Migrating to Apple silicon - issues, solutions, trouble-shooting

[mOBiTh]

I had a some fun getting my Antelope Orion 32 HD working with my mac studio ultra today.

The latest launcher installation was fine and it immediately recognised the orion still connected to my old studio mac (via network sniffery).

The driver installation on the other hand was a disaster.

The first time you have to install something on your modern apple silicon mac that requires reduced security, you have to jump through some reboot/BIOS type hoops. That's not a problem, but for some reason this caused very intermittent connectivity to the interface and if I tried to select the Orion in AudioMIDI setup (macos utility) I got a nice bright magenta kernel panic every time. Not good.

So I uninstalled and reinstalled and found then it just didn't see the interface at all. Tried different USB ports, etc.

After uninstalling and reinstalling about 15 times it just suddenly worked perfectly for no obvious reason and has been stable ever since.

The only thing I think I did differently was doing double reboots after each uninstall and reinstall step, which doesn't seem that meaningful.

It's more likely the Orion driver is flakey about USB port aliasing (because it was on my old mac) - it was always pot luck whether I got it to work on the currently connected USB port...

Anyway, obviously I spoke too soon and it wasn't stable at all passing audio live through a DAW (Reaper and Live). Argh...

I tried setting up a new account and starting a bit cleaner but that didn't help.

Changed USB3 cables - nope.

I noticed it did behave overall better on 48k compared to the other sample rates, which made me think it might be a hardware issue. Swapping sample rates caused all sorts of temporary weirdness.

I had already done a few factory resets of the Orion but tried hitting a few presets and then redid the routings - hey presto it's stable.

Haven't used it in anger yet but will keep updating here in case it helps someone else. Seems a factory reset isn't quite as complete as you would hope...

[FreekiTiki]

Has anyone had issues with the most recent OS update?

[jsleeio]

Got an M2 Macbook Air. 24GB RAM and 1TB storage. It runs iTerm2 and Firefox pretty nicely. I really like the "midnight black" finish, especially how it's slightly blue rather than actually black. Lovely colour. I don't notice the notch.

[ersatzplanet]

I know this might be a bit off the topic, but I have been thinking of using an iPad to take over some of the loop playing duties that I am currently using a pair of 4ms STS and a Nutella for. I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

[1n]

Only a couple of months in with Macbook Air M1... and a couple of keys have already been replaced by Apple. Keys are even more prone to sticking than the 2018 Air, which gummed up, but after a relatively respectable year and a bit.

I keep saying, 'never again'...

[AlanC]

I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

You don't really need the power of an M1 iPad with USB-C to drive a multi-channel audio interface. I have an iPad Mini 4 that has no problems driving a Motu UltaLite Mk IV or an ES-8 with ES-5 and ESX-8CV expansions. But an M1 based iPad would be great if you were wanting to run a lot of soft synths / FX / tracks in a DAW.

[ersatzplanet]

I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

You don't really need the power of an M1 iPad with USB-C to drive a multi-channel audio interface. I have an iPad Mini 4 that has no problems driving a Motu UltaLite Mk IV or an ES-8 with ES-5 and ESX-8CV expansions. But an M1 based iPad would be great if you were wanting to run a lot of soft synths / FX / tracks in a DAW.

Thanks! That is what I like to hear. I typically use my apple products till they die on me. I didn't feel like dropping the cash just yet. I am typing this on the last 17" MBP which is now over 12 years old for instance.

[Blairio]

I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

You don't really need the power of an M1 iPad with USB-C to drive a multi-channel audio interface. I have an iPad Mini 4 that has no problems driving a Motu UltaLite Mk IV or an ES-8 with ES-5 and ESX-8CV expansions. But an M1 based iPad would be great if you were wanting to run a lot of soft synths / FX / tracks in a DAW.

Thanks! That is what I like to hear. I typically use my apple products till they die on me.

I have never had an apple product die on me, and I have been buying and using them since 1986.

The hardware just keeps going, but O/S 'revisions' leave a trail of 'bricked' ancillaries in their wake. This means that affected (outmoded) computers become appliances, dedicated to a certain O/S, running certain software packages, 'air-gapped' from the internet. I treat these as I would a hardware sequencer or drum machine.

[ersatzplanet]

I have never had an apple product die on me, and I have been buying and using them since 1986.

The hardware just keeps going, but O/S 'revisions' leave a trail of 'bricked' ancillaries in their wake. This means that affected (outmoded) computers become appliances, dedicated to a certain O/S, running certain software packages, 'air-gapped' from the internet. I treat these as I would a hardware sequencer or drum machine.

I have had a MBP die from that bad GPU soldering fiasco a while back, soon after the recall time had run out. I still used it in a render farm connecting to it via remote desktop but the screen is black. Being a graphics designer by trade, I upgraded often and kept most of my computers. I recently donated a bunch to a local computer museum (original Bondi Blue iMac, some AppleIIci, some older towers etc.) but still have a bunch laying around when needed for older programs on them (I have a few G3 laptops for using the Nord Modular editor for example). Many new computers happened because programs I needed for freelance work upgraded past the OS that would run on the machine. That and the older CCFL lighting for the laptop screens going dim. Other than that, most Macs seem to last forever.

[dubonaire]

The only time an Apple has died on me is when I knocked a full bottle of beer into the keyboard of a (work) MacBook Air. That will teach me for working while on vacation.

[commoner]

Bought a new 13” back in 2016-ish. Some of the memory went bad about three month in and they had to replace the mainboard. Light at-home use. They go bad on people at work occasionally, too. About as frequently as the dell laptops. Shit happens, they aren’t infallible- you’ve been lucky.

