• Registered: 2022-02-25
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Topic: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

Its perhaps a far fetched question, but does anyone own an Native Instruments Maschine MK3 and use it on the same computer with their RME Babyface FS Pro interface? I upgraded from an Maschine MK2 to to an MK3 and now suddenly the performance is horrible (lagging like crazy). Talking with NI support about this, but so far they haven't figured it out.
If I choose to just use the soundcard on my Mac Mini it all works well. So somethings up with the MK3 and Babyface when together.

2 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-10-03 07:00:59)

  • waedi
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

How is the Aggregate device configured ?
Two audio-interface connected to the same computer is a mess from the beginning.
They should not share the same channel numbers.

Edit :
And, when both units are connected to the Mac and the Maschine is lagging, how is the Babyface then doing ?
Can it play music from the computer without stutter or interrupting ?

Here is a link to the Maschine user manual (German)
https://www.native-instruments.com/file … an_2_8.pdf

it's a nightmare !
Page 134 is for audio channels, there is no option to select audio channel-numbers for the input and output channels of the device.
It has 1036 pages... happy reading !

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • vinark
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

And not share usb ports or hubs

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Kubrak
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

I do not have Mac and Babyface, but I have Maschine MK3, several RME interfaces and many NI plugins.

RME interfaces work great with NI software and hardware. At least on Win. A guy from NI forum wrote there are/were problems with RME drivers on Mac. It seems to me, it has been resolved.

You may find me on NI forum under the same nick. And there are many helpful people who have experience with NI SW and HW on Mac.

Generally, my feeling is that many SW/HW companies still 'fight' with Apple Silicon transition and Apple way of doing things (almost no backward compatibility). It not only brings different instruction set, but also big-little CPU architecture, which may be one of the sources of problems for realtime applications like audio, if not treated properly. And many companies do not have much experience with big-little. Similar problems developer face on Win with 12th and 13th gen of Intels...

  • Registered: 2022-02-25
  • Posts: 10

Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

waedi wrote:

How is the Aggregate device configured ?
Two audio-interface connected to the same computer is a mess from the beginning.
They should not share the same channel numbers.

Edit :
And, when both units are connected to the Mac and the Maschine is lagging, how is the Babyface then doing ?
Can it play music from the computer without stutter or interrupting ?

Here is a link to the Maschine user manual (German)
https://www.native-instruments.com/file … an_2_8.pdf

it's a nightmare !
Page 134 is for audio channels, there is no option to select audio channel-numbers for the input and output channels of the device.
It has 1036 pages... happy reading !

Hi I do not use any aggregated device as I'm solely using the Babyface. Any other audio is fine, but as soon as the MK3 is active (standalone or as a VSTi) it all starts to stutter. This doesn't happen if I change from the Babyface to the built-in audio interface in the Mac Mini (which is Intel by the way)

  • Registered: 2022-02-25
  • Posts: 10

Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

vinark wrote:

And not share usb ports or hubs

Yeah I need to test this more, but it's just odd this was all fine with the MK2.

  • vinark
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

Junolab wrote:
vinark wrote:

And not share usb ports or hubs

Yeah I need to test this more, but it's just odd this was all fine with the MK2.

No not really, the mk3 streams audio over usb, the 2 only midi, so the mk3 needs more bandwidth and uses a different driver.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Kubrak
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

I do not think Maschine MK3 streams audio, if audio is not used. But to feed the screens may take some USB bandwitch.

  • vinark
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

I think the driver reserves the audio bandwidth anyway, even if unused, as soon as you connect USB.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Kubrak
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

I do not know... Sometimes I have many (7 or so) audiointerfaces attached and do not see any difference. And driver should know if it is being used or not and allocate resourses according to that.

Anyway, Maschine MK3 needs more USB and CPU/GPU resources because of its screens. AFAIK the screen images are rendered in computer and sent as bitmaps to MK3.

  • vinark
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Re: NI Maschine MK3 and Babyface FS Pro

Ok still it might need a dedicated usb port, not a shared one with rme

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632