Unstable Firewire Connection?

Holler folks, having myself a bit of a technical heehaw with my iMac and my M-Audio ProjectMix I/O and thought I might ask y'all for some help.

The M-Audio ProjectMix I/O is a firewire based audio interface and control surface, it's really neat and has been working perfectly fine for quite some time, however, for whatever reason which I can't yet figure out, it spontaneously disconnects from my iMac shortly after booting up. I usually have enough time to open up Ableton Live and set the ProjectMix as the audio device, from there I may get a minute or two of it working, then audio turns into clicks/pops and then the iMac reboots. In some cases, the iMac doesn't reboot, but the ProjectMix disappears from the available audio devices in Ableton's preferences (it also disappears from About This Mac > System Report > Firewire) and is therefor unusable.

Now I discovered that the M-Audio drivers weren't compatible with Yosemite and El Capitan, so I thought for sure this was the issue, then I followed a tutorial on how to get it working in El Capitan, but the same thing happened and my issue didn't reflect the issues the other ProjectMix owners were having with El Capitan and they all got it to work using said tutorial. Still, I thought the best thing to do would be to take the iMac back to a state that was compatible with M-Audio's drivers for the ProjectMix, so I went back to Mavericks, installed the drivers, opened up Ableton Live, and the same thing happened.

During this time I've also tried using different firewire cables, reinstalling various versions of OSX, resetting SMC, resetting PRAM, y'know, all the usuals.

I thought, if it's not the OS and not the firewire cable, it must be the firewire port, so I bought an Apple thunderbolt to firewire adaptor to bypass the Firewire port. I was hopeful when it connected, I even smiled, then, click pop click pop, the iMac rebooted.

So here I am, confuddled. I don't have much to conclude except that it must be the ProjectMix itself, that said, if it was the ProjectMix I wouldn't expect the iMac to reboot when it disconnects, that seems a bit over the top, unless there's something else going on that I'm not taking into account.

I don't suppose any of y'all have any suggestions or advice?

I've included my current specs and the latest crash report after reboot (using the thunderbolt to firewire adaptor). Thank y'all kindly for any help you can provide.

Specifications:

2011 27" iMac running OS X El Capitan 10.11.3 / OS X Mavericks

Ableton Live 9.6

M-Audio ProjectMix I/O (Firmware Version 10.19.05.A)

*** Panic Report ***

panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff8022dd255a): Kernel trap at 0xffffff80232b5d69, type 14=page fault, registers:

CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0x0000000000000030, CR3: 0x000000015c210040, CR4: 0x00000000000626e0

RAX: 0xffffff7fa40f2f50, RBX: 0x0000000000000000, RCX: 0x0000000000000001, RDX: 0xffffff8031852000

RSP: 0xffffff80bda23ce0, RBP: 0xffffff80bda23cf0, RSI: 0xffffff8031852000, RDI: 0x0000000000000000

R8: 0xffffff8031322000, R9: 0xffffff80343cdcb0, R10: 0xffffff7fa471d67c, R11: 0xffffff802323e9e0

R12: 0x0000000000000020, R13: 0x0000000000000020, R14: 0x00000000000003c8, R15: 0xffffff80bdc99000

RFL: 0x0000000000010282, RIP: 0xffffff80232b5d69, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010

Fault CR2: 0x0000000000000030, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x1, PL: 0

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff80bda23970 : 0xffffff8022cdf792

0xffffff80bda239f0 : 0xffffff8022dd255a

0xffffff80bda23bd0 : 0xffffff8022df0233

0xffffff80bda23bf0 : 0xffffff80232b5d69

0xffffff80bda23cf0 : 0xffffff7fa40e30ea

0xffffff80bda23d10 : 0xffffff7fa40dba40

0xffffff80bda23d20 : 0xffffff7fa5f55a24

0xffffff80bda23d40 : 0xffffff7fa5f55abc

0xffffff80bda23d70 : 0xffffff7fa5f6938f

0xffffff80bda23dc0 : 0xffffff7fa4721f61

0xffffff80bda23e20 : 0xffffff7fa471dc2b

0xffffff80bda23e90 : 0xffffff7fa471d74c

0xffffff80bda23ed0 : 0xffffff80232e439f

0xffffff80bda23f10 : 0xffffff8022dbcd2a

0xffffff80bda23fb0 : 0xffffff8022df0a56

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI(5.5.2)[3F6BEAD1-4FB9-3F71-895D-3DB4FF3EA3D7]@0xfff fff7fa40d2000->0xffffff7fa40f7fff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[F398CE94-0FBD-3E8E-A7AB-55F7F05A81ED]@0xffffff 7fa352c000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily(4.5.8)[433B63BC-082C-3AA5-B813-8FEBA9FD77D9]@0 xffffff7fa390e000

