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MacBook pro audio channels

Buying or building computers for Hauptwerk, recommendations, troubleshooting computer hardware issues.
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Jisito

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MacBook pro audio channels

PostSun Nov 27, 2022 1:40 am

My MacBook Pro 2019 has only two audio output channels. Is there any way to create a surround setup with two front and two rear speakers?
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mdyde

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostSun Nov 27, 2022 4:32 am

Hello Jisito,

For that you would need a dedicated (semi-professional/professional) audio interface. Most connect via USB 2.0, but some of the more expensive ones can also use Thunderbolt.

Have a look at the "Audio interfaces" section in the Prerequisites document that's linked near the top-right of this page for some background information and links to manufacturers that are popular amongst Hauptwerk users:

https://www.hauptwerk.com/requirements/

Many audio interfaces also include MIDI ports and headphones outputs (both of which may be useful for Hauptwerk purposes), and most also include mic./line inputs (which aren't needed for Hauptwerk, but don't hurt). An audio interface's number of analogue line output connections determines how many amplifier/speaker channels you can drive from it.

[I'll move this topic into the "Audio/MIDI interfacing" section, since that's the section that has discussions on audio interfaces.]
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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tf11972

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostSun Nov 27, 2022 11:12 am

As an addition to Martin‘s answer: you need an interface with an own power supply, bus-powered ones are often causing problems with Hauptwerk.
Best regards
Thomas

Forestpipes - Virtual Pipe Organs
https://forestpipes.de
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Jisito

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostMon Nov 28, 2022 1:34 pm

Hello Martin,

I have used the Motu M4 USB audio interface and followed all the steps prescribed by the HW5 User Guide on pages 176-179 (example 2).

I thought that with my MacBook Pro I could put surround sound with two pairs of speakers, but I see that it is not possible: audio output channels 1 and 2 of the M4 produce sound, but channels 3 and 4 do not, because the corresponding input channels do not receive signal from the Mac.

I asked you if you knew of any apps or tricks to duplicate the MacBook's audio output channels, but I suspect that's impossible.

Thanks anyway.
Jisito
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mdyde

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostMon Nov 28, 2022 2:59 pm

Hello Jisito,

Jisito wrote:I asked you if you knew of any apps or tricks to duplicate the MacBook's audio output channels, but I suspect that's impossible.


Do you mean that you also raised a support ticket via the main Hauptwerk website? If so, Francois handles that (rather than me), so he may get back to you separately, if he hasn't already, otherwise I'll email him to let him know about this forum thread if you didn't mention it in your support ticket. His Internet connection failed yesterday, and an engineer is due to repair it today, so he might still be off-line at the moment.

Jisito wrote:I have used the Motu M4 USB audio interface and followed all the steps prescribed by the HW5 User Guide on pages 176-179 (example 2).

I thought that with my MacBook Pro I could put surround sound with two pairs of speakers, but I see that it is not possible: audio output channels 1 and 2 of the M4 produce sound, but channels 3 and 4 do not, because the corresponding input channels do not receive signal from the Mac.


I don't have direct experience with a MOTU M4 myself, but based on a brief look at its specs. and manual:

https://motu.com/en-us/products/m-series/m4/specs/
https://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/usb-c ... _Guide.pdf

... MOTU do appear to say that its "LINE OUT 3/4" analogue output sockets are independent from its "LINE OUT 1/2" sockets, by which I would assume that they mean that you should be able to route audio to the LINE OUT 3/4 sockets independently of any audio that you may be routing to the LINE OUT 1/2 sockets. Here's the excerpt from page 8 in its user guide:

MONITOR 1/2, LINE OUT 3/4: "Connect these balanced, DC-coupled quarter-inch outputs to your studio speakers, PA or other desired audio destination. They can also accept an unbalanced plug. Each output pair is independent and can be found as separate output pairs in your host software."

Just as a test (and assuming that you still have your audio settings configured as described in that "example 2" section in the main Hauptwerk v5 user guide), try the following:

- In Hauptwerk, load St. Anne's.

- Go to the "General settings | Audio mixer" screen.

- Highlight master mix bus 5 ("... Perspctv mix: outp persp 1 (front 1/main)").

- Temporarily set its "Audio output device channels: Channels" setting to "<none>".

- Click on some some virtual stops to turn them on..

- Click on some virtual keys for the stops' division, and verify that you now hear nothing at all (given that no output device channels are selected for that mixer bus).

- Still for that same bus on the mixer, now set the "Audio output device channels: Channels" setting to be 3/4 (which I would assume would be your M4's LINE OUT 3/4 analogue output sockets.

Do you then hear sound from the stops through your monitor speaker pair which are connected to the LINE OUT 3/4 sockets?
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Jisito

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostTue Nov 29, 2022 3:10 pm

Hello Martin,

Finally I managed to install surround sound with front and rear speakers. I had misimplemented the last phase, which has to do with "Organ settings | Rank voicing and surround/3D/perspective panning". Once my mistakes were corrected, everything has worked perfectly.

Thank you very much for your advice and patience.

Best regards,
Jisito
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mdyde

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Re: MacBook pro audio channels

PostTue Nov 29, 2022 3:17 pm

Excellent. Thanks, Jisito. You're very welcome.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.

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