OS X Driver Issue

[Fabio KTG]

Amen.
That's what you buy and that's what it says on the box. Axe FXII: USB connect with two way signals, reamping, windows, OSX, Axe Edit for hands free editing...
I have been patient and I try to remain positive but more and more it seems like a scam. I'm sitting here with 2300 euros worth of modeling equipment wondering how to record guitars for my next cd.

A scam?

Do you know how much Line 6 and the users of the Kemper charges for their firmware upgrades and presets? Do you know how often Line 6 release a FW upgrade? Twice a year, if you're lucky.

You have bought a product that blows away the "competition", because Cliff is always developing and evolving the features of the unit. 99.9% of users will invest in a cheap audio interface for their Mac, if they have recording glitches, which I might add is APPLE's fault. I use a Profire 2626 and have MIDI issues. that's coming from a company such as Avid, who own M Audio and Pro Tools. Even the big guys who have the resources to provide regular updates and bug fixes don't do it and you can sit here and moan because Cliff personally and painstakingly develops and writes his own algorithms and thinks of new ways for us to get every last drop of juice out of our units?

Quite frankly, I wonder if you'll be needing some cheese with your WHINE.

 

[s0c9]

conclusion:
This time there is no DAW or other Driver Problem because there is nothing installed !!!
So other reported there had no issue with Firmware 9.x and before on 10.8.3
The Problem seams to be FW10 related.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with Mac OS or Hardware or DAW.

The OS is installed!! I'm sure you have read it elsewhere on the forum that Cliff has stated that the USB problem is Apple's and their OS implementation of USB 2.0.

Having personally worked on/with "other" Apple software, I have found (and reported) security flaws (during testing of related application software) that were "officially" reported to Apple. That was 2 yrs ago. They are notorious for not admitting they have issues (Wha-a-a-t us??) and even worse at resolving them. MS look like angels in comparison. My reported issue is still an issue, albeit relatively minor. And I'm not talking about iTunes, and yes, I own Apple devices but do not use them with the Axe-II.

IF Cliff says the issue is Apple's - based on my experiences with FAS over the last 3+ yrs - he's not making that up!
So now.. Ryan has asked for detailed steps to reproduce issues so that they can code work-around solutions since Apple is not fixing their problem.

Could we please refrain from the usual FAS bashing and keep this thread on topic? If it's not too much trouble ?

 

[antcarrier]

So other reported there had no issue with Firmware 9.x and before on 10.8.3
The Problem seams to be FW10 related.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with Mac OS or Hardware or DAW.

People have been reporting these bugs since the II was first released. I got mine with FW 2, and that had similar issues.

 

[chris]

Put your claws away, Kitty

no claws honestly. if any gear doesn't work for me and i'm fighting it more than using it, i get rid of it and move on so i stay productive!

that includes the axe-fx. but for me it works because i integrated it into my studio setup for recording - i use the analog outs and my presonus interfaces or to a mixer also connected to my computer for practice, backing tracks etc. no bitrate problems, sounds great!

i know that everyone's situation and gear is different, but it works for me. if it didn't, i'd (reluctantly) move on.

 

[BadMelonFarmer]

I am not a coder, but am an IT Architect.

On Mac, the reason Fractal say it is an Apple issue is that the Axe is "Class Compliant" interface, so the interface uses the documented API and protocols to communicate withe the OS and hardware.... Essentially removing the need for a manufacturer supplied driver (in theory) which on paper is a cool way to go IMHO.... However there are bugs in this method that apple need to fix.... So the reality is not as great as the theory, but that's life....at least it is software, which can be improved upon and different approaches tried.

The reason other interfaces seem to generally work better is that they seem to have stuck with the old school approach and written their own drivers.... Therefore they are more in control of their own product interaction.

The class compliant approach seems to work well for midi on iPhones, iPads and Macs.... But the results for audio seem to be less successful IMHO and I can't think of many manufacturers that use class compliant audio, maybe for this reason. Even apogee, who on the surface seem to have closest ties to Apple, have Maestro which is their own framework.

I am confident Fractal will sort it at some point, until then if you are one of the unlucky ones (like me)...save yourself some stress and use a different interface for audio.

 

[ceteris]

So, my setup:
- Mac Mini Server, 2012. i7 with 8 Gig. Lion 10.7.5
- Axe II, software version: 10.00.
- Axe Drivers: latest available, i.e. July 2012
- output: headphone output to headphones or monitors

Description of the problem:
- when using AF2 as the sound output for the computer, sound originating from the computer gets marbled by serious digital artifacts. This happens after a couple of minutes of playback. Eventually sound is lost almost completely.
- only the sound from computer get mangled; Axe's 'local' output is still fine.
- however sound input to the mac (from Axe) is similarly affected. Proven through recording the input and playing back later.
- happens with or without Axe Edit running
- the only remedy seems to be rebooting Axe.
- this seems to happen sooner and sooner. Originally (year ago) I could play several songs before this happened. Now, I cannot finish one song - the sound is lost in 2-3 minutes from restart.

