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Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. No Sound Output Routing Available

Hi. All of a sudden my Mac Pro doesn't display the Saffire option for sound output. The Saffire appears in the input stage (Settings> Sound) and I can see that external signals are getting in (via the Focusrite mixer).

The firewire is connected fine (illuminated).

I have downloaded the latest drivers.

I have checked for available system updates (all fine there).

I have also checked that I haven't muted the outputs (just in case).


The main problem seems to be that the audio output option to route through Saffire has just gone. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jan 23, 2013 1:26 AM

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Posted on Jan 23, 2013 9:22 AM

Hi Livingston_Drew,


This is a known firmware-related issue with certain Pro 40's. Please contact our tech support team via the link below and we should be able to help you resolve this.


http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/en/contact.php


Best regards,


David Tichauer // Focusrite Technical Support

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Question marked as Best reply

Jan 23, 2013 9:22 AM in response to Livingston_Drew

Hi Livingston_Drew,


This is a known firmware-related issue with certain Pro 40's. Please contact our tech support team via the link below and we should be able to help you resolve this.


http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/en/contact.php


Best regards,


David Tichauer // Focusrite Technical Support

Jan 28, 2013 1:14 AM in response to Livingston_Drew

OK, bit of an update on this issue. It’s still not resolved, unfortunately, but I’ve been doing a bit more digging so hopefully some of the following symptoms may ring a bell with you guys and provide some direction.


When I boot up the sample rate of the Saffire Pro is set at 44.1Khz (no big deal as that’s what I want). However, no sound is produced through the Saffire as the device isn’t recognised as an output device (input is fine at this stage)

I addition:- when I attempt to play anything through iTunes the progress bar remains static (frozen).

At this point I change the sample rate to 88Khz or 96Khz the output device is recognised and appears as an available output. However, Sound is only output at these rates as when I revert back to 44.1 it stops (and freezes iTunes again and sometimes crashes the machine altogether).


Does any of this ring a bell/ any pointers?


I also have an M-Audio Axiom Pro as my midi keyboard. I mention this as I’ve seen this name pop up in a few discussions so this may or may not be related.

Jan 28, 2013 1:19 PM in response to Livingston_Drew

[ SOLUTION ]

BIG thanks to Tom at Focusrite Support for dealing with this problem and providing the solution. Thanks Tom.

OK, so the solution...

You will need a file named DiceTool.zip (I was sent this as an attachment from Saffire support)

They will provide the detailed intructions on what to do. I have copied them below for convenience.


[Start]


Update the Saffire Mix Control Software (At time of writing this was V3.1)


FireWire Saffire Corrupted Firmware No Outputs Fix (Mac)

Download DiceTool.zip and extract it to your Mac and note the

location.


[Have you Device switched on]

Open Terminal (Applications+>+Utilities+>+Terminal).



Type cd followed by a single space.



Open a finder Window and navigate to where the extracted DiceTool

folder is. Drag the DiceTool folder across to the typing cursor in the terminal window to automatically input the folder’s path.



Type ./dice&bi and press enter. Status information should appear including

how many inputs and outputs the device has. If either the input or output count is reported as 0 then the Saffire firmware has a problem and you should proceed with the steps below.


In the case of this problem type ./dice dfxeap_vol and press enter.

You will be asked if you wish to delete the firmware sector. Type y and hit 
enter. You will see the progress as a percentage while this completes [I didn't see this but it may have been because it was really quick..].

Once complete you are taken to a new line in terminal.



[REMEBER AND DO THIS NEXT STEP] Type ./dice dr and press enter to restart your Saffire.



You can use ./dice bi again to check that your Saffire’s inputs and outputs 
appear correctly.

The procedure is now complete and terminal may be quit.

[STOP]


I hope that if you been suffering from this problem then these steps will help.

I'm guessing the firmware on the Focusrite Pro 40 was corrupten in some way and this solution wipes it and re-writes clean version.



Jan 29, 2013 12:45 AM in response to Livingston_Drew

Slight Correction to the above (minor typos):

Start]


Update the Saffire Mix Control Software (At time of writing this was V3.1)


FireWire Saffire Corrupted Firmware No Outputs Fix (Mac)

Download DiceTool.zip and extract it to your Mac and note the

location.


[Have your Saffire Device switched on]

Open Terminal (Applications+>+Utilities+>+Terminal).



Type cd followed by a single space.



Open a finder Window and navigate to where the extracted DiceTool

folder is. Drag the DiceTool folder across to the typing cursor in the terminal window to automatically input the folder’s path.



Type ./dice bi and press enter. Status information should appear including

how many inputs and outputs the device has. If either the input or output count is reported as 0 then the Saffire firmware has a problem and you should proceed with the steps below.


In the case of this problem type ./dice dfxeap_vol and press enter.

You will be asked if you wish to delete the firmware sector. Type y and hit 
enter. You will see the progress as a percentage while this completes [I didn't see this but it may have been because it was really quick..].

Once complete you are taken to a new line in terminal.



[REMEBER AND DO THIS NEXT STEP] Type ./dice dr and press enter to restart your Saffire.



You can use ./dice bi again to check that your Saffire’s inputs and outputs 
appear correctly.

The procedure is now complete and terminal may be quit.

[STOP]

Jan 30, 2013 4:49 AM in response to JohnnyD13

Hi Johnny,

Saffire Support will provide this file along with the instructions on what to do.


Saffire Support may ask for you system specification along with what the Midi/Audio connection status is for the device (this is found in Mac OS Utilities). It will probably say something like 16 in 0 out.

[ Sorry I can't be more specific - I'm not sitting at my mac ]

Mar 15, 2013 2:49 AM in response to Livingston_Drew

Hi Apollomusic, In addition to what I was saying earlier. The File "DiceTool.zip" is a utility that modifies/ re-writes the firmware of the actual device. The Saffire support team are therefore reluctant to make this available for general download (hence the instructions to get in touch with them describing the problem).

They will then provide detailed instructions on what to do.

Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. No Sound Output Routing Available

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