Quicktime on Mavericks outputs stuttering audio.

Updated to 10.9.2 with a fresh install on a 2013 27" iMac but the issues are still there.

I'm using an UA Apollo Audio Interface via FW to TB adapter and i'm still getting audio noises and glitches in these situations:

-while watching videos using Safari (youtube and so on...)

-while watching videos using iTunes (only in fullscreen mode)

-while watching videos using Quicktime X (Quicktime 7 seems to work fine)

Everything works fine with Firefox, Chrome or VLC and, until now, no problem while recording or listening with Pro Tools 10 and 11.

I've experienced some firewire connection issues before the fresh install (connection lost and things like that) but now that seems to be solved.

PLEASE APPLE TEST YOUR SOFTWARE AND FIX THIS!!!!

Have the same issue here with my Apollo after a clean install. Since I don't have Garageband istalled, i used your trick with the INPUT Tab in the Sound Preference Pane, and it works well. But APPLE shame on you that you cannot fix it, now that you've thrown out the second update on Mavericks.

Come on and fix this, this is essential!

Issue here as well on 10.9.2 and Apollo Quad. Sound in Safari stutters. I solved it using the "Boom" app just letting it access the mac volume in the background. Will check the input trick.

Just a heads-up, March 18, 2014: Focusrite has now released v 3.4 of their MixControl and driver software. Problem solved.

What does Focusrite say is causing this issue?

This is an odd question. Focusrite simply said the problem is fixed. Developers rarely get into the programming details.

This is not a Focusrite only problem. I have it on an M-Audio 2626 and an Apogee Duet Firewire interfaces and it seems to only affect newer Apple software. I was wondering if Focusrite would have pointed to a change that Apple made to Mavericks that is causing the issue.

I understand, but companies never go into that type of detail in release notes.

Actually, the problem doesn't affect Apple's newer software such as Logic Pro X. That's worked flawlessly with my Saffire Pro14. It's just QuickTime, I think.

It seems like Apple's making some underlying changes to QuickTime, and that's what's caused the issue. The fact that Focusrite was able to fix it suggests to me that whatever changes Apple has made are not considered by Apple to be problems—and they aren't going away—so manufacturers of interfaces are just going to have to step up here.

Not being a programmer, I have no idea of the real issues, so I have no sense of right or wrong here, nor am I qualified to assess blame. This is all just how it looks to me from here.

You got it correct, Robby.

The change with QuickTime is that it's got a 64-bit framework now. The old version that exists was called the QuickTime.framework, and it was deprecated (removed from Core Services) and replaced with the 64-bit QTKit.framework.

Also, in that new framework, is the instructions set that is vexing so many - that older formatted videos get re-encoded to play on the iThings, which have the ARM processors and handle video differently.

Apple is not going back on this, hence the mad scramble by the third-party developers to get their devices and programming to work with the new Apple code.

same issues here.

MacPro2,1, Mavericks, Apogee Ensemble (via Firewire), Perian.

Videos and Music works fine with Logic X, Pro Tools 11, Quicktime Player Pro 7.6.6 and iTunes.

No issues using Preview VIdeos and Music.

Audio crackles and stutter in Quicktime Player 10.3 (727.3) which came with Mavericks.

I switched to Digidesign 003 Rack for a test and I got the same issues. crackles and stutter in QP 10.3. I decided to test both interfaces with my MacBookPro3,1.. also the same.

I've tried the Input Trick from m@rk,but it doesn't work for me.

😟

C'mon Apple fix that problem. It's not an issue caused by third party software.

​Hi Zoffaudio,

Apple made changes to power management in Mavericks to reduce power consumption. One of these changes was increasing the buffer size when latency isn't critical (e.g. QuickTime). To accommodate this larger buffer size, small changes to the driver were required to allocate more memory. This has now been resolved in our latest release and it is something that we will test for in future releases.

Best regards,

Neil Marron

Focusrite

Neil wrote:

"Apple made changes to power management in Mavericks to reduce power consumption."

Don't mean to derail the thread here but apart from the QT problems, since upgrading to mavericks on my MacPRO 5,1 the HD 5770 Radeon graphics card's fan has a very erratic behavior. Spins like a 747. I had it cleaned, it's in mint condition and the spinning continues. Could that be related? Anyone else seeing this?

Maybe i should start a new thread.

TIA

CC

PLease start a new thread about the fan. I'm still having audio problems and keep hoping I will find an answer eventually here. BTW I am using Apoggee Firewire Interfaces.

Apple made changes to power management in Mavericks to reduce power consumption.

Best regards,

Neil Marron

Focusrite

Thanks, this is the kind of information I was looking for. It doesn't help me with my Apogee Duo (FW) but at least I know what the issue is, I can stop trying to trouble shoot.

Hi Michael,

i did start a new thread.

Regarding our QT problems, the answer has been here for a while and Neil from Focusrite just confirmed it. My Metric Halo card was giving all the problems stated here until they came up with a new driver. Now everything works fine here.

Check Apogee's website for a new driver. 'till then not much you can do.

HTH

CC