Deadphish42
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: clipping sound on new iMac when Logix X is running

I just got the new iMac that was released two weeks ago yesterday.  All I did was set it up with Logic X, Main Stage, and Aperture all from the app store. nothing else was put on it.  I opened up logic just to check it out and see how much faster the performance would be.  I just wanted to give it a quick test and played some apple loops I immideatly noticed it was making a clipping sound randomly.  The meters were not peaking everything was in the green and if you turned down the gain the clipping just got quiteter.  I called apple support thinking it was a hardware issue.  They had me do some trouble shooting like playing the same loops through quicktime and the clipping persisted. they also had me play a youtube video to see if I could hear the clipping. It wasn't as noticible but it was there. Apple decided that it would be a good idea to reformat the computer tomorrow and start over.  Sounded fine to me seeing how I didn't have much installed yet.  I did a little more trouble shooting on my own after I got off the phone with apple. First I made a copy of three apple loops and put them on my desktop then restarted the computer. Then after a fresh restart and nothing running I opened one of the apple loops off the desktop with quicktime player and it sounded great no clipping. Same with You Tube. I then opened Logic Pro X. Did nothing with it but minimize it. I then went back to quick time player and tried to play the loop again. This time the clipping was back. Same with You Tube. 

My conclusion for some reason when logic is running the audio makes a random clipping sound no matter what audio program you play the audio through. (Clipping sound comes out of the internal speakers as well as headphones) 

All of my software is up to date.

 

I am running:

 

27" iMac

3.5GHz Intel Core i7

16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

 

If anybody has experienced this same problem or has any recomendations they would be greatly appreciated.

I am going to reformat in the morning and try and start again.

I will post my results

 

Thank you,

 

Aaron

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 8, 2013 11:22 PM

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Deadphish42

Q: clipping sound on new iMac when Logix X is running

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  • by Pancenter,

    Pancenter Pancenter Oct 22, 2013 8:57 AM in response to Babw
    Level 6 (10,029 points)
    Audio
    Oct 22, 2013 8:57 AM in response to Babw

    Babw wrote:

     

    Tried B&W headphones and that also shows clipping with Chrome content + slight when chrome running in the background.

     

    Clipping is not the same as static and pops. Clipping is a signal overload (distortion) as when an amplifier preamp or amp section is driven so hard that it clips off the top of the signal/waveform when viewed on an oscilloscope.

     

    If you want to test it follow one of the procedures Deadphish used, such as loading some samples into Garageband.

  • by Babw,

    Babw Babw Oct 22, 2013 8:59 AM in response to The Art Of Sound
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 8:59 AM in response to The Art Of Sound

    Art of sound,

     

    Referring to that phrase "common things happen commonly", I feel it's more than coincidence the clipping issue is occuring on machines built with very similar specification and it's far more likely they're portraying the symptoms of the rice crispies due to the same issue. It could well be that different causes are leading to the same symptom but it's unlikely.

     

    I do know for certain that the issue no longer exists when I quit Chrome so now I'm completely stumped. This is bearable whereas returning the iMac may well get me a new one which is even worse affected.

  • by Babw,

    Babw Babw Oct 22, 2013 9:10 AM in response to Pancenter
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 9:10 AM in response to Pancenter

    Yep, present in Garageband. ****.

     

    Why doesn't in happen in Firefox/Safari but does in Garageband/Chrome?

     

    Edit - so when Garageband is open the clipping happens in Safari and Firefox also but when I close Garageband sound is fine. It's definitely not static, the best I can describe it is clipping.

  • by Deadphish42,

    Deadphish42 Deadphish42 Oct 22, 2013 9:47 AM in response to The Art Of Sound
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 9:47 AM in response to The Art Of Sound

    Hi Art of Sound,

     

    I agree.  I have heard from a couple others that chrome is causing a very similar issue.  But I don't think that is a good troubleshooting technique. If you really want to see if you have the problem. Reformat the HD and bring it back to its out of the box state install your updates and open up Garage band and play a apple loop (i picked Acoustic Picking 06) The rice crispie effect usually starts within the first 20 seconds or less. I like using just stock Apple applications because that way Apple cant point there finger at chrome and chrome point there finger at Apple.

    I know Apple will get it sorted out eventually. I know it's a bummer waiting and not knowing espicially if you use your Mac specifically for audio. But at this point I don't know what else to do.  I have reported it through apple care made sure I got a Senior Technical Advisor and made sure they made a complete report of the problem and sent it to engineering.  I also reported it on the apple.com/feedback page in the iMac section.

    If theres anything else anybody can think of that I should be doing I'm open for ideas.

     

    Thanks again for all of your input and support Art of Sound,

     

    Deadphish

  • by Deadphish42,

    Deadphish42 Deadphish42 Oct 22, 2013 10:04 AM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 10:04 AM in response to Deadphish42

    If anybody cares the Apple event today is being broadcast live on Apple TV right now.

  • by RobboHuddo,

    RobboHuddo RobboHuddo Oct 22, 2013 12:18 PM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 12:18 PM in response to Deadphish42

    Downloading Mavericks.

     

    Gonna do an erase and install. No Chrome. New Logic install.

