UAD Apollo via Thunderbolt incompatibility

hdcs

Member
I cannot get Axe-Edit III (1.08.02 connected with USB) to happily coexist on my Mac (2020 Intel Mini on Catalina 10.15.7) when my Thunderbolt UAD Apollo Twin MkII interface (v9.13.0) is connected. When all the UAD drivers are loaded and I launch Axe-Edit, the UAD drivers crash and signal from the UAD interface is lost. If I launch Axe-Edit when the UAD Console app is running (or vice versa), my Mac panics and reboots. I've been working around this behavior since April, hoping that any driver updates might fix the incompatibility. I've also tried different cables, USB and Thunderbolt and I've tried swapping ports. But no luck. I've obviously held back on upgrading my Mac to Big Sur as well.

The UAD folks have been wholly silent on my requests for help. So I'd appreciate any help from Fractal or the forum community in trying to get Axe-Edit to play more nicely with my Thunderbolt interface. I am otherwise quite happy with my UAD device so I'd hate to ditch it at this point for another interface.

I can get you core dumps, error logs, you name it, I'll generate it and send it on.
 
UA’s updated UAD and software is supposed to be released next week and be compatible with Big Sur, among a few other fixes. Check it out and hopefully whatever connection issues you are experiencing is fixed. I haven’t been able to use my new Apollo since I upgraded to Bit Sur so I’m anxiously awaiting the new software as well.
 
Can you describe a bit more about how you have everything connected? I have an Apollo x8p + Apollo Solo + AxeFx on my Macbook Pro with no issues. Also have a ton of other gear coexisting. Are both your AxeFx and Apollo directly connected to a thunderbolt port on the Mac? Do you have any usb or thunderbolt hubs in the mix?
 
this is very curious. i'm running an apollo on mojave and i've never had any problems like this. i can't even wrap my head around it. you'd need to investigate the crash report (if one is generated) or look at the error messages in mac console to get a clue.
 
Can you describe a bit more about how you have everything connected? I have an Apollo x8p + Apollo Solo + AxeFx on my Macbook Pro with no issues. Also have a ton of other gear coexisting. Are both your AxeFx and Apollo directly connected to a thunderbolt port on the Mac? Do you have any usb or thunderbolt hubs in the mix?

My Axe-Fx III is connected via USB to the Mini. The Apollo interface is connected via Thunderbolt to the Mini. I am getting Axe audio signal from Out 1L (1/4") and into Mic/Line 1 on the Apollo. Note that it all works great and signal is fine into my DAW but starting Axe-Edit causes problems. Power cycling the Apollo relaunches the drivers fine after I close Axe-Edit. The problem is persistent regardless of what other Thunderbolt or USB devices are attached to the Mini.

FWIW, i'm attaching two log files that I think capture the events. Zipped for attachment.
-The coreaudiod file is from a system panic yesterday that caused a reboot. Basically, when Axe-Edit III and the UAD Console app try to run at the same time, the core audio system seg faults and takes the whole system down.
-The UA Mixer Engine log file I think captures when the UA driver/system seg faults but only takes itself down.

I don't know that Fractal's going to be able to help much as this may be a UA side issue. I will watch for the anticipated UA updates, but I'm doubtful it'll help, even if I can install them on the current OS rev (I suspect the update may require Big Sur and I cannot do that upgrade yet). But if anyone has suggestions/thoughts/analysis, I'd love to hear it. I'll reach out again to UA after the Big Sur update.
 

Attachments

  • Archive.zip
    43 KB · Views: 0
What happens if you start with the apollo off/disconnected, get axe edit running with the AxeFx, then connect/power on the Apollo? Same implosion? Are there any other devices connected aside from the AxeFx and the Apollo?
 
What happens if you start with the apollo off/disconnected, get axe edit running with the AxeFx, then connect/power on the Apollo? Same implosion? Are there any other devices connected aside from the AxeFx and the Apollo?

Yep. Any order of bringing up Axe-Edit or the Apollo causes a failure. However, if the Axe-FX is off and I launch Axe-Edit there is no problem with the UA software.

I decided to tempt fate today and went whole hog into the Big Sur update. It fixed nothing. UA software is updated for Big Sur compatibility. Updated my Axe-FX III to 15.0 and updated Axe-Edit as well. No joy and the situation is exactly the same - system panic if I launch Axe-Edit when the UA Console app is running and the UA drivers all crash when I launch Axe-Edit.

As a side note, maybe related. I got my FM3 this week and I found that it and FM3-Edit work flawlessly with all of the UA components. So there's that bit of good news :).

One other troubleshooting option I'm considering - I saw that Axe III firmware 15.0 added some options for changing USB output sources and mapping. I'm going to try playing with those settings this weekend to see if there's improvement to be had there.
 
Have you tried trashing the core audio preferences? I would definitely try that. No doubt you probably already did.
 
This happens on my pc as well. Apollo twin x, msi creator x299 thunderbolt. Axe 3 usb in, with consol running, if i start axe edit blue screen of death
 
@hdcs I have the same problem. Mac Mini with the Axe connected via USB and a AU Apollo twin via a thunderbolt to USB-C adaptor.

I noticed today that if I close down Axe-Edit, then the UA Console app will start up no problem.

Have you had any joy?
 
@hdcs I have the same problem. Mac Mini with the Axe connected via USB and a AU Apollo twin via a thunderbolt to USB-C adaptor.

I noticed today that if I close down Axe-Edit, then the UA Console app will start up no problem.

Have you had any joy?
Sadly nope. I've had to switch interfaces as I was tired of tip toeing around crashes. I'm going to resurrect using the Apollo with an older iMac I need to wipe and re-install the OS on. Mayhaps it will behave better. Shrug.
 
Bummer. I'm sure my system was stable when I first installed Axe Edit (new user here). My suspicion is that the instability was triggered after I had a go at setting up an Aggregate Device on the Mac Mini.
 
Longshot, but could it be SPDIF clock? Where Apollo console is set to 44.1 and the Axe is trying to set to 48? I’m just trying to think of any place where console and Axe could conflict...
 
Good thought, I have played with that thinking this is what might be causing it but haven't been able to make a connection. Will keep trying!
 
This is driving me nuts. Given how common UA Apollo twins are, I'm surprised more folks don't have the same issue. Opening Axe-Edit crashes the Mac's audio.
 
Ok, I've fixed it. Complete partition erase and reinstall of my mac, and now both AXE-EDIT and UA Console play happily together. Awesome. Free bonus is that my mac is noticeably faster.
 
No prob. I should have done the reinstall earlier, it's not difficult if you have your data well backed up. Interestingly ever since Catalina, macOS separates the operating system into its own partition so a straight up reinstall didn't fix the issue. I needed to erase the HDD to get rid of my setup. In hindsight, I'm pretty sure the issue started after I tried to configure up an aggregate device.
 
Back
Top Bottom