1 (edited by van 2019-01-12 18:56:31)

Topic: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

Dear Forum Members, Dear RME Developers,

Recently I noticed extensive CPU Spikes and audible short crackling during live recording sessions.
I've done an extensive research and found a lot of forums that more or less describes the same problem.

So I decided tho start an own thread, because the most of what I've read is addressing newer hardware.
And the suggestions that it occurs only on specific MPB newer generations doesn't apply!

Hardware:
MBP mid 2012 13'' i7 8GB of Ram. OSX Mojave 10.14.2
Fireface 400.

Software:
Logic Pro X 10.4.4
Ableton Live 9

I'm recording/ playing with 24bit @48000Hz.

Facts:
I didn't have any of these problems on Sierra.
The build in audio device doesn't show any spikes and no audible dropouts. (Perhaps smaller bandwidth?)
the build in audio device allows me to go down to 32 samples and small process buffer range without any drops!
With Fireface 400 the best I can get with limited bandwidth to only Audio without drops is 256 samples and middle process buffer range.

What I've did and doesn't help at all:
Fresh driver installation (getting rid of all old drivers and files on the entire system!).
The "hack" that suggests to get rid of the smart battery manager (including all of the Apps and disabling stuff like Spotlight, etc..).
Turning services ON/OFF like f.e. WiFi doesn't help!
Unplugging USB devices like Midi Controllers doesn't help.

So, is there a solution?

thanks and cheers!

2 (edited by van 2019-01-17 19:51:42)

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

wow this is odd.. like a voice in the desert..

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

Did you try to put Processing Threads (under Preferences -> Audio) in Logic Pro to the amount of cores of your cpu? So in your case that's probably 2 (instead of 4, the amount of threads).

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

van wrote:

wow this is odd.. like a voice in the desert..

Search forum for Mojave.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

van wrote:

Facts:
I didn't have any of these problems on Sierra.
[...]
So, is there a solution?

The solution is not using Mojave. Downgrade to High Sierra should do the job.

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

Duistere Bardo wrote:

Did you try to put Processing Threads (under Preferences -> Audio) in Logic Pro to the amount of cores of your cpu? So in your case that's probably 2 (instead of 4, the amount of threads).

hm.. didn't expect that, but it's a little bit better!

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

hselters wrote:
van wrote:

Facts:
I didn't have any of these problems on Sierra.
[...]
So, is there a solution?

The solution is not using Mojave. Downgrade to High Sierra should do the job.

this is sad, man...

Re: Fireface 400 OSX Mojave Audio Dropouts

It can be sad indeed when using a new Mac which does not allow you to downgrade its OS (not speaking about the current USB problems which might be even a hardware issue...).

Otherwise I see no reason for being sad with staying on (High) Sierra for now. Working fine for me.