[SOLVED] Help! Zoom Livetrak USB Audio Interface with Ableton on MacOS

1984drum

New member
EDIT: This turned out to be an issue with MacOS Mojave / Catalina. The Privacy setting for the Microphone was not available. See the workaround on post #8 further down this thread.
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I get no input signal in Ableton from any of the tracks that are routed from my Zoom Livetrak L-20. Is there anyone who has successfully achieved this? If so, would you mind posting your setup tips as I have been struggling on this for several hours!

Other audio interfaces work fine for me in Ableton, but I do want to switch to the LiveTrak L-20 as it should provide me with more input tracks and other useful options for my audio production workflow.

Here's my setup and what I have tried so far:

- Using Ableton Live 10 Suite on MacOS Catalina 10.15.4.
- Hardware: Zoom Livetrak L-20 with the most recent firmware from Zoom (v1.14).
- Only one other USB device (a mouse) is attached to the iMac.
- Re-booted and reinstalled the Zoom L-20 drivers as per the manual.
- Tried both with and without the latest Zoom drivers, in and out of USB Class Compliant Mode. I always have the Audio Interface option switched on the back of the Zoom Livetrak.
- Tried all tracks and also just two tracks, with clear level signals lighting up on the Livetrak.
- The USB output works on the USB audio return tracks, and always has.
- In Ableton, all the correct inputs show up in the Audio configuration preferences when the Zoom Livetrak is turned on.
- I have never managed to see any signal coming in from the Zoom Livetrak through the correctly selected audio Ext. In inputs in Ableton.
- I can both see and hear the output of the tracks I want to record, but only out of the Livetrak hardware, not in Ableton.

Please help if you know what the solution is. I am currently suspecting it to be a MacOS / Zoom Driver issue. Perhaps it is an issue in Ableton.
Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
Hi,
It seems like it's supported and should work so I'd take Ableton out of the loop temporarily and test elsewhere.
Even if you just plug a microphone into input 1 and test in System Preferences, that should be enough to tell you the device is talking to the computer without issues.
Go to sys pref > sound > click input tab > select interfaces > then tap a mic that's plugged in to channel 1 with gain up.

If you see movement there your issue is most likely in Ableton.
Either way, let us know.
 
Thanks! Yes it is showing an input level in the Sound prefs (outside of Ableton) now when I follow your advice. The issue seems to be no sound output. I selected the internal speakers for sound output to avoid any conflict.
 
Ok, that's a start.
The visual meter tells you things are working.
You're not meant to hear any output in System Preferences so that's no problem but that tells you if you used Skype or FaceTime or something, the other side would hear you.

So Ableton is the issue, it seems.
I don't know Ableton software myself but maybe it's worth checking to see if you are up to date?

Catalina had some major changes and I know Ableton supports it. Give that a check and let us know.
 
Also, I should have asked, have you ever had audio input into Ableton from any hardware?
If you're new to Ableton and this is your first go it could just be something simple that isn't enabled or set up correctly.

I can't really advise as I don't know but if this is the case maybe there's a youtube initial setup tutorial, or their manual covers selecting I/O hardware and arming a track?
Some DAWs disable monitoring unless recording, for example.

Edit : Sorry - I just saw this. "Other audio interfaces work fine for me in Ableton"
 
Thanks for your help so far. It does indeed appear to be an issue with Ableton as I am unable to get sound into Ableton from the built-in mic. Looking into this further and will provide an update if I uncover anything more, or ideally fix the issue.

Other audio interfaces have worked fine for me in Ableton on this machine, but not with this version of MacOS or my current version of Ableton Live 10.
 
Update: Looks like the issue is with both MacOS Mojave and also the more recent MacOS Catalina which I am running. Apple Security & Privacy Settings > Privacy tab shows that no apps have requested access to the microphone, so I need to find a fix for this. Unfortunately it looks like the fix requires me and others in this situation to turn off System Integrity Protection in macOS. I'm not recommending this as it opens up security holes on your Mac. I'm going to give it a go and will post the outcome.
 
Solved: Nothing to do with LiveTrak or Ableton. It was a Privacy setting issue that affects MacOS Mojave and MacOS Catalina users. The solution is simple and safe but does require a restart of the Mac. Basically all that was required was a reset of the Parameter RAM or PRAM. By doing this, you reset the access granting modal window that pops up when you initially install apps. So now, when you open up any existing applications that require access to the Microphone, (which, on a Mac also means all methods of inputting sound via USB Audio Interfaces), you will get the OK or Deny Access option. This then adds the application (in my case, Ableton Live 10) to the allowed apps list in the System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone tab.

Here’s how to reset your PRAM in order to re-enable the microphone (audio input) use in the app that was causing a problem:

1) Shut down your machine. Yes, all the way down, not sleep or logging out.
2) Press the power button and then press command-option-p-r. You have to make sure you get those keys pressed before the gray screen comes up or it won’t work.
3) Hold those keys down until your Mac reboots again and you hear the startup chime.
4) Let go of the keys and let your Mac reboot normally.
5) Open the existing app that did not seem to allow any audio input.
6) Click Allow when the pop-up shows to allow microphone access.
7) FINALLY! Record audio in your chosen app.

:cursing: Hopefully that is helpful for others!
 
Ah, of course! I should have caught that.
Thanks for the detailed explanation.

There is another workaround if you ever find yourself in that boat again.
If you have an app that hasn't thrown up the accessibility prompt grab a fresh download of it and open that, just straight from the DMG or downloads folder or whatever.
MacOS will see it as new and give you the prompt, then you can delete it and carry on as normal.

Thanks again for the detailed update. :)
 
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