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Just received: M2Tech Hiface USB interface


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Just bought a new M2 hiface. Using macbook and itunes. Downloaded driver to my laptop. My macbook will not recognize the M2 under preferences, sound. Just does not know it's there. I'm new to using laptop for high resolution music. Can you or someone help me get this thing set up so it works. Not sure what I might be doing wrong.

 

Thanks much.

 

Rob.

 

RLM

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Are you using Snow Leopard (10.6)? I'm using Snow Leopard on my first-generation Intel MacBook and the HiFace shows up both in Sound Preferences and Audio Midi Setup. Did you restart after installing the HiFace driver? I don't know if it mattered, but I restarted after installation with the HiFace plugged in.

 

It doesn't really help me much since the HiFace makes so much clicking and popping noise that it's not usable. I'm going to plug it in overnight for breaking in, but I can't actually listen to it until they fix their drivers.

 

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I'm running Intel Macbook/10.6 and used to get the ticks etc. Then I created a fresh user account, turned off all unnecessary apps and upgraded to the latest software version of Hiface. I would also suggest you check that you have sufficient free disk space of say >1Gb and RAM (I have 2.5Gb RAM). Now all is well.

 

Kamil

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After you have plugged in the Hiface go to AudioMidi settings and it should be listed in the left hand pane, after you select it as your output device go to system preferences, select Sound and the Hiface should be showing there as well.Once Hiface has been setup my Macbook recognizes it every time I plug it in, no need to set it up each time.

 

MBP>Chevron Audio Sabre UV player/Dac/Meridian Explorer dac>Chevron Audio Paradox Pre>Leema Hydra 2>Leema Xavier speakers.

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I am using Intel Macbook with 10.6.2 os, the clicks and pops are barely audible and are so intermittent it does not distract from the music, I have far worse vinyl.

 

MBP>Chevron Audio Sabre UV player/Dac/Meridian Explorer dac>Chevron Audio Paradox Pre>Leema Hydra 2>Leema Xavier speakers.

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Dear Kamil,

 

I'm also using an Intel Macbook with 10.6, 2Gb of RAM, and a hard drive with over 100 Gb of free space. I setup the computer as a dedicated music server by re-formatting the hard drive and did a fresh install of Snow Leopard. I'm currently running 10.6.2.

 

I disabled everything that I could think of on the software side (WiFi, bluetooth, and Spotlight are off, no extra software installed except Play). The only software running when I'm listening to music is either Play or iTunes. I get clicks and pops constantly.

 

What software have you disabled? Maybe I have some system processes running in the background that I could turn off.

 

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Where exactly do I find audio Midi. I switched to my wife's macbook pro since it has 10.6. My laptop only has 10.4 so I know mine won't work. I have selected the output and highlighted the M2 as the output device but I am not familiar with the audio midi. Thanks so far for all the help. I hope to get this running soon with the forum help. Pleas advise how I access the audio midi.

 

RLM

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Have you tried ASIO4ALL with the HiFace?

 

Too bad it doesn't just show up as a device that we could use with WASAPI.

 

I got my yesterday and think my Sterovox cable is bad as neither my 1616M or HiFace are working.

 

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@rooob

 

My experience is very different. The clicks and pops are highly distracting and very evident on my system. I don't find them to be as benign as what one would hear playing vinyl. To me they have a much more piercing quality, and the also sound more distorted.

 

I am not playing the HiFace through to my speakers until the issue is fixed because I don't want to risk any type of distorted signal damaging my speakers. I'm only going to run the HiFace on burn-in to the preamp until M2Tech fixes the problem.

 

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This is a strange one, I have been playing through mine for about three hours this afternoon and hardly detected any clicks and sound quality was excellent, maybe you have a duff sample.

A longshot but have you tried running the Mac off the battery just to eliminate any interference from the power pack?

 

MBP>Chevron Audio Sabre UV player/Dac/Meridian Explorer dac>Chevron Audio Paradox Pre>Leema Hydra 2>Leema Xavier speakers.

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Finally got the M2 up and working. I did not realize you must have 10.6 software to use their driver. My laptop uses 10.4. I am using my wife's newer macbook pro which came with 10.6 and it's working fine. No clicking, pops, nothing. I must say the hiface is impressive. I am running into an upgraded Uther DAC with the Anagram upgrade and it's a nice combo. Thanks to all posters who lent a hand, I thank you.

 

Best.

 

RLM

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@rooob

 

This thread contains reports from numerous users about the clicks and pops. My experience is typical, apparently, while yours appears to be anomalous. You do report hearing them (see above), but they don't seem to bother you as much as others.

