USB Class Compliance: For Discussion of Issues & Bugs

Anyone know if 2.10 will work with pioneer DJM mixers? I have a DJM 750 Mk2 which I use regularly with my Live via audio cables. The MPC sees it as a MIDI device and that all works, but it doesn’t show in the input drop down for Audio Devices. All I can find from Pioneer is that it’s ASIO compliant.

Selahl Tapes wrote:Hell! this evening I planned to fully test my Audient ID14 interface with the MPC 2.10 update in standalone, but some how got side tracked into the city and came home with a Roland SP-555!?! I was curious to see if the SP-555 worked with the MPC as the Roland had a USB port on the back, so I hooked everything up and what do you know!!! the MPC recognised the SP-555 as a interface.

Things I am able to do when the SP-555 & MPC One are connected via USB HUB and Roland is selected as the audio device.

Record inputs and outputs
Record SP-555 effects into the MPC
Record Plugins from MPC onto SP 555 pads with effects then back onto a MPC pad.

Main outs of MPC going through SP555 effects section for live jams.

Easily transfer sounds from SP555 pads to MPC pads via record inputs and outputs

Play MPC from SP555 pads via midi

All this over one USB cable, a potential monster of a set up MPC & SP555 but with one problem. It has crackle and pops in the audio on play back and recording that I think a lot of people are having when using the new 2.10 feature… this is a Akai problem and needs some optimisation before we get clean pop and click free audio with our chosen interfaces.

Did you manage to test the ID14 yet? I am considering buying one of these because of the Burr Brown converters. Cheers

I have an Apogee HypeMic and it doesn’t work with 2.10 on my Live II (I think someone said it did). It connects initially and then drops, with an ‘unexpected audio error’ message. I’ve searched everywhere and can’t see why this would be happening, especially since it seems others might have this working. Any suggestions? Thanks!

To provide more information on the 18i20 working or not question, I got a response from Focusrite support regarding using the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 with Akai MPC One. (emphasis mine)

We would also like to inform you that after looking through some of our ticket history and discussions with some fellow engineers here, the AKAI USB hosts on the MPC One and other devices, have been problematic to some degree for more than a few users.

Please reach out to Akai for further help or to submit a support ticket to them to address this issue on their hardware.

In other words, Focusrite have received multiple support requests or problem reports from people trying to use their products with "AKAI USB hosts". Though it is probable that they don't know what they're talking about. It was VERY difficult to explain to the Focusrite support what this is about, and in the end I don't think they really understood that the Akai standalone box IS the computer here. They said things like: (emphasis theirs)

We do see USB ports on the Akai however, please do not connect the 18i20 audio interfaces this way.

Sounds like your typical 1L support who doesnt really know about the device but reads his scripts really well.

Yeah I dont know, we do need Akai to give us some options as far as buffer settings and whatnot, sounds like that will fix a lot of these issues. But ultimately, the interfaces need to work on Linux, plain and simple, and thats on the manufacturer. Class compliance doesn't automatically mean it works across all platforms (as we've all seen with MOTU and Focusrite's "class compliance"). They still have to have either Linux compatibility or an open source driver already in the kernel like some of them do. Anything MOTU that works on Linux (my old 828mk2 does flawlessly) was not done by MOTU, it was the community or an employee staying hidden to do it. Same with the old Emagic AMT8 MIDI interface, the thing doesnt work passed Windows XP (and was really dead after Win2000) but it still works to this day thanks to the open source community, NOT Apple or Emagic directly.

There are some ALSA websites around with databases of devices that DO work in Linux, might want to check those out. Anything that works with ALSA should work right away with the MPC, but those of you that do have interfaces running but are getting pops and crackles, might need a buffer setting to adjust to get rid of that just like we have on our Macs/PCs.. Now THAT one we have to wait for slow ass Akai to get done, but the interfaces working on Linux in general has nothing to do with them. All they did was turn on the feature that's already in the Linux kernel, they cant write the drivers for Focusrite, Tascam, RME, etc..

This guy is refining the Scarlett drivers and adding mixer features https://github.com/geoffreybennett/scarlett-gen2

I'm trying to make a Linux setup with a suitable kernel so I could even test those drivers, but it looks like an uphill battle. Not something to do for fun. Akai has paid employees ftw.

Hi, I’m on the verge of buying into the Mpc world, it all looks so good now. Could someone’s tell me though, can the mpc with 2.10 have and external audio interface as an input, but the mpc internal as an output?

