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 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 with the issue you have. 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.

 

[Mark Richards]

@shredd, I cannot eliminate or return any of these two items. hopefully somebody has a better solution to this issue.

[Updated for more precision]
Hmmm. Crickets. Wonder where @vivid_tomatillo went? No feedback to the community after responding to shredd's initial post #2, so no idea if the subsequent responses helped solve the problem.

Not speaking for anyone else, but I would have found it helpful if @vivid_tomatillo had let us know how the Model 12 is configured for music production. I agree with @shredd, @-mjk- and @mixerizer that a sample rate mismatch is a likely possibility, but there could be other Model 12 configuration settings causing or contributing to the anomaly.

If the Model 12's configuration isn't the cause of the reported Mac/Safari/YouTube anomaly, that would have let us move on to rule out systematically other less common possibilities such as the ones that @shredd had mentioned, rather than play "20 guesses".

But since @vivid_tomatillo is MIA, our community will never know the outcome.

 

[vivid_tomatillo]

Hey everyone, thanks taking time and replying.

I didn’t have time to sit by the computer and check suggested options, if they help, I think I’ll try updating my device sample rate as suggested here and see if it’ll help.

As well I see some abbreviations which I don’t know for example: SOP, or MIA. I’m not sure if it’s a forum specific abbreviations, or it’s because English isn’t my native language.

SOP - my guess is meaning what is my main purpose of using M12? My main purpose is music production, I initially bought M12 because I wanted to do multitrack recording without a computer, just firing up the mixer and go. But of course I do multitrack recording in DAW (Ableton) too.

I’m not a huge tech nerd, but when I have an issue I figure it out with google, forums, youtube and I mostly handle with it. This one was very specific and that’s why I posted it here.

 

[shredd]

Sorry 'bout that - as a native English speaker, I'll vouch that the language (especially in casual use) uses a lot euphemisms, figures of speech, and acronyms (using a commonly-used phrase's initials). For being a non-native speaker, your English is actually quite good.
For example, "SOP" means "standard operating procedure", or the manner in which you typically carry out your efforts with your studio work-flow.

No one expects you to sit breathlessly by your computer awaiting responses. What IS tacitly expected is that you'll acknowledge the efforts of people who take time out of their personal lives to examine and address your inquiry - whether it helps or not, they've done you a favor. We are not professional tech support or affiliated with Tascam in any way. We do this in hopes of helping/guiding the newer/less experienced.
And also fully expected is for posters to fully detail their issue/s, and also the steps taken to resolve, and what the outcome/s are - so that FUTURE inquiries might be resolved by using the search function, rather than just blurt out an inquiry that's been made dozens of times!

Your specific issue - while confusing and surely frustrating - is almost certainly unrelated to your Model 12 - and almost certainly a result of the other factors/equipment issues suggested above. But - as mentioned - we're not tech support, nor responsible for solving your problem. I can say that in my limited experience, it's a first...