 

In any event, the manufacturer is on record as acknowledging the problem, both in the forums and in e-mail to me prior to purchase. I do believe they will find a solution, but I think it's fair to share my experience with others who may not be as willing as I am to be an early adopter of a product that is not yet working smoothly for many users.

 

Your "booster" approach here does prompt me to ask: do you have an affiliation with or financial interest in M2Tech or the HiFace? I think that would be fair for us to know if so.

 

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I have no affiliation to M2 I was just trying to be helpful and post my findings, I hope you get yours sorted. I will not reply to your postings in the future.

 

MBP>Chevron Audio Sabre UV player/Dac/Meridian Explorer dac>Chevron Audio Paradox Pre>Leema Hydra 2>Leema Xavier speakers.

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I just got my unit yesterday. I have no affiliation with the manf whatsoever. I had trouble getting my unit up and working properly but not because of any pops or clicks, it simply would not recognize the M2 in my macbook. After switching to another laptop which contains 10.6 recent software it now works fine. I am using a rather new macbook pro though which has almost nothing loaded on it, so it is a "fresh" computer that was a gift to my wife for xmas. Looks like she's going to have to loan it to me temporarily until I get a software upgrade or the manf offers more drivers for the older operating systems. All that said, I would still admit this unit does a nice job but I would have preferred more info packaged with the unit regarding software, drivers, etc. Perhaps they can work on that issue and a few other things I noticed here on this forum.

 

 

 

RLM

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@rooob

 

Fair enough. I appreciate that your experience has been different than mine. Please respect that I am trying to accurately report what I'm going through for the benefit of M2Tech and others here.

 

Regarding the clicks and pops: I let the HiFace burn in overnight, and the clicks and pops are reduced. They are also more prevalent on some tracks vs. others and obviously more obtrusive on quieter material.

 

The apparent reduction with about 8 hours of burn-in is particularly troublesome to me. I would say the frequency of the clicking is reduced by 60-70% now. This seems to indicate that it's at least partially a hardware problem rather than strictly a driver issue.

 

I'm going to write to Marco at M2Tech. It may be that they are getting inconsistent quality in some of the components that they are using.

 

The sound is improving as well, opening up and doing a better job of resolving detail. The resolution is still not there yet, but I'll shoot for 100 hours of burn-in before I start to draw any serious conclusions.

 

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Actually, I'm not so sure about the reduction now. I'm listening to some songs that I listened to when I first got the HiFace, and there is more clicking and popping than on the tracks I listened to earlier this evening. It may still be less than what I was hearing out of the box, but maybe 20% less not 60%.

 

Sigh. Presumably M2Tech will resolve this.

 

The opening of the sound is real, however, so the break in is definitely helping on that front.

 

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I have a Hifaace with BNC on the way, will be using it in a Mac Mini with Snow Leopard but may test it also on my Mac Pro.

 

Have those of you using it to date, with obviously mixed results, followed the general guidelines for USB audio devices to keep it on it's own USB Bus? Using the system profiler, you can see your hardware heirarchy by selecting the USB class; this way you can see what's plugged into which bus hub. More than one USB connector and device may feed a USB bus, and they will contend for communication resources.

 

Now, for the Mac Mini, it's complicated a little bit by the fact that the IR receiver is hardwired to one bus, and bluetooth into another. OTOH, IR is not bi-directional, and is pretty low bandwidth- that might be the preferred bus on a Mini to use.

 

Past experience with aynch transfer USB by other posters indicates having a bus hub free of other devices from audio is the preferred route- I wonder if this has an impact on the Hiface clicking issue some experience, but not all?

 

Consolidating mice, keyboard, and other communication devices on one USB bus apart from the audio interface is probably a good idea- easier to do on the larger computers, though, like the Mac Pro which has four major USB Busses.

 

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I would indeed contact Marco at M2 tech. I emailed him the other day and he has responded twice now with some helpful info regarding getting mine up and running properly. In addition I mentioned what DAC I was using and he researched my Dac and its capabilities in order to help me out. I got an email from him last night and he indicated he would be gone until this coming Monday and would return emails then. Mine is running fine now as I mentioned but I would give Marco a chance to help you out. He seemed informed and well prepared to help me. Hope he can do the same for you.

 

RLM

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On the back of my Mac Mini I have the M2tech HiFace and the Amarra iLok key. Nothing else.

 

A couple of weeks ago I removed the iLok USB key - and the clicking remained. Will check again.

 

I would be nice to get some sort of formal statement as to whether this is a know problem with know fix - or whether I'm just one of a few especial individuals :-/

 

Still remain very impressed with the hiFace - its staying even if the vinyl experience is a little too realistic :)

 

Cheers

 

Richard

 

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