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Author Topic: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer  (Read 4010 times)

JimH

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Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« on: May 13, 2019, 06:26:55 am »

It's an Apple problem.  Turning off Time Machine might help.

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,24031.msg828535.html#msg828535
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johnkaess

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2019, 10:40:58 am »

i have a 2014 iMac which does this, and it's completely related to time machine. when it backs up to my external drive, i get drop outs. When it isn't running a back up, everything works great.
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johnkaess

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2019, 11:05:39 am »

Also, under Options/Audio/Audio Devices/Device Settings select 1000 milleseconds under buffering. It doesn't completely fix the problem, but it does reduce the number and length of dropouts.
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F Ribeiro

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2019, 05:52:32 pm »

my 2014 mac mini does this.
load decoded file into memory solved my problem.
Don't know why.
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JRiver Media Center 25 PC and MAC | PC: Dell Latitude E5250 - Windows 10 Pro | MAC: Mac Mini late 2014 - Mojave | Amp: Classe CAP-2100 | CD Player: Meridian G08.2 | DAC: Naim DAC V1 | Turntable: Linn Axis, Akito tonearm, Adikt MM | Loudspeakers: ProAc Response D28 | Cables: Transparent, Nordost | Server: Synology DS216 Play Raid 1 |

Dennis in FL

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Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2019, 03:06:57 am »

I have a 6 month old Macbook pro and I also have a 2014 Mac -- I tried both with USB DAC and they both had dropouts.   I have the buffering at 1000 and have fiddled with everything seemingly related to no avail.   I'm not sure I can blame it on Time Machine........   Right now - I have TM off and will leave it off for a day or two as a test.  I didn't check if the MacBook was backing up when I got the dropout, but 2018 MACs have other audio problems so I haven't repeated.  But also, when I used the laptop, the library was still with the 2014 desktop Mac - so not a good test.


As a last ditch effort - I just bought a Raspberry Pi 4 (I have a Master license) and will attempt to use it as a client with the Mac as the server.   I have the possibility of either USB/DAC output or HDMI with the Raspi.   If the Desktop Mac controlling the library still is the problem,  I can set up an external USB drive with the Raspi, I also have a 8 year old Windows PC (mini Dell) in a box somewhere - I could dedicate it to MC. 

But, for me, the MAC is the best solution (different computers will complicate my world) if I can get it to reliably playback (but all in all, I've tired of serious troubleshooting with this one).  This seems a problem worth escalating to Apple tech support if TM related.   Does JRiver have a contact at Apple for this sort of problem?   
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JimH

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2019, 06:00:30 am »

This seems a problem worth escalating to Apple tech support if TM related.   Does JRiver have a contact at Apple for this sort of problem?
We don't.  You could use their forum and link to ours.
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Dennis in FL

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2019, 04:38:15 am »

It dawned on me today that I haven't heard a dropout in a long time.   

It used to be pretty frequent and annoying.

I still use Time Machine and I have Catalina and the latest MC.   I didn't change any related MC settings since I essentially gave up on trying to fix dropouts.

I also kept a copy of the previous MAC OS (Mohave) with an older MC on a bootable hard drive......I was thinking of testing if dropouts are still on the older versions and if it was a Catalina or MC issue but not entirely sure if I want to beat a dead horse.
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jayla

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2019, 02:04:05 pm »


Dear guys,

the German computer magazine Mac & I (from Heise Verlag) reported on 08.March 2019 the following statemet regarding the apple mac 2018 audio failure (unfortunately in German):
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8.03.2019 09:43 Uhr
Mac & i

Apple hat Audioprobleme aktueller Macs im Zusammenspiel mit USB-2-Audiointerfaces in der neuesten Beta-Version von macOS Mojave beseitigt, wie ausgiebige Tests der Mac & i-Redaktion nahelegen. Der auf Audio-Hardware spezialisierte Hersteller RME bestätigte die Vermutung gegenüber Mac & i am Wochenende: Auch dort könne man unter macOS 10.14.4 Beta 5 keine Störungen mehr nachweisen. RME hatte zuvor gewarnt, es gebe im Moment keinen Weg, um einen Mac mini 2018 ohne Audio-Fehler bei der Musikproduktion einzusetzen – solange USB 2 zum Einsatz kommt.
----------------------------------
Translated to English (shortend): Apple reported that problems with core audio interface distortion and usb-2 ports has been fixed. This was also committed also by RME (company specialized on Audio-HW). They tested with version macOS 10.14.4 Beta5 and could no longer detect the failure.

I myself can also not detect any dropouts any longer. Using Mac Mini 2018 with Mojave OSX V. 10.14.6. Even if time machine was up and running I could not detect any dropouts any longer.
For sure this is no guaranty - but maybe worth to test again if having trouble before

BR
Joachim
 
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Dennis in FL

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Re: Audio Dropouts on 2018 Mac's and Newer
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2019, 02:10:54 pm »

Really good news.   Interesting there is no USA announcement.
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