MOTU 828 mk3 Hybrid Stops working after Ableton

[Kibosh]

Hey all,

I purchased the MOTU 828 mk3 Hybrid this saterday but I'm having an issue with it.

After I close Ableton Live 9.1 the Motu does not give audio in the normal Windows. For example streaming audio from Soundcloud.

I already tried upgrading it to Firmware 1.01 and I'm using the latest drivers from the MOTU website. (PS: That firmware update was a real pain because it does not go on a 64bit Windows.)

I also uninstalled drivers from the motherboard onboard sound. But that didn't helped either.

After restarting my PC, things get going again. It could be also that when I use Ableton and CueMix together? Not sure yet.

My specs:
Windows 7 SP1 pro 64bit
Intel Core i7-3770K CPU @3.5GHz (3.9GHz)
16GB RAM

Any thoughts what to try next?

[torrentg]

Two things.

Do you have the (wanted) specific MOTU output set as Windows default audio device?

If so, you can check into messing about with the option that locks the driver to the program...toggle it on and off and see if either helps.

[Kibosh]

Hey thx for the reply

My settings are correct, it's something with the USB driver or maybe my PC. I bought a firewire cable, hooked it up without changing anything and since then it works perfect.

I already did a tech support with MOTU about it, I will see what comes out of it. For me, it's working good with firewire, so I'm happy.

Still it's weird there that it hangs with USB, it shouldn't.

But I have another question:
I hooked up my nord-lead with 4 unbalanced jacks to 4 analog inputs off the MOTU. Is it normal that I have to trim the inputs to +21 to get the audio reaching to 0db mark? The nord-lead has 4 unbalanced outputs.

[torrentg]

You're welcome.

In all honestly, FW is the way to go. It is isolated bandwidth on its own bus, as opposed to how USB will share the bandwidth with other peripherals, should they exist.

Still, if you have some kind of penchant to use USB, here's the generic advice which seems to help most in this regard:

1) Update motherboard bios to latest from manufacturer's site.

2) If there is a specific USB 3.0 firmware update from them, install that too.

3) Install the latest USB 3.0 driver they have on offer.

4) If you know there is a USB 2.0 port on the motherboard, use that port to connect the MOTU and do not use any hubs with it.

[torrentg]

About Nord - normal? Can't say for sure but it doesn't seem like something of concern, especially since you'd probably want to be recording a lot less softer than 0 dB (average rms) to prevent any clipping anyway - so that in turn will make the trim less needed still.

If levels are good, then more power to ya I say. heh

To give an idea: I keep my Shure SM-57 mic at +28 trim to get a healthy input loudness for it. Of course, all gear varies though.

[Kibosh]

About the crashing on USB. Apparently my PC would also have a BSOD with firewire.

I've updated the bios of my pc. I discovered that I was running a rather early bios version. Strange that I didn't have more problems before the MOTU. Also updated to a newer USB3 driver.

I'll post back after a while, hopefully after a week with all is ok. Normal operation with firewire runs fine now. I also will test the USB again.

[torrentg]

I'm guessing that you're currently having success?

Either way, the bsod crash dumps will prove very fruitful, if needed.

If problems with them persist, just copy the dumps to any other folder, then zip them, then upload to a host and paste a link.

They're in C:\Windows\Minidump folder.

[Kibosh]

Ok, promised to post back, so here I am.

Hmmm, strange things with technology these days. The problems with the MOTU come from my also new bought Nord-Lead 4R. When it is connected to USB2 it can make the MOTU crash. Also when the MOTU is connected to Firewire, USB2 or USB3.

When the Nord-Lead 4R is connected to USB3, then I wasn't able yet to make the MOTU crash.

I still have to do more testing, things changed now knowing that I should focus on the Nord-Lead instead on the MOTU.

I'll come back again, and keep you all posted...

[torrentg]

I'm unaware of anyone in the world the has the rate of success or actual amount of success with solving bsods online as I have, so if you post the crash dumps as advised above, it likely will do some good.

In the meantime and in between time, check using CPU-Z that all memory modules are exact and clocked correctly with timing and speed. Compare SPD tab to Memory tab. Check the CPU clock speed as well, under full load, so that there is no overclocking (for now, for testing conditions.)

If that's all straight, I'll be able to find the problem in the crash dumps, no matter how hidden. (If I can't find any issues whatsoever at all, then the above with reference to overclocking is even that more crucial.)

[Kibosh]

The BSOD's are already solved with all my upgrades, but thx for the offer. Now it's just that the MOTU stops playing audio. But yesterday, when I thought the Nord-Lead was causing it, the MOTU acted up again even when the Nord Lead was turned off. So I'm back to off.

I did some deeper research on my motherboard (Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H). The USB ports on the back, which are the ones I used, go through two VIA VL810 Hub chips. I have now connected the MOTU to a USB port at the front off my PC which goes directly to the Z77 Intel Chipset.

Still need to test some more. I'll be back

[torrentg]

Best of luck!

[Kibosh]

Hey all, I'm back and done with the testing.

I've got it rather stable for most of the time. Let's say about 95% if I can stick a number to it. Sometimes the MOTU starts to make crackling sounds and I have to turn it off and on.

I've ended up doing a firmware update of the two VIA USB hub chips on my motherboard. This was a big improvement for the stability and the MOTU is now hooked up to a USB3 port linked with the VIA hubs.

Summary connections
- Direct USB connection to Z77 chipset: Not good!
- USB connection VIA chip passes through Z77: Ok
- Firewire connection: Not good!

Then there is the thing that before the MOTU, I never discovered any USB issues for more then 1.5 years? So ok, maybe my PC has a fragile USB setup caused by the Intel Z77 chipset (if that is the case?), but why didn't I had earlier problems, like for example with my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface? That worked perfect for 1 year. The Focusrite never gave a single hickup.

So to conclude
I'm sort off happy, I can use the MOTU now without getting frustrated, still it isn't perfect but it will do. That said, I still feel the drivers off MOTU aren't stable enough and that is a shame for an almost €800 euro's device. You would expect more.

At this time I can not recommend the MOTU 828mk3 hybrid to anyone. I also contacted (off course) MOTU tech support and gave them my final conclusion (and all the details). I still need to hear back from them (holiday's) about my last message. For the rest they responded always within a good timeframe, so that's a good thing.

For me it has to stop somewhere. I think I did my part. It's now good enough, so I won't be returning it to the store. Now just another matter with CueFX but I'll make another post on that.

PS: Should someone read this after a year or so, PM me to see it has improved. I probably will forget about this thread in time
- Motu Audio Driver: 4.0.5.9198
- Hardware version: v1.0.1

[Kibosh]

Another update,

After all that time nothing seem to help. Someday's 3x it made crackling sounds, and then it was good for almost a week.

I now ordered an extra USB3.0 PCIe card and at this time the MOTU is playing nice. Let's hope it continues like that for the rest of times. If not, yep, I'll post it again...

The card: http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_319_USB ... kmale.html

It was important that it used a NEC/Renesas chip.

[Kibosh]

Nope, still no luck.