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(204.3)[79080C52-FC35-31BA-8C06-087B308D33D1]@0xff ffff7fa4712000->0xffffff7fa4742fff

dependency: com.apple.vecLib.kext(1.2.0)[E62681B7-BE2F-3F89-8065-91C5C2876EBA]@0xffffff7fa4 696000

com.m-audio.driver.firewire(1.10.5)[00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000]@0xfff fff7fa5f4f000->0xffffff7fa5f9cfff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(204.3)[79080C52-FC35-31BA-8C06-087B308D33D1]@0xff ffff7fa4712000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily(4.5.8)[433B63BC-082C-3AA5-B813-8FEBA9FD77D9]@0 xffffff7fa390e000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireAVC(4.2.3)[A4F0489E-27BA-3743-8F16-D35696AD07DA]@0xff ffff7fa410e000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: coreaudiod

Boot args: kext-dev-mode=1

Mac OS version: 15D21

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 15.3.0: Thu Dec 10 18:40:58 PST 2015; root:xnu-3248.30.4~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: DECC9F02-27D7-31F0-9599-A9EF2873902C

Kernel slide: 0x0000000022a00000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff8022c00000

__HIB text base: 0xffffff8022b00000

System model name: iMac12,2 (Mac-942B59F58194171B)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 312826035385

last loaded kext at 271784124102: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 (addr 0xffffff7fa5f9d000, size 69632)

last unloaded kext at 195460302621: com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBUHCI 1.0.1 (addr 0xffffff7fa3cce000, size 126976)

loaded kexts:

com.m-audio.driver.firewire 1.10.5

com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.20.22

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 90.3

com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 124

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 272.51.3

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.1

com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1

com.apple.kext.AMDFramebuffer 1.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 272.51.3

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.4.3f4

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics 10.0.0

com.apple.AMDRadeonX3000 1.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 3.0.8

com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.3f4

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.8.8

com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 3.1

com.apple.kext.AMD6000Controller 1.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU 208

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.2.13

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB 10.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 327.5

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.7.7

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader 3.7.1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0

com.apple.BootCache 38

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.8.5

com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet 10.1.12

com.apple.driver.AirPort.Atheros40 700.74.5

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.2

com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.0.1

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0

com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 163

com.apple.security.quarantine 3

com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 218.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireAVC 4.2.3

com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0

com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothHIDKeyboard 181

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 181

com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 4.4.3f4

com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 304.10

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDTransport 5

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 108.0.1

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 272.51.3

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 525

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11

com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2 205.1

com.apple.driver.CoreCaptureResponder 1

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.6

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.3f4

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.4.3f4

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.1.0

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.4.1

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.14d1

com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0

com.apple.kext.AMDSupport 1.4.0

com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.12.6

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink 4.1.1

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.14d1

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 272.51.3

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 272.51.3

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.4.1

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.7.7

com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.8

com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.8

com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.8

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 2.6.2

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBAudio 302.15

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 204.3

com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0

com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.0.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 900.4.1

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 3.7.7

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageDriver 1.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.7.7

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter 4.1.3

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter 4.1.3

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily 4.1.3

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIUpAdapter 2.0.2

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 2.0.2

com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.0.1

com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.0.1

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI 4.0.4

com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily 5.1.0

com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.0.3b3

com.apple.driver.mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b8

com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 1110.26

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2

com.apple.driver.corecapture 1.0.4

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.8

com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.0.1

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.8.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.0.1

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0

com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1

com.apple.security.sandbox 300.0

com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1

com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2

com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5

com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0

com.apple.driver.DiskImages 417.2

com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1

com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31

com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 4.0

com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9

com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4

com.apple.kec.Libm 1

com.apple.kec.pthread 1

com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0

Model: iMac12,2, BootROM IM121.0047.B23, 4 processors, Intel Core i5, 2.7 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.72f2

Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6770M, AMD Radeon HD 6770M, PCIe, 512 MB

Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM1, 2 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3231554538424655302D444A2D4620

Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM1, 2 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3231554538424655302D444A2D4620

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x168C, 0x9A), Atheros 9380: 4.0.74.0-P2P

Bluetooth: Version 4.4.3f4 16616, 3 services, 27 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1

PCI Card: pci11c1,5901, IEEE 1394 Open HCI, Thunderbolt@195,0,0

Serial ATA Device: ST31000528AS, 1 TB

Serial ATA Device: HL-DT-STDVDRW GA32N

USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus

USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

USB Device: Hub

USB Device: iLok

USB Device: USB2.0 Hub

USB Device: USB HID

USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller

USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus

USB Device: Hub

USB Device: USB 2.0 Hub

USB Device: Arturia MINILAB

USB Device: IR Receiver

USB Device: Card Reader

Thunderbolt Bus: iMac, Apple Inc., 25.1

Thunderbolt Device: Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter, Apple Inc., 3, 5.6