• Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Hi,

I’ve e-mailed RME and spoke on the phone already on below issue - from the phone conversation I did got some tips on additional tests, which I have done. Unfortunately I still face the issue. And I'm out of options of resolving it. Therefore, posting this on the forum, hoping someone can help.

Issue: when recording (Ableton 10.1.7 and Audacity) with regular time intervals (each 30 seconds) the recorded audio gets distorted / crackles. In Ableton, next to recurring crackles, the recording is also permanently wobbly, which is not the case in Audacity. I do hear the crackles / wobbly-ness when monitoring during recording.

System: Fireface UC - iMac late 2014, Intel i7, 32GB RAM, 4 * USB 3 port, Mojave 10.14.6
Fireface USB has firmware v138 and drivers 3.18 installed (i used the latest 3.18_3).
I do also have a Octopre connected to the Fireface - but also without it the issue is there.

Tests done during the last weeks, following several threads from this forum and the phone conversation I had with RME:
- different combinations of buffer size, sample rate - issue remains. The higher the buffer size, the later it seems the issue starts to occur (instead of occuring first after 30 seconds of recording, it starts at 1 minute, or 1:30). However, this is an impression only, I do not have enough testing evidence to hard-proof this. My standard setting would be 48 as sample rate and 128 or 256 as buffer size - nothing extraordinary I think?
- recording only 1 track versus recording several tracks at the same time - issue remains, although also here it seems to come in at a later stage only
- isolated the UC as only USB device next to mouse and keyboard (for mouse and keyboard I tested both bluetooth and USB - issue remains
- tested another USB cable - issue remains
- tested the 4 different USB ports on iMac - issue remains
- tested the UC and recording on another system (old 2009 macbook pro) - NO issue! (only 4 GB of RAM!, USB 2 port. Buffer size of 512, i can record several tracks flawlessly..)
- tested the UC on the same iMac with a clean install of OS Catalina (on a separate instance), clean install of Ableton and Audacity, disabled wifi and bluetooth (also did that on the Mojave instance) - issue remains
- reset USB ports on iMac - issue remains

I suspect USB 2 (the UC) to USB 3 (iMac) issue, OR some kind of OSX process running which corrupts the bandwidth of the USB connection.

I’m considering buying a Thunderbolt 2 dock station and connect the UC this way to the iMac, but as these are not cheap, I would like to minimize risk of buying something which would not resolve. And even IF this would solve, it is a work-around and I cannot really understand why the UC does not just work fine with the iMac via USB..

Someone has additional ideas how I can solve this?

Hereby is a link to showcase the issue, with 2 samples - 1st one is Audacity - 2nd is Ableton (also to illustrate the wobbly-ness which is Ableton only).

Thanks in advance!

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

> following several threads from this forum

You seem to have missed an important one:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 69#p147869

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Hi Matthias,

Thanks for providing reference to the thread I indeed did not see yet. I tried to adjust the framerate, but it did not solve (not on Mojave, not on Catalina) the distortion issue when recording. I think the 'wobbly' audio issue in Ableton is improved, but need to do more detailed comparison to confirm.
The distortion issue, I didn't really expect adjusting Ableton's framerate would solve this, as it is not an Ableton only issue.

I think the when-recording-once-in-a-while-distortion-pops-up issue is more close to the issues reported in this thread, I'm seeing similar messages in the console during recording as reported in that thread. Suggestions to resolve (as far as I can see them) were to see if SMC reset, PRAM reset would help, or to check if a clean install would do the trick. Both these I have done, but no luck.

I include in here excerpts from Mojave and Catalina console messages at the time of distorted audio, in the hope this might help to give more clues on how to get rid of this issue.In case I'm not providing the correct/relevant information from the Console, that can be the case as I have never really had to investigate this deep computers.

