Q: iMac late 2013 + Mavericks + USB Sennheiser - input freeze

One thing I forgot to mention is that all of my peripherals are plugged into a USB3 hub, which seems to play a role in what's been happening for other people.

I tried unplugging my Logitech G930 headset from the hub, but still got unrecoverable input freezes. After Kibbutz mentioned his Griffin iMic, I also tried unplugging mine from the hub. Since having done that, I haven't had an input freeze in 12 hours, which is looking better than the ~10 minutes or so I could get without the machine freezing. I am also using all of my other peripherals (couple of HDDs, headset, iPhone cables) without issue.

I'm going to wait a little longer to make sure that the Griffin iMic is the factor that's causing these freezes for me, then try plugging it both through a USB2 hub and directly into the iMac to see if it's an issue being coupled with my USB3 hub.

Also, for what it's worth I haven't been having these noisy audio problems (not yet anyways). I'm just really glad to be able to use my computer for more than a couple minutes at a time.

Just checked it on a iMac late 2013 in my family, with a migrated version of Mavericks.

Same probleme here.

Some other tests shows this situation up:

- iMic on a USB 3 port directly attached on the iMac: Noisy sounds starts after 1-5 minutes until i quit the app that is using the mic, like mumble, audio hijack or the quicktime audio recorder. When i start it again, the sound will be this buzzing after 1-5 minutes again.

- iMic on a port of a USB 3 hub: inputs are freezing after a few minutes

- iMic on a port of a USB 2 hub: the hole iMic freezes, no input recording, no output sound. But the mouse and keyboard are working

But what makes me sad is, that the problem is not on bootcamp Win 8.1 installation. Works fine, on all USB hubs or directly on a USB port at the mac.

Don't want to go back to ML 10.8.5...

Maybe a high quality sound card like the X-FI HD USB can solve it, but i don't bet on it.

Hey there,

I might have the same problem regarding the input freeze... I got my new imac delivered last friday.

I have the normal (wired) apple keyboard and a logitech mouse attached to it (and an ipad / iphone) through USB. I have the BT Apple mouse attached (to test) and on the tunderbolt ports there's a drobo D5 and two LED Cinema displays (one of them chained through the Drobo).

Every now and then... the ipad/iphone screen lights up (like it does when you detach it from the charger cable) and that's the sign all input is dead. This means not only all USB devices, also the bluetooth Apple mouse. This while the imac is still playing music and chat messages come in...

I'm using a clean installed Mavericks and tried the PRAM reset. No luck so far. I do have the feeling that it happens faster when the system is pushed and gets warmer (like 3D gaming).

Same issue with both a Jabra Pro 930 headset and Plantronics d100 headset. The Jabra Pro works on a late 2012 imac and the Plantronics d100 is fine on a 2009 Imac, So their is no issue with the headsets, if I turn off the headset and use the inbuilt mic and sound their is no problem either.

Same story here. I've opened a call with Apple about that, they suspect my Kingston memory kit, they force me to buy Apple Module Kit from their Apple Store to make sure they issues wasn't the Kingston = Same result.

They told me that was probably a problem with my iMac and I must bring it again the the Apple Store, so I did and they replace my iMac Late 2013 brand new for another one.

At home, i didn't upgrade to Maverick for 2 weeks. No issues. So I thought that I could really and issues with the hardware on the other iMac. So I did the upgrade to Maverick ... BAD MOVE!

1 day after USB crashes again after 4 or 5 minutes using my Logitech Headset H650e. I tried another headset my Plantronic USB as well, same issues ...

So it's really something with the iMac 2013 AND Maverick together.

Apple Support WE NEED A FIX!

Ok, I have a workaround for me and the guys with a non USB headset.

My headset is a Sennheiser PC 350 (non USB).

I bought a Sennheiser Y-Adadpter with combined input and output jack.

Sennheiser gives the tip, that the adapter is working with Apple computer. And thats right. Dont need my iMic anymore and the microphone works great.

The link for the german site (english one is not working) is: http://de-de.sennheiser.com/pcv-05

But for sure, that will need to be fixed soon!

I did all kinds of tests on the imac in the past two days, not a problem at all (only usb keyboard + logitech mouse attached). It kept on going whatever I threw at it.