Notes:
- I've changed the USB cable several times now. One I'm using right now is one proven to work well with a number of kit, including 11R.
- 11R and other output choices I have perform well with the same Mac, same cables, same software, same everything. No excuses, it's the Axe.
- the symptom is the same no matter which application is used (Protools 10, Garageband, iTunes or Safari) for sound reproduction.

Even a single song cannot be played back (never mind recording a track) using Axe FX as a soundcard. So this is quite critical defect.

As this happens more and more often, I'm not sure if there's a hardware fault with my device or if this is something to do with the driver. I'd appreciate any input!

 

[Krahos]

+1

It's been quite awhile since I've tried using the Axe II as an interface, but here is what I experienced in the past:

2012 Mac Mini i7 Server
OS X 10.8.3 (although I may have been running 10.7.x at the time)
PT 10
Axe FX II connected via USB
Glyph audio drive connected via firewire

Issues:

Open up any session in PT
Set Axe II as Playback Engine
After about 30 seconds - 1 minute of playback, the bit-crush/distorted sound starts
Close session and reopen with various buffer settings....same thing happens
I also had various pops/clicks on recorded tracks, but the bit-crushed sound was the biggest problem I experienced.

I'm now using an RME Fireface 800 as my interface, and my system is super-stable with none of the above issues.

 

[hippietim]

Amen.
That's what you buy and that's what it says on the box. Axe FXII: USB connect with two way signals, reamping, windows, OSX, Axe Edit for hands free editing...
I have been patient and I try to remain positive but more and more it seems like a scam. I'm sitting here with 2300 euros worth of modeling equipment wondering how to record guitars for my next cd.

There are two plugs on the back of the Axe-FX with 3 prongs. These plugs are called XLR connectors. There are also plugs that are just a 1/4" hole. These are called TRS connectors. As luck would have it, there are 13 trillion devices out there that you can connect to using these plugs that will also connect to your Mac to record with.

 

[Hugomack]

This reminds me of the blurb on my M-Audio Firewire 410. In theory it should connect up pretty well anything. In practice it doesn't, and certain things are more difficult than others. And now it's dropping out and other well-documented bad habits have led me to use my Profire 2626 instead. This is a pain as it lives in a large SKB I use for live pa and recording work.

The 2626 and the FXII work totally fine - as did the 410 until it's sporadic problems led to its demise.

My point being... that with cutting edge, hi-tech gear, it's always better to have one black box for each job, rather than struggling to wring everything out of one. Compatibility cannot be guaranteed across every possibility. It's a shame FXII has these Mac problems, but that's the way with Macs (I have two). I'd love Jamstix on my Mac, but we're still waiting.

But it's nonsense to accuse FAS of running a scam, as it is to sit back and say you can't record with FXII - or edit your patches with AE. I hope Cliff will get this sorted out, and am glad he's now keeping us informed. In the meantime, those running FXII as part of large studio rack ought to get it down at eye level to edit from the front, and use a dedicated interface (which is a good idea anyway, and anyone doing recording is going to have one, and anybody buying an FXII is likely to have sleuthed around here before stumping up the $$, so this particular glitch shouldn't come as a surprise....)

 

[Kont]

There are two plugs on the back of the Axe-FX with 3 prongs. These plugs are called XLR connectors. There are also plugs that are just a 1/4" hole. These are called TRS connectors. As luck would have it, there are 13 trillion devices out there that you can connect to using these plugs that will also connect to your Mac to record with.

Is there guarantee that the audio quality will be the same as via USB? If so, why bands such as Animals As Leaders uses D/A converter and avoid to use "analog holes on the back of the Axe-FX with 3 prongs"?

there are 13 trillion devices out there that you can connect to using these plugs that will also connect to your Mac to record with.

And the same variety of sound quality results you'll get…

 

[joegold]

For the record, here is my most recent experience with using my Axe-II via USB.

System:
Axe-II, ver 10.05
27" iMac, mid 2010, OS 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard)
Logic 9
Most recent Axe II drivers.
Presonus Firebox (Firewire)
Yamaha HS80m monitors

I've upgraded to Mountain Lion twice now but have not been happy with it and since my Firebox isn't really compatible with it I've downgraded to Snow Leopard and plan to keep it there until I replace the Firebox.

So, when I recently tried the Axe via USB into Logic I used the Axe for input (visa USB) and the Firebox for output and I assign this in Logic's audio Prefs.
I believe that I've also had to set the Firebox's clock to 48k using Audio MIDI Setup and in Logic's Song Settings I've had to set the sample rate to 48k in order to get this to work.
With those settings everything seems to work quite well.
But after about 4 or 5 minutes I always hear a single click/pop.
Wait another 5 minutes and it happens again.
Etc.
I recorded a long track of me noodling until the pop happens but the pop doesn't seem to get into the audio track, which is nice.

