Quicktime on Mavericks outputs stuttering audio.

Neil Focusrite wrote:

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.

I am using an Edirol FA-66, for which there are no third party drivers at all. The device uses the generic drivers which come built-in to OSX. In other words: it uses drivers provided by Apple.

If Apple made changes to OSX Mavericks which require adjustments to the device drivers, why did they not update their own drivers?

Issue here as well on 10.9.2.

Sound in Quicktime stutters when playing MP3 (which sounds fine in other apps).

iMac i3, Edirol UA-FX USB audio interface with Mavericks driver installed.

I'm having the same issue with an external mixer used as sound output. Only in QuickTime the music or video outputs a crackling sound, no stutters, just constant ticks. When I playback the same file in VLC or iTunes, or when I shut the external sound output, there is no problem. I have an Edirol M-16DX via USB with the latest Mavericks driver installed. The issue appeared starting with Mavericks 10.9.0.

I too am having the excat same problem. Crackling sound with Quicktime X (and FCPX) I am using an Apogee Duet Firewire using an Apple FW to Thunderbolt adapter. I have the leatest Mavericks driver from Apogee. When I run Garageband or Logic in the background usually (not always) the sound is clean. The files are clean in Quicktime 7, VLC and iTunes. Only Quicktime X is broken.

The problem never existed until I "upgraded" to Mavericks. It's been a problem ever since. I'm on a MacBook Pro Retina 15".

Common Apple fix this already!!

Michael LaPoff wrote:

...The files are clean in Quicktime 7, VLC and iTunes. Only Quicktime X is broken.

Have you tried an iTMS purchased TV show in full screen? When I switch video in iTunes to full screen is when I get the distortion.

I'm using the same interface BTW.

I just did with the same results as you. Audio was fine when in a smaller iTunes window. When I went fullscreen the crackling started.

Now what do we do?

The crackily audio issue seems to have something to do with the built-in QT player in Mavericks.

I am getting crackling audio when playing, for example, mp4 files with QuickTime Player 10.3 (727.3).

However, when playing back the same file with QuickTime Player 7 (Version 7.6.6 (1709)) the audio/video plays absolutely fine with no audio crackling.

Download here: http://support.apple.com/downloads/DL923/en_US/QuickTimePlayer7.6.6_SnowLeopard. dmg

You are absolutely right. I have Quicktime 7 and it works fine. The bigger problem is I'm a video editor and I use Final Cut Pro X most of the time. Quicktime X is an integral part of FCPX and Motion. No way around it.

If I just wanted to watch a clip I could use Quicktime 7 or VLC but the real problem is that when I edit video I get the crackeling noise constantly and occasional stuttering unless I run Garageband also. Even that solution doesn't work all the time.

If Apple knows about this problem, and some audio interface manufacturers have come up with solutions, they owe it to their professional users to fix it. I did not abandon Apple when they switched to FCPX and redefined editing. Maybe now it's time to go back to Avid. Unfortuanatly Avid is no more responsive than Apple. And Adobe wants me to rent their software for the rest of my life.

Apple (or Apogee) please fix this problem!

This seems to be a problem with the Apogee Duet Drivers. Here’s why. What I found out on my Machine. (Apogee Duet (original) latest update 10.9) on my 2008 Mac Pro running maverick 10.9.2. QT 10 makes all these audio noises when playing .mov files on all codecs I have tried. Everything else plays fine for me. iTunes, FCP7 and X, quicktime 7 works, even pressing the space bar to “preview” works fine. It’s just QT 10.

But, when I use the macs internal headphone jack it goes away. This is why I think it must be the apogee driver. So, I’m off to their website to see if I can post about this issue.

I concur with everything you say and have the exact same problems except I don't think it's limited to the Apogee Duet. I have seen on this and other forums people with interfaces other than Apogees with the same problem and it all began with Mavericks.

On the other hand I have read about some interface manufacturers issuing new drivers that solve the problem. I think it will be difficult getting Apogee to respond since they are reluctant to help with support unless a product is in warranty.

But is ultimately Apple's responsibility. My Duet worked fine until Mavericks came out. It only has problems with Quicktime X (also an Apple product.) I can play a file with no trouble in Quicktime 7 or VLC through my Duet interface. Unfortunately, as I previously stated, I use Final Cut Pro X and Motion for my work and those Apple programs use Quicktime X. Apple wants professionals to use their products and then buries their head in the sand over problems they created. I have had to learn to edit with snaps, crackles and pops present aware that it won't be in the finished program. Pretty shameful given the length of time Mavericks has been out.

Good luck with Apogee. Keep us posted if you get an answer from them.

Apogee got right back to me and told me this, and it worked prefect for me. Sound issue went away.

"Previous customers with issues similar to what you are describing resolved the noise by setting the sample rate on their interface to 88.2/96kHz or higher. Please try this on your unit to see if it resolves the issue."

I usually keep my system at 96kHz so I never noticed that it had changed. Although the video audio I shoot is at 48kHz, I have not had any issue working with-in FC7 or X and having the duet system sample rate at 96kHz.

I wouldn't settle for that, Focusrite fixed the issue their end, Apogee as an Apple approved sound card should be o.this. I'd be annoyed if I got that reply.

I keep my system 44.1khz 24 bit because that is standard for music audio work, I wouldn't want the high file sizes and extra CPU stress, although it is less of an issue with video.

I'd send them an email saying other manufactures have fixed it, why haven't they. They are a premium sound card maker after all.

I tried this workaround and it works perfect. BUT I'm also a 44,1kHz user and I don't want to switch between the samplerates all the time.

I don't know who is responsible to fix that, Apple or Apogee.. anyway it should definitely get fixed soon... 😉

Until then I'm going with the old Quicktime 7

The 96khz workaround resolves the problem for me too but that is not a fix it's a workaround. I don't want to run my interface at 96khz the overhead on the system is greater not to mention inevitable problems running software at 48 khz and the ineterface 96.

It appears Apogee knows about the problem and probably knows how to solve it. Apple an Apogee both make a good buck on their products.

This problem needs to be fixed already!!

Correct, not limited to Apogee. I have a Universal Apollo Duo, all worked great till I installed OS 10.9. Currently, I'm at 10.9.2, same issue. Stuttering, popping when playing back audio files in QT. No such problem in iTunes.

I always have my sample rate at 88.2, as that's the format I record in. No help. What works is opening my DAW (Cubase 7.5.2)! When I do that, QT will play, albeit with an occasional pop. Not perfect, but no stuttering.

This is totally uncool, and needs to be addressed LAST YEAR!

I'm almopst ready to eliminate QT for a suitable subsitute. What is "VLC" and if I;'m not editing video, is it suitable for music playback? Now, I just right click the audio file and select iTunes as the playback vehical.

Cheers,

RJ