• time
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Topic: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

I'm having a bad issue with a new HDSPe AIO Pro  in a newish Mac Pro 2019

It may be specific to macOS 10.15.7, as I've just upgraded to that a few days ago.

The issue is a consistent 'disconnect' like behaviour of the HDSPe AIO Pro after a long sleep period. When I wake the Mac from sleep, the card will not play audio or function in any way. It is still somewhat visible to both macOS, HDSPe Settings, and TotalMix, but they get confused and think the interface is an AIO (not Pro) with a Rev. 0 firmware.  TotalMix also shows 6 analog channels instead of the normal 2.  Again, no audio plays and the card is functionally useless.

coreaudiod starts spewing out hundreds of errors 

 HALS_IOA1Engine::EndWriting: got an error from the kernel trap, Error: 0xE00002EE

and audio playing applications start complaining in the console log as well.

The behaviour is fairly reproducible, but seems to require the time spent in 'sleep' to be long, eg. overnight or for many hours during the day.  If you initiate sleep and wait 2 minutes for all lights inside the machine (and lights on the RME card) to turn off, then wake sleep… it does not have the issue. I note this distinction to clarify that the time spent in sleep seems to matter for some reason.

The only fix is to fully power down the machine. A simple restart does not work, as the RME card does not lose power during a restart. The issue will still be present after a restart, at which time HDSPe Settings will refuse to load, and macOS will not see the card at all.   If I fully power down the machine (Shut Down) then boot the machine, everything is back to normal.

This AIO Pro card is only about 2 weeks old, and I'm trying to understand if the card is defective and needs to be serviced, or if this can be fixed in firmware/software. The AIO Pro was updated to Rev 18 firmware prior to the issue beginning to occur. I did not have this issue until the last few days, but the card is so new that I cant be positive its related to any specific action in the last few days.

2 Reply by MC

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

We were not able to reproduce this issue. But while testing we discovered that the serial number of the AIO Pro is lost after standby. As this number is important for driver and system weired side effects might occur. Please update your card to firmware v 19 (available on our website) to check if that also helps in your case.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

3 Reply by time (edited by time 2020-12-03 03:44:28)

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Thanks Matthias,  could you kindly double check the new build/firmware/tool got uploaded correctly?  The website notes `2020-12-02` as the date for the Flash Update Tool, but the actual download has a date of 2020-10-26, and is only showing Rev 18. It's saying i'm up-to-date.  Should I check back in a few minutes?

4 Reply by time (edited by time 2020-12-03 23:33:36)

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Some additional notes before I get a chance to try Rev 19 firmware:

To clarify ‘prolonged sleep period’, I believe macOS has a ’standby’ function wherein after 3 hours in sleep the machine will write the contents of RAM to disk and put the machine into a state that is fully off, drawing no power. I believe the issue I’m experiencing is specific to this. If I wake the machine from normal sleep, there is no issue. If I wake the machine from standby, the card fails to start or be recognized in some way. Specifically, the serial number is NOT lost, it thinks its an AIO (not Pro), and lists the firmware as Rev 0

I am trying in a different PCIe slot now, but wont know an answer for at least another 3 hours or so until the machine goes into 'prolonged sleep period' again.

I would be happy to share Console logs or do any troubleshooting steps I can to help, if you do not have a 2019 Mac Pro on hand.

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Trying it in another PCIe slot did not help anything.

I am also no longer certain that it is specifically related to 'standby' mode, as I had the card fail during the day today (it usually fails overnight), and appears to have failed while the machine was awake, not in sleep, but I'm not certain on the timing.

I'm still unable to update to Rev 19 firmware as it has not been uploaded yet. The download for the Flash Update Tool still only gives me Rev 18. Please fix this so I can try Rev 19

I should also note that when it fails in the way I'm experiencing, it does NOT lose it's serial number. The serial number is still known and shown to macOS, TotalMix FX, and HDSPe Setting.  In the failed state, it is confused as a AIO (not Pro) with "Rev 0" firmware

6 Reply by MC

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Indeed the file upload had not worked, sorry. It's ok now.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

7 Reply by time (edited by time 2020-12-04 03:11:11)

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Uh, it's still giving me the same old file. I've tried twice now

EDIT: Nevermind. Chrome was caching the .zip file. I've never had that happen before. just downloaded it in Safari and got the new version.

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Successfully installed Rev 19 firmware. Will report back soon

9 Reply by MC

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Thanks.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Rev 19 firmware did not fix the issue.  I will try to eliminate more variables, but its feeling like this just isn't a workable combo with the Mac Pro. I may have to return the unit before the return window closes

  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

I've tried everything I can think of.  Removing all other PCIe cards, moving from an x8 slot to x16,  clean wipe and reinstall of macOS Catalina,  … nothing works.  I'm going to have to return this unit. It just does not work in the Mac Pro.  Every other PCIe device I've used has worked. This is either a hardware defect or an issue with the firmware or Mac driver.  Pretty disappointed with RME lately.

12 Reply by time (edited by time 2020-12-05 20:52:51)

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

If I didn't make this clear earlier: it's not coreaudio that's crashing. In the broken state  I can still switch system audio to the built-in speaker and hear music just fine. It's just the AIO Pro that fails and needs a power reset.

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

For the record - I have not had any similar feedback at all... Not sure where the issue is here, but it does not appear to be a general one of the card as such....

