Motu 828mk3 fw crackles after 20 minutes of work

[MttLsa]

Hi everyone,

Macbook pro late 2012
i7 - 2,9ghz
16gb RAM
HD 1TB SATA
Ableton Live
Yamaha dx7
Novation nocturn 25
Push2
Motu 828mk3 fw with original cable

Here we are...I just bought a 2nd hand motu 828mk3 fw, installed latest drivers and firmware.
After 20 minutes of work with ableton live, i hear little crackles that increase more and more. If i powercycle the motu or disconnect the firewire cable and reconnect it, the motu works for long times without any problem...i've searched everywhere about this issue but others users reports different situations so i don't know what's MY problem.

is it better to give back the motu or do you have any suggestion?

Sorry for my ugly english i'm not mother tongue.

Thank you.

[terrybritton]

First, keep those contacts as clean as possible!

If this was Windows, I'd be blaming the drivers used for YouTube, etc. Might be the problem with a Mac, too.

These are very sensitive to brown-outs and voltage dips in the power lines. Get the current as clean as possible. Lower the number of appliances, lamps, etc. plugged into the same circuit breaker as your computer and 828. (I hope both of those are plugged into the same circuit!)

I went through this for months. I feel your pain! It was my power being wavering AND the poor drivers in Windows Audio for system sounds throwing off the sync.

Terry

[MttLsa]

I have separate electric lines for lights and for devices.

Sorry but i don't get your point very well...it depends from the motu itself or in your opinion i'll got this issue with every sound card?

If i put a dedicated ground pole for the device line do you think that it will solve the issue?

[HCMarkus]

I have separate electric lines for lights and for devices.

Sorry but i don't get your point very well...it depends from the motu itself or in your opinion i'll got this issue with every sound card?

If i put a dedicated ground pole for the device line do you think that it will solve the issue?

Since resetting/unplugging the MOTU device immediately cures the problem for awhile, it doesn't sound like bad AC or an internal component heat issue. Check for a memory leak in your computer system related to the MOTU driver software. Also, try another cable. Try an earlier version o the MOTU driver software. Call MOTU for any troubleshooting suggestions. And, yes, give it back if you can't figure it out unless you want to live with the problem.

[MttLsa]

Thank you guys...I think i'll give it back, get refound and buy a brand new sound card. I'll never buy a 2nd hand device again anyway.

[billf]

Another possibility is that you might be maxing out your CPU. What sample rate are you using? How many tracks, VI's, and other applications are you running concurrently?

[mikehalloran]

The newest mkIII FW is, what, 7 years old now? It was replaced by the Hybrid.

FW ports, power supply capacitors, screens on these fail if used long/hard enough.

From your description, there's no way of knowing if the problem is with the MOTU unit or the system that's driving it. If a newer unit has the same problems then there are other places to look for the problem.

[jimf]

I'm having the crackles now w my trusty old MOTU 828mkII.

I can't seem to find a link to update the drivers for El Capitan.
Any help please.

thx, Jim Fischer
Vancouver, Washington

[TheoKontonis]

Hi Jim!

Have you tried ThunderBolt to FireWire?


Theodore.