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Topic: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

This is an updated macOS Thunderbolt DriverKit driver for macOS 12 and up. It is a release candidate and will be available on the website shortly.

Attention: The UFX+ requires a firmware update to version 110 (AKM) or 164 (ESS) to enable the use of DriverKit driver. Link to firmware update tool:

https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/fut_usb_tb_mac.zip

Current driver version: 1.03. Included TotalMix FX: 1.79.

System requirements: macOS 12 and up, Intel or M processor (Apple Silicon)

Installation: Double-click on driver_mac_tbdk_103.zip to expand the archive file to the driver file UFX+ Thunderbolt DK.pkg. Installation works automatically by a double-click on the pkg (package) file. Before reboot check that in Security & Privacy, tab General, the RME driver is allowed to load. If not unlock the settings and allow it. Then reboot computer.

Notes

A previously installed kernel extension driver, like 1.22, does not need to be uninstalled. It will be removed automatically. After that you could set the system security back to normal, unless any other existing kernel extensions still need reduced security.

To go back to 1.22 manually: drag the RME Thunderbolt Settings app found in the folder Applications to the trash can - only use the Finder for this action. With DriverKit this Settings dialog is 'the app', upon removal all driver files belonging to it will also be removed automatically. You will be asked for permission for the removal of the extensions.

Download:

https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/driv … dk_103.zip

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I have same detection problems after turning off/on as with 1.01 driver. (UFX+, iMac, Intel, Ventura 13.1). After a reboot, the UFX+ is recognized correctly again until I power it off. It's not a super problem as I rarely turn off unit during a session, but it is there.

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Thanks for testing. Please note my former statement - we can not reproduce this effect on any of our systems, so currently have no way of fixing it for you.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

4 (edited by Quadron 2022-12-23 08:32:12)

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

marcin_c wrote:

I have same detection problems after turning off/on as with 1.01 driver. (UFX+, iMac, Intel, Ventura 13.1). After a reboot, the UFX+ is recognized correctly again until I power it off. It's not a super problem as I rarely turn off unit during a session, but it is there.

I can replicate this (UFX+, iMac Pro, Intel, Ventura 13.1, Thunderbolt). But on my Macbook Air M1 (same OS, TB) the UFX+ is always detected after turning it on again! Seems to be some strange difference of the driverkit between Intel and Apple Silicon?

- No detection problems on both systems with the USB driverkit driver.

- Crackling noise interference with bluetooth mouse (crackling on every mouse click) on both driverkit drivers (USB and TB) on the Intel system only.

5 (edited by ResQ 2023-01-07 21:58:19)

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I'm able to replicate this issue as well with the release candidate.

Specs:
Firmware: v110, Driver: v1.02
UFX+ is connected to iMac Pro (2017) via Thunderbolt using Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter
macOS Ventura 13.1

Steps to reproduce:
1) After a fresh boot, UFX+ works perfectly and is detected
2) Turn off UFX+
3) Turn back on UFX+
4) UFX+ is not detected

UFX+ is detected again by:
1) reboot while UFX+ is powered on, UFX+ works perfectly and is detected.

or

1) reboot while UFX+ is powered off
2) wait until reboot is complete, then turn on UFX+
3) UFX+ works perfectly and is detected

Could this issue be related to Apple's Thunderbolt adapter? I recall a note that this adapter was not preferred by RME, however I could be remembering incorrectly. In any case, I don't own any other adapter so I cannot test to confirm.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the great product, the UFX+ is a wonderful interface.

(edited to clarify another scenario)

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

ResQ wrote:

Could this issue be related to Apple's Thunderbolt adapter? I recall a note that this adapter was not preferred by RME, however I could be remembering incorrectly. In any case, I don't own any other adapter so I cannot test to confirm.


Thunderbolt adapter is not a problem. I don't use a Thunderbolt adapter (older iMac, TB2 sockets), only a TB cable to the interface, and I have the same "on/off/on" problem with this driver. You may notice that the problem occurs again on the next iMac variant.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

ResQ wrote:

Steps to reproduce:
1) After a fresh boot, UFX+ works perfectly and is detected
2) Turn off UFX+
3) Turn back on UFX+
4) UFX+ is not detected

UFX+ is detected again by:
1) reboot while UFX+ is powered on, UFX+ works perfectly and is detected.

or

1) reboot while UFX+ is powered off
2) wait until reboot is complete, then turn on UFX+
3) UFX+ works perfectly and is detected

Could this issue be related to Apple's Thunderbolt adapter?

No. With three machines available to me the re-detection after turning off and on the UFX+ works on Apple Silicon (both a Macbook M1 Air and and Macbook Pro with M1 Max, both on Ventura 13.1), but fails with the Intel iMac Pro (also on Ventura).
It could be a TB security issue (Intel+T2) or TB is implemented differently on Apple Silicon?

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I'm also experiencing the failure to detect after power cycling the UFX+ with driver 1.02 (also noticed the issue with 1.01)

Same behaviour as others have reported, a reboot resolves.

In addition I'm noticing that Zoom hangs if I try to select the UFX+ as an input or output.

