Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Jump to content

Helix Driver Mac OS?


sinistralx
 Share

Recommended Posts

Got me helix on Wednesday... its SAVAGE!!! I love it... HD500x is sold. I had heard that Mac OS pops and clicks only affected some macs and was hoping my was the exception... alas........  damn was really looking forward to start recording with it today!!!!

 

Any word on how the Line 6 custom driver is progressing? HMMMMMMM? will it be ready by the end of today?  Sunday Maybe?  Enquiring minds would like to know!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't put into words the countless hours of frustration this has led me to. Perfect takes ruined by diginoise. Before the editor, before firmware updates, PLEASE fix this problem. Helix is my only interface now and it's not doing a very good job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What OS are you folks using, because there are some issues with El Capitan that, iirc, will only be solved when Apple releases the coming fix for that boondoggle of an OS upgrade.

I can say that I'm having nothing but success with Helix as an audio interface with OS X 10.9.5 and Logic Pro X, latest version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have another audio device connected to your Mac, try creating an aggregate device with Helix and that device, setting it as the clock source in Audio/MIDI setup. This should temporarily solve the problem with Helix clock drift.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone been testing the 10.11.4 betas that have been coming out?

 

I have, but not so intensely.  So far I've found 10.11.4 to be fine, but 10.11.3 had seemed to solve the timing problems too, up until it didn't, so I've been reluctant to comment. As Amsdenj suggests, aggregate audio devices seemed to remedy issues where I've encountered them in earlier betas, but they do add to the latency. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What OS are you folks using, because there are some issues with El Capitan that, iirc, will only be solved when Apple releases the coming fix for that boondoggle of an OS upgrade.

 

I can say that I'm having nothing but success with Helix as an audio interface with OS X 10.9.5 and Logic Pro X, latest version.

I'm on El Cap but reckon i was better off on Mavericks.

 

I use Ableton. and like others really want to get going with some recording but ... can't. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

We're testing a custom OS X driver as I type this. Comprehensive audio driver testing is incredibly involved, however. I'm not sure when it'll be ready for public consumption.

 

Heya DI,,, do you have any news? thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The latest version of El Capitan has apparently resolved the issues. Perhaps you won't need the custom driver. Have you tried that?

 

I disagree.

 

The ability to load the editor, as several of us have reported, is intermittent and seemingly random.  This is using the newest editor 1.11 (?) released yesterday.

 

Mac OS 10.11.4, Helix firmware 1.10.

 

On my Surface Pro 4, using Win10, everything works fine.  But it's so much easier to read on an iMac!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello guys, (fellow space cadets?) — Earth calling!

 

Are you all kidding— am I living on a different planet, are you all having a laugh, has my medication stopped working?

 

Quick nurse — get the screens, he's out of bed again - and raving!

 

Really, my sedative drugs seem to have no effect anymore, because no one on this thread seem to have bothered to look at and/or comment on the stuff in this thread! (below).

Please read this and comment!

http://line6.com/support/topic/19463-bizarre-audio-midi-fault-its-driving-me-nuts/

 

I happen to think it's quite an important issue!

 

Yep, it's happening, and it's happening to me and it has stopped being amusing - it's a pain in the butt!

 

Anyone care to add any ideas about this now?

 

Please, it would really help!

 

I'm starting to lose the will to live!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're testing a custom OS X driver as I type this. Comprehensive audio driver testing is incredibly involved, however. I'm not sure when it'll be ready for public consumption.

Oh, yeah, sure –  right!

Good job I'm not holding my breath!

I know it's incredibly involved - I even have tried to fix it myself, but that should not be necessary, it should work as stated — right our of the box.

And while I'm at it - why is the sample rate on a Mac only 48KHz as opposed the the advertised full range of options

I would expect a super duper screaming hi gain amp or distortion model will happen, before a "fix it" that should never have occurred, and got released into the wild!

  • Downvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe this issue is with late 2012 and beyond MacBook Pros late beyond with Retina displays and USB 3 ports. I don't think these play well with Helix USB 2 ports. OS X 10.11.4 seemed to fix the Helix USB audio I/O issues, USB MIDI seems to have always worked ok, but the Helix App does not connect reliably in USB 3.0 ports on Mac OS X. The solution appears to be using a USB 2.0 hub into a USB three or Thunderbolt port. At least that has worked reliably for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have another audio device connected to your Mac, try creating an aggregate device with Helix and that device, setting it as the clock source in Audio/MIDI setup. This should temporarily solve the problem with Helix clock drift.

