Mackie Control users please chime in

[csavetman]

I've been using a Mackie Control / extender setup ( the older gray units) with DP for a long time now.
I've generally been happy with them, but have always had occasional communication problems with them and am just trying to see if it's a hardware / firmware issue, or just a faulty unit.

Specifically, with more complex sessions ( more tracks or busy automation) Mackie Control ( the master unit, not the extender) will start to do some weird things. These are some of the things I've encountered on numerous occasion, though generally, not all at once.

1-The LCD around the v- pots will start to jump all over the place, just randomly. Doesn't seem to affect audio, just a display thing. (most common error)

2-Occassionally, Mackie faders will start to just move up and down randomly on their own- again, not affecting sound

3- Mute led on different channels will start to blink

4- Track names on the lcd screen will lose their alignment with the corresponding fader channel

5 - The red LCD display where it shows PN ( for pan ) will change to P

Firmware for the master unit is 2.12 ( the last firmware revision for the older unit) Tried going down to previous firmware, but same thing.

Erratic behavior has been common on multiple versions of DP, on multiple Mac setups, probably going back to v6, thru 9.01

My MIDI interface is a MOTU MIDI express 128
Currently running OS 10.10.5 on Dual Quad Core Mac Pro.

Has anyone else experienced this? Anyone with the newer Mackie Controls with later firmware have any such problems?

thanks!
Carlos

[Gravity Jim]

If faders move without affecting audio, it's a safe bet that the problem is not in communication between your workstation and the control surface. it sounds more like some kind of logic circuit in the Mackie Control has developed a hardware problem. I don't know enough about that unit to diagnose anything… I'd just have it looked at by an authorized repairguy.

[Dwetmaster]

Been using the Mackie-DP setup for ten years.
Never had any of these issues. My whole setup is connected to a MOTU MIDI express. Maybe have a look at your MOTU MIDI driver?

And Maybe use MIDI monitor to see where the MIDI commucation goes south when this happens?

[SixStringGeek]

Been using the Mackie-DP setup for ten years.
Never had any of these issues. My whole setup is connected to a MOTU MIDI express. Maybe have a look at your MOTU MIDI driver?

And Maybe use MIDI monitor to see where the MIDI commucation goes south when this happens?

This. Mackie works off of MIDI messages. if you have some MIDI being fed to the Mackie's MIDI bus, strange things are bound to happen. Double check that your MIDI automation signals are not getting onto the MIDI bus used by the MCU. I have a MOTU Microlite (5 MIDI buses) dedicated to just the MCU's (1+3xtenders). No other MIDI gets routed to the Microlite.

[csavetman]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've also tried shorter usb cable to MIDI interface / shorter MIDI cables/ different MIDI ports- no luck.

Been using the Mackie-DP setup for ten years.
Never had any of these issues. My whole setup is connected to a MOTU MIDI express. Maybe have a look at your MOTU MIDI driver?

And Maybe use MIDI monitor to see where the MIDI commucation goes south when this happens?

This. Mackie works off of MIDI messages. if you have some MIDI being fed to the Mackie's MIDI bus, strange things are bound to happen. Double check that your MIDI automation signals are not getting onto the MIDI bus used by the MCU. I have a MOTU Microlite (5 MIDI buses) dedicated to just the MCU's (1+3xtenders). No other MIDI gets routed to the Microlite.

Nothing strange displaying in MIDI monitor when the Mackie starts to act up.
Latest Motu MIDI drivers installed.

No other MIDI in the project routed to Mackie units.
In audio MIDI setup- each unit has its own port- just using the default settings for the controller and extender units that show up when selecting them via the manufacturer / model drop down menus.

Carlos

[csavetman]

So as an update, it turns out the problem stemmed from plugin heavy sessions and cpu strain.
I duplicated a session that was giving me problems with the Mackie, then thinned out some plugins by just taking off all instances of Slate Virtual tape, (there were probably 20 or so,) leaving other plugins in place- no problems. Guess my mac was just having trouble keeping up with all the real time plugins and constant MIDI stream back and forth to mackie controls. Should have paid more attention to those occasional processor overload messages I was getting! Go figure!!

Carlos

[Killahurts]

Did you try it with the different MIDI interface? I don't know if that would make any difference on CPU, but I guess it could..

