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FIXED! (-ish)ios and usb interface issue since moving to ios 15.5 on iphone 13 pro max
TL:DR
Should I update to ios 18.2 on iphone 13 max pro in hopes of fixing current usb audio interface issue?
The issue is: loopy and other apps do not run audio with the usb audio interface connected
no errors are displayed (aside from AUM below), but the audio either doesn’t start (garageband) or is jittery and breaks up, pausing the app (loopy and others)
The only app that actually displays an error message is AUM stating:”Audio engine not running. Perhaps you have an ongoing phone or video call? Or if you're using a magnetic case*, try without it! If not, try closing all background apps and restart AUM. (* There's an issue on modern devices with a motion co-processor since at least iOS 14.5, where external magnetism shuts down the audio system, not specific for AUM)”.
Full version
I’ve had a sad hiatus from ios music making for a year and a bit but decided to come back to it with a new (-ish) device (iphone 13 max pro) in hope of rekindling my love of music…
For context i used loopy along with other ios music apps (AUM + instruments like Magellan, Sunrizer, SampleTank etc) for almost 5 years successfully prior with the following set up
iphone 8
ios 14.7.1 (tested most recently)
apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter
edirol UA 4FX audio interface
a powered usb adapter to provide sufficient power to the audio interface
Since the issue with iphone 13 max pro on 15.5 I tried the above st up and voila, all works like a charm.No jittery audio, no pauses, audio runs smoothly and I can even connect my launchkey 49 with full midi control of above mentioned synths and apps.
Aside that, I also tested another iphone available to me today (iphone 7 running ios 15.7.1) and again had no issues…
Seems like it is ios 15.5 or iphone 13 max pro or both, so I’d really appreciate those experienced with newer systems to advise me whether it’s worth taking the risk and plunging into the only update I have available, i.e. 18.2 ?
In an ideal world, I’d try just going up to 15.7.1 (same as for working iphone 7 set up), but thanks to apple’s signed updates approach I can only stay on 15.5 or jump up all the way to 18.2, and hence the hesitance.
I don’t want to update and have the usb audio still broken…
Would very much appreciate anyones experience with 18.2 and a usb audio interface connected via powered usb hub and the apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.
Much thanks in advance and Happy 2025 to you all! Very nice to still see the community going 🥲
Comments
I would recommend contacting the tech support for your interface to find out about compatibility.
@espiegel123
Thank you very much for responding.
I explored that as well but UA 4FX was long discontinued before iphone 8 and ios 14.7.1 so to say I was lucky for having a working set up despite no longer supported audio interface prior to buying iphone 13 max pro.
How about using your audio interface through apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter on iOS 18.2 on your device?
Any issues or all apps and audio running smoothly?
I don't have that interface. So, I can't say how yours would fare. Largely, iOS 18.2 has been fine BUT be aware that with every iOS generation there are some legacy audio interfaces that may stop working due to changes in the class compliant driver.
Thanks again @espiegel123
Very much appreciate the support
Don’t worry about the UA4FX for now, but do you use a usb interface (any) through apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter on iOS 18?
If so, how’s the experience?
No jitters, audio drop outs?
And if so, could you please recommend the brand? Might as well spend a buck if it gets me stable audio so that i can get on with making music
iOS 18 is widely used. I’ve not heard of issues related to interfaces with it. You would see lots of reports here if there were such issues.
Hello Everybody!
TL:DR
A £7 non apple albeit apple MFI certified classic USB to lightning adapter (the one with USB female only and no lightning female port for additional charging whilst using usb) fixed my issues with the powered one (the one with the additional female lightning port), i.e. apple USB 3 camera adapter.
How? Well below’s the breakdown but no idea how or why, it just started working so I won’t complain as I saved myself £££ and the update to iOS 18 🥳🥳😅
Full story
I fixed it! Well, sort of… Motivated by espiegel123 (thx again for all the help) I decided to explore the options to update to latest iOS and/or buy another audio interface.
Took a tad long but during research of best audio interface upgrade I found some newer ones (like Tascam’s US-4x4HR and SERIES 208i) which describe the same issue.
Not sure if we’re allowed to post links here, but you can find very similar wording on tascam’s official webpage: “We have verified issues with certain iPhone models in which sound would drop while playing a file using an iPhone app with an Apple genuine Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. We have provided this information in detail to Apple and are currently waiting for a fix. However, we can confirm this issue does not happen when using an Apple genuine Lightning to USB (original model) camera adapter.”
Later listing this affects iPhone 12/13/13, iPhone SE (3rd generation).
“Aha!” I thought and went on to amazon a generic (although claimed to be apple MFI certified) USB to lightning adapter (the one with female USB port only, so no charging whilst USB’ing) for about £7. Thought what’s the worst that could happen, eh?
Well, it arrived today and I plugged the exactly same kit (list below) into the same iphone 13 max pro running good ol’ ios 15.5 and voila, no issues whatsoever 🤯 don’t ask me why, but confused I thought let me trouble shoot the USB 3 adapter with that ever so useful additional female lightning port for charging whilst USB’ing and… it worked as well 🤔🤣
So all in all, it seems that by working the generic amazon/ non-apple classic USB to lightning adapter with the below kit “something changed/black box quantum stuff lol” and now the apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter also works no probs with same kit… Go figure!
kit used as per original issue:
edirol UA 4FX audio interface a powered usb adapter to provide sufficient power to the audio interface
Final thoughts in case anyone gets into same / similar kerfuffle:
on legacy audio interfaces that may have stopped working due to changes in the class compliant driver.
Tots confused on this one as I don’t understand how the USB to lightning adapter could have fixed an issue with “changes in class compliant driver”?
I mean I used exactly the same edirol UA 4FX audio interface with the same iphone (13 max pro) on the same ios (15.5) and same powered usb hub/adapter. The only thing I changed was the apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, replaced with a generic, amazon and non-apple USB to lightning adapter (the one with just one input) and now both of them work fine with above 🤯 still blows my mind but perhaps if you’d find yourself with an older interface/ios/idevice considering buying new upgrading ios, perhaps try my simple trick above first? 😉
on iOS 18 being largely fine/ widely used. Tots, but be careful which interface you buy/ want to buy as per above. The above mentioned Tascam post is their ”Updated Information regarding iOS 18/iPadOS 18 compatibility”… so I’d expect similar issue to be present if I had updated to ios 18 whilst using only the apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter and or bought a newer audio interface, but one which a has same issues as ones reported to apple and verified by Tascam ( tots off topic, anyone remembers their iU2, which came with built in 30-pin apple dock connector hid in the cute little compartment underneath 🤣 it was so bad lol, but actually worked reasonably well for live looping on iphone 4s 🥺, ah the good ol’ days of ios 5…).