What device should we use as clock source in the agregate device? Helix? The other audio interface?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe this issue is with late 2012 and beyond MacBook Pros late beyond with Retina displays and USB 3 ports. I don't think these play well with Helix USB 2 ports. OS X 10.11.4 seemed to fix the Helix USB audio I/O issues, USB MIDI seems to have always worked ok, but the Helix App does not connect reliably in USB 3.0 ports on Mac OS X. The solution appears to be using a USB 2.0 hub into a USB three or Thunderbolt port. At least that has worked reliably for me.

Using a USB 2.0 hub into a USB 3 on the iMac does not work for me.  Same seemingly-random disconnects.

 

Where, in the world, does one find a USB 2.0/Thunderbolt adapter???

 

My iMac is, as you say, late 2012. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried Helix as an audio interface this morning for an hour on iMac 2011 with El Capitan (latest) and Ableton Live (latest) and jammed out on some loops.  It worked great and had no issues!  I used a separate M-Audio Midisport 4x4 to connect a midi foot controller, so didn't get to try Helix's Midi interface.

 

This is much better than a few weeks ago (on earlier El Cap version), when I got the random cracks and pops - so I'd consider that fixed.

 

So for everyone on El Cap, chances are that its fixed, but if you are still having issues, try these troubleshooting tips

(I've been messing with computers and audio for many years and these are kind of general but often work).  

 

1-disconnect other audio cards (for my test I disconnected my trusty presonus firestudio mobile interface)

2-re-boot

3-check your audio software (for me Ableton preferences) and make sure sound card settings are correct and you are running a sample rate of 48K everywhere (or at least be consistent)

4-only run audio applications you want to use.  i wasn't running the helix app, just basically Ableton with some plugins

5-make sure you set up your monitoring correctly (for me I turn off monitoring in Ableton and monitor directly from helix)

6-check sound settings in system preferences to make sure using helix both in and out and not any other device

(yeah I know you can aggregate devices in mac, but its never been optimal for me).

 

So.. this is cool and I could see using if I didn't already have the Presonus Firestudio mobile as my main interface.  Its good to have this option of USB audio on Helix.  I don't mind leaving the Firestudio on all the time with iMac, but can't leave the Helix plugged in all the time since I will also be taking the Helix to Church or elsewhere occasionally, so that is more plugging and unplugging (and If I ever have issues, they usually crop up for me when disconnecting or changing audio or midi devices - which is then fixed by a reboot and checking settings).  

 

I'm not advocating that anyone switch to El Capitan, just saying it worked for me during my little test.  If you have a working version on Mavericks or earlier, you may be better off sticking with that?  Hope that this helps someone. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe this issue is with late 2012 and beyond MacBook Pros late beyond with Retina displays and USB 3 ports. I don't think these play well with Helix USB 2 ports. OS X 10.11.4 seemed to fix the Helix USB audio I/O issues, USB MIDI seems to have always worked ok, but the Helix App does not connect reliably in USB 3.0 ports on Mac OS X. The solution appears to be using a USB 2.0 hub into a USB three or Thunderbolt port. At least that has worked reliably for me.

 

Ah ha! Well, that will teach me to get involved on the "bleeding edge" of technology – seems that everything is just – too new!

 

Also, Line 6 have always stated that their hardware should not be connected via a USB hub. Then regarding the Belkin Express Dock. At first glance that seems like a very elegant, but very expensive solution to a problem that, as Mac users, we simply should not have.

I found this quote on Amazon from someone who didn't appear to be impressed by the Belkin.

 

"Worked fine using Yosemite upgraded to El Capitan and Boom... USB ports no longer work, audio out and microphone jacks no longer work... Its now a rather bulky and expensive Thunderbolt to HDMI Adapter! Useless..."

 

Guess, we could all scream at Apple until they took the initiative and fixed the software at their end, but life is too short to wait for that. Too busy selling phones!

 

Mmm, well as they say "opinions are like belly buttons – everybody has got one."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...