Mainstage 3 / MOTU Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid driving me crazy

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Mainstage 3 / MOTU Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid driving me crazy

Hi,

I get constant dropouts when trying to use MainStage 3.0.4 with MOTU Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid interface. And everytime the dropouts happens I get these messages in the console. Sometimes over several hundreds of them when things are really bad.

AND...it gets worse whenever I go to a rehearsal or live onstage. Go figure that one out!

kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8052709000]::clipIfNecessary() - Error: attempting to clip to a position more than one buffer ahead of last clip position (1e2,158)->(1e5,428).

I do not get these errors when using internal audio only.

I get no help from MOTU who are saying that there's no problem with the hardware.

I have received a second MOTU Ultralite interface. Same problem.

I have tried both USB (with nothing on the bus except the interface) and Firewire (over Thunderbolt-adapter). Same problem.

What is happening?

Please help me!

Here's my computer specs:

MacBook Pro Retina mid-2012

Processor: 2,7 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1024 MB

OS version: OS X 10.9.4 (13E28)

Posted on Jul 8, 2014 1:46 PM

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Answer 1

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 8, 2014 4:42 PM in response to coox

Coox,

I regularly run MS3 with both an Ultralite Mk3 (FW only) and an Ultralite Mk1 and they are rock solid, with very low latency.

In general the MOTU interfaces are know for being reliable.

Are you 100% sure you have the latest drivers for your (hybrid) unit and have you repaired your permissions after installing the drivers and MainStage?

-Thomjinx

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Answer 2

coox Author

Level 1

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Jul 8, 2014 10:52 PM in response to Thomjinx

Hello Thomjinx,

Yes, I have the latest drivers (v1.6.60625) and I have repaired permissions several times. Since the Ultralite is brand new (second one) the firmware is the latest (1.07). Yesterday I created a brand new user-account and got the same dropout with error message almost immediately.

I'm so happy with the solution besides this problem which makes it unusable. And I have seen that many people have rocksolid Ultralite's. That was the reason I choose it.

What computer are you using?

Best,

Tomas

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Answer 3

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 9, 2014 7:04 AM in response to coox

Tomas,

Are you using it bus-powered, or using the external power supply? I have seen some issues with the retina MBPs not supplying as much power to the firewire bus as previous models.

I would suggest trying a different TB to FW adaptor and cable, but you say you are getting the same error with USB.

Have you tried using it with any other music software? Logic, GatrageBand, anything?

I am using a 15" Early 2011 Macbook Pro 2.3 GHz quad core i7 with 16 GB ram and Moc OSX 10.8.5

-Thomjinx

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Answer 4

coox Author

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Jul 9, 2014 8:56 AM in response to Thomjinx

I'm using the power-adapter all the time.

I've had the error appear using Logic X in the background and Firefox playing video on YouTube. MainStage not running.

It's clear that something in the OS is acting up as far as syncing audio streams goes.

/Tomas

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Answer 5

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 9, 2014 5:13 PM in response to coox

Do you have any other audio drivers installed?

Have you tried deleting your preference files for the MOTU? Or for MainStage?

SOmetimes that will help. Pref files can get corrupted and if you toss them out, the Mac will just build a new one. You may have to reset a few things, but nothing major.

-Thomjinx

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Answer 6

coox Author

Level 1

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Jul 10, 2014 12:29 AM in response to Thomjinx

Good idea. Will try that.

I have already found something called "M-Audio Firmware Loader" but I don't have any M-Audio stuff regularly connected. Just an Keystation-keyboard sometimes but that one shouldn't need any firmware-loader, eh? Class-compliant?

Best,

Tomas

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Answer 7

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 10, 2014 8:32 AM in response to coox

Tomas,

I don't think a firmware loader would be a problem.

An audio driver would be in System/Library/Extensions

Usually not a problem, but I have seen a few cases where a leftover driver from a previously installed audio interface 'seemed' to be causing issues. Sometimes the install package for that driver has an uninstaller, sometimes you just have to find the files and throw them out.

I would try deleting the prefs files first.

-Thomjinx

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Answer 8

coox Author

Level 1

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Jul 10, 2014 11:40 AM in response to Thomjinx

Thomjinx,

I have deleted prefs now. I'm running a test now. 5 minutes and no messages. Keep my fingers crossed.

