MPC Renaissance doesn't work with macOS Catalina

pk1 wrote:Any info from you heads that have kept up would be rad.
I haven't been banging on the pads in a few years..

You *might* be able to get into the M1/M2/M3 series and use virtualization technology to run a windows virtual machine and get the Ren to connect that way. I don't have one (Ren), so you'd probably need to poke around.

It also might not be such a bad idea to just keep the old system, clean it up or fresh install or whatever... and just dedicate it to the Ren while also upgrading to a more modern system for everything else. The nice thing about the VM solution is that you can at least just make a straight up copy of the image once you get it working and it'll become far more portable to move to other systems and environments once you get it rolling.

In my mind, the biggest problem will be how the VM solution you'd use would bridge a USB device from the host computer to the Virtual Machine. Parallels let me do some wacky things for sure, so I suspect you could probably coax it into working.

Good luck man!

NearTao wrote:

pk1 wrote:Any info from you heads that have kept up would be rad.
I haven't been banging on the pads in a few years..

You *might* be able to get into the M1/M2/M3 series and use virtualization technology to run a windows virtual machine and get the Ren to connect that way.

On M series ,you can only virtualize the ARM Windows , not the x86 platform , so since Akai never released a driver for ARM , it won't work

QEMU looks like it works well enough through UTM.

This maybe isn't what you want :/

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/sb37au/does_x86_guests_runs_in_parallells_on_m1_chip/

NearTao wrote:

QEMU looks like it works well enough through UTM.

This maybe isn't what you want :/

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/sb37au/does_x86_guests_runs_in_parallells_on_m1_chip/

Qemu just works . Not well and barely enough
I'm sure next tip would be installing the ARM version and use the windows ARM built in compatibility layer for x86 apps , but even if the MPC Software runs , it's technically impossible to install the x86 drivers
For those who have intel based Mac , they can simply install Win10 and keep the Ren

MPC Renaissance actually does work with Catalina, I've been scrapping for a week now to get it up & running!!! MPC Renaissance (Core Audio) & (Bit Accurate) are in my MacOS Sound/Audio (System Preferences). I'm going to tell you everything I did & hopefully it will pop up for you within the combination. If you haven't already do a time machine back up 1st, if not you can "migrate the system" from a older version time machine back up after installing the MacOS 10.15.7. 1st I purchased a (usb MacOS 10.15.7 Catalina Bootable) off Ebay installed it by (Holding Option & Turning On The Power) Once installed I (hooked up the MPC Ren's USB) then installed the (AKAI MPC_3.3.11.dmg) Install Drivers, you can get it from this link.... https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-renaissance (Leaving the MPC Ren On The Whole Time, Switching On & Off In Between Stages) Checking The MacOS (Sound/Audio in "System Preferences)
Then I left the MacOS 10.15.7 bootable in the usb & shutdown & reinstalled it for the 2nd time on the same SSD/HD.
Once it restarted I switch the MPC power off & back on, if that doesn't work open the MPC software look for latest update I installed 2.14 & installed the (InstallApp.pkg) then I also Installed (Akai Professional MPC Studio Black 1.0.7.dmg) That's inside the folder over top & installed it after I asked for Update in the MPC Software under (MPC Preferences) then (Switching MPC Renaissance On & Off) Checking The MacOS (Sound/Audio in "System Preferences) & it popped up working correctly.

Now I'm waiting for Akai or InmusicBrands.com to deactivate my Stems so I can see if it will work on Catalina 10.15.7... It's been a week of me scrapping, so the 1st thing I wanted to do is to let everyone who finds this know The MPC Renaissance is Supported on MacOS 10.15.7 Catalina!!! Unfortunately I think it's the last MacOS that will Support it's Digital I/O's (Core Audio & BitAccurate)... I hope someone can prove me wrong!!!

P.S. Akai said Stems wouldn't work, but I don't see why not if it will activate if you use the Software to navigate. I'm thinking this will be one of our last compatible MacOS & MPC Renaissance Software Updates...

Wizard Wax...

illreel wrote:P.S. Akai said Stems wouldn't work, but I don't see why not if it will activate if you use the Software to navigate.

I previously tested it on my MPC Studio on Catalina and it works fine, as you say, it's an mpc software feature so it will always work, regardless of the controller. Also it is available from the Studio/Ren hardware UI via SAMPLE EDIT > PROCESS. However there's no way to access it from a pad in PROGRAM EDIT, so that requires you use the software GUI.

After further review, the (Bit Accurate Audio) never came up & once I tried to use the MPC Software 2.14 all the audio messed up & glitched. I thought once (Core Audio) popped up I was going to be good, so let me know if anyone has better results on a IMac (Late 2012)? getting 10.15.7 to work with MPC Renaissance or Studio Black or Silver (The original portable MPC). I'm currently going back to MacOS 10.14.6. The same instructions translate for that install minus the Akai MPC Software 2.14 etc... All Akai Software up to 2.13 will work with Mojave 10.14.6.

illreel wrote:MPC Renaissance actually does work with Catalina, I've been scrapping for a week now to get it up & running!!! MPC Renaissance (Core Audio) & (Bit Accurate) are in my MacOS Sound/Audio (System Preferences). I'm going to tell you everything I did & hopefully it will pop up for you within the combination. If you haven't already do a time machine back up 1st, if not you can "migrate the system" from a older version time machine back up after installing the MacOS 10.15.7. 1st I purchased a (usb MacOS 10.15.7 Catalina Bootable) off Ebay installed it by (Holding Option & Turning On The Power) Once installed I (hooked up the MPC Ren's USB) then installed the (AKAI MPC_3.3.11.dmg) Install Drivers, you can get it from this link.... https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-renaissance (Leaving the MPC Ren On The Whole Time, Switching On & Off In Between Stages) Checking The MacOS (Sound/Audio in "System Preferences)
Then I left the MacOS 10.15.7 bootable in the usb & shutdown & reinstalled it for the 2nd time on the same SSD/HD.
Once it restarted I switch the MPC power off & back on, if that doesn't work open the MPC software look for latest update I installed 2.14 & installed the (InstallApp.pkg) then I also Installed (Akai Professional MPC Studio Black 1.0.7.dmg) That's inside the folder over top & installed it after I asked for Update in the MPC Software under (MPC Preferences) then (Switching MPC Renaissance On & Off) Checking The MacOS (Sound/Audio in "System Preferences) & it popped up working correctly.

Now I'm waiting for Akai or InmusicBrands.com to deactivate my Stems so I can see if it will work on Catalina 10.15.7... It's been a week of me scrapping, so the 1st thing I wanted to do is to let everyone who finds this know The MPC Renaissance is Supported on MacOS 10.15.7 Catalina!!! Unfortunately I think it's the last MacOS that will Support it's Digital I/O's (Core Audio & BitAccurate)... I hope someone can prove me wrong!!!

P.S. Akai said Stems wouldn't work, but I don't see why not if it will activate if you use the Software to navigate. I'm thinking this will be one of our last compatible MacOS & MPC Renaissance Software Updates...

Wizard Wax...

I realize this discussion on the Ren Catalina compatibility issue has long passed but someone may find this useful. I went months without using my REN because I couldn't get it working with my software. It just stopped connecting to the software mid session. This may help you. Go to your profile account on Akai site and Click driver downloads for the Ren. Scroll to MPC Renaissance macOS 10.12 Driver (v3.3.11) and download. Install it exactly how they instruct. Restart. It worked for me. Try it out. Here is the direct link as well. Good Luck. https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-renaissance