Intel, iMac 2019, Monterey 12.6.2, UFX+

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

compuphonic wrote:

I'm also experiencing the failure to detect after power cycling the UFX+ with driver 1.02 (also noticed the issue with 1.01)

Same behaviour as others have reported, a reboot resolves.

In addition I'm noticing that Zoom hangs if I try to select the UFX+ as an input or output.

Intel, iMac 2019, Monterey 12.6.2, UFX+

This is another Intel iMac (Monterey/Ventura) with the same "on/off/on" driver problem.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

1.02 works fine so far on Mac Studio with macOS 12.6.2 here.
I switched to TB after having used my UFX+ via USB3 for some time just to check it out.
Don‘t know if there‘s anything fishy with my USB setup, but TB works way better!
Lower latency, lower buffers possible in Reaper (down to 32) and, weirdly, plugins seem
to load noticeably faster. Also, I don‘t experience any glitching when inserting plugins anymore.

Happy Fireface UFX+, Octamic XTC and M-32 Pro user.
http://www.stoersender-studio.ch

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

1.03 is in the works, adding stuff we learnt from the HDSPe driver. Should come in the next days.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

First post has been updated to DK driver version 1.03. Changes are some improvements taken over from the HDSPe driver:

- New Surprise Removal detection and handling

- Improved behaviour of AudioServer Plugin on closing of the driver

Not sure if this helps in detection after sleep, but it should prevent the the crashes reported here in certain situations.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Thanks for the update!

Unfortunately, redetection of the UFX+ after switching off and on still doesn't work on the Intel (iMac Pro, Ventura 13.2 RC). It works on the M1 System.

Some further testing:
- as before all is working well on the M1 System (Ventura 13.2 RC)
- Crackling noise while clicking on the BT Mouse is gone!
- I got the UFX+ *re*detected *twice* after connecting it to a subsequently different TB port (Imac Pro has  4 ports / 2 bus TB3 system) until i ran out of ports. After that, the UFX+ is not redetected on any port until rebooting.

P.S.
- I remember another *re*detection problem with a Samsung X5 *TB* Drive after installing a *USB* S. M.A.R.T driver from DriveDX years ago. Works without problems ever since though. Maybe some strange things are happening on the TB3 bus on all Intel Macs?
- All four TB ports on the iMac Pro are working without problems with two TB Samsung X5 drives, an iLok USB-C and a cascade of UA Apollo/Satellite, in every permutation, redetection and sleep mode included ;-)
- I tested the *re*detection with the UFX+ as the only TB device and also in combination with two TB drives and an iLok. Same results in both cases.
- The adapter for the UFX+ is the "official" Apple TB3-TB2 white one, i have four of them...

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I confirm re-detection (off-on) problem is still here. Driver Beta 1.03, iMac, Intel, Ventura 13.1.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

marcin_c wrote:

I confirm re-detection (off-on) problem is still here. Driver Beta 1.03, iMac, Intel, Ventura 13.1.

Tested again with Ventura 13.2?

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

psvennevig wrote:
marcin_c wrote:

I confirm re-detection (off-on) problem is still here. Driver Beta 1.03, iMac, Intel, Ventura 13.1.

Tested again with Ventura 13.2?

Yes. Same situation.

17 (edited by AnHonestMix 2023-02-11 20:00:59)

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Wanted to share these steps that just worked to resolve the re-detection issue. In my case it seems to have been caused by an old version of the PCIe driver being loaded underneath the new DriverKit driver.

1- Uninstall DriverKit driver by dragging RME Thunderbolt Settings.app to trash.

2- Uninstall remnants of old driver manually per instructions in the UFX+ user manual by removing:

/Applications/RME Thunderbolt Settings
/Library/Extensions/RMEPCleAudio.kext
/Users/username/Library/Preferences/de.rme-audio.RMEThunderboltSettings.plist
/Library/LaunchAgents/de.rme-audio.RMEPCIeAgent.plist

Reboot.

3- However even after these steps, Under System Report > Extensions, still saw RMEPCIe driver 1.22 running. Why?!
System Report tells me the kext is located at /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Extensions/RMEPCIeAudio.kext

“Staged Extensions” which I believe is a macos cache for SIP approved extensions, stores a copy of the kext that is still being loaded!

Clear the staged extensions cache with this command:
sudo kextcache --clear-staging

Reboot, and no longer seeing the RME PCIe 1.22 driver in System Report > Extensions. Yay!

4- Reinstall DriverKit UFX+ thunderbolt driver v1.03. However, not seeing an “allow” button in Security preferences this time. I reboot anyways. On reboot, still not seeing the driver appear, so I wonder if it got trapped in limbo.

5- Reboot into recovery mode  (on M1, shut down machine and hold down power button while booting).
Open terminal, and run:
kmutil trigger-panic-medic --volume-root /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/

Reboot.

6- On boot, Security preferences asks me to re-approve all system extensions and reboot. I oblige.

7- FINALLY, RME Thunderbolt Settings is launching on login and subsequent reboots.

This was on MacOS Monterey, 12.6.3, M1 Pro.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

AnHonestMix wrote:

This was on MacOS Monterey, 12.6.3, M1 Pro.