[csavetman]

Did you try it with the different MIDI interface? I don't know if that would make any difference on CPU, but I guess it could..

I did try your XT interface. Didn't help. That's when I decided to try lessening the plugin load. BINGO! Apparently, it was right at that edge where plugin loads were affecting real time feedback on the Mackie units. I'm sure a faster machine would help in that regard.

Carlos

[James Steele]

Did you try it with the different MIDI interface? I don't know if that would make any difference on CPU, but I guess it could..

I did try your XT interface. Didn't help. That's when I decided to try lessening the plugin load. BINGO! Apparently, it was right at that edge where plugin loads were affecting real time feedback on the Mackie units. I'm sure a faster machine would help in that regard.

Carlos

Shot in the dark here, but assuming you've already increased the size of your buffer, I'd fiddle with the Work Priority setting. A lot of times, lowering it from High to Medium or Low can help.

[4leafplanet]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but gotta ask,does MCU work ok in DP9.01? I am also on Firmware 2.12 of the gray unit but do not use it for very involved sessions. Still DP 7 here.

Cheers,

4Lp

[csavetman]

Did you try it with the different MIDI interface? I don't know if that would make any difference on CPU, but I guess it could..

I did try your XT interface. Didn't help. That's when I decided to try lessening the plugin load. BINGO! Apparently, it was right at that edge where plugin loads were affecting real time feedback on the Mackie units. I'm sure a faster machine would help in that regard.

Carlos

Shot in the dark here, but assuming you've already increased the size of your buffer, I'd fiddle with the Work Priority setting. A lot of times, lowering it from High to Medium or Low can help.

Hey James-

I usually keep my buffer set at 1024 already for mixing. I really think the issue was CPU load, as taking off some plugins made the issue go away.
Haven't had to mess with work priority settings as I'm running an all Motu PCI hardware setup, but I might check that out anyway out of curiosity. Thanks!

Don't mean to hijack this thread but gotta ask,does MCU work ok in DP9.01? I am also on Firmware 2.12 of the gray unit but do not use it for very involved sessions. Still DP 7 here.

Cheers,

4Lp

Seems to work fine with DP9 once that issue was sorted out. Have gotten a lot of miles out of those units! Could maybe use a driver update from Motu to incorporate some features that came out later like V-racks, but not a deal breaker anyway.

Carlos

[4leafplanet]

Thanks Carlos, I'm going to buy DP 9 in the next weeks... a bit nervous but looking forward.

[towerproductions]

I recently had an issue with two sessions in DP 8.07 where one my tracks would become stuck in record ready even after it was disengaged, it would continue to arm itself. It too was a heavy processed session with Plugins and VIs. After lots of trouble shooting, restarting , copying and duplication the track , loading the sequence into a new project etc., and finally a talk with motu tech support, I found disconnecting my two Mackie MCUs from DP resolved the issue .
The MCUs generally work fine for me in DP, but I assume some weird messages were being sent to DP from the Mackie.

[James Steele]

Hey James-

I usually keep my buffer set at 1024 already for mixing. I really think the issue was CPU load, as taking off some plugins made the issue go away.
Haven't had to mess with work priority settings as I'm running an all Motu PCI hardware setup, but I might check that out anyway out of curiosity. Thanks!

Work Priority still applies to MOTU PCI hardware setups. That's exactly what I'm using and I've noticed in the past that I've been able to reduce CPU load a bit by changing Work Priority downward. That is, if it's on High, set it to Medium. If on Medium, set it to Low. It should make an improvement.

[csavetman]

Hey James-

I usually keep my buffer set at 1024 already for mixing. I really think the issue was CPU load, as taking off some plugins made the issue go away.
Haven't had to mess with work priority settings as I'm running an all Motu PCI hardware setup, but I might check that out anyway out of curiosity. Thanks!

Work Priority still applies to MOTU PCI hardware setups. That's exactly what I'm using and I've noticed in the past that I've been able to reduce CPU load a bit by changing Work Priority downward. That is, if it's on High, set it to Medium. If on Medium, set it to Low. It should make an improvement.

Thanks James. I was mistaking the work priority setting with the hardware buffer multiplier ( I think that's what it's called ) which is why I didn't think it needed addressing., since I have just the one hardware driver. I will check this out .

Carlos