No audio coming through my audio interface/monitors...

[Dubersive]

Hey all,

I know this is an extremely noobish question, but I've searched and can't find much to help solve my simple dilemma.

I just received my Saffire PRO 40 a couple of days ago, and I've finally gotten around to hooking it up and everything. I just want to test it really, not trying to record. So I have my SH-101 plugged into the Saffire, via a Mic/Instrument Input with a 1/4" Jack. I have my Monitors hooked up to the Saffire via RCA -1/4" Jack cables, unbalanced inputs to the Saffire's monitors slots. I've installed the latest drivers (2.0), the software, firmware, everything, without a problem. I have my devices set-up so that the Saffire is the default audio device. Lights are turned on on everything, volume levels appear to be ok. I can play any of my instruments with headphones, so its not the 101. Yet, when I try play it through the Saffire, I'm not getting any sound.

So, uh, what am I doing wrong here?

Am I using the wrong cables? Is something plugged in incorrectly?

[Stab Frenzy]

Have you record armed the track in your DAW? Have you tried reading the manual?

[kyodai]

what DAW are you using?

[Dubersive]

Have you record armed the track in your DAW? Have you tried reading the manual?

I haven't tried using it with a DAW - I assumed I could use the audio interface by itself, like an amp. I guess that's not the case - I'll try running it through a DAW then. I read the documentation that came in paper-form along with the Saffire, I forgot that it also came with a PDF; I'll check that.

@Kyodai: I'm using Reaper at the moment.

EDIT: I've tried using both Reaper and Ableton Live - I can't get audio through either. I'm really not sure of what to do here. I can't even get audio through Youtube. Quite confused

EDIT2: I think I should also mention that I'm not getting evidence of a signal being received from ANY output I put into the Saffire. The signal level meters do not light up at all when I plug anything in - both MIDI and audio.

What am I doing wrong here?

[Dubersive]

Ok, so I just discovered I can get it to work when it's not plugged into my computer. It sounds great - very satisfying to hear at least something come out of it. However...

When it is plugged into my computer, there's still zero audio signal. No sound at all, and no sign that the Saffire is receiving anything from my instruments. The software seems pretty buggy for me as well. It constantly freezes and drops the firewire connection (I was able to fix dropping by raising the sample rate though). The software-mixer is as slow as molasses, and causes all of my DAWs to freeze and crash. I'd have an easier time trouble-shooting it if it wasn't locking up every 10 seconds on me. I tried reinstalling the drivers and that didn't help at all either.

And my computer itself has been struggling with the firewire connection quite a bit. I've had to reconnect my expresscard at least 15 times now. A few minutes ago, my laptop just restarted itself after I had reconnected the card, and wouldn't turn on afterwards - I had to remove the battery pack to get it to shut all the way down. It's just being a pain in the a*s. I think this might be due to the firewire chipset that's installed on my laptop - I'm pretty positive that it isn't a TI chipset.

So are my troubles just due to my laptop being shitty, or is there something else here that I'm not seeing?

[meatballfulton]

I have the Pro 40. You need to install Mix Control (it's on the CD) which lets you set up monitor mixes.

When you turn off Mix Control, the Saffire remembers the last monitor mix you set. If you want to change the mix, you have to run the software again.

I use a MacBook Pro, it runs perfectly...no problems.

[Mission Difficult]

I've heard of people having a problem with the drivers and that reinstalling them helped. I would try that, and if still doesn't work properly, see if you can't get your hands on another computer to see if your current machine is the problem. Come to think of it, a lot of peripheral devices need to be powered on and booted up before the cpu, and i know the pro 40 takes a bit of time to start up, so try having it on and connected first, give it a minute to turn on, then boot your computer and see if it's happier with that. If it looses connection while you're using it, you'll probably have to reboot the computer for it to work again.

[Dubersive]

I have the Pro 40. You need to install Mix Control (it's on the CD) which lets you set up monitor mixes.

When you turn off Mix Control, the Saffire remembers the last monitor mix you set. If you want to change the mix, you have to run the software again.

I use a MacBook Pro, it runs perfectly...no problems.

