to the 01v via Adat, then to the Alesis from the 01v via the second Adat slot, then out of the Alesis to a hardware device, a TLA Compressor, which is then sent back to the Alesis in analogue and back to the 01v via Adat - and there is no white noise in either case. Does this mean I can discount the Alesis as being the issue?
I then tested this by trying to record the returned Adat signal from the Alesis via the 01v into in Cubase, and the white noise appears again both the analogue signal being sent to record and the white noise are present
I have tested for white noise on the outboard gear by plugging into the Instrument inputs and play directly through these outboard preamps to the 01v96 without the RME being used. All of these play fine as there is no white noise when I send a signal out through the outboard analogue gear directly into the analogue channels 1-16 on the 01v or plug an instrument into the instrument jack input.
There is no white noise when signals are sent out of Cubase through the RME to the ALESIS (channels 17-24) and on to outboard gear via the analogue outputs and back to the 01v analogue channels. There is no white noise when Cubase send s out a signal from the RME directly into the 01v from channels 1-16 of the RME (Slots 1 and 2) to channels 17-32 of the 01v the digital inputs on the second layer. So, everything works on the outputs except when record enabled.
I also ran a test with Direct monitoring on, in Cubase settings, when record enabled and monitor is activated, there is no audible white noise going to the 01v stereo output. But the white noise still shows in the Cubase input channels for all the RME inputs, slots 1 and 2 and the Alesis Slot 3 when the input fader is raised on any of the channels. When I enable recording and record the signal the white noise shows in the channel, although it cannot be heard, and the recorded signal is both the white noise and the audio being sent. If I record with Direct Monitoring off it also records both the input signal and the white noise.
This happens at all sample rates or buffersizes. and I have tested it at 44.1, 48 and 96 and it happens for each format.
I ran a test with nothing playing in Cubase so there is no signal being sent to the inputs, and with Direct Monitoring off, when record is enabled in Cubase on an audio track to receive a signal from an input channel, when the input fader is raised (by default they are all lowered) – white noise shows in the input channel – when record in enabled and monitor is activated – the white noise is now becomes audible via the stereo output bus where the audio track is routed to. In Total Mix in the Hardware Outputs, the channel for the stereo out bus – where the audio track is being routed to shows the white noise.
When I activate that Hardware output track, the corresponding software playback channel also shows the white noise, the fader is up at 0 (by default I think). If I bring that fader down the white noise stops being audible and is no longer visible in the Hardware output. But it is still visible in the software output. If I then bring down the input fader in Cubase the white noise also stops showing in the software playback channel in Total Mix.
The white noise does not show in the Total Mix software playback channel if all I do in Cubase is raise an input slider, but it shows in Cubase. Nor does it show in the Total Mix software playback channel when the Cubase track is only enabled for record from that input channel. But it does show in the Total Mix software playback channel when the Cubase monitor is then enabled provided the fader is up.
I also ran a test to record the above but with the Software Playback lowered and the white noise was recorded.
I have tested external signals from the analogue inputs on the 01v to RME Total Mix direct as you suggested (ie without the DAW) and there is no white noise or distortion on these signals.
When both the 01v and the Alesis are switched off there is nothing showing as white noise in either the Total Mix Hardware inputs nor in Cubase even with the faders up and the monitor and record activated. When the Alesis only is switched on the white noise appears in the RME Hardware inputs and on the inputs in Cubase when the gain is raised.
Also, even when record on the audio channel in Cubase is deactivated, but the monitor is activated the white noise appears, but with record only enabled (and no monitor on) there is nothing in the Cubase audio channel nor in the Total Mix software outputs or Hardware Playback.
When I had it set so the 01v was receiving word clock from the RME and Cubase was set to internal clock the word clock in the RME settings box was not synced, does that indicate just no external source? I was not sure whether this was normal or not - it was locked ok in the 01v - and if that is normal I would prefer to sync from the RME and can set it back to that. Either way the white noise was still present throughout. It is currently externally synced to the 01v.
One final point that might be useful. The 01v has spdif in/out to which I have connected a Roland VM-3100 when I switch the 01v word clock to that the white noise goes temporarily as it tries to sync to the Roland but once synced the white noise comes back.
I think I have tried every test I can think of, but nothing seems to point to where the issue is. It only happened when record enabled is activated whether in Cubase or Ableton Live. It happens with a separate processor, the MPX 1, and the Alesis which is normally separate to the 01v and linked to the RME Slot 3. Other than when trying to record everything works as it should. Vince