Mac Mojave, Ultra, Axe Edit won't connect

derekbeaner

New Member
I know this has been addressed many times before, but none of the threads I could find solved my problem for me. I just got a used Ultra and am I trying to get it working on my mac. Sadness.

I'm looking to see if anyone has any advice on getting Axe Edit 1.0.191 for the Mac to recognize the Ultra. Here are the details, and what I've tried:
  • Relevant Details:
    • Mac OSX Mojave 10.14.5
    • MacBook Pro 15 Inch Late 2013
    • PreSonus Studio 24 (not 24c)
    • Axe Fx Ultra FW 11.00 May 8 2011
    • SysEx ID 00 01 74
    • Latest PreSonus drivers installed
  • Wiring
    • Mac <-> PreSonus via USB
    • PreSonus -> MIDI OUT -> Ultra MIDI IN
    • Ultra -> MIDI OUT -> PreSonus MIDI IN
  • Observations:
    • The MIDI IN light on the Ultra flashes sporadically. If I disconnect the MIDI IN from the Ultra, the flashing stops.
    • When I hit "Test Connection" in Axe Edit there is no update at all to the UI (just stays at "Status: Not Connected..."). If I run the loopback test and then hit "Test Connection" it goes through a few hoops in the UI before saying "Status: Not Connected...".
    • The Ultra itself appears to be fine ... I've played with it for a few hours, going through the presets and it sounds as good as I hoped.
    • The MIDI light used to blink (it might have been the 'out' light but I can't remember) on the Axe Edit, but it's not now.
  • What I've tried:
    • Axe Edit 1.0.183 -- Same issue
    • Axe Edit 1.0.188 -- Same issue
    • Another Mac running High Sierra -- Same issue
    • MIDI Loopback test with both cables using the Axe Edit loopback test feature -- loopback passes on my PreSonus Studio 24
    • MIDI Loopback (hack) test with both cables on the Ultra -- passed -- this hack was found in Yeks How Tos (I can't post the link due to the rules)
    • Turning it off an on again. The Ultra, no joy. The Mac, no joy. The MIDI interface, no joy.
    • Uninstalling and Installing again. No joy on any of the described versions.
I'm sure I missed something but, at the moment, that's all I can think of. Has anyone had success after these kinds of failures that I missed?

Thanks for any advice
 
Answering my own question. I eventually got it to work.
  • Ditched the PreSonus Studio 24 because it seems to be broken or wouldn't work with my machine
  • Got a Roland UM-ONE Mk2
  • Would not connect to my Mac for some stupid reason
  • Loaded up Windows 10 in VMWare
  • The Roland UM-ONE Mk2 worked there
  • Loaded up Axe FX
  • Success!
So, all in all, new MIDI interface, 4GB worth of operating system, VM software and Axe FX edit and it's all good.

What a royal pain in the ass :)
 
Have you ever gotten it to work on a Mac, by any chance? I'd much rather not have to load up Windows just for this one app.
Yes. In fact, I've only ever used it from a Mac. But, I haven't tried it in Mojave. Mines so old it says Cakewalk, not Roland, on it.

I just plugged it into my iMac and MIDI Studio is showing it as available:

55872

It should work just fine with CoreMIDI. No drivers required. If yours has the "Advanced Driver" switch on it, make certain it's set to off?
 
Alright, I'll give it another go at some point. I'm troubleshooting'ed out right now and almost melted my computer with a blowtorch so I'm gonna take a little break from it.

I did install the "Mojave" drivers for it... that may have been a mistake. I'll uninstall them at some point and try it au naturale

Thanks!
 
Okay, screw it. I'm a glutton for punishment, it would seem. I tried reinstalling the UM-1.
  • Deleted the installed driver
  • Reboot -- Do a PRAM reset just for good measure (CMD+OPT+P+R once the opening bell sounds, reboots again after that)
  • Tried just connecting it, no joy.
  • Installed the driver again
  • Reboot -- PRAM reset just for good measure
  • Connect the UM-1
  • No joy.
  • Go to Preferences -> Security and Privacy -> Clicked "Allow" for the Roland device driver
    • Crucial point, this was not there the last time I installed it
  • UM-1 lit up all sexy like
  • Loaded the MAC version of Axe FX Edit
  • JOY!
So, as far as I can tell, it was the stupid PreSonus the entire time. That sucker's going back to the store.
 
Here's another potential clue: I have a new (no Logic, or anything really) Mac Mini, and I'm trying to get it to see my Axe Fx II XL USB connection. I doesn't appear in the System Report (from the About This Mac), the Sound-->Inputs list. Both the systems have been cycled off and on, cables swapped out, etc. No Axe Fx II USB.

Okay, so I unplug the same cable, with USB-A type connecter, that's directly connected to the Mac Mini, and then plug it into my MacBook Pro (2013), and voila!, the Axe Fx II USB driver appears in the System Report, and, of course, seen by Axe Edit that's on the MacBook.

The connection remains available to both computers, as long as I don't turn off the Axe Fx unit. The Mac Mini can be shutdown and turned back on, with the connection reestablishing, no problem.

So, whatever is going on, it seems to be a handshake issue with the Axe Fx. Which changes state from the default of "doesn't exist." And somehow the MacBook Pro addresses the Axe Fx USB differently, in such a way as to wake it up the USB for the Mini.

Ideas? Ideally, I like to turn and shut everything down, and have it work again...

Both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Pro are running the same, current, version of OS X (Mojave).
 
I opened the ticket this morning, and just got a response from Support. In case you're curious, and because it may help even III users, there's a Mac USB driver. I'd never seen it made available. Probably, just didn't see it. If I were on Windows, I would think about driver updates. I haven't had much experience with installing Mac drivers. Anyway, whatever it is, whatever it does, it worked. Here's a link to the .dmg: https://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/drivers/axe-fx-2/Axe-Fx_II_USB_Driver Setup_167.dmg.
 
I opened the ticket this morning, and just got a response from Support. In case you're curious, and because it may help even III users, there's a Mac USB driver. I'd never seen it made available. Probably, just didn't see it. If I were on Windows, I would think about driver updates. I haven't had much experience with installing Mac drivers. Anyway, whatever it is, whatever it does, it worked. Here's a link to the .dmg: https://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/drivers/axe-fx-2/Axe-Fx_II_USB_Driver Setup_167.dmg.
Glad you got it sorted out. In the future, you probably want to start a new thread for a new issue, instead of posting it on someone else’s thread about a different issue. Also, FYI, there’s a separate forum for Axe FX II discussion. This is the Standard/Ultra forum.
 
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