X299 Big Sur Support

[hughesyadaddy]

Few questions @pieropontra and @hughesyadaddy:
1. Any specific audio interface you guys are using that has crackling?
2. Does this also happen on a real mac on Big Sur 11.1+?
3. Any examples that causes it? I've tried my Scarlett 2i4 and haven't heard any issues though I've only tried HEVC videos and Apple Music so far.

Tried a front USB 3 port and a back USB 2 port. I remember some people had issues with audio popping with the Radeon VII but not sure if that's related or not. I also have a RX 580 that's different from you guys

View attachment 508748
View attachment 508747

1) No this issue occurs on both a set of Astro A50 Usb gaming headphones and my Razer Nommo Chroma desktop speakers with an external power source.
2) I'm not sure. But I have tried both iMacPro1,1 and MacPro7,1. Both have the exact same issue so I'm back to my iMapPro1,1 definition.
3) Everything from Youtube to the Spotify desktop app will cause this to happen if I give it enough time. If I run Xcode and compile my code onto my iPhone or test Android phone, it is almost guaranteed to happen. Additionally, if I adjust the volume rapidly on the my computer, it will also break out.

I even got this extra connector to give the headphones and speakers it's own address; however, it didn't solve it. It did make the crashes less frequent.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[pieropontra]

1) No this issue occurs on both a set of Astro A50 Usb gaming headphones and my Razer Nommo Chroma desktop speakers with an external power source.
2) I'm not sure. But I have tried both iMacPro1,1 and MacPro7,1. Both have the exact same issue so I'm back to my iMapPro1,1 definition.
3) Everything from Youtube to the Spotify desktop app will cause this to happen if I give it enough time. If I run Xcode and compile my code onto my iPhone or test Android phone, it is almost guaranteed to happen. Additionally, if I adjust the volume rapidly on the my computer, it will also break out.

I even got this extra connector to give the headphones and speakers it's own address; however, it didn't solve it. It did make the crashes less frequent.
View attachment 508856

Thanks,
Alex

@Lorengrin solved the mystery, it's radeon vii fault, probably its power draw or whatever, since the same system works ok with different card.

 

[djlild7hina]

@Lorengrin solved the mystery, it's radeon vii fault, probably its power draw or whatever, since the same system works ok with different card.

Yup looks like somethings up with AMD drivers for the VII. No issues on my RX 580.

 

[hughesyadaddy]

The only glaringly obvious thing here is that you're plugged into an internal hub.

This is why I was asking @pieropontra about which port it is plugged into - a lot of boards have a group of 2,4 or more ports connected to an internal hub - behind that bank of 4 ports there could actually be just a single USB port, as, in the case above HS05@14500000 - its just one port with multiple devices connected, I don't know what they are because the grey lines dissappear off the bottom of the screenshot.

Again, I don't know, but I strongly suspect power related, perhaps due to power regulation being applied to one port but having multiple devices attached. I know it only changed 11.1 but perhaps something changed under the hood for power delivery/regulation. Pretty sure real Macs all have a single ACPI port per physical port.

...and just a side note on the Allegro Pro, looks like that is supported in Windows? Happened to see that when looking at its product page to see its power features:

Allegro Pro Type A USB 3.2 Gen 2 - Sonnet

These are individually addressed as well - like we see in your first screenshot.

First screenshot
Controller address(Allegro Pro): 03000000
USB2.0 XCHI ACPI Port 03300000
Your Device: 03300000

Your device is on the same ACPI address as the port, which presumably regulates power delivery for the attached devices (just one).

Second screenshot
Controller address(XCHI internal X299): 14000000
USB2.0 XHCI ACPI Port HS05: 14500000
sub-address of internal hub port: 14510000
Your Device: 14510000

Now your device has a different ACPI address to the internal HS05 port which again presumably power delivery is regulated to that port and multiple devices may be sharing available power.

Thats why I wanted to see a full USBMap - It would at least tell us what's common here.

I've used two different gigabyte X299's both with internal USB hubs for all Type-A ports. I've seen it on some ASUS boards too. In fact this MSI X299 Pro I'm using now is the first one I've seen where every USB-A is on its own ACPI port number - like a real Mac. More annoying for overall port limit of 15, but I think avoids potential issues like this.

Honestly, I don't know if this is your problem, I'm not an expert, but that would certainly be my first point of investigation - Its why I suggested the Front Panel USB ports because most of the maps I've made have shown those internal USB3.0 headers to have dedicated ACPI addresses and not be attached to internal hubs.

So almost this whole motherboard is internal hubs as I've discovered. Below is what is going on my with my USB map. All of the rear ports are in an internal hub except the usb C which is why I use 255 in the maps for the internal connectors for both Intel and Asmedia. I attached my current USBPorts.kext. I have tried the front ports with limited success. This lowered the frequency of the crashes so I got a rear panel USB adapter for F_USB30_1 and used this; however, it didn't solve the issue as I had originally hoped. The only thing I will point out is, HS13 in my map is for my bluetooth M2_WIFI.

Here is the full USB Map in IOReg to help visualize how it is all connected.

