• Registered: 2014-08-05
  • Posts: 9

Topic: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Hi, I'm stumped:
Quicktime, VLC, 5K video and Finder audio play through software playback channels AS 1/2 and ADAT 7/8 on the left or right side only.  But streaming (Spotify, Youtube), iTunes, Ableton Live, Reaper, Final Cut, etc. play properly in stereo through the proper software playback channels (AN 1/2 or 3/4). 

So for instance an mp4 video's audio played on my computer (via Finder or video playback software) is panned hard right and plays back through AS 1/2 and ADAT 7/8. An iPhone voice recording uploaded to my computer and played in Finder (press space bar on file) or played via Messages plays panned hard left through AS 1/2 and ADAT 7/8.

It's as if the audio from Quicktime, VLC, 5K video and Finder audio is mysteriously being routed to the wrong software playback channels, only one side of the wrong channel at that.

I tried resetting Total Mix, reinstalling RME drivers, reinstalling Total Mix, and of course restarted my computer numerous times. I also have verified there is no weird panning going on in the Sound Preferences or in Audio Midi setup.

Any thoughts on the cause of this?  Am on OS X High Sierra, with latest RME drivers/software.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Sounds like you are using it at 96 kHz sample rate and don't have a proper or properly set up ADAT DAC connected.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2014-08-05
  • Posts: 9

Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Thanks for the response. Nope, not using it at 96 kHz, and there's nothing connected to the ADAT optical. If there's some other settings to check, please let me know. (Btw, everything works perfectly when running the BFP in class-compliant mode.)

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Open up Totalmix so you can see what's happening, then open Audio/MIDI Setup in front of it.

Go to Audio Devices, select Babyface Pro, Output tab and click on "Configure Speakers". Make sure you have defined L & R speakers as a pair, for instance Analog 1 for Left and Analog 2 for Right. If you click on each speaker icon, it will generate test tone and you can see where this comes up in TotalMix. Where are you seeing meter activity on your TotalMix?

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2014-08-05
  • Posts: 9

Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Thanks Jeff. I did what you suggested. Analog 1 and 2 are selected as stereo, and when I click on those speaker icons, the test noise plays through AN 1/2 as it should. Furthermore the ADAT channels play properly through the correct software outputs.
Btw, I can't seem to disable those ADAT and Reverb outputs, however. When I try, and hit "apply" it defaults back to checked.

  • Registered: 2014-08-05
  • Posts: 9

Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

I was never able to resolve the problem. And now I'm on Catalina, with latest RME drivers/flash update to my BF Pro. Still have the exact same issue, with some apps' audio routed only through single software input channels (see original post). And now that Catalina splits the old iTunes into Music and Podcasts, Music routes properly, but Podcasts only come through software inputs AS 2 and ADAT 8 (i.e., outputting to right channel only). The same behavior happens using a different, stripped down user account on my MacBook. Reseting different things in Total Mix has no effect. I deleted all RME/Fireface/Total Mix files, with the exception of the RMEFirefaceUSB.kext extension; Catalina doesn't allow deleting .kext files it seems. Audio Midi output configuration is set correctly. Using BF in Class-Compliant mode works fine, as does using built-in output.

Any other ideas? A way to wipe how OS X routes audio to external interfaces? Or hard-reset of the BF Pro?

7 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Are you sure you did not install any third party tool to re-route audio channels or to control the volume, with these apps/tools interacting with Core Audio?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

8 Reply by aviavi (edited by aviavi 2020-10-11 19:54:29)

  • Registered: 2014-08-05
  • Posts: 9

Re: Babyface Pro: weird software playback channels issue, OS X

Thanks MC. I uninstalled everything I could think of that might be affecting audio routing behind the scenes. In Activity Monitor, here's what's running that has to do with audio or sound (as far as I can tell): Total Mix, systemsoundserverd, coreaudiod, com.spitfireaudio.LibraryManagerHelper, 4 instances of com.apple.audio.SandboxHelper, com.apple.audio.DriverHelper, and 2 instances of AudioComponentRegistrar. Not sure what some of these things are for. Forcequiting what I can doesn't change anything.

I do have Loopback (though this issue predates installation of Loopback, and when Loopback is disabled the issue persists). However a workaround using Loopback is to select Built-in audio in Audio Midi Setup, and then create a Loopback instance that force sends various apps' audio to the Babyface 1/2 inputs.