MOTUnation.com

Yes I'm aware it's getting on in years. I haven't used it in a while but last time I did it worked fine. It is the FW version so I will invest in the adapters and keep my fingers crossed.
Thanks so much for your input, Mike. I appreciate your help.

I've been following this thread for a couple of months as I've been in the process of reviving my bedroom studio after going back to school and not using any of my music production equipment for over 12 years. I wanted to use my MOTU 828mkII FW audio interface with my new MacBook Pro M2 as I had the Black Lion Audio mod done on it years ago. I was able to get my new M2 to see my 828mkII FW by reducing security permissions on the Mac Startup utility and installing the Motu Audio Driver v89555 (mentioned earlier in this thread). I just updated to Mac OS Ventura 13.6 with no issues. I am holding off on updating to Mac OS Sonoma as I've already received a warning on my Mac that updating to Sonoma could cause compatibility loss with the 828mkII FW. Hope this helps anyone still trying to use their 828mkII FW and thank you to Mike and the other posters on this thread for providing valuable information.

Cheers

When the MOTU Audio Installer is Sonoma compatible, there should be no problem since so many other units take it as well including many that are still supported:

Supported

The MOTU Audio Installer installs latest drivers and software for:
4pre
828x
828mk3 Hybrid
896mk3 Hybrid
8pre
Audio Express
MicroBook IIc
Track16
UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid

Unsupported (Legacy)

The MOTU Audio Installer installs the latest drivers and software for the following legacy products:

1224
1296
2408
2408mkII
2408mk3
24i
24I/O
308
828
828mkII FW/USB
828mk3
896
896HD
896mk3 FW
HD192
MicroBook
MicroBook II
Traveler
UltraLite
UltraLite-mk3 FW

A huge thank you to everyone who contributes here, and especially Mike!

I just picked up an 828 MKII for less than 100 euros - I was looking for something for a multimedia show I’m putting together needing several outputs, as well as mic and line ins. Metric Halo 3D in the studio and I really didn’t want to take those out on stage. After researching and ending up here I kept my eyes open for a bargain and found one.

Thanks to the excellent advice here I have it up and running on a mid-2015 MacBook Pro - I’ve aggregated it with a legacy Metric Halo ULN-2 from my writing room (such great pre-amps!) and I’m currently up to about 45 minutes of a soak-test recording with the 2 mic ins from ULN, 8 analogue and 8 ADAT from the 828, plus just to add a bit of spice I have 4 instances of Diva running, all playing 16th notes, quite a cpu intensive VSTi. The performance meter in Studio One is running at around 37%. Here are the full specs:

MacBook Pro Retina 15-inch, mid-2015. 2.5 GHz Quad core i7, 16 GB RAM.
Monterey 12.7.4
Studio One Pro 6.5.2
ULN-2 wordclock master
Recording to the internal SSD.

No signs of any drop-outs or spikes, fab!

I intend to use it for the live show with either GigPerformer or Studio One Show, not sure which yet, but heck, it cost me 96€!
Thanks again.

scardanelli wrote: ↑Sat Jul 06, 2024 9:32 amNo signs of any drop-outs or spikes, fab!

I intend to use it for the live show with either GigPerformer or Studio One Show, not sure which yet, but heck, it cost me 96€!
Thanks again.

Fabulous news!!! Glad it's working out and agreed re: Mike. He's brave enough to venture in and try to help in tough situations where I suspect many of us here including myself scroll past.

You're very welcome.

My only caution is that the newest 828mkII is now over 18 years old and a Firewire 8pre is aged only 11–18. Mine's still working great but heat and age take their toll. If you make good money from this new gig, it's not a bad idea to put some of it away for an interface that's more modern.

Yes, thanks, that's good advice. I was originally going to get a used Focusrite Clarett, but as this gig is an unknown earner at this point, decided I'd test the operational aspects as cheaply as possible. If the setup works, then I probably should invest in something more modern. I love my MH 3Ds, but taking them out on the road not only means pulling all the studio wiring out, but risking damage & theft etc - and tbh the quality ain't going to be noticed through most PA rigs, waste of a good converter!

Hi Mike. (Or Anyone). I need help please.

I still have an 828mk2 Firewire that works perfectly. When I upgraded from Mojave to Catalina I was able to get driver 73220 to work with my interface. (But I think I may have had to do some Terminal csrutil disable procedure I read about -- it's a little fuzzy.)

Now I've updated to Big Sur (11.7.10). And I've tried just about everything, including drivers 88494 and 89555 -- both of which you (Mike) recommended at different times in this thread. I got them to install, but my 2019 iMac is not seeing my 828mk2 Firewire.

I tried going back to 73220 and that would not install.

I also tried Pacifist to manually move over the various components of 73220 from my Catalina back-up drive.. The audio setup program wouldn't open.

I even tried using Pacifist to mix and match different applications from the installs and my interface still wasn't seen.

I tried some Terminal coding suggestions I read about that claimed to work with this setup.

And, btw, never did I get the "Allow" button in the System Preferences Security screen.

