USB Audio Failing

I've observed USB audio seems to fail in El Capitan Developer Preview 1 using a CEntrance HiFi-M8. This device supports a range of 2 channel 24 bit formats (44.1KHz, 48.0KHz, 88.2KHz, 96.0KHz, 176.4KHz, 192.0KHz, etc.). While it worked just great in Yosemite, what seems to occur now is a grainy/garbled sound that seems a bit like the wrong format is being played even when 44.1KHz is selected in Audio MIDI setup and a 44.1KHz file is played in iTunes or in Safari.

Replies

I have a USB DAC and it is giving me a clicking sound whenever I turn it on. Worked fine in Yosemite. Seems to be something wrong with USB audio support.

This is also happening for me with my Sound Blaster X7 USB DAC. Most of the time, the output option is completely gone from the system, a reboot later it appears again. When I then play sound it is absolutely distorted. The Sound Blaster app acknowledges the connected device in both situations by the way.

I have tried 2 DAC's, Meridian Explorer, and Miyo. Meridian Explorer is 100% poppy crackling, while Miyo works shortly before becoming distorted and shutting off. I then tested both on my 10.10.3 machine and both work fine.


There is definitely an issue in El Capitan.

This appears to be fixed in beta 2! 🙂

I'm using an AudioQuest Dragonfly USB DAC. It worked without popping and cracking in 10.11 beta 1 but doesn't work without the popping in beta 2. Beta 2 went downhill for me!

Using a set of Turtlebeach USB headphones, and it progressively degrades over time, to a point where it doesn't work, just dead air with popping in the background. Worked fine on 10.10.x, works on Windows. 10.11b2: newp.

My Sound Blaster X7 USB DAC also works again in beta 2, although the popping has appeared now. Unplugging and re-plugging the USB cable didn't help in my case.

Beta 4 now installed and clicking/popping still present through Audioqest Dragonfly 1.2. Unable to test at present on other USB DAC but may do so later today. Suspect an ongoing USB Audio issue in 10.11.

In beta 3, wakening my iMac from sleep saw random loss of the USB device (a Naim DAC). In beta 4, sound clicks and pops and eventually drops completely - only retrievable with a reboot.

I've been having this same issue in beta 3 and now beta 4.


Garbling sound once and a while but not all the time.

Also Audio goes away every once and a while.

In order to get it back either a rebbot or what I have been currently doing is opening up the midi setup app and changing the output to any other format this kicks it back on. I've tried all formats it does it with them all 44100 - 192000


I am using a Apogee Duet 2 (USB straight into an 5k iMac)

I'm not sure whether it is definitively solved yet, but I did disable Default Folder (which isn't fully compatible with El Capitan yet anyway) and so far sound has been fine. It may just be a coincidence. And I don't see why it should be linked. But so far my audio hasn't failed...

I can confirm this issue, tested with Display Audio on my Cinema Display. It's also the case for my FireWire audio interface (Focusrite Saffire PRO 14). My Digital Out is working fine.

Same problem here running Beta 4 15A226f on a Macbook Air

VOX wouldn't play the files right. BUT I managed to play them right using Audirvana Plus 2.1.1 in Exclusive access mode

(Schiit Modi at 96/24)

Issue still exists with Beta 5

Agreed, issues still persists in beta 5