[linux-audio-user] RME hammerfall DSP Multiface: help needed

I'm having a hard time bringing my new RME pci interface and Multiface to run... and would appreciate some help ;-) I'm working on Debian/unstable, have compiled the kernel with lowlat and preempt, installed ALSA, inserted the hdsp modul, made a basic ~/.asoundrc, compiled hdsploader from alsa-tools and with the friendly help of Thomas Charbonnel also hdspmixer. hdsploader loads the firmware (well it does the *second* time I run it, which is a known problem, as Thomas told me). The error LED on the Multiface is off. Input (on analog input1) *does* show in hdspmixer (only in the *input* channel, nowhere else), but I can't get any sound. Hmm, here I have the first question: Do I have to run alsamixer or hdspmixer or both to unmute the channels? (I have tried all of this). I have tried to feed a signal to analog input 1 and get it out from analog output 1. I have also tried to set the internal routing with amixer, but don't know if I have done that right... Well, the doc says hdsp defaults to route inputx to outputx anyway. But I can't hear anything... I have tried 'cat some.wav > /dev/dsp' no sound, no errors. (where would the error message show up?) I do hear a high pitched hiss on line out, nothing else. Please tell me: What would be the most basic procedure that should produce sound output on the Multiface? What diagnostic information can I give you to find out why it is not running yet? Thanks a lot for any hints! Robert Epprecht