Now, I have not worked extensively for any length of time like this so I don't know if it gets better or worse the longer you use it.
And in the past I've had much more trouble than this but I don't remember how I had everything set up.
So, for me, it seems pretty stable now, except for that repeating pop.

Is there anything I might have set incorrectly on the Axe (or elsewhere) that would cause a pop every 5 minutes?
It seems pretty regular.

 

[Fabio KTG]

It's an Apple driver issue that a lot of people are experiencing.

My advice is to hang in there until the Fractal guys rewrite the OSX driver and fix Apple's problem. Which should be in the next month or two, i would imagine. Going on their quick and methodical approach to fixing bugs and user reports etc.

Or failing that, try changing sound cards to a Firewire device. I use an M-Audio Profire 2626 for both MIDI and Audio. I don't use the Axe as a sound card at all, for the reasons above.

Best of luck

 

[joegold]

It's an Apple driver issue that a lot of people are experiencing.

My advice is to hang in there until the Fractal guys rewrite the OSX driver and fix Apple's problem. Which should be in the next month or two, i would imagine. Going on their quick and methodical approach to fixing bugs and user reports etc.

Or failing that, try changing sound cards to a Firewire device. I use an M-Audio Profire 2626 for both MIDI and Audio. I don't use the Axe as a sound card at all, for the reasons above.

Best of luck

I realize all that.
I'm just trying to give the OP the info he requested from us in the hope that it will help them to fix the problems.

 

[Hugomack]

It's an Apple driver issue that a lot of people are experiencing.

My advice is to hang in there until the Fractal guys rewrite the OSX driver and fix Apple's problem. Which should be in the next month or two, i would imagine. Going on their quick and methodical approach to fixing bugs and user reports etc.

Or failing that, try changing sound cards to a Firewire device. I use an M-Audio Profire 2626 for both MIDI and Audio. I don't use the Axe as a sound card at all, for the reasons above.

Best of luck

Yep - this is exactly what I do, and it's fine.

 

[Psychotom]

Hi,

Experiencing systematic "digital crashing" after 2-3 minutes with AxeFXII (firmware 10.00) as a sound card for Protools 9 on MacBook Pro OS 10.7.5
To get it to run again, I need to change the buffer size in PT. But it starts over and over.
Otherwise it's a great great machine!

+ Tom

 

[Fabio KTG]

Hi,

Experiencing systematic "digital crashing" after 2-3 minutes with AxeFXII (firmware 10.00) as a sound card for Protools 9 on MacBook Pro OS 10.7.5
To get it to run again, I need to change the buffer size in PT. But it starts over and over.
Otherwise it's a great great machine!

+ Tom

When you change buffer size, it resets the audio driver, which is why the problem stops temporarily. The coding and architecture gurus on here have speculated that whilst it's an Apple bug, it may be a memory leak. I wouldn't know, I'm a hammer and chisel kinda guy.

 

[Psychotom]

When you change buffer size, it resets the audio driver, which is why the problem stops temporarily. The coding and architecture gurus on here have speculated that whilst it's an Apple bug, it may be a memory leak. I wouldn't know, I'm a hammer and chisel kinda guy.

OK like you said earlier, "hang in there until the Fractal guys rewrite the OSX driver and fix Apple's problem" is the best thing to do I agree. When I record sounds from the AxeFX I drive them through an RME fireface UFX, analog or AES whatever.
+

 

[adamqlw]

I have been trying to run Absynth + MIDI Guitar with the Axe FX II. Strangely notes sound okay initially, then as the CPU usage picks up and the note blooms, I start getting weird crackles not unlike the "bit crushing" problem that I experience intermittently anyway. This goes away when I use my Apogee ONE, no issues there. For now I might try and run the Apogee ONE in the FX Loop, but definitely looking forward to a proprietary driver that works!

 

[heyrich]

>I'm sitting here with 2300 euros worth of modeling equipment wondering how to record guitars for my next cd.<

While you're busy wondering, you might spend a moment wondering how people continue to record CD's using their Fender, Mesa, Marshall, or Vox amps. None of these amps have working USB interfaces, either. Only "analog outputs"... called speakers. To record them on on a CD requires another analog transducer... called a "microphone".

But even the analog microphone requires another analog piece of gear... called a "mic preamp". And THOSE things don't have USB outputs either.

It's a wonder that anyone manages to record CD's using all that analog stuff... right?

Seriously for a moment... the analog outs from the AxeFx sound as good as you'll ever need for CD recording purposes.

I bought the unit for home studio use and to use the reamping option. Of course i can record through jack or XLR. But I want to reamp through USB.

 

[heyrich]

There are two plugs on the back of the Axe-FX with 3 prongs. These plugs are called XLR connectors. There are also plugs that are just a 1/4" hole. These are called TRS connectors. As luck would have it, there are 13 trillion devices out there that you can connect to using these plugs that will also connect to your Mac to record with.

connection to the 13 trillion devices won't reamp, like you're supposed to be able to with USB.