Mojave
default    14:13:11.300543 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194339) - (bfc,830)
default    14:13:11.300555 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194339) - (bfc,8b0)
default    14:13:11.322447 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194348) - (bfc,c30)
default    14:13:11.322467 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194348) - (bfc,cb0)
default    14:13:11.324644 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194350) - (bfc,cb0)
default    14:13:11.324663 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194350) - (bfc,d30)
default    14:13:11.327060 +0100    Live    HALC_ProxyIOContext.cpp:1068:IOWorkLoop:  HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default    14:13:11.327194 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194351) - (bfc,d30)
default    14:13:11.327204 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194351) - (bfc,db0)
default    14:13:11.330207 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194352) - (bfc,db0)
default    14:13:11.330228 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194352) - (bfc,e30)
default    14:13:11.332207 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:165:perform:  Audio IO Overload inputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' outputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default    14:13:11.341387 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194356) - (bfc,fd8)
default    14:13:11.341399 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194356) - (bfc,1058)
default    14:13:11.347347 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194359) - (bfc,10d8)
default    14:13:11.347361 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194359) - (bfc,1158)
default    14:13:11.349583 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194360) - (bfc,1158)
default    14:13:11.349591 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194360) - (bfc,11d8)
default    14:13:11.350949 +0100    kernel      performClientOutput(bfc,10d8) - missed samples (bfc,11d8)
error    14:13:11.350991 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_IOA1Engine.cpp:365:EndWriting:  HALS_IOA1Engine::EndWriting: got an error from the kernel trap, Error: 0xE00002EE
default    14:13:11.351090 +0100    Live    HALC_ProxyIOContext.cpp:1068:IOWorkLoop:  HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default    14:13:11.352088 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194361) - (bfc,11d8)
default    14:13:11.352098 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194361) - (bfc,1258)
default    14:13:11.354856 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:165:perform:  Audio IO Overload inputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' outputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default    14:13:11.372525 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194368) - (bfc,159c)
default    14:13:11.372540 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194368) - (bfc,161c)
default    14:13:11.374867 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194369) - (bfc,161c)
default    14:13:11.374877 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194369) - (bfc,169c)
default    14:13:11.375810 +0100    kernel      performClientOutput(bfc,159c) - missed samples (bfc,169c)
error    14:13:11.375825 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_IOA1Engine.cpp:365:EndWriting:  HALS_IOA1Engine::EndWriting: got an error from the kernel trap, Error: 0xE00002EE
default    14:13:11.377772 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194370) - (bfc,169c)
default    14:13:11.377793 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194370) - (bfc,171c)
default    14:13:11.380408 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194371) - (bfc,171c)
default    14:13:11.380427 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194371) - (bfc,179c)
default    14:13:11.382960 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194372) - (bfc,179c)
default    14:13:11.382980 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194372) - (bfc,181c)
default    14:13:11.385765 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194373) - (bfc,181c)
default    14:13:11.381978 +0100    Live    HALC_ProxyIOContext.cpp:1068:IOWorkLoop:  HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default    14:13:11.385785 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194373) - (bfc,189c)
default    14:13:11.388414 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194374) - (bfc,189c)
default    14:13:11.388435 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194374) - (bfc,191c)
default    14:13:11.390877 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194375) - (bfc,191c)
default    14:13:11.390888 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194375) - (bfc,199c)
default    14:13:11.393524 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194376) - (bfc,199c)
default    14:13:11.393551 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194376) - (bfc,1a1c)
default    14:13:11.396444 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194377) - (bfc,1a1c)
default    14:13:11.396464 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194377) - (bfc,1a9c)
default    14:13:11.399080 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194378) - (bfc,1a9c)
default    14:13:11.399091 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194378) - (bfc,1b1c)
default    14:13:11.400009 +0100    kernel      performClientOutput(bfc,1a14) - missed samples (bfc,1b1c)
error    14:13:11.400031 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_IOA1Engine.cpp:365:EndWriting:  HALS_IOA1Engine::EndWriting: got an error from the kernel trap, Error: 0xE00002EE
default    14:13:11.400140 +0100    Live    HALC_ProxyIOContext.cpp:1068:IOWorkLoop:  HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default    14:13:11.401754 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194379) - (bfc,1b1c)
default    14:13:11.401779 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194379) - (bfc,1b9c)
default    14:13:11.403927 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:165:perform:  Audio IO Overload inputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' outputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no
default    14:13:11.421446 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194386) - (bfc,1ed0)
default    14:13:11.421479 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194386) - (bfc,1f50)
default    14:13:11.424178 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194387) - (bfc,1f50)
default    14:13:11.424189 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194387) - (bfc,1fd0)
default    14:13:11.426557 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194388) - (bfc,1fd0)
default    14:13:11.426579 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194388) - (bfd,50)
default    14:13:11.429221 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194389) - (bfd,50)
default    14:13:11.429232 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194389) - (bfd,d0)
default    14:13:11.432182 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194390) - (bfd,d0)
default    14:13:11.432191 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194390) - (bfd,150)
default    14:13:11.434836 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194391) - (bfd,150)
default    14:13:11.434856 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194391) - (bfd,1d0)
default    14:13:11.435428 +0100    kernel      performClientOutput(bfc,1ed0) - missed samples (bfd,1d0). fCurrentLoopCount=bfd
error    14:13:11.435457 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_IOA1Engine.cpp:365:EndWriting:  HALS_IOA1Engine::EndWriting: got an error from the kernel trap, Error: 0xE00002EE
default    14:13:11.435525 +0100    Live    HALC_ProxyIOContext.cpp:1068:IOWorkLoop:  HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
default    14:13:11.437517 +0100    kernel    + IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194392) - (bfd,1d0)
default    14:13:11.437527 +0100    kernel    - IOAudioEngineUserClient[<private>]::performWatchdogOutput(<private>, 194392) - (bfd,250)
default    14:13:11.440227 +0100    coreaudiod    HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:165:perform:  Audio IO Overload inputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' outputs: 'de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25, de_RME_driver_USBAudioEngine:25' cause: 'Unknown' prewarming: no recovering: no

