Audio issues and glitches iMac Sierra, Kronos and Ableton
Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever
I create my own hackintosh that I use with my Macbook Pro. Apple rewrote everything that deals with the USB and their ports. A lot of hiccups and I don't know why Apple did that. I downgraded my hackintosh to Yosemite and it runs fine, no issues whatsoever. Sierra just doesn't cut the cake IMHO and causes more issues than they do good.
Apple in their battle with Mickey Soft with all the touch screen crap needs to stop IMHO...
Apple in their battle with Mickey Soft with all the touch screen crap needs to stop IMHO...
It'll be interesting to see whether High Sierra makes it better or worse.
El Capitan broke things for my various USB streamers (Virus Ti, Elektron kit, TD30, Line 6 HD500x), but Sierra fixed it for a while. Then Apple introduced a fix for USB headphones, which screwed up my streaming again.
These days, I steer completely clear of USB streaming, except for Virus Ti. Everything goes through 3 RME Multifaces, or via my A&H digital desk.
El Capitan broke things for my various USB streamers (Virus Ti, Elektron kit, TD30, Line 6 HD500x), but Sierra fixed it for a while. Then Apple introduced a fix for USB headphones, which screwed up my streaming again.
These days, I steer completely clear of USB streaming, except for Virus Ti. Everything goes through 3 RME Multifaces, or via my A&H digital desk.
Edited version.
High Sierra has improved my own set up with a daw (cubase elements9),including Audacity.
However,it may not be the case for others.
High Sierra has improved my own set up with a daw (cubase elements9),including Audacity.
However,it may not be the case for others.
Last edited by pedro5 on Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
Disappointing news for sure...
Before giving up,try the "aggregate device" route and also "configure speakers" in the audio midi set up applet,it may help improve matters.
Making sure that the sample rates match everything and the microphone is muted or at least the input volume is turned down.
Also using the "drift" (re-sample this device) may be beneficial.
Many may already use these settings,but perhaps worth mentioning for others to consider.
Best Wishes.

Before giving up,try the "aggregate device" route and also "configure speakers" in the audio midi set up applet,it may help improve matters.
Making sure that the sample rates match everything and the microphone is muted or at least the input volume is turned down.
Also using the "drift" (re-sample this device) may be beneficial.
Many may already use these settings,but perhaps worth mentioning for others to consider.
Best Wishes.
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- Location: East Gippsland, Australia
Same disappointment here. I upgraded 2 macs, and both exhibit no change to the symptoms. Starts out ok for a minute then the audio begins spitting until it degrades into total chaos. I have tried as an aggregate device, and tweaked pretty much everything. In any case, it should work out of the box, shouldn't have to waste time trying to fault find it. I'm assuming this problem will be left behind in the distance and never be resolved. 

The companions I can't live without: Kawai Acoustic Grand, Yamaha MontageM8x, Studiologic Numa Piano X GT.
Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood Orchestra Opus, Spitfire Symphony Orchestra, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88.
Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood Orchestra Opus, Spitfire Symphony Orchestra, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88.
Edited version.
Using the usb L/R setting will always send its output back into the computer with the resulting feedback.
Tried various permutations to isolate inputs/outputs,but without success.
It did work for a while,which led to a false belief....
Soundflower app now works,but has limited effect overall.
Also Audacity works well.
My initial daw set up has improved and no longer need additional tweaks….it simply works with the default settings.
A small step in the right direction,perhaps.....the main problem remains,though.
The alternative solution is to go the interface route...or even using a mixer.
Best Wishes.
Using the usb L/R setting will always send its output back into the computer with the resulting feedback.
Tried various permutations to isolate inputs/outputs,but without success.
It did work for a while,which led to a false belief....

