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How are your buffers configured?

mikehalloran wrote:How are your buffers configured?

I know this may sound stupid, but are you saying there are audio buffer settings for using iTunes, Safari & DVD player? If so where? I have looked in 'Audio MIDI Setup' & 'MOTU Audio Setup' but I can't see any. If there are any, they will be default.

If you mean DP, I am not currently using DP but when I do it is either 128 or 256 for recording and either 512 or 1024 for playback/mixing (currently set at 512) but surely this would not effect iTunes, Safari & DVD player?

In DSP Quattro buffers are 512.

Last night I tested this problem again, under Mavericks if I play an iTunes track I get drop outs, if I play a 90min movie I get 6-8 drops (Saturday night I had 6). Last night played a track in iTunes, drop out within the first minute.

Booted into Mountain Lion, played the same track - no drop outs, played the rest of the album (38mins) no drop outs. Later watched a 93 minute movie - no drop outs. Same MOTU Traveler, latest drivers & settings.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Check MOTU Downloads for Universal Audio Installer, dated Jan. 20, 2014. I was getting kernel panics and this fixed it. Not your issue, but give it a try if you're not current.

b.g. wrote:Check MOTU Downloads for Universal Audio Installer, dated Jan. 20, 2014. I was getting kernel panics and this fixed it. Not your issue, but give it a try if you're not current.

Currently I am using v1.6.60625 | Mar. 17, 2014

Were you using a earlier or later version before using Jan 20 2014?

Steve

I treat my studio Mac like an appliance: get it working and use the heck out of it. I can't afford the downtime of "maintenance" upgrades gone bad.

but are you saying there are audio buffer settings for using iTunes, Safari & DVD player?

Ahhhh...

I had that issue beginning in OS 10.6 - don't remember when it began but am certain it preceded iTunes 10.

For most of us, iTunes 11.1.1 reduced that issue about 90%. I haven't noticed it at all since iTunes 11.2.1 released a few days ago. I am almost ready to believe that Apple has finally fixed this.

When I listen to audio in Toast or DP, the problem doesn't exist - never has.

I don't normally route audio through my MOTU interface unless I am tracking. For that reason, I am pretty certain that this is an Apple issue. That and the thousands of complaints by users who don't use any external interface.

stevenew wrote:

b.g. wrote:Check MOTU Downloads for Universal Audio Installer, dated Jan. 20, 2014. I was getting kernel panics and this fixed it. Not your issue, but give it a try if you're not current.

Currently I am using v1.6.60625 | Mar. 17, 2014

Were you using a earlier or later version before using Jan 20 2014?

Steve

My mistake, Mar. 17, 2014 is correct.

OK Mike thanks for clarifying.

Strange, I often route iTunes, Safari & DVD Player through my MOTU Traveler, have done since 10.6 and never had this issue until 10.9.

Steve

stevenew wrote:OK Mike thanks for clarifying.

Strange, I often route iTunes, Safari & DVD Player through my MOTU Traveler, have done since 10.6 and never had this issue until 10.9.

Steve

Many have reported the same but many others had the same experience as I. I do now understand your symptoms.

Does iTunes 11.2.1 help? If not, open Console and see if there is an event that mirrors the glitches (these will display moments after the dropout). It is not unusual to observe something trying to load and failing - upon examination, you realize it was a .lib you originally installed on a beige G3.

Sometimes old garbage lies dormant until a new OS has conflicts. My wife's iMac had issues with old HP software from 2004 and OS 10.7.5. My 2010 iMac became horribly unstable with 10.8.2 - the Bresink freeware and Terminus.kext from Roxio were the culprits - both had been installed on my G5. Console is your friend here.

I had installed iTunes 11.2.1 the other day but still get the audio drop outs.

I have searched console around the time I had the first audio drop out in iTunes the other night (19th). As far as I can see there is nothing unusual, it all looks to be Apple system stuff, of course I am no 'genius' so something could be there and I am not recognising it as unusual.

Regarding the culprit being something left over from a previous install, I did a clean install of Mavericks on to a new unused drive, it was not an upgrade, as was the new install I did of Mountain Lion, again on to a new unused drive. All applications, plugins etc all installed from scratch, newly authorised, passwords newly entered etc. I did not use Migration Assistant.

Both the Mavericks & Mountain Lion installations have exactly the same applications on them.
Anything bought over from previous backups like Mail accounts & Safari bookmarks, Application Support data such as presets etc would also be on the Mountain Lion installation.

All my data including the iTunes library are on a separate drive used by both the Mavericks & Mountain Lion installations. All my plugins are on a separate drive, again used by both the Mavericks & Mountain Lion installations.

My point being, if there is anything bought over from a previous installation that is causing the audio drop outs, it would be on both the Mavericks & Mountain Lion installations.

I have mentioned this issue to a audio software developer I test for and they too have had this issue with some installations of Mavericks, so they are looking in to it. Hopefully their expertise and access to Apple as a developer might gain more info.

I finally started doing some testing with DP8.06 yesterday and thankfully so far no problems.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Steve