Audio popping issue

[Fiel_Tana]

Might have found a fix for some Mac users on this thread! Seems to have worked for me. (Edited to add: Using a 2020 M1 Macbook pro, Big Sur 11.6)

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...to-Mac-players

"Work around:
After a lot of fiddling I discovered a mitigation:
1) Launch "Audio MIDI Setup" (You can find it via Spotlight with Command Space and type Audio MIDI)
2) Select your output device on the left pane
3) Change the audio format for the device *if possible* (EG, this is not possible with HDMI sound out). I've had the following results:
- 44.1khz (default on most devices) - Produces horrendous static/popping in game
- 48khz - Sounds better, but still scratchy
- 88.2khz - Sounds fine at first, but eventually breaks down into static again. (within 30 minutes in my testing)
- 96khz - So far this holds up

Note: You must exit and re-launch the game for the changed setting to affect it."

Switching to 96Khz has worked for me but didn't work for someone else so ymmv, but it's worth a shot.

[Zwodrey]

Ok, this worked for me now. I changed the Audio MIDI Setup to 96 kHz from 44.1khz and the stuttering is gone.
Many thanks!

Might have found a fix for some Mac users on this thread! Seems to have worked for me. (Edited to add: Using a 2020 M1 Macbook pro, Big Sur 11.6)

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...to-Mac-players

"Work around:
After a lot of fiddling I discovered a mitigation:
1) Launch "Audio MIDI Setup" (You can find it via Spotlight with Command Space and type Audio MIDI)
2) Select your output device on the left pane
3) Change the audio format for the device *if possible* (EG, this is not possible with HDMI sound out). I've had the following results:
- 44.1khz (default on most devices) - Produces horrendous static/popping in game
- 48khz - Sounds better, but still scratchy
- 88.2khz - Sounds fine at first, but eventually breaks down into static again. (within 30 minutes in my testing)
- 96khz - So far this holds up

Note: You must exit and re-launch the game for the changed setting to affect it."

Switching to 96Khz has worked for me but didn't work for someone else so ymmv, but it's worth a shot.

[Vyy]

Might have found a fix for some Mac users on this thread! Seems to have worked for me. (Edited to add: Using a 2020 M1 Macbook pro, Big Sur 11.6)

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...to-Mac-players

"Work around:
After a lot of fiddling I discovered a mitigation:
1) Launch "Audio MIDI Setup" (You can find it via Spotlight with Command Space and type Audio MIDI)
2) Select your output device on the left pane
3) Change the audio format for the device *if possible* (EG, this is not possible with HDMI sound out). I've had the following results:
- 44.1khz (default on most devices) - Produces horrendous static/popping in game
- 48khz - Sounds better, but still scratchy
- 88.2khz - Sounds fine at first, but eventually breaks down into static again. (within 30 minutes in my testing)
- 96khz - So far this holds up

Note: You must exit and re-launch the game for the changed setting to affect it."

Switching to 96Khz has worked for me but didn't work for someone else so ymmv, but it's worth a shot.

I confirm its now fixed on both M1 iMac and iMac pro for now, but i also had to mute ambient, thanks a lot.

[Ashbury]

I hope this helps for our Mac brothers and sisters, I don't wish that awful audio popping on anyone.

[eforsyt2]

Might have found a fix for some Mac users on this thread! Seems to have worked for me. (Edited to add: Using a 2020 M1 Macbook pro, Big Sur 11.6)

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...to-Mac-players

"Work around:
After a lot of fiddling I discovered a mitigation:
1) Launch "Audio MIDI Setup" (You can find it via Spotlight with Command Space and type Audio MIDI)
2) Select your output device on the left pane
3) Change the audio format for the device *if possible* (EG, this is not possible with HDMI sound out). I've had the following results:
- 44.1khz (default on most devices) - Produces horrendous static/popping in game
- 48khz - Sounds better, but still scratchy
- 88.2khz - Sounds fine at first, but eventually breaks down into static again. (within 30 minutes in my testing)
- 96khz - So far this holds up

Note: You must exit and re-launch the game for the changed setting to affect it."

Switching to 96Khz has worked for me but didn't work for someone else so ymmv, but it's worth a shot.

I followed your instructions on the M1 MacMini 2020, putting it to 96khz definitely minimizes the problem but I'm still experiencing sound issues. Thanks for the help Fiel.

I downgraded my Mac OS to Big Sur, as the FFXIV website said it can support it, but not Monetery. No difference on my end, in case anybody had similar ideas.

[Scathan]

Anyone currently playing FFXIV on Apple Silicon and suffering from audio stuttering or framerate issues should visit this site: https://www.xivmac.com.

Their downloadable app will repackage the outdated, inefficient and unoptimized bottle that the macOS version of FFXIV ships out with from Square Enix with a newer, far more efficient and optimized bottle from the Crossweavers community that runs FFXIV flawlessly on Apple Silicon.

I personally experienced an increase in fps and the annoying audio stuttering is completely gone allowing me to once again enjoy my adventures in game.

[eforsyt2]

Anyone currently playing FFXIV on Apple Silicon and suffering from audio stuttering or framerate issues should visit this site: https://www.xivmac.com.

Their downloadable app will repackage the outdated, inefficient and unoptimized bottle that the macOS version of FFXIV ships out with from Square Enix with a newer, far more efficient and optimized bottle from the Crossweavers community that runs FFXIV flawlessly on Apple Silicon.

I personally experienced an increase in fps and the annoying audio stuttering is completely gone allowing me to once again enjoy my adventures in game.

Thanks for solving my problems. This is the way.

[Larirawiel]

Anyone currently playing FFXIV on Apple Silicon and suffering from audio stuttering or framerate issues should visit this site: https://www.xivmac.com.

The problem is, this tool may violate the terms of service if you enable some features of it. So i would not recommend it if the user does not know what he/she do.



Cheers

[Fiel_Tana]

The problem is, this tool may violate the terms of service if you enable some features of it. So i would not recommend it if the user does not know what he/she do.



Cheers

The problems came back again today even with the switching the audio format to 96Khz, so I'm looking for other alternatives.

Hypothetically speaking and umm... asking purely for educational purposes... for a friend... Which features should *not* be enabled, if someone were to try XIVMac for a playable game but does not want to break rules?

[Larirawiel]

The problems came back again today even with the switching the audio format to 96Khz, so I'm looking for other alternatives.

Hypothetically speaking and umm... asking purely for educational purposes... for a friend... Which features should *not* be enabled, if someone were to try XIVMac for a playable game but does not want to break rules?

Tell your *couch* friend *couch* that he should not use things that directly modify/spy the game or the game <-> server communication. I mean: no ACT and no custom launchers. DXVK should be OK because this is an API redirector and does not modify the game in any kind. But i have no clue how the sound fix works. Maybe it is also an API redirector but i do not know.



Cheers