But you can still keep it connected to your computer and it's work fine, right? That's my problem. I can't have it connected to my laptop and have it function correctly at the same time. I need to have it connected so I can actually use the sequencing software I have on my laptop

I've heard of people having a problem with the drivers and that reinstalling them helped. I would try that, and if still doesn't work properly, see if you can't get your hands on another computer to see if your current machine is the problem. Come to think of it, a lot of peripheral devices need to be powered on and booted up before the cpu, and i know the pro 40 takes a bit of time to start up, so try having it on and connected first, give it a minute to turn on, then boot your computer and see if it's happier with that. If it looses connection while you're using it, you'll probably have to reboot the computer for it to work again.

I have tried reinstalling the drivers...still no improvement. I've also had it booted up before my laptop was on - didn't work then either.

I dunno if anyone I know has a firewire-compatible laptop/computer, but I'll see if I can get my hands on one.

[cartesia]

First check to make sure you actually have selected the Saffire Pro as your systems audio interface in the control panel/system preferences/whatever.

NEXT
You have to tell it what to do with the inputs and outputs..

you have to set it up so that it sends the input signal to the outputs that are connected to your speakers.. that's what the MIX CONTROL software or a DAW does. (If you use a DAW make sure again that you have selected the saffire pro for the audio interface in the preferences/settings)

when it's not pluged into a computer it does this by default but when it is plugged into your computer you have to control the routing.. that's the whole point of plugging it into the computer.. you can change and control what it does with the inputs and outputs

[Dubersive]

First check to make sure you actually have selected the Saffire Pro as your systems audio interface in the control panel/system preferences/whatever.

NEXT
You have to tell it what to do with the inputs and outputs..

you have to set it up so that it sends the input signal to the outputs that are connected to your speakers.. that's what the MIX CONTROL software or a DAW does. (If you use a DAW make sure again that you have selected the saffire pro for the audio interface in the preferences/settings)

when it's not pluged into a computer it does this by default but when it is plugged into your computer you have to control the routing.. that's the whole point of plugging it into the computer.. you can change and control what it does with the inputs and outputs

Thank you for the helpful replies so far, everybody.

I did mess with the mixing a little bit. I followed the manual at first, which says to use the "Load from Hardware" option, but now when I try to do that, it gives me "Cannot load Snapshot to mixer" or something along those lines. It's quite irritating. I'll try fiddling with ins and outs more though.

Should I be concerned though that I'm not getting any signs of a signal being received on the signal level screen (when it's hooked up to the laptop)? Or does that also have to do with the routing? You'd think the interface would at least give me a sign that the instrument I have plugged in is sending audio, even if it's incorrectly routed.

[cartesia]

^ That depends.. in your operating system's sound/audio preferences/control panel, does it say that the saffire is the system's selected audio interface (for input AND output)? (and are the correct inputs/outputs selected.. eg 1/2 or 3/4 or whatever)

[Dubersive]

^ That depends.. in your operating system's sound/audio preferences/control panel, does it say that the saffire is the system's selected audio interface (for input AND output)? (and are the correct inputs/outputs selected.. eg 1/2 or 3/4 or whatever)

I'm in the process of moving to a new house right now, so the Saffire will be packed away in box for a day or two. But I've looked under the control panel's sound setup, and all that is indicated is whether or not the device is enabled - there are no option for input or output. I'm using Windows 7, and in my experience, if there are two different sound systems installed on the computer, one will override the other for everything, unless you disable the one you don't want to use.

If I'm overlooking some specific sub-menu or whatever, please correct me, but as far as I can tell, the Saffire was enabled for both input and output when I had it plugged in.

[cartesia]

maybe take it back to where you bought it and ask if they have a computer you can plug it into and step by step set it up, to see all the things they do to get it up and running

[meatballfulton]

Should I be concerned though that I'm not getting any signs of a signal being received on the signal level screen (when it's hooked up to the laptop)?

You should be able to see signal levels both on the front panel LEDs and also in the Mix Control window on the laptop.

What DAW(s) are you using it with?

[Dubersive]

Should I be concerned though that I'm not getting any signs of a signal being received on the signal level screen (when it's hooked up to the laptop)?

You should be able to see signal levels both on the front panel LEDs and also in the Mix Control window on the laptop.

What DAW(s) are you using it with?

I tried it with Reaper and Ableton Live. I'm gonna hook it all up again tonight to see if I can the signals all sorted out.

I'll post on my progress (or lack thereof).