Q: Massive problem with audio interface

Even though some seem to have their problems solved, I need to add this, because I still have dreadful issues!

Same problem as all above: Starts fine for a whole lot of minutes, then any audio player (Spotify, iTunes..) transforms into robotic noise until it dissolves into clicks and ends in total silence after some minutes. With Garageband or MainStage the process seems to go much quicker from clean to silence - no more than two minutes clean. Closing the audio source for some minutes takes me back to start. Clean for a while, then audio horror.

Machinery:
Mbox 2 Mini USB 2.0

Mid 2014 Macbook Pro 15"
2,8 Ghz Intel Core i7

16 GB RAM

1 TB APPLE SSD SM1024F

For the record: Everything worked fine the first weeks, even with Mavericks. Then, one day, this started. Upgraded to Yosemite, but problem continues.

Just want to cry.

Yes, I have audio interface issues with Macbook Pro i7 SD, early 2013.

Yes the audio drops out all the time, bringing artistic productivity close to zero for more than a year now.

But let me begin by focusing on my broader issues with apple.

I am a computer engineer. I've also played amateur music since I ways a kid. I started recording stuff around 16 years old, went to audio production school etc. That should mean to you (come on, indulge me) that I know a tiny bit about drivers, ports, OS's, software, memory, electricity, signals. At the same time, it would be fair to say I have good ears (one more time, indulge )

I have tried everything. From software configuration to hardware setup ... I've even redone the entire electrical installation in my home studio. I did this because I noticed a situation where dropouts ALWAYS occurred: whenever a small power surge occurred (turning on the lights, loud part in an audio program - lots of speaker power, laser printer coming online, voltage oscillations in the grid etc.). I thought I'd had my eureka moment. I would stabilize the voltage, make sure all my gear was powered in polarity alignment, make sure I have a solid ground port. Then, at least I would solve these dropout situations. I did voltage and current readings before/after the changes I made - the current was under control and the voltage oscillations were sparser and weaker. Q: Did it do any good? A: No.

This was just the last episode of my crusade to prove to myself sane when saying:

a) I should not have listened to those apple boys and girls who majored in design, or journalism and who like to play "audio engineer" for kicks;

b) If an artist doesn't want to work with me because I don't "mac", then I know he is cattle, I can live a happy life without him (I actually had a guitarist tell me I needed to use avid/apple to get that "flow" - he couldn't tune his own guitar);

c) There's nothing special about apple hardware. They are contractors - very little of what a Macbook packs in components is under apple's control (it's a consortium mess);

d) Apple no longer has responsiveness. It's broadened its client base too much. Niche users like us are left to their own resources;

e) I was happy and productive with my Windows desktop station connected to a Presonus Studiolive 16.0.2 or a M-Audio Firewire 1814;

f) Will go back to Windows PC and run a pirated version of Mac OS on a virtual machine (in case I need peanuts or raisins)

I'm using Fraps to record the screen while I post. If apple deletes this, I will make a youtube video everytime, and repost.

Could I have gone through your complaints workflow? Yes. But I know it will do no good.

If want to shut me up, give me my U$2200 or a new Macbook that actually works for audio.

Peace,

Having the same problems for the past 6 months on a macbook air, bought new in 2014. USB interface works intermittently or with crackles and hiss. I hate this problem and it's just a massive let down from apple.

I want to know if ANYONE has had success using thunderbolt. The cheapest thunderbolt interface I can see is the Zoom TAC-2, but it's still $500 AUD, which is a fair amount for just 2 lines.

Can't confirm.

I hope this helps someone out there who is going through this problem just as I did.

I decided to upgrade an old Windows studio to a Mac based Pro Tools setup approximately Jan last year. I have a "late 2013" iMac 27" with a fusion drive and an MBOX Pro gen 3 interface. Once this problem surfaced, I spent a long time researching and tinkering hoping like crazy that I would find a solution. In the end after 3 months of getting nowhere I simply gave up feeling extremely drained and disappointed.

I recently discovered this thread, and went through it with a fine-tooth comb and found some useful information that has helped me resolve the problem (still early days but the signs are promising). A few days ago I setup my gear after moving house and applied the below steps.

1) Created a new "fusion free" partition via Disk Utility

2) Downloaded OS X 10.10 (lack of use of the mac resulted in me missing Mavericks)

3) Installed OS X 10.10 to the newly created partition

4) Reinstalled Pro Tools, iLok management and the MBOX driver (latest of both) to this partition also. Didn't do the alias thing.

Once finished I looped a track for about 15-20 minutes without loss of audio. Now, as I write this I've had a loop playing for over one hour with no drop outs.

Thanks for all the input by everyone who posted in this thread. Without this existing, I would never have resolved my issue.

