• Registered: 2026-03-01
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Hi,

System Mac m1 Studio
Madiface XT
Sequoia 15.7.4

Recently after an a sequoia update, one of our systems ran into the issue whereby there were glitches and dropouts, the issue whereby if Spotify or YT is playing whilst a DAW is open drop out and skipping audio instances occur, also when plugging in other usb devices.

We were running the kernel driver and then changed to the kit driver which made things worse. We have now fixed the issue of any audio problems by reverting to the kernel driver 3.35 with firmware v191 and having ISO mode on (which we didn't have on prev) and a the large safety offset applied. As this system uses a non mk2 version of a Madfiace XT there is no option for CC mode however im not really interested in going the CC route due to the latency addition.

I know now after working with RME uk tech support that M1 and sequoia chip sets are the issue and its the last OS update that I believe has caused problems with this system.

My questions are:

We have a single remaining issue that hasn't been like this before - its when interfaces are turned off (madiface xt / madi devices in the interface chain) at the end of the day and then restarted the next morning the M1 Mac doesn't handshake with the XT correctly. It shows in audio preferences and in the audio midi app. Initially I though a full restart of the computer was needed but have worked out you can just reselect the device in sound preferences and everything if fine.

My question is could ISO mode which we didn't use previously be causing this issue?

Obviously we could get around this by leaving interfaces turned on and the connection is solid - but keen to understand if there is a fix for this last issue?

As a computer system change isn't really something im looking to do currently, im wondering if a move to HDSPE Madi FX pcie card within a Sonnet/OWC chassis with Thunderbolt 3 will remove all issues and be a future proofed way forward and avoid CC configuration.

Are these issues specifically on M1 Mac Studios - are say an M4 Mac Studio running Tahoe encountering these issues?

Thanks in advance.

  • waedi
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
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Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Whay shutdown the computer ?
Let it ON all the time and let it in sleep-mode over night. No more issues with connections after booting.

M1-Tahoe, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2026-03-01
  • Posts: 6

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

waedi wrote:

Whay shutdown the computer ?
Let it ON all the time and let it in sleep-mode over night. No more issues with connections after booting.

I explain about turning off interface not turning off the computer.

  • From: Haimhausen
  • Registered: 2012-04-02
  • Posts: 391

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

There are some known USB 3 issues with M1 Macbook Pro and M1 Mac Studio. As where M2 and up do not seem to have these USB 3 problems. For M1 this is mostly solvedd by using the Class Compliant mode, but that is unfortunately not possible with the XT (v1).

Regards,
Audio AG Support

Audio AG Support's Website

  • Registered: 2026-03-01
  • Posts: 6

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Audio AG Support wrote:

There are some known USB 3 issues with M1 Macbook Pro and M1 Mac Studio. As where M2 and up do not seem to have these USB 3 problems. For M1 this is mostly solvedd by using the Class Compliant mode, but that is unfortunately not possible with the XT (v1).

Yes I understand that - just trying to find answers for the specific questions in my post:

Q1. Could the madiface xt when turned on (after say 8 hours) fail to handshake with the Mac, despite the Mac showing the interface in audio preferences be associated with running in ISO Mode - which we didn't have to use prior to updating to Sequoia?

Q2. Would it be likely that the above q1 problems along with any other usb related issues be removed if we swapped to a HDSPE Madi FX pcie card within a Sonnet/OWC chassis with Thunderbolt 3. Are there any driver related issues on the pcie cards with Mac M1 and Sequoia. Again not wanting to use CC mode in a Madiface XT II as I want to avoid additional latency.

6 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2026-03-02 17:56:40)

  • waedi
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
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Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Who says there will be added latency ? It can be less.
Use the RTL tool to measure the latency, then you know.
Measure both, CC and DK driver.

https://oblique-audio.com

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

7 Reply by Phaser70 (edited by Phaser70 2026-03-03 15:33:29)

  • Registered: 2026-03-01
  • Posts: 6

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

waedi wrote:

Who says there will be added latency ? It can be less.
Use the RTL tool to measure the latency, then you know.
Measure both, CC and DK driver.

https://oblique-audio.com

This is explained in a sticky post from RME in this forum also on RME website.