Catalina
default    13:55:46.936769+0100    fileproviderd    [NOTICE] <private>: networking grace period is over for <private> #lifetime
default    13:55:47.551740+0100    trustd    could not enable test hierarchy: no UAT pinning preferences set
default    13:55:49.673553+0100    coreaudiod    gPTPClockStatistics for 0x995aebda830b0000
default    13:55:49.673593+0100    coreaudiod    Grandmaster Identity: 0x995aebda830b0000
default    13:55:49.673624+0100    coreaudiod    Clock lock state: Locked
default    13:55:49.673657+0100    coreaudiod    Rate Ratio: 2199023255552/2199023255552 (1.000000000000)
default    13:55:49.673672+0100    coreaudiod    Anchors: 5530619669, 5530619669
default    13:55:49.673687+0100    coreaudiod    Sync Identity: 0x995aebda830b0000.0
default    13:55:50.085391+0100    identityservicesd    Saving database.
default    13:55:50.085423+0100    identityservicesd    PublicIdentityCache Destroying database.
default    13:55:50.139060+0100    identityservicesd    PublicIdentityCache Closed database.
default    13:55:51.202163+0100    AirPlayXPCHelper    <<<< TimeSyncClock >>>> figTimeSyncClock_Monitor: nowMonClock: 726.019549; lastMonClock: 716.024516; nowMonNet: 726.020 (0x995aebda830b0000); lastMonNet: 716.025 (0x995aebda830b0000); nowMonRef: 726.020; lasMontRef: 716.025; lastSynthAnchor: 726.020; lastGM: 0x995aebda830b0000; offset 0.000; lastRefTimelineAnchor: 726.020

  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Okay, i realized such a bulk of lines from the Console might not really be inviting to dig into.
Anyway, I'm bumping my initial question, does anyone have suggestions on what I can do to solve the issue described in my 1st post? As indicated, I'm out of options (besides new computer or new other soundcard that is..). Can I expect a Thunderbolt dock to be a success as a work-around? Or other suggestions how to find out what goes wrong?

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

You tried a lot already, so here are two more things. First - does this iMac have a dedicated USB 2 port that you could use? I expect not.

Second: download the Intel XTU utility or Power Gadget and check your processor temperature. We have seen downclocking the CPU as reason for those effects on a MacBook where the thermal system didn't work as expected. And on another one that had a dodgy power supply, which might not relate to your iMac (internal power supply I guess).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

6 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

And one more in case the conditions are met:

https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to … cpu-speed/

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Thanks for the new suggestions Matthias. 
Indeed, my iMac has no dedicated USB 2 port. It has 4 USB 3 ports.
XTU utility, I've downloaded Intel Power Gadget to monitor processor temperature, it runs up to 95 C in 5 minutes during recording, together with a Utilization which is not going above 15% (minimal set-up running). I did disable 'spindump' process as I saw it here and there occuring in the console during my recordings. No luck.. 'Tailspind' I could not find, and left it with that.

I did some further testing with iStats Menus, 1 of the graphs on processes showed clearly the recurring character of the issue, each 30 seconds sharp peaks could be seen. 1 concrete question on this: 25 to 30 MB per sec. was the peak (write) average in the iStat graph. Is this amount indeed resulting in overload?

Stuck for the moment again, i need to give it some more thought how to find which demon is killing it - more suggestions are obviously still very welcome!

