Audio playback slowed and pitched down on Mac Mini because of Model 12

[vivid_tomatillo]

Hello,

I have a very weird issue: my Mac Mini M4 (24gb, 1tb ssd) started to slow and pitch down the audio that is playing in Safari browser. It's not permanent, this happens during the day at some point, I'm not sure at what point and what is causing it. It affects the video audio as well, for example when I'm watching something on Youtube, video graphic plays normally, but the audio is slowed down and there's no lip sync, voice gets pitched down and slowed.

It doesn't affect finder, when I play something in mac's finder it plays normally, so that's why I assume it's affecting only safari.

When I switch audio device to Mac mini's default speaker audio playback goes back to normal state (in safari), there's no pitch down, audio plays in sync with video.

What can be the issue?

I have recorded a video to showcase the problem. The track playing in the beginning is in reality 130 BPM, but it plays maybe in 110-115. Later listen to Joe Rogan and Ilia's voice, their voice is pitched down quite a bit: https://youtu.be/Sh93dNLBdk0

my devices:
Tascam Model 12
software ver: 1.20 0016
firmware ver: 1.42 0099
samp. rate: 44.1 khz

Mac Mini M4 (2024)
24GB Ram, 1TB SSD

 

[shredd]

I’m no rocket surgeon (or Tascam tech) and I wouldn’t own a ModelXX at gunpoint.

But it sounds to me like your devices won’t “play nice” together, specifically this one computer.
Your description suggests it might be the browser, the computer’s sound drivers, or even the puter’s sound device.

If I were me:
I’d try a completely different puter to try & reproduce the problem (or eliminate the original puter as the cause).

Good luck!

 

[vivid_tomatillo]

@shredd, thanks for your reply. to be honest it's something I didn't want to hear, because I cannot eliminate or return any of these two items. hopefully somebody has a better solution to this issue.

 

[Mark Richards]

Audio playback slowed and pitched down on Mac Mini because of Model 12

my Mac Mini M4 (24gb, 1tb ssd) started to slow and pitch down the audio that is playing in Safari browser...
...It affects the video audio as well, for example when I'm watching something on Youtube...

...when I play something in mac's finder it plays normally...

...When I switch audio device to Mac mini's default speaker audio playback goes back to normal state...

@vivid_tomatillo, for those of us who don't use any of the Model series mixers, perhaps you could start at the beginning by telling us your objective/purpose/SOP for using the Model 12.

I couldn't open the youtube link. RIght now I'm not understanding the connection/use of the Model 12 for audio engineering/production/D.A.W. interface. Having that understanding first may help us get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[mixerizer]

Roughly 10% difference in tempo (130bpm / 115bpm) sounds like it could be a difference in sample rate (eg 48k vs 44.1k) when u use the Mac and Tascam on certain apps and content. I would take a look at it and be sure your sample rate is consistent between all devices and apps.

 

[shredd]

@shredd, thanks for your reply. to be honest it's something I didn't want to hear, because I cannot eliminate or return any of these two items. hopefully somebody has a better solution to this issue.

Sorry - I have a tendency for blunt-ness, which in a written/forum context can sound pretty mean.
But it's at least worth exploring (borrow a friend's laptop, whut-eva?).

Roughly 10% difference in tempo (130bpm / 115bpm) sounds like it could be a difference in sample rate (eg 48k vs 44.1k) when u use the Mac and Tascam on certain apps and content. I would take a look at it and be sure your sample rate is consistent between all devices and apps.

As @mixerizer mentioned: this is actually more common than you think.
AND: I've actually had different devices reckon time differently enough to not match. There's a thread somewhere here about it, but the short version is that I had several recording devices - BOSS's and Tascam's - that could not keep time the same, so when I'd export a track recorded on one device and import to another (with trax already recorded at the same BPM setting) - the same BPM was actually different time, so none of the trax "lined up".
It was a colossal butt-ache, but was never resolved - other than to learn to record multi-track projects on the same device when possible!

Good luck -

PS: do try to provide @Mark Richards as thorough a set of details as possible...mebbe he can come up with something that would help you. He's the smartest guy here by an order of magnitude!!!

 

[-mjk-]

There is no word-clock leader between all of these devices and sometimes these mis-matches do occur. On my Windows machine I had to manually configure every device that uses my external audio devices, conform to 24/48k because some devices would start up in 24/44.1k and that would wreak havoc on the audio. I know that the Mac works with class-compliant devices natively without ASIO drivers but my guess is that the outboard gear is trying to do something that is not being communicated to the Mac.