Headphone / Speaker Bug

Share your favorite Ableton Live tips, tricks, and techniques.
CirRoXx
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:19 am

Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by CirRoXx » Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:32 am

On my iMac: Whenever I have Ableton open and I plug my headphones in, Ableton automatically switches from the iMac speaker output to the headphones output. Same goes when I take the headphones out, Ableton automatically switches then to the speakers. *Wup, Wup*

Now, on my MacBook Pro: I open Ableton, plug my headphones in, start playing with an instrument and the sound comes through my MacBook speakers. I have to manually change the output in the setting to my headphones which is pissing me off. And if I unplug my headphones I get the message "The audio engine is off. Please click here to chose an audio device from Live's Audio Preferences"


Some information:
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
Processor: 2,6 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory: 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
OSX Version: MacOS High Sierra Version 10.13.6

Ableton Version: Ableton Live 10 Standart 10.0.3 (Auto-Updates Enabled)


Hopefully, someone can help me. And please, I really don't want to read something like: "Well then just change it manually jesus christ... :roll: ."

jestermgee
Posts: 4500
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:38 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by jestermgee » Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:00 am

Doesn't sound like a Live issue at all and i'm not a Mac user but it sounds like Laptop 1 has a single audio output shared between the speakers and the headphone which switches automatically when headphones are plugged in and in case 2 it sounds like there are 2 independent outputs which can operate and be switched independently (better).

Live doesn't just switch to audio outputs automatically, that is handled by the OS so your issue is the way your Mac behaves.

fishmonkey
Posts: 4478
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by fishmonkey » Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:29 am

jestermgee has guessed correctly—the 2018 MacBook Pros handle the built-in speakers and the headphone port independently (when headphones are connected).

i only just discovered this myself this morning.

so, yes, you'll have to manually switch outputs...

CirRoXx
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:19 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by CirRoXx » Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:32 am

jestermgee has guessed correctly—the 2018 MacBook Pros handle the built-in speakers and the headphone port independently (when headphones are connected).
Oh wow... :roll: so there is no way to "fix" that? Don't get me wrong, it's not a thing that I can't live without...it's just annoying to do the extra 3 clicks everytime I plug my headphones in ^^

CirRoXx
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:19 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by CirRoXx » Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:03 am

Something I forgot to point out is that if I watch YouTube and plug my headphones in, then I don't have to manually change anything. My MacBook does it automatically

fishmonkey
Posts: 4478
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by fishmonkey » Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:49 am

that is because MacOS does that automatically. if Live has a valid audio interface, it will not automatically change to another interface when it appears.

sinjinhawke
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2019 5:26 pm

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by sinjinhawke » Sat Apr 27, 2019 5:40 pm

I found the solution:

1) open "Audio MIDI Setup" (search in Spotlight)

2) in bottom left click "+" and "Create Aggregate Device"

3) rename the device to "AudioSwitch" or whatever you like

4) select the "External Headphones" and "MacbookBro Speakers" checkboxes (make sure External Headphones is first)

5) close "Audio MIDI Setup"

6) open Ableton and select "AudioSwitch" as your audio output device


Image

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vernichtung
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:01 pm

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by vernichtung » Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:55 pm

"Create Aggregate Device" does the trick. Thank you @sinjinhawke!!

Liamr0y
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2019 12:14 pm

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by Liamr0y » Sat Dec 21, 2019 12:15 pm

THANK YOUUU!! Above works ^^

kzantow
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:23 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by kzantow » Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:24 am

Awesome, @sinjinhawke! Works great and saved me from lots of fits of rage! :)

luke1504
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:22 pm

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by luke1504 » Fri Jan 24, 2020 10:23 pm

Awesome, thanks!

_subverse
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:00 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by _subverse » Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:00 am

Genius!

supadisco
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 5:10 pm
Location: san francisco
Contact:

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by supadisco » Mon Apr 13, 2020 12:06 pm

awesome workaround -- THANKS!! :)
sinjinhawke wrote:
Sat Apr 27, 2019 5:40 pm
I found the solution:

1) open "Audio MIDI Setup" (search in Spotlight)

2) in bottom left click "+" and "Create Aggregate Device"

3) rename the device to "AudioSwitch" or whatever you like a

4) select the "External Headphones" and "MacbookBro Speakers" checkboxes (make sure External Headphones is first)

5) close "Audio MIDI Setup"

6) open Ableton and select "AudioSwitch" as your audio output device


Image

Image

Erol Brown
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:33 pm

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by Erol Brown » Tue Jun 16, 2020 2:38 pm

Legend! Solved my problem.

LaLoLiLo
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 11:04 am

Re: Headphone / Speaker Bug

Post by LaLoLiLo » Thu Oct 08, 2020 11:04 am

Wow!

I have the same issue on Windows. Any similar techniques?

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