Hi all,
I hope you're having a great day!
We've released a new SoundID Reference beta version (v5.7.3) and we're looking for your feedback!
This beta version includes major updates to the macOS driver. Users of SoundID Reference on macOS are encouraged to participate in the beta testing.
What's new?
This new beta includes a complete macOS driver rework that has involved a significant development effort as we've been working on it for about 18 months now. The rework includes moving the SoundID Reference standalone app driver from the app itself onto the HAL driver format. This way the processing takes place in the HAL driver fully, resolving some permission conflicts and process priority, and improving overall stability.
These improvements aim to resolve various reported issues on macOS such as the unwarranted pop-up of the "Preset Switch Failed" error message as well as the driver losing connection after computer sleep/idle-time. For more information on the issues addressed, see our support guides below:
"Preset switch failed" error message
No sound or distorted output after computer sleep [MAC]
Climbing latency with occasional audio dropouts [MAC]
SoundID Reference installation stuck in a loop [MAC]
SoundID Reference driver not running on M-Series process [MAC]
Audio dropouts with SoundID Reference standalone app (clicks and pops)
"Error while loading the calibration profile" [MAC]
This is not an exclusive list of issues addressed.
Our development team has been working diligently on enhancing the stability of the software and to improve your experience with the product. We are aware of users affected by these issues and working on these macOS driver improvements has been a top priority for us. We hope these implemented changes will alleviate the inconveniences caused in your workflow and will make for a more comfortable user experience.
With this new beta, we have also introduced clock synchronization modes in the standalone app. In case the synchronization is not working properly, you might experience audial artifacts (such as clicks and pops). This selection allows you to switch between synchronization methods. You can find and select your preferred sync mode by going to the app's Preferences -> Audio -> find “Audio sync mode”.
User beta testing
We're looking for users to try out the new beta version of SoundID Reference and let us know your experience with these new updates. Public testing of the beta version is highly important for us as we want to ensure the stability of the product on various setups and involving third-party components that you may be utilizing in your setups and workflows.
How to install the SoundID Reference beta version 5.7.3
- Make sure to back up your speaker profiles: Where can I find my speaker profile?
- Fully uninstall the current SoundID Reference version you have installed: How to uninstall SoundID Reference? [MAC]
- Install the beta version following our guide here: SoundID Reference Beta software releases
Report your observations
Give the SoundID Reference standalone app a try for a while and observe the behavior. If you have encountered the “Preset Switch Failed” error or other macOS driver related issues, check whether these issues still persist with the latest beta.
Let us know the following in the comments or by submitting a support request:
- If problems encountered before are no longer present;
- If the problems persist on your machine, so we can review the issues closer;
- If you notice any new issues that have appeared with the beta. Include a description of the issue, any screenshots or screen recordings, and SoundID Reference software log files. See our guide for gathering log files: Locating the log files for SoundID Reference software
If you wish to revert to the previous version
- Make sure to back up your speaker profiles: Where can I find my speaker profile?
- Fully uninstall the current SoundID Reference version you have installed: How to uninstall SoundID Reference? [MAC]
- Download and run the SoundID Reference installer, proceed with the installation (by default, the latest public version (v5.7.2) will be installed).
We would be grateful for your time in trying out this new beta and letting us know about your experience with it. Your feedback will be shared with our development team.
Let us know if you have any questions or comments on the new SoundID Reference beta version, we really look forward to your feedback. Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Zane from Sonarworks Team
27 comments
Hi all,
After a three-month Beta run, the new macOS audio driver has finally been released in a full software update: version 5.7.3.17, download here. More info in a new thread here: SoundID Reference 5.7.3.17 update: new macOS audio driver
Important for Beta testers of previous 5.7.3 versions!
If you have previously installed any 5.7.3 Beta version (5.7.3.1, or 5.7.3.6, or 5.7.3.13), the "Update available" notification is not going to show up. To make sure the new 5.7.3.17 update is installed, download and install here.
To double-check the currently installed version, go to Preferences > License & version info, NOT "Check for updates". Let us know if you are experiencing any issues with the update in this community thread, or submit a support request.
Many thanks for all the Beta testing effort, your help has been invaluable!
