Random Static - Help!

I doubt if it is a mixer issue. I have an Alesis Multimix USB box which I have been using for the past year on a Windows system. I don't have any noise on the Windows machine. I just purchased a Mac Mini so I could try some of the Mac music/audio recording software. As soon as I connected it to the Mac which has Leopard installed, I began to get the random noise. The problem exists when using Garageband, Audacity, and Cubase. It seems like it has something to do with the USB Audio CODEC on the Mac.

I just did a test that seems to rule out the mixer, and support martin's theory that it's a USB Audio Codec issue.

I've got a USB turntable that also uses the USB Audio Codec driver, and as a test, I simply turned it on, and started playing an album through my Mac. Sure enough, at about the 3 minute mark, the static started coming in, and because of this, I think I can rule out the mixer.

Next step - is there an actual USB Audio Codec driver file? Something that can be reinstalled?

I talked to the Alesis folks again today and they agree that it's a Core Audio issue on Intel Macs running Leopard. They can't do anything about it -- it's something Apple has to tweak.

They DO say that their new Firewire Alesis 8 mixers don't have the same issue, but who wants to drop $300 when we have a perfectly good mixer if Apple would just fix it.

So, do with that what you will.

I just bought the Alesis USB 8 mixer and I'm having a static audio issue as well. I thought I was just setting my levels incorrectly or routing my signal the wrong way, but I guess not. I am running Leopard on an iMac. Has anyone brought up this issue with Apple tech support? Is it really only an issue with Leopard or is this problem happening in a Tiger environment as well?

Thanks for any help with this.

cheers,
JC

Actually Pablocito, I just bought that $300.00 Firewire mixer and STILL have the static even with the updated drivers. I had the USB mixer, but with no resolution or updated drivers in sight, I went ahead and got the Firewire mixer thinking that will solve my problem.

I'm sorry to say that the problem persists...

This is a very frustrating issue. I hope either company acknowledges the issue and finds a solution soon.

This may be a silly question, but is there some way to "bump" this discussion up to a status that makes Apple aware? We've already identified that it's not mixer-dependent, so it's either a software or hardware issue.

The following is a string of e-mails between myself and Alesis tech support on this issue:

*Dear Alesis Tech Support,*
>
*> I recently purchased the Alesis MultiMix 8 USB to be*
*> used with my*
*> Intel iMac running OSX 10.5 (Leopard). Much to my*
*> dismay I am getting*
*> an awful static during many of my recordings. It*
*> seems that after*
*> restarting the computer and cycling the power on the*
*> mixer I can get*
*> about 3 minutes or so of no static but thereafter*
*> the static will once*
*> again show up in my recordings. I am monitoring as I*
*> record using*
*> headphones in the MultiMix headphone jack and this*
*> static is not*
*> apparent as I record, I only hear this static when I*
*> review my*
*> recordings afterwards.*
>
*> This is extremely frustrating. I hope that you stand*
*> behind the*
*> quality of your product and are working on a fix for*
*> this as I'm sure*
*> that I can't be the only one with this particular*
*> setup.*
>
*> I would appreciate any information you can provide*
*> me with on this*
*> issue so I don't have to return the product to you*
*> and seek out a*
*> different brand.*
>
*> I am from Canada and purchased this mixer on a*
*> recent trip to the*
*> U.S.....so returning your product to the place I*
*> bought it is not*
*> really an option for me...I would really prefer a*
*> fix as I really like*
*> what this mixer could do for me if the static issue*
*> is rectified.*
>
*> Thank you for your future attention to this matter.*
>
*> Sincerely,*
*> Jason Cohen*
*> Toronto, ON, CANADA*


Justin Baro <jbaro@alesis.com> wrote:

Jason,

The Multimix 8 USB has not yet been tested under the
new Leopard OS. Since
the mixer relies on the Core Audio drivers built
into the Mac for operation,
if Mac made any changes in the new OS this could
explain the static. It's
important to be careful when updating your
computer's OS. New versions of
operating systems often lead to compatibility
issues. If you use any type
of third party computer software or peripherals
(which we all do), always
make sure that you verify that the software is
compatible with the new
operating system before upgrading. Since
peripherals and software are
designed to run on specific computer operating
systems, any changes made to
the operating system can introduce problems. If the
manufacturer has not
specifically indicated compatibility with the new
OS, you should assume that
it is not compatible.

