• Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Topic: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

I have a brand new Macbook Pro, 2.4GHz 8-Core Intel i9, 64GB memory running OS Catalina 10.15.7. This laptop has the Thunderbolt3 USB connectors. I also have a working RME FireFace UCX interface (USB2, type-B)
My goal is to get this new Jamulus software running on the mac. (Jamulus is an online, low latency audio communication app for musicians to jam/rehearse live on the web)
I purchased a USB2 (type-B) to USB3 (Thunderbolt) cable to connect the hardware described.
(The RME is getting it's power from it's original external PSU .... not being powered via USB .... if thats even possible...?)

Bottom line....
Jamulus will see the RME Fireface as a valid I/O in it's device 'Device I/O Mapping' window however no audio is getting into Jamuls' input meters at my end. When I play my instrument, I see the input signal on ch#3/4 of my RME Fireface, however I do NOT see it on the Jamulus Input meters. (therefore my bandmates can NOT hear me)
I have tried every analog input on my RME (and re-mapped that new input to Jamulus) but I can't get in to Jamulus.

Intersting....My bandmates audio feeds all get back through Jamulus, through the RME as my 'software playback' stereo source as routed in TotalMix. I can hear all of them.

My RME does work 100% when I connect it to my older Macbook Pro, 2.3GHz Intel Core i7, 8Gb memory running OS Sierra 10.12.5. This laptop has the USB2 (type-A) connectors. Jamulus works 100% here.

Is this a USB2 to USB3 issue?
Is this a Macbook Pro,16,1 issue?
Is this a Catalina 10.15.7 issue?

Thanks so much for any help/advice.

  • waedi
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Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Does Totalmix open ?
does the Fireface USB settings open ?
If not, can you connect your device on to your bandmates computer for firmware update ?
Please provide the number of the installed driver version and the number of the installed firmware.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 306

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Maybe you still need to allow microphone access for jamulus in the macOS settings, it is a recent macOS security "feature", it should usually pop up when you start a software, but maybe this did not happen in jamulus for some reason.

4 Reply by wdpalma (edited by wdpalma 2021-03-18 00:58:22)

  • Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Hello @waedi,
1. Yes, TotalMix opens on my Macbook. I can access the Mixer and the Matrix router.
2. Yes, the Fireface USB app opens and is set to 48kHz, Internal.
3. My RME Fireface UCX is loaded with the latest driver (v3.20) for OS 10.15 already ....however I see a new "Mac OS Flash Update Tool" has just been released today (?) ....Is this a new firmware release?

Hello @hselters
I tried playing around with the macOS audio settings (set to internal microphone) but didn't get any input to Jamulus. I have not ever got a pop-up window when I start any of the software.

I'll try the latest Mac OS Flash Update Tool released by RME earlier today.....
Thanks guys. Keep those ideas coming please.

  • Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Just installed the Mac OS Flash Update Tool (released 2021-3-17) ....
USB : 48
DSP : 2.60
Firewire: 27
Class-Compliant : 13

No change ....

6 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-18 03:43:32)

  • waedi
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Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

OK. At moment we can say, your computer and the interface working fine together.
Your three questions from the beginning :
Is this a USB2 to USB3 issue?
Is this a Macbook Pro,16,1 issue?
Is this a Catalina 10.15.7 issue?
No,
No,
Yes partially probably
I ad these questions : Is it a Jamulus issue ?
Yes, partially (or full)
Is it a user issue (configuration, routing)?
Yes as usual.

Are you the one who set up Jamulus server or are you one of the clients ?

Did you try a Loopback in Totalmix ?
May you can choose input interface-channels 5/6 in Jamulus and in Totalmix you route all the sound you want to receive in Jamulus to the Totalmix hardware output 5/6 and click Loopback there ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Hi @waedi,
I have NOT setup the Jamulus server...I'm just a client looking for people to jam with.

I have just tried your 'Loopback' routing with no luck. I admit I don't quite understand the audio signal path when using Loopback mode....seems like I might get some feedback (?)....but I haven't yet. I can hear the remote Jamulus musicians playing, but again, I can't get my signal into the Jamulus Input meters.

I also just connected a brand new Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) to my new mac and it too does NOT send out to Jamulus. This Scarlett 2i2 has the Thunderbolt style USB connector however it is still just USB2. The Scarlett is powered via USB only.

Also, when I play my instrument (either through the RME Fireface or the Scarlett) I see the input signal on both the interface meters and the mac's 'Sound' System Preferences input meters.

I'm starting to believe the Jamulus software is the problem.

Thanks everyone for trying!

8 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2021-03-19 05:41:45)

  • waedi
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Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Open Jamulus
Settings : choose the interface and the channels you want to send.
No sound visible in the display, not yet.
Hit connect, without choosing a server hit again Connect.
Now you got the signal inside Jamulus.
It is an issue.
But you get it working.
Click Stummschalten (mute myself) then you are silent and not disturbing others.
You can click one of the servers shown in the list when try to connect and you can connect to those and listen them and play to them when unmute.
It is awesome !
With your UFX interface you can deliver the perfect mix out of Totalmix to everyone.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Thanks for your detailed setup procedure.
I have done everything you've described exactly, and Jamulus does NOT see my input signal when I connect to a server.

When I take either of my Audio Interfaces (Scarlett 2i2 or Fireface UCX) over to my older macbook Pro with USB2, (2.3GHz Intel Core i7, 8Gb memory running OS Sierra 10.12.5) I can get Jamulus to work 100%. I know how to select the proper Audio Device and assign Channel I/O Mapping in Jamulus. (Heck, the Scarlett is dead easy as it's simply a 2-In/2-Out device. Jamulus just needs to be told that Scarlett 2i2 is the audio box and channel mapping is auto disabled in the Jamulus app because of it's 2 channel simplicity. (at least Channel I/O Mapping is gone on my Jamulus app when Scarlett 2i2 is selected)

Also, when I connect either interface to my new macbook Pro with Thunderbolt3, (OS Catalina 10.15.7) and play my instrument, I see the interface's input meters light up AND I see the input meters light up in the mac's window for /SystemPreferences/Sound/Input tab of connected audio interface.
The new mac can see the audio coming in from either interface!

I'm convinced that there is an issue between newer macs or OS Catalina 10.15.7 and the Jamulus software.
I'll go back to the Jamulus Facebook Group to see if anyone is running successfully with the same hardware as me.

Thx.

  • cyrano
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Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

You've given Jamulus acces to audio in System preferences/Security & privacy?

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

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  • Registered: 2021-03-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

Big update news...
A new release of Jamulus (v3.7.0) got everything working.
Thanks for everyone's help over here at RME!
The Fireface UCX with TotalMix (and no 'Loopback' mode required either) along with the Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen all work perfectly.
Cheers.

  • waedi
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Re: FireFace UCX (USB) to Mackbook Pro16,1 (Thunderbolt 3)

wonderful !
Thanks for the news !
And in case one day you have more than one channel for transmit, for example one mic singing and 2 channel Left/Right from a keyboard or ePiano, then remember Loopback, the perfect solution for having a stereosubmix to an input of a software for transmitting or recording.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue