I set up to perform my live show last night, with a 12v powered USB 3 interface plugged into my mac (most recent top spec 15" MBP). Connected was an Ableton Push2, Akai APC 40, Edirol USB MIDI interface & Roland SPD Drum pad. All of these devices were also powered individually.
I kept getting loss of connection with my midi devices mid rehearsal so i went into an electronic shop today to ask and they guy said its likely its because I’m using USB 3. He said its still quite buggy and a lot of devices don’t connect very well with the computer.
Is this true, has anyone else experienced this?
Perhaps I’m safer to use USB 2 if I’m going to be on stage?
Is it a hub you are using?
I find I get MIDI connection issues when I use a hub, so I tend to avoid, I’m sure there’s a powered hub that can be used, there has been a topic on this forum before about USB hubs, USB 3 shouldn’t be the issue, but that’s not to say it isn’t.
DFew questions:
Does your mac have one usb port?
All your devices are plugged on the hub?
I will recommend you (if you didn’t try already) to plug the soundcard straight onto your mac, usb 2 or 3 will doesn’t matter as i don’t think your soundcard have a usb3 plug).
As example My set up is a PC with 2 soundcard, running ableton suite and traktor (4 decksoften playing) all of that controlled by traktor x1 and F1 and abl push. The 2 soundcards are connected on usb 2 straight on the PC, and my controllers through a usb3 powered hub (on usb3 PC port) and I never had the beginning of an issue
I’ve edited a mapping I had for Launchpad, and having a problem now pretty much every gig. I have the LP in a USB 3, because I use a lot of LED feedback, and thought ‘hey I need more power’ The LP freezes and this in turn freezes the LED feedback to the controller, I unplug the LP USB cable, reconnect, it works again (controller back to norm too)
From doing homework, it seems the USB3 (PC) has issues with audio devices, I’m not done yet, I’ll get a good test done over the next few days, just to see if I can re-create the crash.
I’m also going to reduce the LED’s in use, see what effect that has.
I’ve got a D-Link DUB-H7 that I plug 2x X1mk2, 1x F1 and 2x CDJ-2000NXS into for controlling Traktor and I have no issues with dropouts, and I’ve remapped most of the X1 and CDJ controls with my own custom maps so it’s a mixture of HID, whatever NI use and MIDI, with plenty of LED’s going.
The X1’s and F1 are powered thru the hub so it’s got plenty of power available, I’ve even had a portable HDD running off it as well without issue.