Hackintosh dudes - USB2 audio interfaces?

[drew_drummer]

Just wondering how many Hackintosh dudes are using USB2 audio interfaces, and whether you noticed any audio dropouts, or random CPU spiking?

Late last year I got myself a laptop for mobile recording. It didn't have firewire, so I sold my M-Audio Profire 2626 (which had always been stable on both OSX-Hackintosh and Windows) and bought a MOTU 8Pre USB2 version. This was so I could use the same card with both machines; my new laptop and my older i7 Sandybridge rig.

But I do notice on the i7 rig I get more pops, crackles, CPU issues, and random de-synchronization in Logic X. But also Studio One 2.0, Pro Tools, and Cubase 7.5.

I can reproduce this behaviour on a real Mac - a Mac Mini I have at the office, as well as another Windows PC at my office too. So I'm really incredibly suspicious about USB2 for audio performance right now, and I'm thinking of just going back to a firewire card.

Actually curious whether any non-Hackintosh Mac people are also getting this. Really starting to piss me off.

 

[El_Gato]

USB 2 is fine for audio performance on Hackintosh unless you're recording 100 tracks at once AFAIK. Never had an issue with them and I've worked on Windows, OSX and Hackintosh.

I'd say it's the Motu's drivers, if I got it right when you say you can reproduce the behaviour on the Mini and the PC (the pops?). They should be updated, only install from the disc they use to include when you don't have any internet access.

 

[deLuther]

There are issues with CPU throttling on modern Intel systems,if CPU working on not standard speed, there can be some problems, usually cracks can appear when CPU is changing speed. So laptops should be set for maximum performance, desktops have additional BIOS settings to switch off (like EIST, C-states, TurboBoost). Not only USB interfaces can suffer from throttling issues, but PCI/PCI-E as well.

 

[drew_drummer]

Hmmm, weird. I was 100% positive that I'd already disabled all that speedstepping bullshit. But it was all enabled... maybe happened after a firmware update and I didn't notice. I've re-disabled them, will see if it helps.