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

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Daniel Fuchs
RME

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  • time
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Thanks for the reply Daniel, but it's pretty frustrating as it feels like you're trying to discount my experience. You have had feedback… from me.   You stated by email that you don't have a Mac Pro to test this with, so you can't reproduce it. I understand these machines are expensive, but RME is directly showing the AIO Pro alongside a 2019 Mac Pro on the marketing website. 

Are there other owners of the AIO Pro that are using it successfully in the 2019 Mac Pro?  If so, that would be great to confirm, as it might just mean my specific card is faulty and could be replaced for a working one?  Or are they on an older version of Catalina? or have some other specific configuration in macOS to allow it to survive sleep/standby?   I genuinely want to get it to work. I'm not here to bash RME if it's not warranted, but at this point it feels like you're just saying I'm imagining the issue.

I've tried everything I can think of.  The issue is present even from a completely blank/fresh install.  Presumably I could disable macOS sleep function entirely, but that would be very electrically expensive to keep my computer on when away from it.

My guess here is, because the AIO Pro is brand new, all other users are using this in PC builds, not in the 2019 Mac Pro.

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Take it as a piece of information - no other similar feedback means it could be an individual issue of your setup, for all kinds of possible reasons. I'm afraid we do not track what systems people use, nor have I heard from customers without such problems - they tend to not report back the absence of issues... 
You did say there was a kind of two-stage sleep mode, and only waking up from the deep sleep variety seems to cause the issue. The issue might well be in the wake-up process of the Mac, which does not let the card initialize correctly, or fails to do so from the mainboard side. If it were an issue of the card, this should be reproducible on PC systems as well.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

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Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • cyrano
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Any chance of installing a clean Mojave or (if you're feeling adventurous) Big Sur on a spare disk for a test?

I don't know off the top of my head of any PCI fixes in more recent systems, but Catalina seems kinda old for a 2019 Mac Pro big_smile

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Huh? Catalina is only one version old, and some audio software hasn't been updated to Big Sur yet.  I can't install Mojave as the Mac Pro 2019 shipped with Catalina, downgrading is impossible, Mojave is missing drivers for key Mac Pro 2019 parts.

18 Reply by berndk (edited by berndk 2021-02-13 19:12:59)

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Curious, I just checked out the HDSPe AIO Pro. I installed it, went away for 3 hours and had the same problem. I assumed it was a disconnect because I connected the Breakout Calbe for digital while the MacPro was on sleep. And the Card ... well ... does not sit really stable in the slot, I dont know why (all other cards in there do) But it seems not... After restart, everything was fine. Also have a 2019 Macpro (16 Core)

Since I am here: Is it normal for the HDSPe AIO to have WORSE Latency values than the Babyface Pro FS??
It is about 0,35ms more with Ableton Live.

Thats the reason I just sent it back to Thomann (before reading this Post).

Babyface Pro FS +FF 400 used as SPDIF Adat conv. and more inputs.
Waiting for the UCX FS smile

19 Reply by time (edited by time 2021-02-13 19:16:50)

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Thanks for leaving a message berndk!   It wasn’t because you plugged in the breakout cable while on sleep. The issue is present even if the card is not touched in any way. I tested extensively to ensure it was purely a combination of this card in this model of Mac.  Clean OS install, no other PCIe cards, etc.

Maybe RME will stop gaslighting me into believing I’m imagining the problem or that it isn’t something they feel they need to fix. No other PCIe device (of many I have tried) have this problem in the 2019 Mac Pro.

20 Reply by berndk (edited by berndk 2021-02-13 20:22:43)

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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Good thing I sent it back then!

Actually, I thought I had really secured the card (used some rubber pad and it seemed rock solid in there). Normally, just pluging in the Breakout cable should in no way disable the card.

So I definately had the same issue. In my case, even MacOS said "no card installed here" in the PCI rider of "About my mac". After Restart, It worked fine WITHOUT EVEN TOUCHING THE CARD (!). Besides having worse latency than my babyface, which really shocked me it beeing a native pcie card!

Man, I am not used to stuff like this with RME. I am actually just coming back from UAD which was an nightmare for me (Ableton crashed all the time).

But who knows, the MacPro 2019 is not as flawless as I had hoped for and sometimes I think I should have gone Ryzen...

I sent the card back and will keep my babyface pro fs which works like a charm. So good luck to you!

Babyface Pro FS +FF 400 used as SPDIF Adat conv. and more inputs.
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  • Registered: 2019-12-08
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

You probably tried all pcie slots? Just a tought (you probably did)

Babyface Pro FS +FF 400 used as SPDIF Adat conv. and more inputs.
Waiting for the UCX FS smile
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Re: HDSPe AIO Pro in Mac Pro 2019 fatal issue

Hey, I have a "similar" issue. I can't get Totalmix to find my pci card, even though the osx system info says that the driver is installed. Also on a new Mac Pro 2019 with Catalina 10.15.7. Also I can't get the firmware updater to run on my computer, it just crashes...



time wrote:

Thanks for leaving a message berndk!   It wasn’t because you plugged in the breakout cable while on sleep. The issue is present even if the card is not touched in any way. I tested extensively to ensure it was purely a combination of this card in this model of Mac.  Clean OS install, no other PCIe cards, etc.

Maybe RME will stop gaslighting me into believing I’m imagining the problem or that it isn’t something they feel they need to fix. No other PCIe device (of many I have tried) have this problem in the 2019 Mac Pro.