G

Well... I bought a late2013 iMac 21" 2.9GHz 1TB 8GB... And I use an external audio interface (Native Instruments) for playing guitar. On my headphone, the sound have some buzzy noise. But just when playing the guitar. If I record something and press Play, the buzzy sounds do not appear.

The thing is... I also have an old Mid2010 iMac 21" 3.06GHz 500MB 12MB... And the softwares installed are the SAME in the 2 iMacs, and on Mid2010 the sound is perfect. No buzzy.

Can anyone help?

Hi, all. I have recently purchased the Pro Tools HD 11.3 with HD Native thunderbolt I/O 8x8x8 system and uses it on my iMac (Late-2013, OS10.9.5 & Serial ATA SSD). The problem I am facing is, I can play sound at Pro Tools but cannot play any sound from Quicktime, iTunes, Final Cut Pro and other software. Once I played sound from those mentioned softwares at iMac, a warning notice pops up, saying "Avid CoreAudio Manager quit unexpectedly" and "XXX(the software for playing sound) quite unexpectedly while using the Avid CoreAudio plug-in." My iMac doesn't have fusion drive. It seems that I am not having the same problem with you guys... Anyone can help? Thanks a lot in advance.

I really liked my Phonic Helix 18 Universal (firewire) mixing board, into a MacPro. . . until the firewire died on it. Any ideas? Phonic says, "Very sorry, but we have no more firewire motherboards to replace yours." It's out of warranty, so I've just moved on. But seeing your post made me wonder if you have any ideas. Thanks!
"

I also am having a problem with monitoring dropouts from the Duet for Ipad in use with Logic Pro. I have resolved the problem by using the built in output for monitoring instead. It's not entirely ideal, but it allows for recording without drops at least!

Many thanks to all of those who generously shared their experience in this forum. Here is how I "solved" (well...) this. I used to have an iMac 2012 with a SATA disc, so not a Fusiondrive, that I unfortunately upgraded to Yosemite 10.10.2. Before trying out the audio interface I was happy and I used Carbon Copy Cloner to exactly replicate this iMac to an older iMac from 2008 in which I put a brand new SSD-disc with an exact copy of the iMac2012.

My audio interfaces are an Saffire Pro 24 and I also have a Presonus Studiolive 16.0.2. I tried these two with Yosemite on the new iMac with FW800 in to the Mac and also a firewire-to-Thunderbolt-converter and nothing worked. I got exactly the same issues everyone in this thread has, it worked for a short while, then clipping, distortion etc. Tried everything on this thread, buffer size, reinstalling etc and nothing worked. Then I saw that my old iMac has got a FW400 interface. I plugged the audio interfaces to that and it works just fine. I've been recording a full evening and it works great, even if I turn down buffer size to low levels.

So there are some people here on the forum that think the issue is with the Fusiondrive. This is not my case. As I have exactly the same configuration on two iMacs with the same drivers and the only difference is that on the one that works I have a FW400-interface, then it must be the FW800 that is the issue for me. Just wanted to share this.

brgds,

Joakim

Hi! Same problem was with my iMac and Apogee Duet. This driving crazy buzz noise. I solved this problem very easy. I isolated metal ground stripes from both sides with several layers of tape scotch (for europe plug, see photo). Easy...

Hi, I have a problem with the Motu 896hd loses sound for a few seconds, and then running, and it is constantly going on in any audio playback, help !!! I do not know what to do.

The drivers are installed, all the connections are checked, I do not know what's going on (

Computer MacBook Pro 15 late2011 osx mavericks, connected via FireWire 800 adapter - 400

Sorry for my English))

iMac late 2013 haswell. 1TB HDD and Yosemite.

I have 5 USB soundcards, some of them have dropouts when using pro tools. the rest have weird freq response. none of them act normally as they should with this iMac except in other computer and my macbookpro late 2012

I have a iMac 27 - Late 2012

2.9 GHz intel Core 5

memory 8 GB DDR3

running 10.9.5

Is this the one with a fusion drive?

I have a RME babyface and when I record audio in (within good levels) it sounds slightly digitally distorted.

Hello,

Same problem here.

I got a MacMini Late 2014 with a Motu Ultralite MK3 Hybrid as an external audio interface and the sound drops out after few minutes.

When the audio drops out, sometimes it changes to Macmini's audio, sometimes to HDMI audio (my TV is my monitor).

It is happening everytime, I just can't record anything. I have already tried both the Firewire and USB connections and it simply does not solve the problem.

Also, I have updated all the Motu drivers and firmwares as well. It used to work well before Yosemite, so........

What does Apple say about it? Apple + Motu used to be known as one of the most rock solid systems for audio...and now I just can't watch videos on it.