AudioDef
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Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
Ok. I have a Windows XP DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), to which is attached a Mackie Onyx 1640 and a Mackie Onyx 1620, both with Firewire cards, and both plugged into the DAW through their Firewire cards.
The Mackie Onyx Firewire option has software drivers, which I have installed. At some point, the drivers fail to function, and audio is not heard from existing audio tracks (not talking about MIDI tracks here, just audio), and audio is not recorded to Sonar from the instruments connected to the mixers. If I re-install the drivers before turning the mixers on (and part of installing the drivers is turning on the mixers to let Windows "recognize" them), it then works. So it always gets to the point where I have to re-install these drivers every. Single. Time. I boot up. The DAW. If I want audio to work through these mixers.
Forget contacting Mackie. They seems to be completely clueless. I've traded enough emails with them about this to fill up a freighter cargo container, to no avail. They're probably sick of hearing about it (although I'd say "tough!").
I was wondering if anyone here might have some insight as to why this happens and what to do about it. Is there a particular Windows service that I think is useless, that I've disabled, but prevents this fiasco from happening? And other such possible advice.
I'm really sick of this crapola. I waste a small but annoying amount of time each session with this, when I should be able to turn everything on and go. I already plan to just move the hell away from Windows and/or obtain a different DAC interface for my mixers, but I'm just a poor working artist and that will take time to save up for. In the meantime, I'd appreciate the brain juice from folks here.
Other possibly pertinent info: this happens when I just install the factory-shipped Windows XP system, and when I update it from Wonders Update (service packs 2, 3, yadda, etc.). I really have no clue where, when and why the drivers for these mixers just stop working, but I suspect it's Windows, not the drivers.
I've posted this here because I think this is a computer issue, not a Mackie mixer issue.
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AudioDef
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RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2009/06/25 12:28:09
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And now I'm at the inevitable "Cannot open Install.log file" point which solidifies the fact that I have to install the drivers at every boot.
Between Microsoft and Mackie, that's really shoddy programming.
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DW_Mike
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RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2009/06/25 15:49:53
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I use a Mackie Onyx 1640 w/firewire and have not experienced this. I turn on the board, open Sonar and I'm off. Are you using ASIO or WDM because a well known ASIO limitation is that you can only use one device at a time. Also Have you tried daisy chaining the boards instead of plugging each one directly into it's own port? I would lean toward it being a Windows issue. Maybe something went corrupt with the install. Mike
post edited by chefmike8888 - 2009/06/25 16:02:59
Sonar X3 ~ Scarlett 18i6 ~ Home Build DAW
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lavoll
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Re: RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2010/04/15 10:54:53
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what kind of latency do you get when playing VSTis with a 1640 as your "soundcard"?
sonar x1b, win 7, 12gig ram, 6gb ssd, i7 Hexa Processor i7-970, lynx aurora
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DW_Mike
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Re: RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2010/04/15 13:21:33
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Sorry I have no answer.
I don't have any VSTi's installed. I'm strictly an audio guy.
And in the past when I have used SoftSynts it was only one or two instances for strings or pads.
Usually only a few measures long here and there.
Mike
Sonar X3 ~ Scarlett 18i6 ~ Home Build DAW
GA-Z77X-UD5H
Intel i7 3770k 4.2GHz
32GB RAM Crucial Ballistix Elite (4x8)
2x Samsung 250GB SSD
1TB WD Black HDD @ 7200RPM 6Gb/s 64MB
Corsair H80i Liquid cooler
Noctua Silent Fans ~ 3x120mm ~ 1x140mm
Seasonic Platinum 760w PSU
Windows 7 Pro 64Bit.
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tuner
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Re: RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2010/04/15 15:25:34
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It seemed that Mackie was initially having trouble getting multiple cards to run together, so that aspect may be worth looking into. Since that's a less common application, it might explain why Mackie support was clueless.
Still, my problems with the Onyx drivers seem to confirm that they aren't well written. My audio periodically cuts out, and I have to jump through hoops to restart it. Specifically, I have to open the Mackie control panel, change the buffer size, close that window, reopen it, change buffer size back to where I wanted it, then sometimes go back to my DAW and start playback before the sound turns. Apparently any spike in DPC latency then kills the audio again.
Additionally, sometimes, upon starting the computer, I have to unplug and replug the FireWire cable before the Onyx driver will load.
I don't know if any of these "techniques" might be helpful in your situation...
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lavoll
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Re: RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2010/04/20 19:29:54
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getting the same problems as Tuner describes with a saffire 56. but i am soon getting an onyx 1640i to test out for myself :)
sonar x1b, win 7, 12gig ram, 6gb ssd, i7 Hexa Processor i7-970, lynx aurora
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jimmyrage
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Re: RE: Windows and Mackie Onyx mixers, weird driver fail fiasco
2010/04/20 21:49:38
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I have an onyx 1640 running pretty much problem free with Windows 7 . In the past I ran into several problems and can tell you a few things. The most important thing is that your fire controller card should use a TI chipset. One card that I used wouldn't even allow me to load the drivers ( blue screens ). Another thing is that Windows slowed the firewire speed with SP2 and didn't fix it with SP3. I rolled back the audio drivers to SP1 on my laptop.
As far as running multiple sound cards, Chef Mike already mentioned you can't use ASIO drivers. I've heard of some people using generic drivers like ASIO for all , but I don't know if they will work with multiple cards or not.
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