Art Tube MP preamp not recognized by Mac

travis0017

New member
Hi, first post here.

I've literally scoured the internet for hours trying to troubleshoot this with not luck, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to help.

I'm running 10.11.6 (cannot update further without buying a new computer).

I have the Art Tube preamp project series with USB: Guess I'm not allowed to post links here yet.

The website only offers a driver for PC and I'm not seeing any software updates when i have the preamp plugged in.

I can get it to work by using the 1/4" out with a converter to the tiny mic input on the back of my iMac, but I assume there is some degradation with this method? I have a little bit of what sounds like a radio transmission i can always hear in the background, so thought getting the USB connection working might help.

Am I just out of luck? Is this preamp basically junk?

Appreciate ANY help. Thanks for reading!
 
Macs usually don't need a driver if the unit is class compliant. Have you actually checked to see if your audio software recognises it?
 
Art claim it's class-compliant so that's right, there is no driver required for Windows or for MacOS.

You're right that using it as an analog preamp and running into the 1/4" on the computer isn't going to be as good. It's better to get USB working, if possible.

When you plug it in and go to Audio/Midi setup (Utilities), is the device listed?
If not, is it listed under System Profiler?
 
On page *5* of Google search results I found a *13* year old post and it says that since this device is output only (unidirectional), it's not really an input/output device and so will not show up in any dropdown that is trying to pick one of those, i.e., even though they appear to allow selection of different devices for input or output, you don't get on that list if you don't have both. So, your only solution would be to create an aggregate device, where it is apparently allowed (I remember doing that with a Roland amp that had USB), so you could then configure the aggregate device in your DAW and pick the input assigned to the ART that way. Output would have to go to a real output device.

It's USB 1.1 and 13 years old. I'm sure there's a better solution out there, though you may have to be careful with OS X version compatibility.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies!

To answer the first few questions, yes, I all input settings in both the OS and through Garageband. Basically, my only options were the internal mic, tiny 3.5mm input, and "system setting."

Keith,

I searched a bunch of similar products and most don't have Mac drivers. I did find/download a Zoom preamp driver, but I still didn't see it in the input options.

Does it sounds like a need to bite the bullet and buy another preamp? Not sure why they call it class compliant if it isn't recognized on 2 diff machines.

My per use cost of all these things is astronomical. Ha, sure you all know that well. I was just hoping not to buy another new thing I use for 2-3 recording sessions.

If that's the case, does anyone recommend a small (preferably 2 channel) preamp that works with Macs and will hopefully last more than a couple years before obsolescence? Considering I'm not trying to be pro and only get a few uses out of these things, would be nice to be around $100 or less :D.
 
If it doesn't show up in Audio/Midi setup then it's broken or not class compliant. Even if it's an input-only device, it should show up as such.

If you're shopping around for something newer search for 'audio interface' rather than 'preamp'.
'Preamp' is generally going to get you an audio in/audio out device. An audio interface is going to have the data conversion and port - USB/Thunderbolt/whatever.

I grabbed a used gen 2 focusrite 2i2 a few weeks ago for very little, just for convenience. It *is* class compliant so literally just plugged it in and selected it.
No panels, no software, no options...Just plug it in.
Two mic/line/inst inputs, two speaker outputs, and a headphone output with control.
 
If it doesn't show up in Audio/Midi setup then it's broken or not class compliant. Even if it's an input-only device, it should show up as such.

If you're shopping around for something newer search for 'audio interface' rather than 'preamp'.
'Preamp' is generally going to get you an audio in/audio out device. An audio interface is going to have the data conversion and port - USB/Thunderbolt/whatever.

I grabbed a used gen 2 focusrite 2i2 a few weeks ago for very little, just for convenience. It *is* class compliant so literally just plugged it in and selected it.
No panels, no software, no options...Just plug it in.
Two mic/line/inst inputs, two speaker outputs, and a headphone output with control.
Well, I don't have the amp anymore to confirm the behavior but the business about it not showing up except in the Aggregate Device list options sort of rang a bell. I'd be curious if OP can confirm it's not there in that screen.

Yes, there are some older options around. Presonus Audiobox is another one that is pretty regularly in the local Craigslist.
 
Some some software might not list it but Audio/Midi set up definitely should.
Maudio Fast Track Pro does that - Without drivers it's two devices. One 2in/0out, and one 0in/2out.

Plenty of usb microphones are input only and show up no problem^.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies!

To answer the first few questions, yes, I all input settings in both the OS and through Garageband. Basically, my only options were the internal mic, tiny 3.5mm input, and "system setting."

Keith,

I searched a bunch of similar products and most don't have Mac drivers. I did find/download a Zoom preamp driver, but I still didn't see it in the input options.

Does it sounds like a need to bite the bullet and buy another preamp? Not sure why they call it class compliant if it isn't recognized on 2 diff machines.

My per use cost of all these things is astronomical. Ha, sure you all know that well. I was just hoping not to buy another new thing I use for 2-3 recording sessions.

If that's the case, does anyone recommend a small (preferably 2 channel) preamp that works with Macs and will hopefully last more than a couple years before obsolescence? Considering I'm not trying to be pro and only get a few uses out of these things, would be nice to be around $100 or less :D.
Please try the steps to create an Aggregate device and let us know if it shows up in the screen in Audio/Midi setup (find that in Launchpad) after you click the + to add an Aggregate device.

Screen Shot 2020-05-06 at 6.11.46 AM.png Screen Shot 2020-05-06 at 6.12.03 AM.png
Combine multiple audio interfaces by creating an Aggregate Device - Apple Support

I think your device is designed first to be a preamp and feed a signal into an audio interface. Some marketing person convinced them they needed to add USB to the features and so they did as cheaply as they could, and making it useful, at least on OSX, never really was a requirement. (Based on the fact that the 5 pages of Google search results were 99% dealer listings I'd say it practically never got used that way, either.)

If it doesn't show up in the Aggregate screen then as [MENTION=43272]Steenamaroo[/MENTION] says, something is broken. (Try another USB cable?)
 
Some some software might not list it but Audio/Midi set up definitely should.
Maudio Fast Track Pro does that - Without drivers it's two devices. One 2in/0out, and one 0in/2out.

Plenty of usb microphones are input only and show up no problem^.
Having heeded the advice here, I've never had a USB microphone :).

But, you are right. It just occurred to me that the Built-in Input and Built-in Output devices are uni-directional, and they show up in Audio/Midi as well as (the newer) GarageBand options.
 
Having heeded the advice here, I've never had a USB microphone :).

But, you are right. It just occurred to me that the Built-in Input and Built-in Output devices are uni-directional, and they show up in Audio/Midi as well as (the newer) GarageBand options.

Heh, I was going to say, when I saw your screen shot ^.
Still, though, there's no harm in double checking.
+1 to trying another USB cable, too. :)
 
I followed the instructions and as I understand your post, I should see something within the audio devices window that recognizes the preamp plugged into the USB?

As you can see from the screenshot, nothing shows. So maybe I am out of luck unless I missed a step.

Again, thanks for the help.

Screen Shot 2020-05-06 at 9.45.31 PM.png
 
I followed the instructions and as I understand your post, I should see something within the audio devices window that recognizes the preamp plugged into the USB?

As you can see from the screenshot, nothing shows. So maybe I am out of luck unless I missed a step.

Again, thanks for the help.
If it's plugged in and you've ruled out a cable problem (by using that cable with a different interface or using another, known-functional cable) then my conclusion is that either that device is broken or it's simply not supported by Core Audio.
 
Thanks everyone for the help. I definitely learned some new things...mostly that I need to get a new interface!

Have a good weekend.
 
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