Massive problem with audio interface

Did splitting the drives fix these issues? I'm considering returning my iMac with Fusion Drive.

As I've written a couple times before...

Yes. Splitting the drive into 2 partitions "fixed" the issue.

You won't get any of the benefit of the Fusion Drive until apple issues a fix, but at least you'll be able to work normally if you decide to keep your iMac.

I feel like people are having a couple of different problems and I don't know if they should all be in this thread.

I think there are some who are having intermittent popping and clicking on their audio interfaces and that's the extent of their problem.

The there are others like me that are having a specific issue with audio interfaces using iMacs, running mavericks, with fusion drives. Our problems is that Audio works for 10 seconds to 2 minutes and then dies in a series of high pitched beeps and pops. For people who have this problem and are (like me) holding out hope that Apple will eventually be able to solve this problem, YOU CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY SPLITTING THE FUSION DRIVE AND USING THE HD (not HD + SSD).

Having done this, I have no other issues with my audio interface.

I did just that and returned to Apple with no issues, after 20 days got replacement 27 iMac this past Tuesday, and guess what? Same problem - nothing has changed :-(

Same problem on 2 late 2013 Maxed out i7s with 32GB and 3TB drives. So you're saying that connecting an external USB 3 to boot from takes care of the audio at least until Apple comes up with a fix?

What tools did you use to clone the drive and how do you boot off of an external USB drive?

Thanks

I used Carbon Copy Cloner by www.bombich.com but any one will do. I followed their instructions to making a bootable disk.

Thanks for your help! This replacement computer is just 3 days old. I am now thinking do I just return the computer and walk away from the iMac. Possibly wait now for the Mac Pro.. I would be nice if Apple fixed this

I do video production work with voiceovers so between running on a 2008 Mac Pro and needing to start a project I bit the bullet on the new iMac since I could not afford to wait any longer for Apple on these new MacPro's.

I think you solution is not a bad approach since I record the voicesovers with Garage Band, then import into FinalCutPro X with screen captures coming from ScreenFlow. So duel booting to do the voice grabs through my BlueBird would not be that big of a deal.

What I do need to test now is with this USB bus issue will tihs blead over to writing large files out to either a USB drive or Blu-Ray disc. I am going to try that tonight to see if I run into any communcations errors that would close the writes to fail.

In the meantime I'm going to put my local store on notice about this so that I am within the 14 return window if this does not work, and then just go without until the MacPro. I have already made the investment in a Pegasus Raid Array so I am good on storage.

Same here turning off App Napp did nothing

Same problem with my Motu Track 16 and new late iMac 27" i7, 32 GB RAM and 3 TB Fusion Drive witch I upgraded to Mavericks as soon I unboxed it.

The audio dropped out within a minute. After a long investigation with Motu and Apple support I returned my iMac, and got a new one with the same specs, and this time I did a more structured installation and tested the audio interface along the way i installed software.

The replacement iMac was delivered with Mountain Lion just as the first one. But this time I started to install the Motu drivers and tested the audio with just playing a CD from iTunes, and it was working perfectly.

Next step was to install Logic Pro X and even this was working perfectly. Then I installed one program after the other and tested the audio seriously after each installation. It was still working like a charm. It wasn't until I upgraded to Mavericks the problem occurred immediately after the upgrade.

So, this knowledge together with all you guys feedback of the problem points out a serious problem when you have a combination of an external audio interface, Fusion Drive and is running Mavericks. I really hope that Apple take this problem seriously, and release an updated driver for the FD very soon.

Right now I'm quite disappointed on Apple. 😠

Same problem here.

Late 2013 iMac, with 1T Fusion drive.

tried EVERYTHING, checked with few external interfaces.

So as expected, I just got off the phone with apple who state that my problem is a Line 6 issue. This is after sending them audio files and sharing screen grab videos with them and multiple instances of data capture.

They based this on the fact that I could record multiple acoustic guitar tracks using the internal microphone on GB without the popping or crackling and without the latency issue.

I made the obvious observation that the internal microphone isn't particularly useful for recording electric guitar or much of anything.

Their contention is that if it works fine with the internal mic, it must be the audio interface problem.

They were completely uninterested in the fact that I can use the AI just fine if I boot from an external SSD drive with Mavericks on it.

I think their specific language was that it must be a Line6 issue if it can't be replicated using only apple hardware.

I told them I would be happy to buy an apple AI if they want to sell me one that will work. Barring that I asked them if they could tell me which AI would work so I could go buy that one.

They basically said the resonse from engineering is that there is no problem with my machine. I pushed him on the isse and in the end they said my best bet would be to take the iMac and the AI and a guitar and my MacBook Air with Mavericks on it (which works just fine) to the Apple store. Their reasoning was that if the tech could see the issue in the flesh, that maybe they would believe there is a problem.

But as far as they are concerned it isn't their problem. Big suprise there... And obviously disappointing.

I too called up Apple support today, same setup, same issue, and now broken hearted. I explained that the single purpose I purchased this high-end machine was for recording music through an external audio interface and it fails that purpose miserably for technical reasons I should not have to worry about - that's why I pay the extra $$ for Apple products. I have no other need of this machine.

