User`s guide

User's Guide HDSP System Multiface II © RME

9. Operation and Usage

9.1 Playback

The HDSP system can play back audio data in supported formats only (sample rate, bit resolu-

tion). Otherwise an error message appears (for example at 22 kHz and 8 bit).

In the audio application being used, HDSP must be selected as output device. This can often be

found in the Options, Preferences or Settings menus under Playback Device, Audio Devices,

Audio etc.

We strongly recommend switching off all system sounds (via >Control Panel /Sounds<). Also

HDSP should not be the Preferred Device for playback, as this could cause loss of synchroniza-

tion and unwanted noises. If you feel you cannot do without system sounds, you should use on-

board sound or any cheap sound card and select this one as Preferred Device in >Control

Panel /Multimedia /Audio< or >Control Panel /Sound /Playback<.

The screenshot shows a

typical configuration dialog

of a (stereo) wave editor.

After selecting a device,

audio data is sent to an

analog or digital port, de-

pending on which has

been selected as playback

device.

Increasing the number

and/or size of audio buff-

ers may prevent the audio

signal from breaking up,

but also increases latency

i.e. output is delayed. For

synchronized playback of

audio and MIDI (or simi-

lar), be sure to activate the

checkbox ‘Get position

from audio driver’.

Note on Windows Vista/7

Since Vista the audio application can no longer control the sample rate under WDM. Instead the

user has to work himself through numerous settings (18 with the Multiface!), and to set the sam-

ple rate to the same value per stereo device.

Therefore the driver of the HDSP system includes a workaround: the sample rate can be set

globally for all WDM devices within the Settings dialog, see chapter 8.1.