8 Reply by MC

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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

95° Celsius? That is much too much and causes downclocking. The Power Gadget shows the CPU speed, check again. That might be your issue already.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Yes - Celsius.
See below pic of Intel Power gadget, a new recording take, after 5 mins recording max temp. is 91° Celsius. CPU speed, yes it is probably shown in there as well, but I don't know if i interpret the numbers in the right way. To me processor speed looks healthy, although Core MIN of 0,7 might be strange/low? Not sure.

https://i.imgur.com/QG4QXux.png

  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Also - Maybe this high temperature is an issue in itself, but I doubt it explains my recording issue, which is already occurring at the beginning of recording (with max temperature around 60° Celsius). Then it re-occurs every 30 seconds, which indicates to me something runs each 30 seconds and eats away whatever it is I need to record normally. See another pic below, showing the recurring read/write peaks in processes section of iStats Menus.

https://i.imgur.com/xnc1n0i.png

  • myrcz
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Hello, I'm experiencing exactly the same issue. RME UCX, Mojave 10.14.6, Intel i9 3,6 GHZ, 32 GB DDR4 (hackintosh). I got similar distortion, although it occurs not every 30 sec, but more randomly, I'm not sure. Still too often to record neutral. In Class Compliant mode everything WORKS OK. I tried drivers v3.19, v3.08 and v2.22, switching USB ports etc. Nothing helps.
Have you found the solution, by any chance?

12 Reply by myrcz (edited by myrcz 2020-04-13 23:17:57)

  • myrcz
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Ok, so the SOLUTION that worked for me is: turn off wi-fi. Seriously. ???

  • ramses
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Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

Wifi usually generates a lot of interrupts. Depends on the system and components.
But its since long a know thing to better turn it off, esp if there are issues.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2020-01-19
  • Posts: 7

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

myrcz wrote:

Hello, I'm experiencing exactly the same issue. RME UCX, Mojave 10.14.6, Intel i9 3,6 GHZ, 32 GB DDR4 (hackintosh). I got similar distortion, although it occurs not every 30 sec, but more randomly, I'm not sure. Still too often to record neutral. In Class Compliant mode everything WORKS OK. I tried drivers v3.19, v3.08 and v2.22, switching USB ports etc. Nothing helps.
Have you found the solution, by any chance?

Hi, i have not found the solution (gave up after many many many hours of frustrating troubleshooting) and I run a record work-around with an 11 year laptop. Switching off wifi did not solve the issue for me, but i can confirm wifi does indeed interfere on my systems as well (have to switch it off in my work-around solution). If i will ever find a solution, i will post it here. I'm afraid the solution will have to be a TB dockstation or a complete new workstation.
Happy to hear that for you switching off wifi did it!

  • Registered: 2020-09-08
  • Posts: 2

Re: Fireface UC - iMac - recording issue: noise, distortion, wobbly

I'm in the same boat, unfortunately, and haven't found a solution... Bumping this to see if there's any update, or a definitive answer, or a concise summary pinned somewhere that I haven't found for steps on how to troubleshoot the issue.

This is the first post I've found that sounds exactly like the problem that I'm experiencing - an almost bitcrusher-like distortion that crops up at inconsistent intervals on any recorded audio from any input source while the interface is connected to the computer. Previous posts (esp. from around 2018) were helpful, but inconclusive. My system:

Computer: 15" Macbook Pro Mid-2015, 2.2 GHz Quad i7, 16GB RAM, one USB3 bus for the two USB ports.
OS: Catalina 10.15.6 (problem also existed on the same machine in Mojave)
Interface: RME Babyface Pro FS purchased in August. Problem also previously existed on a Babyface bought in 2009. Running current drivers and firmware.

The issue began to crop up in April or so, though it had been a while since I'd used the interface for recording and not just for sound system optimization work so I can't say for certain.

Your troubleshooting steps also sound exactly like those that I've taken - trying to isolate every component, clean OS installs, etc. I have not yet tried monitoring my computer's temperature and CPU speed through recording. It'll be my next step. But it sounds like taking steps to mitigate overclocking hasn't actually solved the problem, unless I'm misreading.

It sounds like the workarounds exist, but disabling WiFi isn't an option for the work that I do. Can also confirm that Dante I/O works just fine through DVS, but as soon as the RME is connected (even if it's not set as the input device, only the output), the artifacts return.

I've been in touch with support here in the US, and am grateful for the patience and generosity with which I've been met. Unfortunately we haven't found any solutions.

Has anyone managed to clearly articulate the cause of this problem yet? Even if it's on Apple's end, I'd love to better understand why this has cropped up.

Thanks!