Kernel Panic With GarageBand and Yamaha M7CL

[manyproblems]

Hi all!

To record our main service, we're running an XLR to 1/8 Cable from one of the Onmni Outs of the M7CL to the line in on a 2011 iMac. We've been recording the music and sermons in Garageband, but have been experiencing kernel panics an alarming number of times. Some services it will record fine, and others it will freeze up (causing us to lose anything recorded to that point.) Apple's technicians refuse to acknowledge anything is wrong with the Mac side of things- they seem to think the problem is either with the signal or the board.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? Could it be a problem with the digital/analog signals? Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Ben

[tropicalfish]

Since you're recording with a XLR to 1/8" cable, the signal is probably an analog one. I don't think it'll cause any problems unless you're sending a signal so hot you might be damaging the sound card. But that's only likely if your recordings came out horribly distorted. If not, I highly doubt the sound board would be causing issues... :/
If you really want to show Apple, get a cheap laptop and record to that using Audacity or something.

[manyproblems]

Thanks for the quick reply! The recordings don't seem distorted, and the input level meter isn't off the charts by any means. The output on the board is labeled +4dBu -- could that be adversely affecting the levels?

[cmchamp]

I doubt it's the Yamaha.

How's the XLR -> 1/8" cable terminated?

Do you have the OS Install or recover disc? If so, have you run AHT (Apple Hardware Test)?

I suspect it may be issues with ground and cable termination between the two machines. We record to an iMac all the time with no issues.

[pdc]

The line in on the Apple is not +4. The line in is stereo. If you are using an XLR to TRS that is wired like a balanced cable, tip to pin2, ring to pin3, sleeve to pin1, then you will have a problem. Pin2 should be split to tip and ring.

[tropicalfish]

The only issue is that the right channel is the inverted left channel. If it's a mono recording, all he needs to do is cut out the right channel.
It wouldn't cause a kernel error.

[manyproblems]

Thanks guys! I think you may be right about the wire termination creating the problem- I've bought a XLR USB converter, just to test it this Sunday. The Apple store ran all of their normal hardware/software diagnostics, and it seems to check out fine. No other kernel panics from any of the other software on here, or at any other times during the week. Just the recording sessions on Sunday morning. Seems to do it most during worship, but also during sermons (with only the one voice coming through).

Thanks again for all of the help! I'll definitely let you know what happens Sunday!