Hi,
I'm trying to download the online installer, but it only takes me to the download page for the regulard installer.Where can I find the correct installed?
Good lord typos abound. But you get the basic message...
Ok nevermind, I found the beta within the regular installer that downloaded - the file had the same name as the regular installer, so it was not clear this one had the option of selecting the beta.
First feedback note - the calibration enable/disable toggle button in the desktop application does not seem to be working.
Hi @danielkhim,
Thanks for participating in the testing of the beta! :)
As for the calibration enable/disable toggle - does the button itself seem to be not working or is there no difference noticed when enabling/disabling the calibration?
Just in case, I recommend deleting the systemwide app's config file as this will reset the app to its default settings: Deleting the config file in SoundID Reference standalone app
After that relaunch the app and check whether the issue persists.
Let me know how it goes!
There was no difference in sound. But now I'm not getting any audio anymore - SoundID Reference had some kind of error message (unfortunately I didn't get a snapshot), and there is now no sound. I tried deleting the config file, but no luck.
I should mention my setup - I am on a 2020 M1 Mac Mini, with a Tascam Model 12. Also, I tried reinstalling the standalone app, but still no sound.
FWIW, the plug-in seems to be running fine still when I use it in Logic.
Hi @danielkhim,
Thanks for your reply!
Could you please take a look at our support guide regarding some tips for no sound/no calibration issues here: No sound / no calibration effect [MAC]? Quite often SoundID Reference turns out to be muted in Sound settings, thus no audio is heard.
Let me know how it goes!
Best regards,
Zane
Quick addition to this post - you'll find some more details on the new clock sync modes in this article: Audio sync modes in the standalone app [MAC]
Oh interesting, looks like it was the mute in System Preferences. On that note, I had no idea the Mac system audio controls actually affected the SoundID Reference (usually they are disabled when using a non-system audio output) - is that new, or did they always work? I guess I must have accidentally hit mute on my keyboard then without realizing the actually worked for SoundID.
Also, turns out the calibration enable/disable toggle was actually working after all. The calibration for my room ends up needing to cut 10dB because of a huge low end bump; toggling in previous versions would also result in huge jumps in volume, so when I initially was toggling the button in the beta I thought it wasn't working because I was expecting that jump. I just realized after trying the button again at a higher level, the output indeed is changing, but the level just stays the same now. Is this also a new change for the beta??
So far im liking the direction that you are going, there seems to be more stability over all however these are the bugs ive encountered so far testing 5.7.3
Im running an M1 Macbook Pro 2021 Ventura 13.3.1 for reference
Low buffers that worked before don’t seem to work, even with calibration off (clicks. Pops, glitches @ 32-96 samples ) tested sample rates 44.1k - 96k
Latency seems to climb to 70+ ms regardless of sample rate or sample buffer sizes
these bugs seem to cause Streaming Videos such as YouTube to freeze unexpectedly and sound will drop out they will come back after a pausing and pressing play again sometimes (started instantly after installation and continued after a restart)
Restart playback engine button doesnt seem to be working as expected
will follow up with anymore observations :)
Hi,
@danielkhim - Alright, glad to know that Mute was the culprit, everything should be working well then :) It has been possible to adjust SoundID Reference in the MIDI/Audio control settings previously as well.
If you're switching the calibration toggle in the app between enabled/disabled, there should not be any volume jumps. Some volume jump may happen if you fully quit the SoundID Reference or change between your system output devices. If you do notice the issue you've described occurring again, please let me know and we'll look further into it. Thank you!
@Danton Laroche - Thank you for trying out the beta, we really appreciate it! Sorry to hear some issues are present though. We have added a new feature in the standalone app - audio sync modes. Could you please try all of the sync modes and also adjust your buffer size and sample rate settings to see if the performance is improved with any of the modes? Perhaps you also notice a specific setting that is causing the issue. See our support guide on this feature here: Audio sync modes in the standalone app [MAC] Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Zane
Gotcha. In past versions the volume would jump, so I'm not sure if I had installed or set something up incorrectly. Anyways, the latest thing I'm running into is the error "CoreAudio driver went missing", which then asks me to restart CoreAudio. I haven't determined yet if there's anything causing this consistently, but for now it seems at random. If I have Logic Pro or Pro Tools open, they both get super unhappy, and I have to restart the programs after the driver is reloaded.
