Problems with M-Audio Firewire Audiophile

[DieHard]

OK, so the plot Thickens....

I have imaged the M-Audio Factory Driver CD Version 120803 (for Mac and PC) and it contains Many PCI, USB, Legacy and FW drivers for M-Audio Audio & MIDI interfaces for Both OS9 and OSX.. link here:
https://www.adrive.com/public/4kHyjU/M-Audio%20CD%20120803
pass: macos9lives

The various folders have drivers for BOTH Mac OS 9.2.2 and 10.1.5 (and Higher) for many M-Audio interfaces...
Amazingly, the \FirewireSeries\MacOS922\Firewire AP folder contains a URL Link (that is dead and NO Install file !)... yet the 410 has Install 1.01 Build 3.

Once the iMac is booted, the interface stops flashing its leds and the blue led in the right corner becomes steady.

After installing the Driver I already had posted, v1.0.2 (Also the same version uploaded by supernova777) for the FW Audiophile, the leds do the same thing that Joe described, but the control panel DOES let me move all faders unlike the problems that Joe had.  However, both the routing the system sounds and the tying the ASIO driver did NOT produce any Audio thru the unit ! Like is is totally dead. The hard ware info on the Control panel says: Hardware version 0, and firmware version 0 for the unit. I also tried the FW 410 driver and FW 410 ASIO (just for kicks) but it did not work with the FW AP.

I this point I am baffled as to how I ever installed the FW AP back in the day and got it to do anything under OS 9, we should probably pull the driver and put it on the "Not working in OS 9" until we can post the right software and sequence of steps.  For now, and as I have always said in the past, the PCI Audiophile 2496 is ROCK solid... this is NOT a chioce for an iMac... so we need to post info on the best FW interface for Mac OS 9.

[geforceg4]

theres a list of firewire devices here:
http://www.oldschooldaw.com/forums/index.php?board=83.0


but not all of them will be compatible with a g3 imac

the motu 828 + 896 might have been great choices back in 2001?
i think the 828 was an award-winning breakthru device at the time

did anyone check the manual of the AudioPhile Firewire ? for any info regarding this?
http://ewp.koncon.nl/images/ewp/manuals/audio-interface/FireWire-Audiophile_Manual.pdf

from first glance the manual appears to say :
1) os must be 9.2.2
2) must be a g3 500mhz model or higher
3) must be plugged into NATIVE firewire ports

Macintosh G3* 500 MHz or higher w/ OS 9.2.2 or greater
G4* 500 MHz w/ OS X 10.1.5; 10.2.6 or greater
(higher requirements for Laptops)
128 MB RAM (OS 9), 256 MB RAM (OSX)
OS 9.2.2 or later, or OS 10.1.5 or later

[geforceg4]

the last thing in the manual was about turning on/off firewire devices when the machine + Devices are on..

These problems occur when using a 6pin connection, when plugging in/out external firewire devices ***when both the computer + External device are powered on***

read!!! this is ***IMPORTANT*** re: hot plugging = ! NO ! NO !!

[geforceg4]

heres another post of another user who had the same problem? http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2790.0.html

[DieHard]

UPDATE: A working Solution of the M-Audio FW under Mac OS 9 is currently NOT able to be reproduced, so we are as of now NOT recommending this product under Mac OS 9

Stay Tuned

[Philgood]

Support Roland/Edirol.

At least you can still download drivers for Mac OS9 from their websites!

I have an Edirol Firewire soundcard FA101 and they have support for the latest osx versions as well as for Windows 8 32bit/64bit down to Mac OS9.

[widdly]

I'm not sure if it is relevant but I am successfully using an M-Audio 1814 Firewire with OS9 on an emac.

I downloaded the drivers from the maudio legacy section about a month ago.

It doesn't work properly without external power.  It only works if it is powered on before the mac.

One issue I have had is it doesn't work with 32bit modes in Cubase.  With 16 or 24 bit it is fine but 32 bit or true tape gives silence.  I have the correct setting in the madio panel.

The other issue is sometimes I need to reacan OMS for devices sometimes.

These are no longer supported in the latest OS so they can be had for a bargain.

[geforceg4]

Support Roland/Edirol.

At least you can still download drivers for Mac OS9 from their websites!

I have an Edirol Firewire soundcard FA101 and they have support for the latest osx versions as well as for Windows 8 32bit/64bit down to Mac OS9.

yep tha FA-101 is a solid quaity piece..... + roland/edirol were amazing for providing a mac os 9 driver in 2005/2006 when it was released!!! one of the last interfaces made to support mac os 9 along wit anther one from Tascam/Teac i forget the name of it

[GaryN]

I'm not sure if it is relevant but I am successfully using an M-Audio 1814 Firewire with OS9 on an emac.

And this is what makes everybody nuts! For every one that works, there are 3 more that don't for NO discernible reason.
And, precisely because they are common and cheap, this keeps coming up over and over like bad Thai food.