     

    Fingers and toes crossed.

     

     

  • by The Art Of Sound,

    The Art Of Sound The Art Of Sound Oct 22, 2013 12:38 PM in response to RobboHuddo
    Level 6 (12,117 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 12:38 PM in response to RobboHuddo

    From what I am hearing, the public release version of Mav does not resolve the issue with 2013 iMacs and Fusion Drives...

     

    If this is the case, I am not surprised as I believe this will need a firmware fix at the very least.... and the Engineering Team haven't reached the stage of fully identifying the root cause.... so I suspect a fix of some kind is a couple of weeks away at the earliest.

  • by Babw,

    Babw Babw Oct 22, 2013 4:28 PM in response to RobboHuddo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2013 4:28 PM in response to RobboHuddo

    I'm pleased to say that after a fresh install of Mavericks *touch wood* everything seems to be ok. Installed garageband, listened to loops with speakers and headphones.

     

    Installed Chrome and youtube etc all seem spot on.

  • by mats_j,

    mats_j mats_j Oct 23, 2013 3:40 AM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 3:40 AM in response to Deadphish42

    OK, not happy right now.

     

    I got a new iMac this monday as replacement. It showed the same troubles. Just to clarify, for me the sound interference is only present through my USB interface, internal speakers/headphones works fine. And this is regardless of if Logic is running or not.

     

    In some kind of desperate measure I installed Mavericks, hoping this somehow would remedy my problems. But it made everything worse. Instead of little "audio hiccups" I now get some kind of harsh digital distortion in pretty long intervals. At times everything works fine, but sooner or later the distortion comes back.

     

    So now I'm kind of at a loss about what to do. I spoke to Apple support this morning, and they can't help. They are willing to send me a third iMac, but that seems like a waste of time. I've also been in touch with Roland regarding my interface again, but they say there's no other reports about errors with Octa-Captures and the new iMacs.

     

    I could get my money back and go back to my 2009 iMac, or I could keep the new one and hope a software fix from either Apple or Roland is eventually released. 

  • by Deadphish42,

    Deadphish42 Deadphish42 Oct 23, 2013 9:21 AM in response to mats_j
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 9:21 AM in response to mats_j

    Hi mats_j

     

    Are you saying your computrer is working fine exexept when you plug in you audio interface and the sound coming out of the interface is giving you a problem?

    If that is the case it sounds like a conflict with your interface. I know most people dont have 3 or 4 interfaces lying around the house, but do you have a buddy you could borrow a different interface from. Just to rule out your interface as the problem.  Or you could always just go to guitar center and buy a new interface and test it if it works great if not you know you have a bigger problem and guitar center has a 30 day return policy.

    Just curious does your computer have a fusion drive?

     

    Also I installed Mavericks yesterday and right after the install I tried garage band and got a little snap crackle.  But then i installed some more updates that came in and restarted and the snap crackle seems to have gone away.  I'm not calling it fixed yet I want to hear back from the engineers on saturday and havent even tried to plug in my interface yet or install any software except for Apple apps (Logic, Mainstage and Aperture) I just purchased Live 9 but havent installed it yet. Does anybody have any experience with Live 9 and the new iMacs?

     

    Good Luck Mats,

     

    DeadPhish

  • by Clambake,

    Clambake Clambake Oct 23, 2013 12:22 PM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 23, 2013 12:22 PM in response to Deadphish42

    Thanx for the info Deadphish. So if I understand correctly, I will have to buy a firewire AI and an adapter for thunderbolt, at least until thunderbolt AIs become available.

     

    Please correct me if I have this wrong.

  • by Clambake,

    Clambake Clambake Oct 23, 2013 12:24 PM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 23, 2013 12:24 PM in response to Deadphish42

    I am downloading Mavericks as I type and will report back with any news. Hope against hope that this OS upgrade solves the snap, crackle, pop issues.

  • by Clambake,

    Clambake Clambake Oct 23, 2013 1:42 PM in response to Clambake
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 23, 2013 1:42 PM in response to Clambake

    Great news, I hope it stays this way. Just uploaded Mavericks. Running LogicX no noises on any loops or recorded material. Running LogicX and iTunes, no noises on any iTunes material. Running LogicX and playing a bounced clip with Quicktime, no noises.

     

    And if that isn't good enough news, my Presonus Audiobox 22VSL USB2 interface is working fine plugged directly into the USB3 port.

     

    Gear:

    new 27" iMac 3.5 GHz Core i7

    24 GB RAM

    1 TB Fusion Drive

    Graphics - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M

  • by AndySomething,

    AndySomething AndySomething Oct 23, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Deadphish42

    Hi mats_j

     

    Does your replacement iMac have the fusion drive?

     

    (I've returned mine, and plan to re-order without.)

  • by Clambake,

    Clambake Clambake Oct 23, 2013 1:51 PM in response to Deadphish42
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 23, 2013 1:51 PM in response to Deadphish42

    In case anyone missed it. I have updated to Mavericks OS and all my problems have gone away. So, I would not send yr new comp back, not freak out and not phone for help until you update to Mavericks and check out the issues.

     

    Hopefuly my experience is not isolated.

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