Echo Audiofire 12 - audio interface fault

[fruitylooper]

Hi,

My echo audiofire 12 firewire audio interface has developed a fault and I was hoping someone here would be able to help .

It has the following sypmtoms:

A high pitched whine/buzz when switched on - pretty sure this is coming from the transformer.

Both my desktop and laptop will recognize the device but audio will not play through it. (pro audio apps like cubase dont see it, windows media player won't play - the progress bar doesn't move). The inputs appear to be working fine.

Only 1 of the 2 firewire ports seem to be working at all - windows doesn't see the device if connected to the other port.




Could all this be caused by the transformer? or is that buzzing because of a problem elsewhere?

The psu is UMEC UP0303S-055
Transformer UMEC UP0303S-05 (it also has 0712CG written on it in a smaller font)

I cant find either of these items in the UK. Is there a similar psu or transformer i could try as a replacement?

I do have a multimeter, but no idea how to use it to test the various components.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TBennettcc]

What transformer?

Is this your product?

http://www.profmbroadcast.nl/media/...ast.nl-Echo-Audio-echoaudioaudiofire12-32.jpg

http://www.profmbroadcast.nl/echoaudio-audiofire-12-pro-soundcard.html

If so, it probably doesn't have a transformer in it. More than likely it will be a built-in switched-mode power supply. Can you open it up and take some crisp, clean, clear, high-quality pictures of the board (both sides, front and back, top and bottom) and either post them here or put them on a photo sharing site (such as PhotoBucket or Flickr) and post a link to them? It might help to diagnose the problem.

 

[fruitylooper]

hi, sorry for such a late reply. those links dont work anymore. this is my product

http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/AudioFire12/index.php

and here are some pics.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68898797@N05/6266096381/

the noise seems to be coming from the big yellow thing, i thought that was the transformer?

thanks

 

[davenn]

Hi Fruitylooper

Yes that yellow and black thing is a transformer
That overall module is called a switchmode power supply, SMPS for short.
In normal operation wouldnt make too much audio noise. Some people are able to hear it better than others.
I assume you are inferring that the whine/whistle from it is quite pronounced and unlike its earlier operation. ?

The usual reason for a SMPS's to cause noise like that is either with a fault in the SMPS itself or a fault in the rest of the electronics that loading the PSU down and putting it under stress. That whine is its way of telling you something is wrong.... not bad enough to blow fuses but still not good.

In your photo of the SMPS the AC power input is on those 2 pins in the top right corner, and the output is from the 6 pin connector on the left side.
first thing I would try would be to fire up the PSU with that 6 pin connector disconnected .... so there is no load on the PSU. hopefully thePSU will fire up ( not needing a switch on signal from elsewhere) and you may or may not hear the whine.
.... if you hear it, then you can pretty much confirm that the PSU module is faulty.
It may or may not be worth trying to repair...
lets just try the above test first and report back with your findings

cheers
Dave

 

[fruitylooper]

Hi Dave, thanks for your help.

So i tried what you suggested and yes, i can still hear the noise when the 6 pin connector is disconnected. However, there is a louder/ more obvious buzz (only lasts for a couple of seconds) when i first switch it on with it connected. i'm guessing that it draws more power when first starting up all the other electronic components and i suspect that the SMPS is faulty?

thanks again

 

[davenn]

Its looking as tho the power module is probably faulty.

just some final testing with your meter if possible

is there any indication near the connectors on either circuit board that the cable loops between of what voltages are on what pins of the connectors ?
maybe done in the usual silk screen printing as with the component types etc ?

if so you may be able to measure the voltage rails and see if there is any difference with the 6 pin PSU connector plugged in or out.

say for example there may be a 0V pin a +5V pin and a couple of +12V pins ( whatever) see if you get those measurements with the connector out and what you get with the connector in

cheers
Dave

 

[davenn]

With those last tests we are trying to establish if there is a fault on the main board that may be loading down one of the power rails.

Dave

 

[fruitylooper]

ok, so i have found the voltage rating of the pins but i have no idea how to go about measuring them. im guessing i do it with the unit switched off? it doesn't seem very safe to start touching the internal components with the power on!!!

i emailed echo (the manufacturer) and they say that it could be either the power supply board OR the firewire board that is faulty.

so i tried turning the unit on with the firewire board disconnected and the noise disappeared!
strangely, the noise returned if i disconnected the 6 pin plug on the power board - even though the firewire board was still disconnected.

so its looking like it could be the firewire board but i want to be certain before i splash out on a new one ($100 plus shipping to UK).

 

[fruitylooper]

still looking for some help with this.

can anyone help? am i right in thinking that the firewire board is probably faulty?

 

[abrasax]

still looking for some help with this.

can anyone help? am i right in thinking that the firewire board is probably faulty?

Did you ever sort this out? I seem to be having the exact the same problem.

 

[(*steve*)]

The consensus was that the power supply was faulty.

Do you have *exactly* the same symptoms? Go through all the posts and make sure that your case is exactly the same (or not)

 

[fruitylooper]

Hi again, i'm the op....sorry to dig up an old thread.

Actually I never did get this sorted and have just got round to trying to fix it again.

I finally took some voltage measurements from the connector pins

These are the voltages printed on the unit

PIN..........V
1.............+18v
2,3..........+6.75v
4,5..........return
6.............-18v​

I didn't quite understand this so I just took a reading between every possible combination of pins. below are the results with, and without, the 6 pin connector attached to the SMPS. I also took some readings with the firewire card removed and the 6 pin connector attached, this is because it could be the firewire card that is faulty according to the manufacturer.

PINS.................V (all connected)..........V (6 pin disconnected)...........V (firewire card removed)

1 - 2,3..............10.9v............................10.7v......................................10.6v
1 - 4,5..............17.6v............................17.5v......................................17.4v
1 - 6.................35.6v............................35.4v......................................35.3v
2,3 - 4,5.............6.7v..............................6.8v........................................6.8v
2,3 - 6..............24.7v............................24.7v......................................24.7v
4,5 - 6..............17.9v............................17.9v......................................17.9v​

I'm not quite sure how to interpret these readings but to me it seems I should be getting 18v between pins 1 and 6, and since i am getting 35.4v, with nothing connected, the SMPS is faulty?


Thanks

 

[(*steve*)]

All of your readings should be between pin 4 (or 5) and the other pins. Pins 2 and 3 are likewise connected and will read the same value.

Place the black probe on pin 4, and the red probe on pin 1, then 2, then 6. Note that when the red probe is on pin 6 you will expect a negative reading.

However, having said all of that, the readings you get (ignoring the sign) seem OK.

You get 35.6V between pins 1 and 6 because pin 1 is nominally +18, and pin 6 is nominally -18. That adds up to nominally 36V difference. What you read is pretty close to that.

 

[fruitylooper]

ok, thanks steve.

So do you think the power supply is faulty? and if so how would I go about finding the faulty component?

 

[fruitylooper]

I really want to get this fixed, i'm in the UK and replacement parts have to be shipped to me from America. They are expensive, so I don't want to order a new power supply unit only to find it was a different component that was faulty - the firewire card is known to go on these units.

From the above information/readings I have posted, can anyone confirm if it is indeed the smps that is faulty?

If so how would you suggest I go about finding the source of the fault? Ideally I would like to replace just the damaged component, rather than order a new smps.

Thanks