[geforceg4]

And this is what makes everybody nuts! For every one that works, there are 3 more that don't for NO discernible reason.

and probably why inmusic isnt providing any support


http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/1628/software/FireWire-Audiophile-Driver/

this link shows the most recent driver versions.. 1.02 is the only driver listed here for mac os 9

no mention of a mac os 9 driver on http://www.440audio.com/en/software/v1628-M-Audio-FireWire-Audiophile-Driver/

heres an article in emusician
http://www.emusician.com/consoles/1351/m-audio-firewire-audiophile/33904

[widdly]

I was wondering if the problem reports are just with audiophile firewire or with all the maudio fw models.

[geforceg4]

I was wondering if the problem reports are just with audiophile firewire or with all the maudio fw models.

there doesnt seem to be any users complaining on the m-audio support site
http://community.m-audio.com/m-audio/searches?query=firewire+audiophile&x=13&y=10&style=topics

but as far as we know the fw audiophile is the only model that doesnt seem to work on mac os 9 with their mac os 9 driver v1.02

the USB audiophile + other m-audio firewire interfaces work fine as far as anyone knows

[DieHard]

We should probably start a New thread that consists of members that have success using a FW audio interface (that also has built in MIDI) under OS 9. This would benefit all the Laptop/iMac users.

There are six pages of candidates here:
http://tweakheadz.com/audio-interfaces-1/

Please let us know what you are using

[GaryN]

but as far as we know the fw audiophile is the only model that doesnt seem to work on mac os 9 with their mac os 9 driver v1.02
the USB audiophile + other m-audio firewire interfaces work fine as far as anyone knows

Not so. We just went through this recently with a FW 410  http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2976.msg21593.html#msg21593

Widdly has a working FW 1814 on an emac. Either he did something wonderful in life and the universe is smiling on him, or the 1814 is "different" somehow. We won't know unless / until someone else can duplicate his experience with another one.

[geforceg4]

the fw410 + fw1814 units are prone to HARDWARE failures as far as i know..
(check youtube u will find lots of angry people making videos about how shite they are)
ie meaning they are BROKEN regardless of driver + OS...

but thats not the same as the DRIVER failure on the FW audiophile documented here




re: what he did to have his unit working is he is lucky enough NOT to have hot plugged the device + shorted it out.... its this error of thinkings its hotpluggable .. plugging it in + out (in most cases repeatedly) that i believe it the cause of the hardware failure on these two units, (and other m-audio firewire interfaces aswell) the audiophile that works on osx but not os9 is the enigma here, maybe someone could crack open the driver file itself and see if its checking for a specific firmware revision range?

[widdly]

That's sounds about right geforceg4.  Presonus firewire units from early to mid 2000's had similar issues with firewire hotplugging.  From memory,  they can be fixed by replacing the blown firewire controller IC.  Re-occurrence can be prevented by putting larger capacitors on the power lines between the controller and the port.

[GaryN]

That's great information. Thank you widdly!

So, this is the syndrome where bunches of M-Audio devices died from hot-plugging (which was specifically NOT supposed to happen in Firewire) due to a design defect and those geniuses decided that they didn't have to worry about it because they made a notation in the instructions and everybody reads the entire manual before using, right? What does that say about them?

This is yet another, different issue. I've communicated repeatedly with people who have M-Audio FW devices that work fine in OSX and even in Windoze, but totally crap out in OS9. Why? Because M-Audio did a lousy job of writing, storing and documenting whatever OS9 drivers ever did actually work, then got bought and sold a few times and nobody there gives a shit. What does that say about them?

Again, my advice is stay away from all things M-Audio Firewire in OS9. It ain't worth the aggravation.

[geforceg4]

Again, my advice is stay away from all things M-Audio Firewire in OS9. It ain't worth the aggravation.

id have to agree seems like its best to steer clear + save some aggravation...
if i had to go firewire + os9 i think digidesign/motu/RME/edirol devices would be a better choice

[joetramp]

Thank you all again for your helpful informations.

It's very sad that the m-audio firewire devices have that bad driver support. I think the firewire audiohphile is a beautiful device and it would've been great if I could have used it with my iMac. I also got it very cheap (8,50 € on ebay). I have to admit that I hot plugged it a few times...

I was thinking about using OS X 10.4 and trying to run cubase in Classic Mode to use the device but this seems to be way overkill. Also not sure if it'll work at all - any experiences here? Anyway, I bought the M-Audio Ozone to use it with the iMac. Should arrive today.

I also ordered some fans to replace the noisy ones in my MDD and I hope to find my Audiophile 24/96 again, since it's lost somewhere in the basement. ;-) Wish I could use my Presonus FP10 with OS 9, though.

Again, thank you all.

[geforceg4]

I was thinking about using OS X 10.4 and trying to run cubase in Classic Mode

not a good plan. dont waste your time.
as far as i know this wont work.