Ableton Forum

Posted: **Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:58 am**

Just installed the SDK and latest devel drivers:

After you install the SDK, you need install this driver:

/Developer/FireWireSDK23/FireWireComponents/FireWireAudio 2.0.1/AppleFWAudio-2.0.1fc1-e8.pkg

From the release notes:

Known Issues

Most of the problems that have been reported by FireWire audio hardware developers have been resolved in this release. If one of the issues you have reported is not fixed in this release, contact DTS with your issue number and they can check the status of the issue if it has not already been updated.

For the new streaming engine:

• Latency varies between +/- 8 samples. We are working with the FireWire audio silicon vendors to resolve this issue.
• On rare occasions on Intel machines a large round trip latency will be observed. This occurs most often on machines with S800 port.
• On Intel machines with S800 ports sometimes the audio device will not have any audio when the machine is rebooted. To work around this issue, switch to a different sample rate and then back again and the audio will be restored.

For all devices:

There may be times when a FireWire audio device will not show up after a reboot. This version of the driver is more stringent about the responses and values returned from the device. If there are any serious errors or extended timeouts from the device during enumeration, the driver will stop querying the device and fail the device enumeration. If this happens a message will be printed out in the system.log file. If your device fails to enumerate often, you may need to modify your devices firmware to the latest version from your silicon vendor or modify some of your existing commands to respond in a timely fashion with the correct values.

Posted: **Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:10 am**

Also if you are lazy to reboot after installing the new drivers:

unplug your firewire hardware...
open a terminal ( /Applications/Utilities/Terminal )

sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleMLANAudio.kext
sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleFWAudio.kext

sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleFWAudio.kext
sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleMLANAudio.kext

Restart your system profiler (About Mac -> More Info) and check the new version is properly loaded:

AppleFWAudio:

Version: 2.0.1
Last Modified: 24/10/06 3:45 AM
Get Info String: AppleFWAudio 2.0.1, Copyright 2002-2006 Apple Computer, Inc.
Location: /System/Library/Extensions/AppleFWAudio.kext
kext Version: 2.0.1fc1
Load Address: 0x3ceb2000
Valid: Yes
Authentic: Yes
Dependencies: Satisfied
Integrity: Kext is modified

Posted: **Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:29 am**

kugutsumen wrote:Just installed the SDK and latest devel drivers:

After you install the SDK, you need install this driver:

/Developer/FireWireSDK23/FireWireComponents/FireWireAudio 2.0.1/AppleFWAudio-2.0.1fc1-e8.pkg

i think you don´t really need to install all the sdk

i just extracted the driver from the the package and installed it alone

Posted: **Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:35 am**

kugutsumen: i noticed you recently got your af

did you have any kind of issues that got you into this thread and the mentioned solution (the dev driver) ?

Posted: **Sat Mar 31, 2007 11:11 am**

nonnus wrote:kugutsumen: i noticed you recently got your af

did you have any kind of issues that got you into this thread and the mentioned solution (the dev driver) ?

I don't mind installing the full SDK, I had an old version already to code a firewire DMA exploit.

No issues yet, I just wanted to make sure I won't run into problems, I freaked out when I read the first few pages of this thread... I installed the ADC drivers just to be on the safe side.

Posted: **Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:05 pm**

I hooked up the Echo Audiofire 4 to my Macbook Pro today. I had issues immediately after installing the latest Echo drivers to OS X 10.4.9. Clicks, messed-up sound. Latency @ 96k 256 samples was 12 ms+

I installed the Apple Dev Firewire driver as described earlier in this thread. Latency reduced to 10.4 ms round trip @ 96k 256... however - with Amp2 running 'Pure Amp' 'Bluesy Combo' patch with all resolution, oversampling modes etc on, CPU was at 50% and I heard some intermittent clicks in the audio output.

Amp2 running same patch at same sample rate / buffer size settings with integrated Apple on-board audio is about 12.5 ms round trip latency at 45% with no audio output issues. I can push Amp2 patches hard with built-in to about 75% CPU with no audio output issues.

For my purposes, the Audiofire 4 does not represent a usable solution and will be returned. Disappointing. I also tried it in Bootcamp'ed XP with Live, latency was about the same, CPU use was less, audio output was completely FUBAR'ed.

Posted: **Sun May 20, 2007 2:25 pm**

No news on this issue, I take it?

I was thinking of getting a MacBook Pro and an AudioFire 2 (to replace my Indigo DJ) but now I think that maybe the AudioFire 2 is a bad idea...

Out of interest, does the same problem occur when running XP under BootCamp?

Posted: **Thu May 24, 2007 3:58 pm**

Audio quality is crap. Kernel Panic (flashing light and click) on occasion. .

My Cue channel won't play audio (3/4).

I will be installing the Dev Drivers this weekend..

Poop to Echo.

Posted: **Thu May 24, 2007 4:03 pm**

kabuki wrote:Audio quality is crap. Kernel Panic (flashing light and click) on occasion. .

My Cue channel won't play audio (3/4).

I will be installing the Dev Drivers this weekend..

Poop to Echo.

My audiofire2 is still working very solidly indeed on my macbook. Sound quality is good, I've had no crashes etc. The only wrinkle is if my machine sleeps then I have to powercycle the audio device.

I hesistate to say this but maybe the MBP is at fault?

I'd like to see lower latency possible (mine is set to 128 samples and won't go lower).

Posted: **Thu May 24, 2007 4:17 pm**

robbmasters wrote:No news on this issue, I take it?

I was thinking of getting a MacBook Pro and an AudioFire 2 (to replace my Indigo DJ) but now I think that maybe the AudioFire 2 is a bad idea...

Out of interest, does the same problem occur when running XP under BootCamp?

Based on my experiences with a Mac and Audiofire 2, my advice is- get the MBP (but wait until next month, as there's very strong rumours of significant updates) but don't go near the Audiofire 2. Mine didn't work properly, and support was completely useless. Avoid.

Posted: **Thu May 24, 2007 4:20 pm**

I find the difference in experience here very interesting.

Mickey, what 's your setup?

edit: mine is 10.4.9 on a macbook. Live 6.0.5. Latest Echo firmware. All my audio files are 16bit 44.1 khz. Maybe that has something to do with it? (I know grasping at straws).

Posted: **Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:56 am**

Bump? There's been a driver update on the 20th of July, has anyone tested this with a MBP?

Posted: **Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:32 pm**

Just found this:

12. Do you support Intel Macs?
[top]

Yes! We are proud to fully support the Intel Mac platform.* The AudioFire line of products use Apple's built in FireWire driver, so support was built in since the very first Intel Mac was shipped! We also provide a software console which works in compatibility mode on Intel Mac. A Universal Binary version of the software console can be downloaded from our driver page.

*The hardware in the Intel Macs is incompatible with our PCI and Cardbus hardware.

That's a litte misleading seeing as the card have all these issues! (I hope Echo reads this thread!).

Posted: **Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:39 pm**

dru wrote: That's a litte misleading seeing as the card have all these issues! (I hope Echo reads this thread!).

There's nothing misleading at all about what they say. Not all Intel OSX systems have trouble with this. I know of at least two Audiofire2/MBP users that have the same experience as me.

Posted: **Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:48 pm**

Really? From what I've read, I was under the impression that it simply won't work well with any MBP. It's just that it's the perfect interface for me at the moment, has exactly what I need and the price is right. I'm worried if I buy it that I'll run into the same problems as the users in this thread. Major dilemma.. heh.

Ableton Forum

audiofire 2/4 + mbp user ? please read this

Issues as well.

Re: Issues as well.