Thanks for the response :)
One thing I’m disappointed about is, it seems that you can no longer use sound id as a stereo loopback as the output previously could be used as inputs in my daw which was one of my favourite features of it but now it seems to only pick up my MacBooks mono mic as the input
When I’m just using my M1 MacBook Pro with or without headphones …. Internal I/O sync and Aggregate I/O sync both result in similar behaviours where sound may play for a few second and then completely stops often causing videos to freeze completely needing to refresh the webpage to start again ( this is what I previously was talking about )
with the modes enabled after making sure SoundID Reference was the output I switched sample rates and buffer sizes periodically checking it was still the selected output… even with multiple restarts, deleting and recreating new output devices in standalone just to double check! Still with no solution (tested in all MacBook, Headphones and Apollo Twin X output devices )
No sync and Rate driven sync seem to work quite well on MacBook and Headphones but still lower buffers sizes below 128 still don’t work without major glitches, pops and clicks
Aggregate I/O sync, No sync and Rate driven sync works when using my Apollo Twin X albeit with a seemingly more buggy experience
Ill come back with more info as needed :)
Hi,
@danielkhim - Thanks for the update! I'd like to check on this error further, I will open a support request on your behalf.
@Danton Laroche - Thanks for these details! I will open a support request on your behalf as well to check further on this.
Hello. Mac user. 12.6.1 MOnterey
Still getting these issues with Beta
"Preset switch failed" error message
No sound or distorted output after computer sleep [MAC]
"Error while loading the calibration profile" [MAC]
Hi Christoph Maitland, thanks for trying out the beta, although I am sorry to hear that some issues persist!
Can you please try deleting the config file for the standalone app to see if that makes any difference with the issues mentioned? See our guide here: Deleting the config file in SoundID Reference standalone app
Let me know how that goes!
Best regards,
Zane
Ok. Just tried it. Will monitor over the coming days. Thank you!!
Just installed the new software, definitely seeing improvements around waking up from sleep.
A question - it looks like the stereo input from the virtual audio driver is missing? In the previous (stable) version this was returning the signal pre-calibration, allowing me to use the input for audio monitoring (levels, phase coherence, etc). Is this something that won't be returning in the new driver?
Hi, looks like the "Preset switch failed" error message happened again randomly (first time in a while) - just sent over the log to the ticket I had open before (#149275).
Heads up, we've released a new 5.7.3.13 Beta update! As always, the new Beta is available in the installer, download here.
This is likely the final Beta update before the full update release of the new driver, so it would be great to get some feedback on it. Many thanks!
Looks like the Latency value isn't correct and doesn't update when changing the filter type.
The audio output seems to be less than half the volume as I used to get before installing the Beta version. I have my headphones connected directly to the Mac headphones out and Spotify playing music everything (system, spotify, Sound ID) on full volume and it sounds at about 1/4 volume of what I expect. Going to uninstall and revert back to the non-beta version.
Jasper thanks for jumping in!
That's something we'll definitely want to look into. I've created a support request on your behalf, and we'll get back to you on Monday.
Is anyone else seeing any suspicious behavior? Thank you!
Version 5.7.3 (5.7.3.17)
macOS Catalina 10.15.7
Recent update now causing streaming clips on YouTube to flicker and freeze. As soon as I terminate SoundID Reference the clip and audio is fine and continues directly through my RME Fireface UFX. This is repeatable and I've experienced this years ago so you've seemingly brought it back from the dead!
Also, the 'Enable debug mode' radio button doesn't move from the 'off' position.
The 'Check for updates...' option doesn't do anything from the top menu icon, but it does work directly from the application menu.
I have resolved the issue myself!
I trashed both your apps in my Applications fodder, emptied my trash bin, powered off/on my audio interface & my iMac. It now boots quicker and loads my apps faster for ready to use.
Most importantly, 'coreaudiod' is now not using 100% of my CPU, and your process ''SonarworksASPProxy'' has also disappeared from second place. My Mac is back; quicker and quiter.
Ergo, please resolve the issues with your software and/or drivers.
Thank you