MacBook Pro, M-Audio Firewire Interface-works with mainstage BUT NOT logic!

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MacBook Pro, M-Audio Firewire Interface-works with mainstage BUT NOT logic!

I have a brand new mac book pro and a m-audio firewire series interface that i am using to plug in my guitars. The problem is i cant get any sound to come out of Logic Pro. I have connected the exact same devices to Main Stage and I can get sound instantly, however of course the sound output on main stage is selected to the computers speakers. I can't seem to find a similar setting on Logic Pro, could this be the problem, or maybe even another setting I have set incorrectly?

Mac Book Pro 15", Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jun 29, 2009 7:25 PM

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Answer 1

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 30, 2009 12:25 AM in response to ComandanteX

Yes, you need to tell Logic which audio device you want to use.

Logic -> Preferences -> Audio -> Devices -> Core Audio

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Answer 2

Caramby

Level 4

1,523 points

Jun 30, 2009 4:17 AM in response to Bee Jay

…& if it isn't there ( under "Device:" ), then pop along to +Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup+ & see if you can select it there.

And if you can't do that either, you need to install a driver. And if somehow that doesn't seem to be an option either, then visit the manufacturer's website to see if there are any known issues or bug reports, & if appropriate, download the latest version that is definitely compatible with your setup.

Except — the paragraph above is probably not going to be necessary, either because yours is a class-compliant device, or because you've already installed a functional driver (hence MainStage working). But I like to cover every option if I can (although frankly nobody can).

😉

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Answer 3

ComandanteX Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 30, 2009 9:24 AM in response to Caramby

Thank you so much for the quick responses guys! I have the firewire series interface listed under my core device and it is selected. I even pick up a signal in Pro Logic, so on the mixer and EQ's you can visually see the sound that pro logic is picking up. However I still cant get any sound from the speakers. From what is sounds like, getting the audio to work is even easier than mainstage because there you have to chose the output, where as in logic you just select the device and thats it. I have all current drivers running, I will now check with the manufacturer to as you mentioned. Great advice. However,as i mentioned earlier, now that we know that mainstage is receiving the signal just not putting it out through the speakers, can there be another audio option I have selected in incorrect? Thanks again guys!

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Answer 4

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 30, 2009 9:37 AM in response to ComandanteX

Run the M-Audio control panel and make sure you've routed the software returns to the outputs you are using to connect to your amp/speakers.

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Answer 5

Jun 30, 2009 9:47 AM in response to ComandanteX

However I still cant get any sound from the speakers

But what are your speakers connected to? Hopefully, your interface? Or are you talking about your computer speakers as in your first post?

If you want to use the interface for your inputs, but your built-in audio for your output, then you need an aggregate device for use in Logic.

See here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215

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Answer 6

Pancenter

Level 6

14,788 points

Jun 30, 2009 10:48 AM in response to ComandanteX

ComandanteX wrote:
However,as i mentioned earlier, now that we know that mainstage is receiving the signal just not putting it out through the speakers, can there be another audio option I have selected in incorrect? Thanks again guys!

Logic is not Garageband, separate them in your mind... because it works one way in GB does not mean it will work the same in Logic.

Are your speakers plugged into your audio interface main outs, they should be.
Generally speaking you want to avoid using the $2 audio chip built into the computer, the m-audio unit has much better analog/digital converters. I'm assuming improved audio was one of the reasons you purchased the Firewire audio interface?

As others have mentioned you can create an aggregate device that combines the computers audio I/O with the m-audio I/O but to me that partially defeats the goal of quality audio. One thing you might think about doing is buying a pair of powered near-field monitor speakers for the m-audio and keep that interface/speaker combination reserved for use with Logic only.

pancenter

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Answer 7

Jun 30, 2009 11:23 AM in response to Pancenter

use it works one way in GB does not mean it will work the same in Logic.

<rant>
Or Soundtrack or Mainstage where separate I/O devices can be specified. But for Logic, as the, ahem, flagship app. not to have this basic functionality is baffling at best, or inexcusable IMO. Meanwhile, us old lags continue to answer these questions daily.
</rant>

So for anyone who cares, rage away here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/logicpro.html

But paraphrasing another post of yours, I'm sure that this will be fixed any year now.

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Answer 8

ComandanteX Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 1, 2009 10:46 AM in response to Pancenter

Once again, the number of suggestions to get me going is unbelievable, thank you all for your expertise. Here's where we're at, I completely agree, I do have a pair of power m-audio studio monitors connected through the headphone out from the computer itself, i should be going from the interface to these monitors directly. I've done a tremendous amount of research on the manufacturers sites for all my hardware, everything showing that theres no reason why it shouldn't be working. For the sake of getting ANYTHING to work, I did create an aggregate device, im not too advanced with that area, so i hope I did it correctly. IT WORKED but HOWEVER, now after a few seconds of arming the track and hearing everything perfectly, a loud pitch takes over, almost with a constant electronic ticking, overpowering any other sound. This sounds keeps going and going and can be seen on the signal meter as a sound being picked up even though im not playing anything on the guitar. So now it's either the way i created the aggregate, or a setting I have on pro logic itself. I hope im not letting you all down. There's now one who wants this to work than me. A million thank you's!

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Answer 9

Zuelito

Level 4

1,515 points

Jul 1, 2009 12:19 PM in response to ComandanteX

ComandanteX wrote:
Once again, the number of suggestions to get me going is unbelievable, thank you all for your expertise. Here's where we're at, I completely agree, I do have a pair of power m-audio studio monitors connected through the headphone out from the computer itself, i should be going from the interface to these monitors directly.

I'm confused a little. Does this mean that you know you should be going out of your interface to the monitors directly, but you're not, or are you saying that you WERE going out of the headphone out of your Mac, and NOW you ARE going from the interface to the monitors?

You SHOULD be going out of your interface, and NOT out of your headphone out on your Mac. If you have to use the headphone output on the Mac, then you do need to create an aggregate device, but as you have discovered, this causes problems.

My suggestion is to forget the aggregate device, and simply select your interface in Logic's preferences, and then us the interface for your outputs to your monitors. Don't plug anything directly into your mac.

Good Luck!

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Answer 10

Pancenter

Level 6

14,788 points

Jul 1, 2009 12:20 PM in response to ComandanteX

ComandanteX wrote:
Here's where we're at, I completely agree, I do have a pair of power m-audio studio monitors connected through the headphone out from the computer itself, i should be going from the interface to these monitors directly.

Yes, and have you done so? After you do this, in Logic do to preferences/Audio and select only the M-Audio driver, not the aggregate device but the dedicated M-Audio driver.

As for the aggregate device, in the aggregate device setup try different devices as "clock master" until you find one that works. Maybe M-Audio Output.

Logic takes user input, it's not a simple program, that is..... it isn't "Apple Simple" which I usually think of as close to brain dead.

You will also need to make sure the correct set of inputs is selected for the track you're recording on, default is usually 1-2, if you're recording mono input 1 is left, input two is right.

Also make sure you have "Universal Track Mode" in Logic Preferences/Audio selected. I would encourage you to first get things working using M-Audio's dedicated hardware driver, plug your speakers into the M-Audio main outs.

pancenter-

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