Ableton Lags when using ASIO Motu M4 (NOT a Latency issue)

[leshroom]

I have been experiencing several issues when using ableton live with the Motu M4 and the ASIO driver. Primarily the software will lag, note this is not latency or sound crackle, rather the software slows down considerabley to the point of being unusable.

Changing the buffer size has no effect in mitigating this issue. It is not a latency problem.

No sound is produced in ableton, keyboard MIDI function does not work and I cannot stop/start playback.

There are no issues when using the DirectX (windows built-in) driver, or when using the M4 with Motu's Performer Lite. However, I have intermittently encountered the issues above when testing with Fruity Loops to see if it was hardware or software specific.

The M4 appears to be functioning correctly as a sound interface outside of Ableton. Please note that I do not use the M4 as the windows sound interface when using ableton.

To troubleshoot this I have already performed all audio production optimisation steps recommended by Ableton, have updated windows and all drivers. I have also tried ASIO4ALL and encounter the same issues.

The below youtube link is a screen cap of the problem. It shows ableton working fine using the windows driver and ASIO using my Denon MCX8000 controller as the interface, lastly showing the problem with using ASIO and the Motu M4. Apologies no sound but just look at the audio level indicators in ableton.
https://youtu.be/qmVH750LyLU

relevant hardware list:
AMD Ryzen 3600x
MSI 570-A Pro MOBO

Thanks in advance for any help.

[CharlzS]

In the M4 Control Panel do you have 'Use lowest latency offsets' checked? I think that relates to USB latency rather that audio buffer latency. Try changing that setting.

[mikehalloran]

Two things:

Have you installed the firmware update released last month?

https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ ... echangelog


MOTU has their own drivers for Windows. You’ve told us how you want to use it but is this the best way? The following seems to indicate that not using the MOTU drivers is not recommended.

CONNECTIVITY
Bus-powered USB-C
Compatible with USB Type A
Windows driver
Mac driver (optional)
iOS compatible (with adapter kit and powered USB hub)

[leshroom]

In the M4 Control Panel do you have 'Use lowest latency offsets' checked? I think that relates to USB latency rather that audio buffer latency. Try changing that setting.

Changing any latency parameters has no effect. It's not a latency issue - latency wouldn't cause the entire DAW to just hang.

[leshroom]

Two things:

Have you installed the firmware update released last month?
MOTU has their own drivers for Windows. You’ve told us how you want to use it but is this the best way? The following seems to indicate that not using the MOTU drivers is not recommended.[/i]

I have been using the MOTU drivers the entire time. I assumed this should give the best performance.

I just updated the firmware - this seems to have had some positive effect. Now ableton is not just hanging as before but will play and produce sound. But it is stuttering, playback starts and stops mid loop. Again, changing latency buffer sizes has no effect.
https://youtu.be/8jn0iIVRsUw

[bcm70]

I think it's your Ryzen.

I recently built a 3900X for Live and I've given up on my Ultralite Mk3. Gone back to my old Focusrite 2i4 as it works flawlessly.

I had the same issue. Live would slow down and speed up playing a simple 4 bar MIDI loop with a single kick on it.

I tried everything - the biggest improvement was ensuring that the BIOS had gen3 set for USB. But even that wasn't perfect.

I've had nothing but issues with my Ultralite Mk3. Even on my old i7 4790K it would randomly issue pops and crackles just idling in Live.

It's so bad I won't even sell it, because I'd feel bad for whomever bought it.

Saving for a Focusrite 18i20 to replace it now.

[HCMarkus]

Might want to contact MOTU on this.

[highkrausen]

I am having the exact same issue on my setup. However, it worked great for first 24 hours (see below), now I'm stuck.

UPDATE (most recent): I found a BIOS update from the MB manufacturer and flashed the BIOS last night. Since then, no issues.

Update: I was able to narrow this down a bit. Fresh reboot, launch browser and play YouTube video. Sound goes through MOTU Pro Audio - all good. Launch Ableton Live 10, even with Audio Device Driver Type set to 'None', after 5-7 seconds, the audio from browser will start crackling and then cut out. If I choose ASIO4all driver or MME/DirectX I can get Ableton to work. If I choose MOTU Pro Audio - Live will become unusable.

No matter if I change a setting or not, once Live launches the audio cuts out. However, I can still see the device driver/interface is receiving audio in the Windows Volume Mixer? If I Disable the MOTU Pro Audio device in Windows Sound Setting and re-enable it...sound will come back to Windows... but not while Live is open. I have to close Live first... wait a few seconds, then Disable/Enable the device.


UPDATE: I just downloaded and tested with Cubase - everything seems to work fine..so I think it's an issue with Ableton + Windows. If sound is working ok and then I launch Ableton - it's SUPER slow. Every click takes about 5-7 seconds..and nothing works...(can't play clips, play MIDI, etc.) Also Ableton appears to basically hijack Windows audio input and mess it up - just opening Live, then I can't play sound from Windows to audio interface.
A reboot will reset things and audio out of Windows directly to interface works again.

1. Live is now SUPER slow. Hangs on almost any task. Saving/Quitting always ends in a Not Responding / crash.
2. MIDI/USB tracks/controller also stops working when ASIO is set. InControl does not connect to Live correctly or work appropriately.

If I switch the Device Driver to: None, Live is blazing fast again and MIDI controller works. Switch back to ASIO, slow/MIDI keyboard locks up.

16A using MOTU drivers, running latest firmware.
Ryzen 9 3900XT
Win10 is up to date (fresh build only a couple weeks old)

Not sure if this is the root cause, but here's what I was doing right before it starting not working: It worked fine out of the box for about 24 hours. Then I added 2 more Computer USB "outputs". Sound playing from browser stopped because I think the new outputs showed up but Windows didn't switch and the routing was off. I tried re-routing for awhile, but couldn't get it working again. Maybe a reboot of OS was necessary. Regardless, I switched it back to just 2 Computer outputs...the sound came back on but then all these problems started. Not sure if that's related...but immediately after Live started acting weird.

Other troubleshooting:
uninstalled/re-installed Live. Also did a profile reset in Live.
uninstalled/reinstalled all audio drivers
uninstalled/reinstalled USB/MIDI controller drivers

[romton]

Hi, I have the same issue on a MOTU 624, if I try to use the ASIO MOTU Pro Audio, the software slows down or crashes (Ableton Live as well as other softwares).
I tried to update eveything (firmware of the computer and MOTU 624 , driver, softwares, Windows 10...), I tried to use ASIO4ALL to see if I could have some sound come out of the MOTU, but nothing can find it's way in or out (from the MOTU to the computer or from the computer to MOTU). I can't even use the interface as audio output for windows.
However, it is fully recognized by windows (input and output) and communicate very well with it when I use the MOTU Pro Audio Control software (I can control all the settings and use it for mixing).
I'm out of idea, if you can think about anything I could try, please let me know.
I also contacted MOTU thru their tech support and I will keep you updated, hopefully we'll find a solution.
Best regards.
Romain