• Registered: 2022-11-23
  • Posts: 6

Topic: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

I have a 2017 imac running the latest versions of Ventura and Total Mix, which work fine together with my UCX II. But my imac's on its last legs: the internal hard drive died, and I have it booting off a Superduper copy of my OS on external drive. The writings on the wall, however, so I'm ready for a new computer.

I want to purchase a M4 Mac Mini - with either the M4 or M4 Pro chip version for my UCX II.

Questions. Questions. Questions.

Has anyone successfully run this set up?

What size memory are you using?

Fan noise is an issue for some apparently, especially with the M4 Pro. What's your experience?

How did it go installing Total Mix? Did you need to do anything beyond what is suggested here (https://rme-audio.de/rme-macos.html) and here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilkwtb2MKrM&t=299s)? Kernal Extension or System Extension?

Bottom line is: will this work NOW? If RME and M4 do not play nice together yet, I'd rather hold off and limp along with my old imac until things are more copacetic, instead of spending all that money to be frustrated!

2 Reply by kicksnarehat (edited by kicksnarehat 2024-11-11 21:33:37)

  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

I ordered an m4 (not pro) with 24g ram & 1tb drive. Will report back after I get it and do some work. Previously used with both an m1 laptop and a 2011 iMac with zero issues. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t just work.

Edit: just to clarify, above is with a UCX2

  • Registered: 2023-03-26
  • Posts: 42

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

I answered in the total mix thread on the same issue. All good after driver kit install. Migration assistant took about 40 minutes to transfer about 840gb via thunderbolt. Didn't do any real testing, but basic stuff works like a champ.

  • Registered: 2024-06-01
  • Posts: 16

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

kicksnarehat wrote:

I ordered an m4 (not pro) with 24g ram & 1tb drive. Will report back after I get it and do some work. Previously used with both an m1 laptop and a 2011 iMac with zero issues. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t just work.

I'd be shocked, too. Also toying with the idea of upgrading to an M4 mini (base config), I fully expect there to be no issues.

What I'd like to know (somewhat off-topic) is whether the hard to pin down USB audio issues with the M1 have been resolved in the later chips? There appear to be occasional blips or drop-outs with M1 Macs and playback to USB DACs. This seems to be independent of player software and also largely unrelated to the DAC or digital interface used. I'm only encountering this relatively rarely, but have never found a proper explanation or fix. People seem to have given up and moved on to M2 or higher...

5 Reply by kicksnarehat (edited by kicksnarehat 2024-11-12 15:48:17)

  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Steffen wrote:

What I'd like to know (somewhat off-topic) is whether the hard to pin down USB audio issues with the M1 have been resolved in the later chips? There appear to be occasional blips or drop-outs with M1 Macs and playback to USB DACs. This seems to be independent of player software and also largely unrelated to the DAC or digital interface used. I'm only encountering this relatively rarely, but have never found a proper explanation or fix. People seem to have given up and moved on to M2 or higher...

I didn't realize anyone was having a problem with USB on M1. Not disbelieving, just didn't look for a fix to a problem I didn't experience. FWIW I avoid USB hubs though after having had several that were unreliable with monitors and external drives (even an expensive Caldigit), and try to buy decent adapters when necessary. Drives and interface always connect directly to computer, and ARC-USB directly to UCX2.

  • Registered: 2022-11-23
  • Posts: 6

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Thanks to everyone who replied - I appreciate it. And kicksnarehat, I'm looking forward to your feedback. Your M4 mac mini order is the same configuration as what I'm planning to get, so I'm really interested in how it works out for you.

And a couple of extra questions for you: do you use Logic, and if so any hiccups with the M4? And - unrelated to RME but important to me - what monitor are you using with the M4 and how do you like it ?

  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

rockpapersizzors wrote:

Thanks to everyone who replied - I appreciate it. And kicksnarehat, I'm looking forward to your feedback. Your M4 mac mini order is the same configuration as what I'm planning to get, so I'm really interested in how it works out for you.

And a couple of extra questions for you: do you use Logic, and if so any hiccups with the M4? And - unrelated to RME but important to me - what monitor are you using with the M4 and how do you like it ?

Mini arrived, I installed the RME regular kernel drivers (not driver kit), and did a quick one-track recording (48/24, 64 samples, RTL is under 4ms) to make sure the basics are working -- so far so good. I don't work with large projects, but loading a project with a few dozen tracks and my typical plugins works fine. DAW is Reaper.

Was planning to use an old Dell dont-know-the-model HDMI monitor, but recently picked up an older apple Cinema Display (mini DisplayPort) on freecycle. Bigger/brighter than anything else I have, has some weird pixel fade in one corner, and of course needs an adapter... but free is free. I had this adapter, which is currently working:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFH4ZR5

Downside is this uses one of the 5 USB-C ports instead of the HDMI. I might switch to the other monitor if I run out of ports.

I'm still copying files over and doing setup. Projects run off a Samsung T7 and using an old LaCie drive for TimeMachine backups. Happy to answer any other questions.

8 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2024-11-14 20:46:55)

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,539

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Why not install the 4.16 driver ?
That was the only thing I was interested to know.
The new Mac is on Sequoia, right ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

waedi wrote:

Why not install the 4.16 driver ?
That was the only thing I was interested to know.
The new Mac is on Sequoia, right ?

Why use kernel drivers? RME says the performance is better:

https://youtu.be/Ilkwtb2MKrM?feature=shared&t=373

... so I'll use them until I can't.

Yes, Sequoia. Mine was shipped with 15.1 installed.

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,539

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Under this old video, read the first comment below the video, the comment is from RME self :

Under macOS Sonoma, DriverKit drivers behave identical to the System Extension drivers. This has been the conclusion after heavy testing in the last couple of weeks. What has been your experience?

Today the MacOS is Sequoia and Apple and RME has evolved to provide stable music computer.

If someone is not happy with the DKdriver, changing to KEXTdriver is no problem.
just saying

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

waedi wrote:

Under this old video, read the first comment below the video, the comment is from RME self :

Under macOS Sonoma, DriverKit drivers behave identical to the System Extension drivers. This has been the conclusion after heavy testing in the last couple of weeks. What has been your experience?

Today the MacOS is Sequoia and Apple and RME has evolved to provide stable music computer.

If someone is not happy with the DKdriver, changing to KEXTdriver is no problem.
just saying

That's good info, and news to me. I hadn't revisited this since installing drivers on my (secondary) M1 laptop a couple years ago. But at the risk of changing anything in a working system, is there any advantage to moving to DriverKit?

12 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Not really,. You get playback channels in DigiCheck NG, though.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

MC wrote:

Not really,. You get playback channels in DigiCheck NG, though.

This does sound worth investigating…Thanks!

  • Registered: 2022-02-22
  • Posts: 8

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

For waedi:

Curiosity about DigiCheck got me and I had an unused HDMI port, so I installed DriverKit 4.16 and set up the old/small monitor off to the side as a dedicated DigiCheck display. Everything's working fine!

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,539

Re: M4 Mac Mini and UCX II issues?

Fantastic ! In my old homerecording studio I also had one display only for Digicheck, great stuff.

Glad you can work and thanks for the reporting.

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