• boran
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Topic: Madiface XT running USB2, glitch sounds

Hi,

I've recently purchased Madiface XT mainly for live recording. I just received my unit and I started to test out the unit with playing some music through iTunes using headphones output. After a while I started hearing glitches(sounds like digital errors) The defects randomly appear and disappear. No errors shown anywhere. The defects also goes away when I change the samplerate from application.

System specs:
2009 Macbook Pro
Mac OSX 10.8.3
Driver: 1.9.3

I also updated Madiface XT to USB firmware version 1.6.5 using the Mac Flash Tool provided. Tried different USB cables. No luck.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Madiface XT running USB2, glitch sounds

Please try this driver:

https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/dr … ac_191.zip

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

3 Reply by boran (edited by boran 2014-02-24 16:11:08)

  • boran
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Re: Madiface XT running USB2, glitch sounds

Hi,

Trying to isolate the issue. I tried Madiface XT on my PC running with USB3, no problems at all. So the issue is highly likely a Mac Driver issue. I have done all the updates to mac, and now the OSX is 10.8.5. Trying with 10.8.5 and usb_mac_191 driver. (Removed 193 according to the guideline on the forum.) glitches still occur. I still couldn't find the exact reason and still couldn't get a chance to try it with MADI. I'll try with it MADI tomorrow. Also planning on getting Matrox PCI-E ExpressCard, hopefully which would solve the issue permanently. I have a Macbook Pro (last unibody model with ExpressCard34) with following specs;

Core2Duo 2.4 Ghz
8 GB RAM
60 GB SSD for System Drive
500 GB 7200 RPM for Recording/Playback installed with Opti-bay

I'm thinking this computer should be more than enough to do a 48 channel recording/playback via MADI for Virtual Soundcheck purposes. My main DAW will be either Reaper, or Presonus Studio One. I also have Logic Pro 9 but I find Logic too chunky for live applications. Should I invest on Matrox PCI-E for 48 channels(rarely 64 channels at maximum) and stability, or will I be pushing the limits with 48 channels on this machine and I should stick with 32 channels on USB2. If that's the case I'm planning on upgrading to a new generation retina MBP with USB3 built-in. I'll be doing a clean install of OSX Lion to isolate the driver issue. I'll keep you updated with the result.

Thanks.

  • boran
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Re: Madiface XT running USB2, glitch sounds

Further update:
When the glitchy sound starts, if I change the Samplerate(from RME Fireface USB app) to anything else glitches go away, then comeback after a while.

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Madiface XT running USB2, glitch sounds

We can reproduce this. That specific MacBook is known to have performance and compatibility problems on both USB and ExpressCard. We fixed the basic incompatibility to our 64 channel MADIface USB and MADIface XT with driver update 1.91. But at 64 channels, when you stress the computer (and stress here means just a little graphics and CPU action, nothing serious for any other comparable computer) USB buffers get lost. This is a serious problem that we most probably will not be able to fix.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website