[Blairio]

Bought a new 13” back in 2016-ish. Some of the memory went bad about three month in and they had to replace the mainboard. Light at-home use. They go bad on people at work occasionally, too. About as frequently as the dell laptops. Shit happens, they aren’t infallible- you’ve been lucky.

I think I have been lucky, but then I have never owned an Apple laptop - only desktop machines. Perhaps the laptops are less robust.

[idontknow]

Hello,
I'm sorry if this has been adressed already but can't seem to find a good solution.
I'm on a m1 for a few months now, and I'm still trying to find a good alternative to vine to open/access keygen and all.
I've installed trials for crossover and parallels, so I'm kinda burned with those apps, but damn, isn't there something free and working to just open those keygens?

[xcc]

Hello,
I'm sorry if this has been adressed already but can't seem to find a good solution.
I'm on a m1 for a few months now, and I'm still trying to find a good alternative to vine to open/access keygen and all.
I've installed trials for crossover and parallels, so I'm kinda burned with those apps, but damn, isn't there something free and working to just open those keygens?

VirtualBox, assuming it’ll run on the M1

[jsleeio]

VirtualBox, assuming it’ll run on the M1

it doesn't, and won't. The Virtualbox folks have been quite explicit about this

[ersatzplanet]

Hello,
I'm sorry if this has been adressed already but can't seem to find a good solution.
I'm on a m1 for a few months now, and I'm still trying to find a good alternative to vine to open/access keygen and all.
I've installed trials for crossover and parallels, so I'm kinda burned with those apps, but damn, isn't there something free and working to just open those keygens?

VirtualBox, assuming it’ll run on the M1

ALL these "run Windows on a Mac" solutions depend on using a particular CPU chip and it's codebase, they require either the M1 (ARM) or Intel chips. So if you are running on a M1 chip, you are REQUIRED to run the ARM version of Windows, if running on a Intel chip, then the standard Windows. If the program you are wanting to run cannot run on the ARM version of Windows, it will NOT run on the M1. The problem I find is that many of the makers of these virtual machine programs, are making universal versions that run on both ARM and Intel processors and you have to look closely at the descriptions on their websites to see this caveat. The same emulator programs can technically run all Windows programs like they say, but only Intel programs on Intel chips and ARM programs on ARM chips.

[SynthBaron]

I remember back in the day using SoftWindows and VirtualPC running on 68k and PowerPC chips on a Mac, worked quite well for what it was. I guess everyone got lazy with Intel's virtualization support and gave up on those kind of "real" emulator programs.

[Funky40]

and you have to look closely at the descriptions on their websites to see this caveat.

Great !
you made me understand something "i´m not into" with just a few words. Thanks


has never played a role for me, so far. But who knows

[matttech]

The only time an Apple has died on me is when I knocked a full bottle of beer into the keyboard of a (work) MacBook Air. That will teach me for working while on vacation.

I did that with a full cup of tea into my wife’s MacBook Pro. Dried it out and, apart from the trackpad being a bit sticky for a while, it’s still working now (2009 version)

[PrimateSynthesis]

I had a 2011 MacBook Pro die on me. It's irreparable. Even the component level repair shops such as Rossmann can't fix it. They can fix a 2010 or a 2012, but not a 2011. Apple refused to make good on it, even though they know they designed a defective machine

[dubonaire]

The only time an Apple has died on me is when I knocked a full bottle of beer into the keyboard of a (work) MacBook Air. That will teach me for working while on vacation.

I did that with a full cup of tea into my wife’s MacBook Pro. Dried it out and, apart from the trackpad being a bit sticky for a while, it’s still working now (2009 version)

Mine was bricked.

[frijitz]

I know this might be a bit off the topic, but I have been thinking of using an iPad to take over some of the loop playing duties that I am currently using a pair of 4ms STS and a Nutella for. I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

Along the same line, a dumb question. For the new iPhone/iPad machines with the USB-C connector, is there an equivalent to the Apple Camera Adapter? I see some multiport adapters, but I was looking for something simpler. What are folks using?

Ian

[ersatzplanet]

I know this might be a bit off the topic, but I have been thinking of using an iPad to take over some of the loop playing duties that I am currently using a pair of 4ms STS and a Nutella for. I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

Along the same line, a dumb question. For the new iPhone/iPad machines with the USB-C connector, is there an equivalent to the Apple Camera Adapter? I see some multiport adapters, but I was looking for something simpler. What are folks using?

Ian

There is a simple USB-C to USB adaptor that I use on my Mac Mini for older hard drives. Looks like this:

USB-c to USB.jpeg

$19 on their store - https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M ... a8c9894f1e

[frijitz]

I know this might be a bit off the topic, but I have been thinking of using an iPad to take over some of the loop playing duties that I am currently using a pair of 4ms STS and a Nutella for. I have been thinking of upgrading my current iPad to one with a M1 chip and USB-C connectors. Can people relate their experiences using a new M1 iPad with multi-channel Audio interfaces? I have been looking at the MOTU stand alone 4-channel one and the Expert Sleeper ES-8 or ES-9 for the interfaces.

Along the same line, a dumb question. For the new iPhone/iPad machines with the USB-C connector, is there an equivalent to the Apple Camera Adapter? I see some multiport adapters, but I was looking for something simpler. What are folks using?

Ian

There is a simple USB-C to USB adaptor that I use on my Mac Mini for older hard drives. Looks like this:

USB-c to USB.jpeg

$19 on their store - https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M ... a8c9894f1e

Thanks! The Apple Camera Adapter has a USB port and also a charging port, so you can charge your iPad while using the USB connection. Guess I should have emphasized that. Apple does have a multiport adapter for USB-C but has features I do not need.

Ian

[jsleeio]

Apple does have a multiport adapter for USB-C but has features I do not need.

I've been through three of that specific adapter so far. The connector seems to wear out. They lasted about a year each, I believe