Thanks for the help and I did see that on the product page of the Allegro card which is solely why I got it but am not having luck. I'm getting a new one sent to me to try but strange it works perfectly with Mac OS. Literally forced drivers and everything on Windows, but I'm getting error 43 can't start driver. I'm wondering if this is a conflict with the built in Asmedia cards. I've tried disabling all of them and restarted a million times. No word on any forums about that issue with the windows side but I spent 2 days investigating that. I will try with a new card and see.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[hughesyadaddy]

@pieropontra and @djlild7hina Thanks for the investigation!! U guys rock. Bad news but I will figure it out. There must be a way to stop the drivers from ****ing it up or is there a way to flash the Vega VII with the firmware Apple has for basically the identical card. I was reading that somewhere.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Lorengrin]

Yup looks like somethings up with AMD drivers for the VII. No issues on my RX 580.

If it is a problem with the Radeon VII drivers. Could you solve it using the Big Sur version 11.0.1 drivers?

 

[pieropontra]

@pieropontra and @djlild7hina Thanks for the investigation!! U guys rock. Bad news but I will figure it out. There must be a way to stop the drivers from ****ing it up or is there a way to flash the Vega VII with the firmware Apple has for basically the identical card. I was reading that somewhere.

Thanks,
Alex

Keep us updated, on the meantime I'll wait for M1X. Maybe I'll end up selling the VII and get a navi card, but right now prices are madness. I could sell the vii for 8/900 € but a used 5500 xt would cost me 350/400 €

 

[izo1]

1) No this issue occurs on both a set of Astro A50 Usb gaming headphones and my Razer Nommo Chroma desktop speakers with an external power source.
2) I'm not sure. But I have tried both iMacPro1,1 and MacPro7,1. Both have the exact same issue so I'm back to my iMapPro1,1 definition.
3) Everything from Youtube to the Spotify desktop app will cause this to happen if I give it enough time. If I run Xcode and compile my code onto my iPhone or test Android phone, it is almost guaranteed to happen. Additionally, if I adjust the volume rapidly on the my computer, it will also break out.

I even got this extra connector to give the headphones and speakers it's own address; however, it didn't solve it. It did make the crashes less frequent.
View attachment 508856

Thanks,
Alex

Honestly it's most likely your motherboard + gpu (one or both).

I had crackling audio issues with many other boards especially Gigabyte Designare EX and Prime Deluxe II and the issues went away with the SAGE10/G.

I understand its painful/pricey thing to swap the mobo or gpu but if you want to avoid some of these issues, this may be your only hope.

No guarantees that it will help tho.

My system in my signature is so rock solid, I actually just tried the Scarlett on this machine with USB C and no crackling issues. I also have 2 other DACs I use which work great, one is a lower end FIIO and another a Woo Audio WA7 (Not sure what chipset it uses, might be Wolfson) and no issues on those either. I have a very good ear in general and consider myself a mid-range audiophile, but I am no sound engineer, I'm a graphic design professional (film/motion design as well), but this machine has been making me money for over a year with no major issues. I consistently push it to its limits using 100% of the CPU and GPU as well as all the RAM all day long, which allow me to not miss any deadlines.

 

[pieropontra]

Honestly it's most likely your motherboard + gpu (one or both).

I had crackling audio issues with many other boards especially Gigabyte Designare EX and Prime Deluxe II and the issues went away with the SAGE10/G.

I understand its painful/pricey thing to swap the mobo or gpu but if you want to avoid some of these issues, this may be your only hope.

No guarantees that it will help tho.

My system in my signature is so rock solid, I actually just tried the Scarlett on this machine with USB C and no crackling issues. I also have 2 other DACs I use which work great, one is a lower end FIIO and another a Woo Audio WA7 (Not sure what chipset it uses, might be Wolfson) and no issues on those either. I have a very good ear in general and consider myself a mid-range audiophile, but I am no sound engineer, I'm a graphic design professional (film/motion design as well), but this machine has been making me money for over a year with no major issues. I consistently push it to its limits using 100% of the CPU and GPU as well as all the RAM all day long, which allow me to not miss any deadlines.

You also have a VII mate, but you got no problems with usb audio. To me, this seems to be a combined issue with some boards and VII, not the VII alone. This means one cannot be sure to solve by just swapping gpu. Right?

 

[izo1]

You also have a VII mate, but you got no problems with usb audio. To me, this seems to be a combined issue with some boards and VII, not the VII alone. This means one cannot be sure to solve by just swapping gpu. Right?

I had a Vega Frontier before the Radeon VII, and the Vega FE was on the Designare EX, then on the Prime Deluxe II and then the SAGE10/G. Both boards before SAGE10/G had crackling issues, but the SAGE fixed it for me. Then I got the Radeon VII.

It just tells me overall that it may be Mobo related, I don't know exactly WHY as I used to pull my hair out too at the time but learned to live with it.

Now I have literally zero issues, it's a stable beast of a computer. I do hate tinkering with it tho, I'm so over that part. And updating OC every month (not that you have to) or updating the OS is like rolling a dice every time, altho it usually works ok.

As usual I can't guarantee that a board swap will help you or anyone else, but if you match my system, what are the odds that you will have the same issue?

X299 boards are a hit and a miss, there may be some manufacturing issues with some of your boards, but from what ASUS told me, the WS (Workstation line) that SAGE series is part of, needs to pass more rigorous tests to be approved.

There is a SAGE/10G on Amazon warehouse for $308 right now someone should grab it.