"CC mode is not the final and best solution, though. It does not offer a choice of Safety Offset settings (they are fixed and higher than our Large setting, resulting in higher latency), there is no Diagnostics error counter, and no playback data visualization is available in DigiCheck NG. Still, if it is the only way a specific system works these points not count much."

https://rme-audio.de/files/uploads/Support/TMFX-CCMode-Comparsion.jpg

Considering a thunderbolt chassis with a PCIE card would not require cc mode - was asking that question to see if other users have explored and had success with this options using an M1 / Sequoia system..

I have also started to review the CC Totalmix capability and it seems the software middle row is removed and control room settings cannot be changed for different outputs etc. If this is the case then CC mode won't able to be used within our system as we rely on the middle row to mix headphone mixes outputted to spidf and use the control room section for multiple monitor outputs.

8 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 26,861

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Phaser70 wrote:

This is explained in a sticky post from RME in this forum also on RME website.

"CC mode is not the final and best solution, though. It does not offer a choice of Safety Offset settings (they are fixed and higher than our Large setting, resulting in higher latency), there is no Diagnostics error counter, and no playback data visualization is available in DigiCheck NG. Still, if it is the only way a specific system works these points not count much.".

In the latest OS (already before Tahoe) Apple had reduced the Safety Offset for CC mode significantly, now more on par with our Normal setting. This was reported several times here in the forum.

Phaser70 wrote:

I have also started to review the CC Totalmix capability and it seems the software middle row is removed and control room settings cannot be changed for different outputs etc.

Not true. TM FX CC mode is not different from normal mode for supported units (USB 3). PCIe is not supported at all (no CC mode).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

9 Reply by Phaser70 (edited by Phaser70 2026-03-04 11:02:40)

  • Registered: 2026-03-01
  • Posts: 6

Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

MC wrote:
Phaser70 wrote:

This is explained in a sticky post from RME in this forum also on RME website.

"CC mode is not the final and best solution, though. It does not offer a choice of Safety Offset settings (they are fixed and higher than our Large setting, resulting in higher latency), there is no Diagnostics error counter, and no playback data visualization is available in DigiCheck NG. Still, if it is the only way a specific system works these points not count much.".

In the latest OS (already before Tahoe) Apple had reduced the Safety Offset for CC mode significantly, now more on par with our Normal setting. This was reported several times here in the forum.

Phaser70 wrote:

I have also started to review the CC Totalmix capability and it seems the software middle row is removed and control room settings cannot be changed for different outputs etc.

Not true. TM FX CC mode is not different from normal mode for supported units (USB 3). PCIe is not supported at all (no CC mode).

Hi Mc thanks for responding -

That sounds positive re apple reducing the offset - so that negatively effects the increased latency?

Im a little confused as ri read the Totalmix limitations in the madiface XT 2 manual (im considering trying an XT 2), maybe I have read it incorrectly?

36. Audio Routing and Processing
In Class Compliant mode, the MADIface XT II features operation very similar to normal operation
with TotalMix FX, with two major differences:
 There is no second TotalMix row (no software playback channels), hence no individual routing
or mixing of playback channels*. These will always be connected either straight to the physical
outputs (CC-Routing Straight), or have an additional signal copy from MADI 1/2 to Analog,
AES and Phones (CC-Routing Aux all 1/2), making the headphone outputs work.
Both modes can be activated at any time and do not influence the mixer state loaded via the
Setups, as they only influence the playback routing. The current routing can easily be checked
and verified with the level meter display.

Control Room Section settings are inactive. Configuring the Phones output is done by output
Phones only!

10 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Madiface XT / Mac Studio M1 Sequoia Issue

Yes, you read it incorrectly. That paragraph explains how it works internally in the device/hardware. This is not about TM FX software. And it does not talk about the brand new DriverKit-based CC mode.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website