Soundflower app now works,but has limited effect overall.
Also Audacity works well.
My initial daw set up has improved and no longer need additional tweaks….it simply works with the default settings.
A small step in the right direction,perhaps.....the main problem remains,though.
The alternative solution is to go the interface route...or even using a mixer.
Best Wishes.
Last edited by pedro5 on Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Location: Discovery Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
pedro5 wrote:From my previous post.....
This is incorrect,it's inevitable that using the usb L/R setting will always send its output back into the computer with the resulting feedback.Audio from the mac can now be sent via the usb link to the Kronos with the L/R input settings, without any feedback problems that existed previously.
Tried various permutations to isolate inputs/outputs,but without success.
It did work for a while,which led to a false belief....![]()
Soundflower app now works,but has limited effect overall.
Also Audacity works well.
My initial daw set up has improved and no longer need additional tweaks….it simply works with the default settings.
A small step in the right direction,perhaps.....the main problem remains,though.
The alternative solution is to go the interface route...or even using a mixer.
Best Wishes.
I was a little surprised to see this on the Korg USA site:
Kronos section for Sierra:( Korg is stating 'support " on the chart)
http://www.korg.com/download/global/sup ... ORG_en.pdf
I have not seen a ''patch " by Korg to address the distortion/audio breakup. Maybe they are rolling it into the next Kronos OS update and I haven't yet seen that.
Perhaps this chart is ambiguous with its check list ? Is this Korgs way of saying they are working on it ?
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Thanks for the link to the pdf Greg.
They must have just updated this info with the release of High Sierra.
I periodically check this table to see if they'd added any acknowledgment of the problem, and did so only a few weeks ago with no mention.
My feeling is that "under investigation" means they are looking into it. At least there is some movement in the camp now.
I do remember some months back, Dan from Korg weighed in to say they were investigating, however after that, it all went frustratingly quiet.
We need to see now whether it is something they can solve via the MIDI driver or if the OS itself needs an update,
They must have just updated this info with the release of High Sierra.
I periodically check this table to see if they'd added any acknowledgment of the problem, and did so only a few weeks ago with no mention.
My feeling is that "under investigation" means they are looking into it. At least there is some movement in the camp now.
I do remember some months back, Dan from Korg weighed in to say they were investigating, however after that, it all went frustratingly quiet.
We need to see now whether it is something they can solve via the MIDI driver or if the OS itself needs an update,
The companions I can't live without: Kawai Acoustic Grand, Yamaha MontageM8x, Studiologic Numa Piano X GT.
Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood Orchestra Opus, Spitfire Symphony Orchestra, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88.
Other important stuff: Novation Summit, NI Komplete Ultimate 14 CE, Omnisphere, EW Hollywood Orchestra Opus, Spitfire Symphony Orchestra, Pianoteq 8 Pro, Roland RD88.
I just migrated to a new MBP, and as others have noted, the problem remains on high Sierra. Seems no worse than Sierra. Is there a better way to do this? I would like to have the Kronos control Kontakt and have the sound come back in to the Kronos for routing through the FX and mixing with local sounds, etc. I could get an interface like the focusrite, but then I have to use analog inputs, which I would like to keep open for mics/instruments. Or SPDIF, but it's RCA vs optical, and I'm not sure if there would be additional latency. Anyone have any suggestions for how to get this sort of thing to work? it's really too bad about this USB issue because it complicates things.
bmtg
bmtg
Kronos 2.73 - NanoPad2 - MBP - DP9
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yes, this is exactly where the breakdown occurs using USB. Its been mentioned before, apple removed the file packets (?) in sierra , IOW, they 'deprecated ' the USB supported audio.bmtg wrote: I would like to have the Kronos control Kontakt and have the sound come back in to the Kronos for routing through the FX and mixing with local sounds, etc.
bmtg
And the problem remains, no magic bullet or patch, etc, etc.
It would have been better if we kept our super old macs and stayed with El Cap.
Hindsight is wonderful like that.
A couple of "old" posts from an apple forum....may be of some interest....??
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/54 ... 0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/54 ... 0&tstart=0
This problem is nothing new and it's a real shame that there's no proper solution forthcoming.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/54 ... 0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/54 ... 0&tstart=0
This problem is nothing new and it's a real shame that there's no proper solution forthcoming.