Judging from previous entries, I think it's primarily an Intel iMac problem.

19 (edited by Quadron 2023-02-12 15:40:57)

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

AnHonestMix wrote:

This was on MacOS Monterey, 12.6.3, M1 Pro.

I've never had an issue with (re-)detection on (two different) M1 Machines... It's an Intel Problem, since the TB controllers are different and also TB security (via separate T2 chip on the Intel side?) seem to be handled differently with Apple Silicon.

Also, the *usb* driverkit beta drivers 4.06 do work as expected on *both* systems (M1 and Intel), i.e. correctly (re-)dectecting the UFX+ after standby/wakeup and/or switching off/on!

Since the problem was reproduced by marcin_c, the problem can be regarded as a verified problem (bug)!

I've just deleted the driverkit drivers (TB and USB) on the iMac Pro and installed the 1.03 TB beta only, no difference, no (re-)detection (sigh...)

By the way, Steps 5-7 (and suggestions like disabling SIP) are completely out of question on a regularly used machine...

iMac Pro (Intel Xeon/T2), Macbook Air M1, Ventura 13.2

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

marcin_c wrote:

Judging from previous entries, I think it's primarily an Intel iMac problem.

Ah, then perhaps it is a separate issue that I was experiencing on my M1 Pro. Don't mean to detract from the aforementioned re-detection issue.

Here's what I was experiencing: my UFX+ was recognized on first boot after installing the 1.03 TB driver, but on subsequent reboots "RME Thunderbolt Settings.app" would not launch even when the device was connected. Strangely, the CoreAudio driver was able to play sound out of the UFX+, just no control from RME Thunderbolt Settings.

Also, I am not suggesting disabling SIP. Mine is enabled. The command triggers a refresh of the SIP-approved drivers and kernel extensions which are then re-approved in System Preferences. (Documented elsewhere on this forum as well)

I don't think the 1.03 beta installer is removing all traces of the previous, kext-based PCIe driver.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

@Matthias

Any news regarding DK driver for UFX+ TB?

Currently using TB. But can switch to USB. Any words to the wiser?

Best,
Pål S.

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

1.04 is in preparation, coming soon.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Driver 1.04 is now available on the website.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

There are two downloads.

One is :

macOS 11/12 Thunderbolt driver for Fireface UFX+

The other one is :

macOS 11/12 Thunderbolt DriverKit driver for Fireface UFX+

What is the difference?  What should I install on my MBP?

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

yvawoo wrote:

There are two downloads.

One is :

macOS 11/12 Thunderbolt driver for Fireface UFX+

The other one is :

macOS 11/12 Thunderbolt DriverKit driver for Fireface UFX+

What is the difference?  What should I install on my MBP?

what is your MacOS ?

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

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Mac OS 13.4 Ventura.  I tried to install UFX DK 104.pkg.  Then the "DSP" icon changes to Thunderbolt Setting icon.  In that the driver is listed as 1.04, but no device was detected.  So the app does not do anything.

Then, I installed thunderbolt 123.pkg.  Then the "DSP" icon comes back with detection of UFX+.  But, there the driver is v1.22 written next to Firmware v111.  When I click "About HDSPe setting" button, it says "RME Thunderbolt Setting V1.23(1)". Is this the correct version?  I am very confused.  BTW.  I tried to reinstall the driver because newly purchased Dorico 5 Pro has audio engine error.  Some people reported same problem with RME BF old version of driver.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

Did you try Dorico on the computer without any interface connected ? Just over the internal loudspeakers of the MacBook ?

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

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I tried Dorico 5 pro after disconnecting every thing from MBP.  Dorico 5 could open and play the sound normally.  Does it mean that UFC+ or its driver has clash with Dorico 5?

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I figured out what the difference between DK driver is.  I restored the security level back to standard one.  Then, the RME Thunderbolt Setup started working showing version as 1.04 properly.  Dorico also started working after many trial and error.  RME needs to mention at the download page that one needs to download one of either, not both drivers.  There is no detailed explanations regarding which driver to download. I had to search on this forum about Driverkit driver and educate myself from other people's writing.

Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

I found a workaround to re-detect the UFX+ after power off/on (the steps by AnHonestMix above didn't solve it for me):

- Powering off UFX+ does not exit de.rme-audio.dkpci , it's still running (activity monitor)
- After powering it on again, a 2nd de.rme-audio.dkpci starts, and the unit is not detected.
- Just for testing, I powered it off/on a 3rd time, and a 3rd de.rme-audio.dkpci process was started, and UFX+ was still not detected.
- Only after *manually exiting all those 3 processes*, the UFX+ get detected after powering it on.

I hope this is helpful for RME engineers to solve this issue.

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Re: Thema: New macOS RME Thunderbolt driver 1.03 for UFX+

TB drivers have been updated to v 1.05 as DriverKit and 1.24 as Kernel Extension. The DriverKit driver reliably removes the Kernel Extension, so it is very easy to swap between these drivers and check which works better for you. That said CoreAudio works better in audio multiclient mode with the Kernel Extension...

Driver download links in this thread:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=38691

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME