1 Topic by Uli (edited by Uli 2018-12-28 18:19:11)

  • Uli
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-12-28
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

Hi all,

I’ve used my Fireface 800 (firmware 2.77) with my Mac Pro 5,1 (2012), macOS 10.9 Mavericks and Fireface driver 3.31 without problems for many years.

Now, I’ve updated macOS to High Sierra 10.13.6 and the Fireface driver to 3.35. All Audio and Fireface related settings were left unchanged during the update. Unfortunately, now the Fireface does not work anymore:

After switching on my Mac Pro, the Host LED on the Fireface turns from red to dark, as expected, and I can play audio as expected. However, this state lasts only for approx. 4 seconds, then the Fireface Host LED turns red again and audio does not work anymore. After another approx. 4 seconds, the Host LED turns dark again and audio works again, then, after another approx. 4 seconds, audio stops working again etc. etc.

I cannot find any related log entries in the Console or system.log, and the various settings in the Fireface Settings application (sample frequency, sync mode etc.) don’t seem to have any influence on this behavior, so I’m at a loss as to what to even try to possibly fix this.

I assumed this might be a well known issue, but searching this forum or the internet does not produce any relevant results, either (maybe I used the wrong search terms …).

Am I the only one experiencing this? Any ideas how to proceed from here?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Uli

  • cyrano
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2015-04-28
  • Posts: 701

Re: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

When you update from Mavericks to High Sierra, it is possible your Mac Pro is missing a firmware update.

The best way to avoid this kind of trouble, is doing a clean install of HS on a spare disk and testing the RME.

You can also check your firmware version in System profiler, accessible through "About this Mac", from the Apple menu.

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

cyrano's Website

  • Uli
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-12-28
  • Posts: 4

Re: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

cyrano wrote:

When you update from Mavericks to High Sierra, it is possible your Mac Pro is missing a firmware update.

I know, but that’s not the case here. I made sure the firmware is up to date since I’ve also already installed Mojave on a test partition.

The best way to avoid this kind of trouble, is doing a clean install of HS on a spare disk and testing the RME.

I kind of did that in that I also tested the Fireface 800 on Mojave (which is a vanilla install). In fact, I tried this first and ran into exactly the same issue. So I went back to High Sierra, being sure it would work there, and found out it did not work there, either. sad

4 Reply by Uli (edited by Uli 2018-12-29 16:59:34)

  • Uli
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-12-28
  • Posts: 4

Re: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

cyrano wrote:

When you update from Mavericks to High Sierra, it is possible your Mac Pro is missing a firmware update.
You can also check your firmware version in System profiler, accessible through "About this Mac", from the Apple menu.

On second thought, I wonder if the Mac Pro firmware update (the one required for Mojave) is in fact the culprit.

I only used High Sierra as an intermediate step to update from Mavericks to Mojave. Therefore, I only used High Sierra shortly, but I seem to remember that the Fireface originally worked fine there. Then I updated the Mac Pro firmware during the Mojave installation, found that the Fireface does not work in Mojave, went back to High Sierra, and found that now it doesn’t work there, either …

So it seems plausible that the Mac Pro firmware update causes the issue. (I also exchanged the graphics card for a Mojave compatible one, but I don't see how this could break FireWire.)

Anyone here who uses a Fireface 800 successfully on a Mac Pro 5,1 (2012) with Mojave?

  • cyrano
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2015-04-28
  • Posts: 701

Re: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

Just out of curiosity, is this an original 5,1, or an upgraded 4,1 Mac Pro?

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

cyrano's Website

  • Uli
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-12-28
  • Posts: 4

Re: Fireface 800: High Sierra & driver update 3.31 > 3.35 breaks operation

cyrano wrote:

Just out of curiosity, is this an original 5,1, or an upgraded 4,1 Mac Pro?

An original 5,1, and the 2012 variant at that, i.e. the last "classic Mac Pro" model you could buy.