Then I hooked up my ipad and within 10 minutes all usb devices stopped working again. There's no real need for me to charge the ipad / iphone directly from my imac... and it's good to know that this is in fact a software problem (and not my brand new imac(!)). But at some point I will want to hook up usb stuff...

So... I totally agree: Apple, this needs a fix!

I had the same exact issue (same message in the system.log) but no Logitech or any other usb device with couple days old 27' iMac.  Guess what, I returned it!

I love macs but unfortunately quality is definetly not what used to be. It's more about the looks now.

Filled the following bug report with Apple.

There is an incompatibility between my iMac 27-inch late 2013, Mavericks and the Logitech USB headsets listed at the bottom (from the system report).

Symptom: when using voice-over-ip, whether it is FaceTime, Skype, Google Talk or any other service that I’ve tried, my voice becomes very robotic-sounding with some echo added to the other listeners 2-5 minutes into the connection. Hanging-up and restarting a new conversation temporarily eliminates the symptoms, which return again 2-5 minutes later. I hear my correspondants perfectly.

The symptom does NOT occur when:

- Using the same two headsets with the same iMac with Mountain Lion (prior to Mavericks upgrade)

- Using the iMac 27-inch late 2013 internal microphone instead of a USB headset

- Using the same two headsets with a late 2006 iMac running Lion

- Using the same two headsets with a mid-2010 MacBook running Mavericks

I’ve performed many tests by changing the iMac connection method between wifi and ethernet, changing my network configuration including router QOS, etc. I have not found any affecting factors, i.e. the symptom ALWAYS occurs when using the iMac 27-inch late 2013 running Mavericks with one of the USB Logitech headset no matter what else.

iMac 27-inch, late 2013

Processor  3.2 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory  8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M 1024 MB

Software  OS X 10.9 (13A603)

USB 3.0 Hi-Speed Bus:

  Host Controller Location:          Built-in USB

  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBXHCI

  PCI Device ID:          0x8c31

  PCI Revision ID:          0x0005

  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086

  Bus Number:          0x0a

Logitech USB Headset:

  Product ID:          0x0a01

  Vendor ID:          0x046d  (Logitech Inc.)

  Version:          10.13

  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec

  Manufacturer:          Logitech

  Location ID:          0x14500000 / 16

  Current Available (mA):          500

  Current Required (mA):          100

Logitech USB Headset:

  Product ID:          0x0a44

  Vendor ID:          0x046d  (Logitech Inc.)

  Version:           1.27

  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec

  Manufacturer:          Logitech

  Location ID:          0x14200000 / 17

  Current Available (mA):          500

  Current Required (mA):          100

Pascal

You did the exact same procedure then me here and I got the same results and conclusions. I did my tests with 2 differents Logitech Headset and also with a Plantronic Headset. Always the same results. After 2-5 minutes the usb headset goes crazy ...

I used my iPhone headset for the moment, but I hope Apple will fix this very soon!

HELLO APPLE! ANYONE FROM YOU THAT CAN ANSWER TO US ABOUT THIS ISSUE ???

It's not a driver problem. We have tried 5 differents headset from 3 differents companies. Always the same results, always the same issues.

I can't believe that no ones at Apple are aware about this annoying issue!!!

I have a similar issue with a 2012 MacBook Pro (i7) using iMic and Audacity. Apple doesn't monitor the forums, so please take the time and provide your detailed feedback here.

Hi All, same problem here.

I have a late 2013 iMac with fusion driver.

everying worked well, except when connecting an external interfaces.

I tried a few interfaces (Line6 UX1, Motu Microbook and another proffesional one), and it seems that interfaces that uses the USB port as power supply (no other cables) ,playing noises and crackling sounds.

it usually take some time (5-60 sec.) before the noises begin.

I double and cross checked everying, 3 interfaces  X  2 iMacs and an old macbook.

For now, it seems that late 2013 iMacs, using Mavericks and external sound cards / interfaces, are having this issue.

The iMac in currently in the lab, trying to figure out this problem.

I askd the guys on the lab to restore it to Mountain Lion, so i can test it.