I spoke to 2 level 1 support people, a senior technical engineer, a sales person, post sales care person and with each call, my message was suprisingly less understood. My message is this: Apple products just work - I've been saying that for years because I have never (till now) experienced anything to the contrary. Here is a glitch that involves the fusion drive that needs to be resolved asap because it is affecting one of Apple's most loyal market segments, music producers.

Throughout the course of the day, it was becoming clear to me that I would not be able to resolve the issue to my satisfaction (i.e. to be able to use my iMac to record music) and that it was likely I'd have to return the iMac. I said to all the Apple staff I spoke to that I do not want to be forced to return my iMac because i love it. I suggested we swap out the fusion drive for other storage media and the response I got blew my mind...it was like a slap in the face. The sales person and post sales care person both maintained that I only have two options: 1) I send the 5 day old iMac back and they'll replace it with exactly same specs OR 2) I send it back for a full refund and I can order a brand new machine from Apple Store with a new storage config if I liked. Come on Apple!!! For the cost of $100 parts and $100 labour you can swap out the 3TB drive for a 512GB SSD and I'd be happy with that. Why are you forcing your most loyal advocates down painful paths?

I understand that sometimes defects slip through the cracks - I've been a testing professional in the past - trust me i get it. But, when that happens you don't pull the plug on your customers and give them their money back so they can follow a process...you offer options to meet their needs, to keep them as customers and above all to keep them happy and keep them buying. Here was a missed opportunity to turn a bad situation into a positive one. I would have preferred to write another tale of apple advocacy on this forum and inform everyone that dispite the Fusion drive issue, Apple really helped me out and got me going with another solution while they fix the issue. But alas, the process doesn't allow for staff to help customers clearly...the script says there are only two options and neither of them seem to solve the problem...and that's the way it has to be.

TNT is coming to pick up my new iMac next week and I am very sad that it is ending this way - really. I have allowed a few days before they come and pick it up, in the off-chance that someone at Apple reads this post, contacts me and tells me that I have nothing to worry about and that they can help me sort out this issue so that I can use my apple iMac to record music. I'd happily update my post if that were to occur, in fact I hope I have the opportunity to do so.

I am sorry to hear you are having issues, but also slightly relieved that you are!

I am running a new Haswell i7 3TB fusion iMac with Mavericks. It appears that this configuration of new CPU, Fusion Drive and Mavericks which are causing all the issues.

Let's start at the beginning. I bought an iMac with the last gen Intel CPU 1TB Fusion and Mountain Lion. Running a Motu 828MK3 interface. Spending a pretty penny on this computer you could imagine how ****** off I was when weeks later they announced the new Gen Haswells for sale with better graphics cards.

Apple kindley swapped the computers over increasing my storage to 3TB and doubling my graphics card! Wonderfull! When Mavericks came out I naturally upgraded, especially as the Motu website stated that they had worked with Apple to regarding the interoperability of their hardware to the new Mavericks OS.

Upon upgrading to Mavericks, as soon as the interface is required to process sound through iTunes of Logic, about 1-2 minutes into the sound be played back, a couple of pops are heard in the speakers, followed by a high-pitched "weee' sound, LED lights 3&4 of Analogue out flash on the front and then no sound is heard at all!

Given that The new iMac only started to do this when Mavericks was installed, I would say that this is more of an operating system issue than anything else as all worked well with Mountain Lion running the new iMac CPUs and video cards.

DO NOT LET APPLE FOB US OFF WITH PROPTIONING BLAME TO 3RD POARTY MANUFACTURERS!!!

We all seem to be having the same issues concerning the external audio interfaces and Mavericks. To potentially protect the person at Motu who is assisting me, that person may or may not have given me access to a FTP site which held the proposed Maverick OS drivers as all Motu interface at this point were running previously releeased drivers. I can confirm that if I did have acces to such a file it did not resolve my issue 😉 nudge nudge wink wink.

If there have been some resolves by partitioning the the HDD and installing Mavericks on the HDD and not the SSD I would be under the impression that this is an Operating System issue concerning the SSD, Mavericks and then the 3rd party hardware being attached, so in short, it's not Motu's fault but Apple's!

I would urge everyone to please contact their interface manufacturers so they can pile on the pressure to Apple to fix these issues! We all have some expensive kit rendered null and void because of an OS upgrade! If this is the case then I would also assume that non-Apple hardware like Motu will have foreseable issues as long as Apple do not pull their fingers out, which in turn will probably affect potential interface sales bringing a rise to a law suit under Unfair Competition: some hardware is fine which could be viewed as preferential interoperability over other manufacturers.

For all those who are unable to make a wage due to this, start logging your loses, send Apple a heads up email that you are keeping a log of all losses to which they will be liable for re-imbursement until they fix this issue!

In the meantime, fingers crossed to everyone who has issues, I am into over a month now....

Just a suggestion to anyone having issues. Go to apple.com/feedback and explain the issue, and link to these forums.

Might be pointless, but it's worth a shot!

Having spoken to support, just listed my iMac on ebay, it's the most expensive paper weight I've ever bought. If there is a proven hardware issue then all they'll do is swap like for like - fusion for fusion or I'll have to pay the outright cost of a SSD install. So much for customer loyalty - I've spent nearly £7500 on Apple products in the last year and I get minimal support options in return.