To make a VERRRRY long, sad story less long (if no less sad), I've spent many frustrating hours trying everything I can find on the internet and some things I thought to try -- and my interface isn't being seen.

Before downgrading back to Catalina in defeat --I thought someone might have an idea for me?

I would be VERY grateful if anyone could help me solve this. It seems to be working fine for others who have Big Sur (and beyond). I feel like I must be missing something!

Thanks VERY MUCH in advance!

This is the correct installer and is found under Downloads for the 828mk3 Hybrid

MOTU Audio Installer
Mac v89555 | Oct. 13, 2021
macOS 14, macOS 13, macOS 12, macOS 11

Here's the latest bulletin from MOTU on installing the Audio Drivers

https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ ... igh-sierra

If anything is interfering, it will have to be found and removed. In some thread somewhere, there's a list of all the MOTU components in the driver. Find them all and remove. You do not have to disable SIP (crsutil) on any Mac capable of running Big Sur.

If, however, it's a hackintosh or you had to install a dosdude1 patch to install macOS 11 or you cloned a System drive, then I don't know all the workarounds.

In addition, you need the Apple FW to TB adapter (3rd party units don't work) and a FW400–FW800 adapter or cable. If your Mac has a USB-C Thunderbolt port, you also need the Apple TB3–TB3 Adapter. I'm guessing that, since you had it working over Catalina, you have whatever you need in this regard.

Mike -- THANK YOU (!!) for the quick response -- and all the help you provide to everyone. I really appreciate it.

Not only did I already find a list of all the various components in the MOTU installers and delete them from my internal drive prior to each installation I tried (including v89555!) -- I also used Pacifist to inspect the installer packages to confirm that I hadn't missed anything to delete.

As for the various cables and adapters (Apple Branded thunderbolt to firewire, etc. etc.), I'm confident I've got it all correct. I've been using it for years with my 2019 thunderbolt iMac -- including most recently on Mojave and, again, as you point out -- on Catalina -- with zero problems. All that's changed was the upgrade to Big Sur.

For the life of me, I can't understand why I'm not having success since so many others seem to be -- and you seem quite confident that it should work fairly simply and straightforwardly -- just by installing v89555.

So -- tomorrow when I'm back in my studio -- I'll suck it up, go through and delete all various MOTU components yet again, reinstall v89555 yet again -- and try it one last time -- and report back. (I'm not optimistic because I believe I already did precisely what you suggest.)

If it still doesn't work -- and unless you (or anyone) have anything else to try -- I'm out of ideas. I guess my only option will be to downgrade back to Catalina -- or buy a new interface -- which feels so frustrating and wasteful -- since I'm PERFECTLY satisfied with the 828mk2 Firewire -- and it was working flawlessly in Catalina two days ago.

I wonder if there's anything special I need to try on the 828mk2 unit itself? (Since the problem seems to be that the driver isn't "seeing" it). I'm pretty sure I've got the latest available firmware update (v1.01).

In any case, Mike, THANK YOU again!!

Here’s how to reset your unit to its default.

828mkII:
Disconnect Firewire. Press the Setup knob until the LCD screen reads "Clock Source". Turn the Setup knob all the way to the right. The LCD screen will read "Factory Defaults Press [SELECT]". Press the Select knob. The LCD screen will read "Are you sure? Push VAL for Yes". Press Value knob to confirm. The clock LED will flash when reset is complete.

Mike:

I deleted all MOTU components. Downloaded and installed 89555.

Still not seeing my 828mk2 Firewire show up in the Sounds (System Preferences.) nor, of course, In Logic.

Performed First Aid (from Disk Utility) on my hard drive. (It didn't look like there was a problem.)

Did a reinstall of Big Sur

Reinstalled 89555. No luck. My 828 is still not listed in my Sounds options.

I opted NOT to reset my 828 to factory default only because it was working fine before, I haven't touched it during this process and I don't remember what settings I had changed and didn't want to introduce even more variables into the process -- nor mess with my option just to downgrade and have everything work.

Do you really think it's possible that 828 settings could be the problem? Is there any particular one you think I should check?

Other than that, I don't know what else to do -- other than downgrade at this point -- declare Catalina to be the "end of the line" for this interface -- and get back to making music rather than computer hacking. Any more suggestions welcome. (BTW, I noted specifically on the "readme" in the 89555 download folder that "Firewire only variants are not supported" -- although that "readme" was specifically in reference to Apple Silicon and I'm on Intel.)

In any case, thanks again for your help!!!

For any interested. I tried all suggestions to get my 828mk2 Firewire to work with Big Sur and could never get the computer to see my interface. When I downgraded back to Catalina, it was working as expected again -- which to me eliminates the possibility that my problem had anything to do with the connection hardware.

Thanks again to Mike for trying.

Back to... music. On Catalina.

Glad that you got it working.

Mine is doing fine over Sequoia as is my MTP AV USB. I do remember having to reset the 828mkII to default at some point but don't recall if it was Big Sur or Monterey.