I want to connect a Roland mc-101 which is class compliant now directly via usb, input the sounds, but output from the mpc.

Possible or not? Maschine+ can’t do it, you can mix and match external/internal interfaces.

Thanks.

So as a headline/summary, is it fair to say that the audio interface feature is 'currently unreliable'?

The audio interface feature is reliable, if you happen to find an interface that works with it. The problem is finding such an audio interface. Out of the 4 (common and popular) class compliant interfaces I have, only 1 works without problems, but it's a 2 in / 2 out interface meaning no additional inputs and outputs compared to the MPC One itself.

Reports about working or not working on this forum must be taken with a big grain of salt. They may say something doesn't work at all, when it works almost completely, or they may say that something works, when it's actually unusable. Maybe they just plugged it in and saw it appear in the menu. Or maybe they heard some sound come out and that's all, no proper testing. Maybe there were glitches but because they produce glitch hop, they couldn't tell the difference anyway.

No, you cannot use a different interface for input and output. Ableton can do it, Akai cannot, and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that feature.

benr wrote:Apogee HypeMic works as a Class Compliant Audio Interface providing mono audio input on Input 1, and stereo output via the built in headphone jack.

However, being an Apogee product, it has no physical output volume control (only a balance control between playback and direct monitoring, which doesn't affect overall level).

Per the Quick Start guide one should, "Use volume buttons on computer/iOS device to adjust playback level." This works correctly on a Mac or iPhone. When the Mac is using the Apogee as its main Audio Interface, I assume that there is a physical hardware volume control (digitally managed) inside the HypeMic, being set by the Mac or iPhone's controls, rather than just the signal level from the Mac or iPhone being altered. (If anyone knows that assumption to be wrong, please advise.)

Either way, the MPC has no means to set the output level. The headphone level seems about "halfway" compared to the level when connected to my Mac. So there's a lot more level to get, if only the MPC could control it.

Does this sound like a future firmware request? Or am I missing a control on MPC now?

Does anyone know if host digital control of an Audio Interface's output level is part of the Class Compliant spec, or is it an Apogee proprietary feature? I imagine it will be easier to persuade AKAI to add the feature (ideally a simple volume slider in the Audio Device page) if it is part of the Class Compliant spec, and not an Apogee only feature.

Thoughts?

Was there anything specific you had to do to get it working? I’ve found that if I select the HypeMiC as the audio device, it connects briefly (green light), but then disconnects after 30 seconds (blue light), and my MPC Live II gives a ‘Unexpected Audio Error’ message and returns to the internal device. Any feedback would be hugely appreciated, as otherwise I’ll have to return the HypeMic and just get a small mic pre (ie give up on the supposed audio interface support in 2.10 entirely). Thanks!

No, make that 5 interfaces, the fifth one had unusably high latency. Actual results are in stark contrast to what is being advertised!

FWIW,

I can confirm the Presonus 1818VSL works without issue. I've been using it since the update and have had none of the common issues mentioned in this thread. 8 i/o and midi work without issue. I have not tested the digital i/o, but will eventually test and post my results here.

It has been rock solid, and makes moving from PC to Standalone easy. I've been running a few synths and other devices through this interface in standalone mode. Works like it should. For those looking for something stable, with a lot a i/o, this might be a good choice.

retro wrote:FWIW,

I can confirm the Presonus 1818VSL works without issue. I've been using it since the update and have had none of the common issues mentioned in this thread. 8 i/o and midi work without issue. I have not tested the digital i/o, but will eventually test and post my results here.

It has been rock solid, and makes moving from PC to Standalone easy. I've been running a few synths and other devices through this interface in standalone mode. Works like it should. For those looking for something stable, with a lot a i/o, this might be a good choice.

Thats one of the ALSA compatible devices so it should be fine. That came up when I was shopping for interfaces and I found one locally I almost bought but the guy wanted more than I got a brand new Behringer UMC1820 for so I passed on it.

Was looking forward to trying out the MOTU 1248 with my MPC Live, but based on a lot of feedback here and on gearspace I decided to cancel the order...

Seems like a lot of settings/timing issues need to be worked out on the MPC first :/

I have been using a Lynx Aurora16 in my set-up for quite a while and was looking forward to finally integrate it into the Dawless setup but, Unfortunately the Studio Gods have not allowed it.

The MPCX recognizes it and sees the Aurora16 in the pulldown menu but I press it the "error -22" message pops up.

Does anyone have a similar issue?