Topic: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

I know this is not the first topic with this issue BUT it seems many are saying it was solved with the latest Sonoma update and for me it is NOT.

What's odd is it was running perfectly for a couple of weeks. Solid! Now I have to resort to the built in audio to work.

I've been a windows guy for the last 10 years (Self built PC) so I have to re-learn all the apple ways when it comes to audio.

I need real help sad

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

In the meantime there is Sonoma 14.2.

iMac M1, Fireface 800, Logic Pro X

3 (edited by Taisoul 2023-12-14 16:00:24)

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

"Did not realize there was another update. I'll give it a shot and report back. Thanks."

Just updated to 14.2

No changes at all. Still glitchy.

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

14.1.2 appeared to have solved this issue for me, while 14.2 made it come back. Duh…what gives?!

5 (edited by waedi 2023-12-14 17:40:22)

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

In this post is an interesting solution you may try...?
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 28#p211728

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

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

Gum Long wrote:

14.1.2 appeared to have solved this issue for me, while 14.2 made it come back. Duh…what gives?!

Well that's disheartening!

I know the RME techs are working on this but I'm super frusterated.

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

waedi wrote:

In this post is an interesting solution you may try...?
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 28#p211728


thanks I'll check it out. I'm desparate.

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

**UPDATE**

It's only been a few minutes but I decided to try an older USB hub I had lying around plugged into a different port on my Mackbook M1 Max and so far it's smooth.

I've tested the following:

  • I'm running Audio Hijack with some metering plugins with online audio

  • Cubase session with Audio Hijack running

Hopefully it will last.I will report back with any updates. I don't want to get to happy just yet.

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

2 days so far with no glitchy behavior!

Taisoul wrote:

**UPDATE**

It's only been a few minutes but I decided to try an older USB hub I had lying around plugged into a different port on my Mackbook M1 Max and so far it's smooth.

I've tested the following:

  • I'm running Audio Hijack with some metering plugins with online audio

  • Cubase session with Audio Hijack running

Hopefully it will last.I will report back with any updates. I don't want to get to happy just yet.

10 (edited by Apfel 2023-12-18 17:26:57)

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

Sorry, I will never understand two things in such a case:

Why isn't it mentioned in the first post that there is an USB hub in use?
Why isn't it first checked connecting the device directly to the computer without the hub?

iMac M1, Fireface 800, Logic Pro X

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

Many, if not most, people using a MacBook would require a hub.  But yes, I did fail to mention I was using a hub. My apologies. I also did try the interface directly to the computer without a hub and I was still getting glitches.

Right now the only thing I can think of is after multiple installs, just seemed to resolve itself. There's honestly no way I could retrace the steps at this point.

So far, it's still working smoothly With the most recent firmware and Driver.

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

In my experience, connecting directly or with a hub makes no difference whatsoever, it glitches in both cases. Fortunately with Sonoma the glitches have become far less frequent so most of the time it is no problem for me anymore. And even before I didn't get any glitches while I was working in Cubase, only when I was listening to music while browsing in the web for example (but this was already highly annoying). It's a shame that a basic thing that worked perfectly since 30 years suddenly is a problem again, just because Apple prioritizes safety above everything else.

13 (edited by Apfel 2023-12-25 10:08:58)

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

leonardo wrote:

… connecting directly or with a hub makes no difference whatsoever, …

In this case one hub was defective as I understand.

I have an iMac M1 with Sonoma 14.2.1 and am using a now nearly 20 years old Fireface 800 connected without a hub (but of coures the adpater daisychain). There are no glitches and I didn't have glitches with these machines before with earlier MacOS.

I switched to Apple in 2021. Though I had been using Apple only privately and my whole professional life for other purposes (graphic design) I had to start hard disc recording with a Windows environment because of compatibility with some studio. First on Digidesign Session 8 with a connected ADAT in the early 90s which was pain in the ass most of the time. Then in the 2000s I switched to RME and Cubase still on Windows. I had a new high end machine configured by a studio supplier and they recommended the RME Fireface 800 which I bought. But there was always something wrong. Soon the motherboard died on the PC and there were always problems with synchronizing audio and midi, bluescreens, dropouts, glitches, restarts, typical Windows problems.

After I switched to Apple and Logic everything changed immediately and I never looked back. Running smoothly from day one without having to tweeze BIOS and system settings like on Windows. Plug & Play! The Windows machine went to the recycling center!

And to make that clear: The Fireface 800 never had or caused any problems!

iMac M1, Fireface 800, Logic Pro X

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

The Fireface 800 might be another matter as it connects via Firewire, but the Fireface UC is an USB device and as far as I know the problems with drop-outs and glitches only affect USB devices because of the way newer versions of macOS treat USB audio with custom drivers like RME. I have a Fireface UFX II that worked absolutely flawlessly under macOS 10.15 but when I bought an M1 MacBook Pro the problems began and have never been sorted completely. In my case the drop-outs are very rare nowadays under Sonoma but are still there from time to time (but fortunately not when I'm doing audio work in Cubase), so the situation is bearable. Under Ventura however it was not that good. There are numerous reports on this problem, also from users of other USB interfaces by other manufacturers, so the problem clearly lies with Apple.

15

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

Using a USB 2 cable instead of the USB 3 cable included with my Fireface UFX III fixed the drop-outs issues!

16

Re: Fireface UC with Mac M1 Max on Sonoma 14.1.2 AUDIO GLITCHES

Also you might want to look at this thread: https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?pid=212464