Noises with Traveler on new Mac Mini 2011

[bapman]

Hi everybody!!!
I've just bought a new Mac Mini 2 weeks ago and have some problems.

I have some noises in monitors and headphones when i run a daw (Live, GarageBand,...) or something which uses my motu traveler mk3 as output.

I tried with my Line6 Pod XT as main audio interface and heard no noise.

It's not a continus noise just some random scratches and not always in the two monitors, sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right...

I downloaded the last drivers for Lion realesed in januray the 12th but with no improvement.

Any idea?

Thanks everybody for reading this...

PS : Sorry for my poor english, i'm just a french user.

[umbachk1]

Hey Bapman
Is your power adapter attached to your traveler. I had a similar situation and when I attached to AC adapter the noise was gone. Called MOTU and they wanted me to send my unit in for $100.00. Right now mine isn't traveling much so AC adapter it is.

How that helps

Keith

[bapman]

Hey Bapman
Is your power adapter attached to your traveler. I had a similar situation and when I attached to AC adapter the noise was gone. Called MOTU and they wanted me to send my unit in for $100.00. Right now mine isn't traveling much so AC adapter it is.

How that helps

Keith

I tried with and without Ac adapter : always the same noise.

I'll try the Traveler with an other computer to know if it's about the Soundcard or the drivers on Lion...

It's only on the soundcard part no problem with the preamp.... As if the Traveler add some noises on output thru the firewire connection.

Grrrrrrrrrr

[bapman]

So i tried with a windows XP computer.
No noise at all!!!
I thought it was a sound card problem but it works well with an other computer...
Don't know what it is. Maybe a driver problem with Lion???
I observe that i have more noises with the headphone output. Same noises but a little bit more.
Somebody has the same problem?
Thanks a lot.
I'm lost.

[dannil10]

I am having similar problems (short intermittent bursts of whitish noise) with my brand new Mac Mini and my old Traveler mk3 which has always worked faultlessly with my three-year-old macbook. Not sure what to do - from what I've heard MOTU representatives are just as arrogant as their Apple counterparts. What I noticed though is that my problems decrease considerably as I increase the sample rate. At 192 kHz they're hardly noticeable. But nevertheless noticeable.

[bapman]

I am having similar problems (short intermittent bursts of whitish noise) with my brand new Mac Mini and my old Traveler mk3 which has always worked faultlessly with my three-year-old macbook. Not sure what to do - from what I've heard MOTU representatives are just as arrogant as their Apple counterparts. What I noticed though is that my problems decrease considerably as I increase the sample rate. At 192 kHz they're hardly noticeable. But nevertheless noticeable.

I tried everything i could. Make a test with an other mac with Lion is the only thing i don't try for the moment.

So don't know if it's a driver problem on Lion...

Don't find a way to remove these noises and no answer from Motu to my techlink since mid january, its status is alaways UNREAD!!!!!

I find the motu support very bad...

[torrentg]

Hey, I'm a Windows guy and have not the slightest clue about anything Mac.

I can tell you though that these types of problems are solved on Windows by changing the firewire driver to the Legacy one, already included in Windows 7. Windows 8 does not include it and special steps must be taken to install it.

So with that info, maybe it is worth it for you Mac guys to experiment with the IEEE 1394 driver your machines are using.

[dannil10]

I am having similar problems (short intermittent bursts of whitish noise) with my brand new Mac Mini and my old Traveler mk3 which has always worked faultlessly with my three-year-old macbook. Not sure what to do - from what I've heard MOTU representatives are just as arrogant as their Apple counterparts. What I noticed though is that my problems decrease considerably as I increase the sample rate. At 192 kHz they're hardly noticeable. But nevertheless noticeable.

I tried everything i could. Make a test with an other mac with Lion is the only thing i don't try for the moment.

So don't know if it's a driver problem on Lion...

Don't find a way to remove these noises and no answer from Motu to my techlink since mid january, its status is alaways UNREAD!!!!!

I find the motu support very bad...

I made a discovery that I thought might interest you bapman. After giving up on the Traveler I borrowed my studio mate's Firebox to get any kind of bearable playback. I hooked it straight into the Mini's FW port, and it played nicely. Now I decided to give the Traveler another go and, being lazy, just chained it after the Firebox, from the second FW port on the Traveler. Desperately trying different options in the MOTU Audio Setup, I happened to click on the "Clock Source" drop-down. At the bottom of the list was the Firebox, and I randomly selected it as clock source. NO NOISE! I disconnected the Firebox and tried the "Built-in input" as clocking source (which I assume is a clocking signal sent from the computer). Again no problems. I'm not familiar with clocking issues, but from what I've heard/read external clocking is not needed as long as you don't have multiple devices connected to the computer. Which I don't, so I find this problem really puzzling.

[rwmckenzie]

Did anyone ever figure out a solution to this? I'm having a similar problem with my 896 and a new Mac Mini. I set it up exactly like my MacBook Pro but getting the intermittent hiss/click through the mini while the MacBook continues to sound just fine. Maybe a Mini problem interfacing with MOTU?

BTW...both Mini and Pro are running latest OS.

[colluraamara]

SOLVED.

I contacted the support Motu (customer service) and they sent me a firmware updater in beta version (they ensure soon an official release version on Motu.com) aimed at solving these problems and disorders audio noises and troubles.

Here's how I eliminate problems, noises and interferences on the audio playback:
1) Formatted Mac Mini 2011 and completely reinstalled OSX 10.8.4;
2) Installed the official Motu Audio Setup for Mac OSX, downloaded from the website Motu.com;
3) Launch the firmware updater and updated the interface to the new firmware;
4) Power off and restarted the mac mini and the Motu Traveler Mk3.
After these operations I have not had any problems playing or recording, no hiss, noises, troubles or audio within suspicions.
Keep in mind that I have also powered the interface with the external power supply 12v, avoiding power via firewire, and selected external power switch on the side of the interface.
I also sent the outputs 1-2 (main out) of the Traveler Mk3 to a stereo input of a mixer (Behringer Xenyx 1832FX) and then, through connection with balanced XLR cables cannon, I sent the main out of the mixer to the monitors.
Probably this use of a balanced connection was eliminated noises and interferences sound.
I hope I might be able to help this update on the subject.
Health and Grace,
Good Music!

(See also this mine previous post describing my ex-problems: http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 73#p466173 )