SC A16 Ultra sync problem at 48/96

[enriquesilveti]

Hello. After 15 minutes working my SC A16 Ultra (black face version) get out of sync (sync led go to red) only in 96 kHz and 48 kHz. The same happens if set A16U in wordclock and setup my RME fireface 800 as a master. If I turn off A16U for a 10/20 minutes and turn on again, green led appears again, but after 15 minutes red led backs.

SYNC: Master (green led before 15 minutes, them goes red )
SAMPLE RATE: 96 or 48

SYNC: Wordclock (green led before 15 minutes, them goes red )
SAMPLE RATE: 96 or 48

There's any solution, or I should contact SC support?

[garyb]

check the power supply with a meter first and then try another fw cable. otherwise, this sounds like a job for service.

[enriquesilveti]

Thanks for replay, pro FW and new wordclock cable are on the way, I'll test power supply ASAP.

[garyb]

if you have more wordclock devices and no distributor, that could be a problem. wordclock is serial, it doesn't work well in parallel. how is the fireface connected to the a16, via adat? if so, you can try to sync via adat...

maybe i need more info about how you've connected....

[enriquesilveti]

My audio system is simple: Mackie 1604 > SC A16U > RME Fireface 800 (ADAT I/O) > PC with Samplitude 11 PRO.

I try sync in wordclock mode:
1. RME Fireface 800 master, SC A16U slave, WC cable goes from RME Fireface 800 WC out to SC A16U WC in with a T adapter and a 75 ohms terminator (I try without terminator too). Everything goes OK, but after 15 minutes SC A16U lost sync in 96 kHz and 48 kHz but still work at 32/44.1/88.2 kHz.

2. SC A16U master, RME Fireface 800 slave, WC cable goes from SC A16U WC out to RME Fireface 800 WC in terminator botton enable (I try without terminator botton too). Everything goes OK, but after 15 minutes SC A16U lost sync in 96 kHz and 48 kHz but still work at 32/44.1/88.2 kHz.

The same happens if I don't connect anything to SC A16U and wait 15 to 20 minutes.

PS1: My tester read in SC A16U Transformer 15.9 VDC (+/- 0.2 VDC)
PS2: Thanks for the support.

[astroman]

afaik the A16U has an AC supply 12V 30 Watt or so, you can't feed it DC.
Lucky you didn't fry anything yet

as a 2nd note don't use wordclock, if you don't have to (because some gear has only wordclock sync)
Even RME strongly suggests Adat as the 'better' sync device becaus they can control it much more precisely, due to frequncy/resolution (they have a whitepaper about syncing on their site)

cheers, Tom

[enriquesilveti]

afaik the A16U has an AC supply 12V 30 Watt or so, you can't feed it DC.

You are right, is AC!. Mascot AC/AC adapter 12 VAC, 1.6 A, Type 8810, but my tester read 15.9 VAC /16.0 VAC, I think is OK, Madrid is normally 230 VCA, not 220 VCA.

As a 2nd note don't use wordclock, if you don't have to (because some gear has only wordclock sync)
Even RME strongly suggests Adat as the 'better' sync device because they can control it much more precisely, due to frequency/resolution (they have a whitepaper about syncing on their site)

Well, I want to use WC instead ADAT due jitter in ADAT is higher than in WC, I'll ask RME and SC support about that.

Thanks for the support...

PS: My pro cables (FW, WC, termninators, T adapters, etc) are here and I running a new test...

[astroman]

if you measure an unregulated powersupply without load it will always show a higher output running idle. With the 'consumer' connected voltage will drop to the proper value.
Here's the article about RME's steady clock (as the call it).
Jitter is magnitudes below regular wordclock.

cheers, Tom

[enriquesilveti]

My tester was out of battery and I did a wrong measure, correct value is now 14 VAC (I already know about no load measure values). I did several test with WC sync and I'll test whit ADAT sync ASAP. But I think there is something wrong in my SC A16U due it lost sync in master mode in 96 kHz even if there is no any cable connected to the machine only the power supply, that happens about 15 after I switch on.

Saludos, Enrique

[astroman]

yes, if you can repeat the error condition after 15 minutes there's probably a part within the A16 overheating.
Most likely by the internal power regulation, but I have never seen one from inside so I dunno how it is constructed.
Nevertheless it's probably the only part of the device that can be serviced without special parts or information.
(just in case you want to avoid shipping - your nick suggests Spain as your location...)

cheers, Tom

[enriquesilveti]

Thanks for replay. I sent an email to SC support, I'm waiting for their response.

Saludos, Enrique

[enriquesilveti]

Solved by ferrofish.