Tomas

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Answer 9

coox Author

Level 1

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Jul 10, 2014 12:18 PM in response to coox

Nope, no good. Seemed like it was going to behave. I left the computer idling on my MainStage-concert and when I came back i had these in the console....

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551c00]::clipIfNecessary() - Error: attempting to clip to a position more than one buffer ahead of last clip position (e3f5,c0)->(e3f8,288).

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551c00]::clipIfNecessary() - adjusting clipped position to (e3f8,c0)

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551800]::clipIfNecessary() - Error: attempting to clip to a position more than one buffer ahead of last clip position (e3f5,c0)->(e3f8,288).

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551800]::clipIfNecessary() - adjusting clipped position to (e3f8,c0)

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551400]::clipIfNecessary() - Error: attempting to clip to a position more than one buffer ahead of last clip position (e3f5,c0)->(e3f8,288).

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551400]::clipIfNecessary() - adjusting clipped position to (e3f8,c0)

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551000]::clipIfNecessary() - Error: attempting to clip to a position more than one buffer ahead of last clip position (e3f5,c0)->(e3f8,288).

2014-07-10 21:12:26,000 kernel[0]: IOAudioStream[0xffffff8053551000]::clipIfNecessary() - adjusting clipped position to (e3f8,c0)

I'm dreaming nightmares of those bu now. And I'm always onstage. 😟

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Answer 10

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 10, 2014 5:00 PM in response to coox

Tomas,

****. Sorry that didn't work.

I have been using MS since it came out and I have never seen that error message. I am not even sure what they mean.

Is there an Apple Store near you? Sounds like a trip there may be in order.

-Thomjinx

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Answer 11

coox Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 10, 2014 11:44 PM in response to Thomjinx

Yes, seems like a trip is in order. I only have a regular reseller-store here though.

There's something really wrong with the core-audio in my OS.

Thanx for for time! 🙂

Tomas

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Answer 12

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 11, 2014 1:59 AM in response to coox

Have you tried booting up from your OSX install DVD, or from an external drive and running Disk Utility?

That would certainly be worth a try.

And I don't remember, but have you tried running your Ultralite on a different Mac?

-TJ

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Answer 13

coox Author

Level 1

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Jul 11, 2014 2:10 AM in response to Thomjinx

I did try to boot with the recovery-partition and repaired permissons etc.

The next step will be to take the Ultralite to the store or other place and run it. But I'm pretty sure it will be ok.

So maybe it's time for a complete new clean install on my machine....gaah, hate when that happens. Sooo much to configure.

Best,

Tomas

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Answer 14

Thomjinx

Level 1

125 points

Jul 11, 2014 2:48 AM in response to coox

Tomas,

If you are booting from another disk or the DVD, try Repair Disk, not just Repair Permissions.

You can repair permissions without booting from an external drive. Repair Disk will require that you boot from another drive.

-Thomjinx

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Answer 15

Jul 18, 2014 2:18 PM in response to Thomjinx

Hi Tomas and Thomjinx,

I am having the same problem. Background: I have used Ultralites for years, with different artists. One artist in particular is a high-profile touring artist and we didn't have any issues at all - this was using the older Ultralite Hybrids (with FW400 connector) and bus-powering them. We were running Mountain Lion on these laptops.

More recently, the newer Ultralites have the FW800 connector as well as the USB. I have been having problems using FW bus power with these new Ultralites. This has happened with more than one computer, so I have switched to USB and the external power supply for the Ultralite. However, whichever method I use to connect, I am getting the IOAudioStream errors, with the audio cutting out. This generally lasts for about a second of stuttering audio each time. Not great in a gig situation.

I am currently experiencing the issue with a Mac Mini, and a brand new Macbook Air (nothing new installed since purchase apart from MainStage and Logic). Tried both FW800 and USB. Both computers are running 10.9.3, with the latest MOTU drivers. MainStage is v3.0.4.

It seems that there are several possibilities:

1. New Macs have something different about them that is causing this error.

2. OSX 10.9 has something about it that is causing this error.

3. The new Ultralites have something about them that is causing the error.

4. MainStage/Logic itself is causing the error.

My next experiment will be to try a Focusrite audio interface, and see what happens. If I still get the IOAudiostream errors then that rules out the MOTUs being a problem. I'll let you know what I discover.

Steve

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