Power up audio interface before computers and hard drives?

[mhschmieder]

According to a discussion on GS, one should always power up the audio interface before the computer and hard drives. Say what?

The audio interface is the LAST thing I power up, after booting the computer and individually starting up each external hard drive.

My audio interface is also daisy-chained to the first external hard drive in my stack of three.

Maybe it depends on brand (I have RME, not MOTU -- which is why I put the topic here to be general to recording in DP vs. in the MOTU hardware forum). Or are there hard and fast rules?

If we're supposed to boot the audio interface before the computer or hard drives that are attached to it (in my case, the audio interface is not as consistently recognised that way), then what is the power down sequence? Is it the opposite, just as with power sequencing?

[newrigel]

Seems like the interface should be energized so the driver can load and initialize it but if it's buss powered it won't matter either way..

[kgdrum]

I know it is politically incorrect but I leave my FF800 on 24/7 for almost 5 years.
I actually talked to SynthAx(RME distributor for USA) about it last week,they stated as long as you have proper ventilation it will not cause problems.Converters sound better when they are warmed up and I don't want to damage speakers on powering up.I know MHS is the other extreme as he powers down and unpluggs on a daily basis,I will agree with the poster on GS as well as newrigel on this one.I would turn the FF on before the HD's then the Mac.

[mhschmieder]

Thanks for the feedback. I wanted to vet this now, in case any questions come up from other posters that I can resolve by talking to the fine folks at RME at NAMM later this week. They are a very friendly and open bunch of people (ignore what the GS folks say).

Interesting note about powering up the hard drive before the computer. I had always thought it best to wait, as the computer is better at finding attached devices if they are turned on after it is powered up?

This is based on my EARLIEST experiences with my G4 iMac, and may have been more related to when I was primarily running OS 9 (DP wasn't quite OS X ready when I first bought my computer).

The last thing I turn on, of course, are my active monitors.

I would still power sequence (reverse order for powering down), but the feedback here is already getting me to rethink WHICH order for the sequence.

[FMiguelez]

.

For me it is:

1.- Power up MTP and 2408Mk3
2.- Power Tascam and Yamaha mixers
3.- Wait till the Tascam finishes doing its thing (lightning and calibrating faders... 10 seconds).
4.- Power Mac
5.- Power speakers

For shutting down, I do the same in reverse.

I don't think I have a GOOD reason to do it that way, but it works and never had a problem. This is the safest way for the speakers, though.

[Tim]

My 2408, HD192, MTP, etc. are always powered up.

[Pappy725]

My MBP is on all the time. I power up the interface, then the external HD (FW into the 828), and then my speakers. MOTU Audio Setup comes up, then the HD on the desktop and I'm good to go.

Pappy

[zaratero]

Interface before CPU here.
With 2408, RME multiface and any other I´ve used anywhere.
I use a couple of UPSs with outlet switches, so one powers the computers, interfaces and hard drives in two independant switches, and the other one powers the screens and control surfaces and my most used voiceover preamp together with the headphone monitoring in another two. The rest is plugged to a conditioner. We can keep recording in the silent&dark CR,
Switch on everything in the UPSs left to right, then conditioner, manually switch on monitoring, then CPU.

[buzzsmith]

I seem to fit in with the majority:

1. Power up (3) interfaces, and MIDI hardware.
2. Turn Mac on.
3. Open DP (always the first app)
4. Open previously configured "New Template" to make sure everything is recognized.
4b. Sometimes open any file with audio to make sure I'm hearing something.
5. Begin day.

Buzzy

[Shooshie]

I would leave my MOTU 1296 and 896 powered on all the time, but for one thing: fans. While the electronics may not be affected much by running all the time, fans have bearings and they do wear out. I've replaced those fans once already. MOTU did not make it easy for us to do that. I forget how many screws I had to remove to get to the fan, but it's a LOT. Even when you get to it, replacing the fan is no easy job. I now leave them powered down unless I'm using them. I find no advantage either way, whether powering up before or after the computer. That was more a concern in the OS9 days, when multi-threading, multi-tasking, protected memory was still a gleam in Apple's plan for the NeXT operating system, which became OSX.

Shooshie

[Pappy725]

Shoosh, you da man!

I don't use mine daily, so I too, power up when I need to.
I remember OS8.1 and trying to put video into an 8600 Power Mac with A/V inputs. Hell, it had S-video in/out!
Convinced me I needed a Mac. Been that way ever since...

Pappy

[rentadrummer]

I have the firewire version of the MOTU 828mk2 and DP will not launch if it's turned on. I have to boot up the computer, launch DP and then turn on the MOTU. Occasionally I've had to quit the app, and most of the time it will not reopen unless I unplug the firewire cable. Once it great while it does launch and I have no idea what's different. In the five years I've been working with DP I've never been able to figure out why it works that way, or in some cases doesn't, but since I know what to expect I just follow the same routine every time.

[Frodo]

I guess it depends on what works best. I have a PCIe interface and have aways powered on the peripherals first. That's not to say that anything couldn't be successfully mounted or rebooted after the CPU, but the only rules afaik are the ones that work.

In my case, if I don't have the interface powered up first, Audio-MIDI will set itself to its own default setting. For example, If I've been consistently working in 48k and didn't have the interface on before booting the computer, Audio-MIDI would most likely set itself to 44.1k. The only thing that might kick it back to 48k would be to open a 48k project in DP. Even there, it has been necessary on occasion to reset the sample rate in Audio-MIDI manually. If the interface is running prior to computer boot up, I don't have to worry about it.

[SmilesLots]

I have the firewire version of the MOTU 828mk2 and DP will not launch if it's turned on. I have to boot up the computer, launch DP and then turn on the MOTU. Occasionally I've had to quit the app, and most of the time it will not reopen unless I unplug the firewire cable. Once it great while it does launch and I have no idea what's different. In the five years I've been working with DP I've never been able to figure out why it works that way, or in some cases doesn't, but since I know what to expect I just follow the same routine every time.

That to me is strange. I have the 828mk2 also and have never had a problem with powering it on before launching DP. In fact the 828 is turned on right after the computer almost all the time because I use it for all audio - like iTunes. I wonder if you have a problem with your computer's firewire hardware, memory or something.

[Dave Bourke]

Me:

I. Turn on interfaces, PoCo Firewire, and any other peripherals (external drives, etc).

2. Boot Mac.

3. Launch DP.

4. Turn on monitors.

At end of day, reverse out.

Kind regards.