Best Regards,
Justin Baro

Alesis Technical Support
200 Scenic View Drive
Ste.201
Cumberland, RI 02864
401-658-5760

*Thank you for your quick reply Justin....I didn't*
*upgrade to Leopard it was pre-installed on my new iMac*
*when I purchased it.*

*When I researched purchasing a new mixer online I went*
*to Alesis' website where it stated that the system*
*requirments for the Alesis USB 8 were:*

Mac:
*• OS X 10.2 or higher*
*• G3 or higher processor*
*• 256 MB RAM (512 or higher preferred)*
*• 4,200 RPM hard drive for basic recording*
*(5,400 or higher preferred for multi-track recording*
*and playback)*

*I then purchased the USB 8 mixer because my MAC system*
*met the requirements.*

*I'm a little disappointed that I'm being blamed for*
*buying a product that should have been tested under*
*the Leopard OS months before it was available to the*
*public. At least have a statement on your website that*
*your products haven't been tested with the new OS!!!*
*When you state on the web that your product will work*
*with "OS X 10.2 or higher" then it should work!*
*Otherwise it would state that it has only been*
*verified to work with the Tiger OS.*

cheers,
*Jason Cohen*

I am glad to see that I am not alone here on this issue. Jason, your email to Alesis describes exactly what I am experiencing. So far, this issue persists with both the Alesis Mutimix 8 USB AND Firewire mixers.

I called Alesis myself and was told that the USB mixer uses core audio so I am most certain that this is a Leopard issue. Something has changed in this OS upgrade. Of course, I got nowhere with Alesis but I am sure if enough of us call, they may pursue a resolution to this issue.

After calling Alesis, I contacted Apple. They checked their database and did not find any related issues which is odd to me because a simple search on these forums would reveal that their are multiple customers experiencing this exact problem, and that it is indeed an issue that Apple should pursue.

I was taken through standard procedure to see if the problem was fixed. I reset the PRAM and up until the 3 min mark, the static was gone. It came back with a vengeance though after 3 min.

Lets keep this issue alive and hope Apple and Alesis resolve this issue.

Also worth mentioning is that when I use the USB 8 mixer in the Windows XP environment under Leopard's Boot Camp it works without a hitch. I wasn't able to test the mixer under Tiger so I can't speak to whether it functions well under that OS. Doc11, did a static problem exist with Tiger and the Alesis mixers???

cheers,
Jason

I have a Firewire multimix that is getting the static after updating to 10.5.1. This is only on my intel imac, my powerbook has no problem with this.

I just ordered a Presonus inspire, hope Alesis and Apple get this worked out someday.

No, Jason. I have not had any problems with my system under Tiger.

My issue is with Tiger 10.4.11 and Garage band 08 I get the same issues no matter how I set my Behringer USB interface up. After 2 min. I get reverb and static. I also get it in all recording programs. I am not sure if it is in the 10.4.11 update. I hooked my USB set up to a Linux box on Audacity and recorded fine. This is the first issue I have had with mac, but this is my machine to record and edit bands and podcasts. I really really need this machine to work. The main question , could it have been in the 10.4.11 update and can you roll an update back?

My issue with the static and weird audio was solved after I corrected a disk error with Disk utilities and then re installing the 10.4.11 update.

I was hoping that would do it for me. Booted up from the Leopard CD and ran Disk Utility, but Verify disk found no problems, so nothing to repair.

Brian,

It sounds like the only work-around now (until new drivers are released) would be to rollback to Tiger or use the mixer within the Windows environment under Boot Camp.

cheers,
Jason