Hold Off on Mac Sonoma 14.4 Update

[Bob Bickerton]

Just received this from UAD, but could affect any iLok/Page plug ins:

Dear Bob,

As you may know, Apple recently released the macOS 14.4 Sonoma update. There have been reports of compatibility issues impacting plug‑ins from various manufacturers that are safeguarded by PACE / iLok with Audio Units host DAWs such as Logic Pro on Apple silicon Macs.

Consequently, if you utilize Audio Units on an Apple silicon computer, it is recommended to defer your update until more is known. We are contacting PACE and will update you after we find a resolution.

The following Support Announcement will be updated as more details become available: macOS 14.4 Sonoma Compatibility Info

Sincerely,
The UA Customer Care Team

Best hold off updating until this is resolved.

Bob

[BarnabyBass]

Absolutely right. I bought a Mac Studio M2 5 days ago and it has Sonoma 14.4.
So far in moving all my studio to this new computer, all plugins by Sonnox, Soundtoys and Oeksound show ‘crashed validation’ in Logic Pro X plug-in manager and are unavailable. To say the least this is beyond annoying. The manufacturers seem to say it’s an Apple/iLOK issue. Meanwhile my workflow is seriously compromised, so yes definitely avoid Sonoma 14.4 atm….

[tea for two]

Absolutely right. I bought a Mac Studio M2 5 days ago and it has Sonoma 14.4.
So far in moving all my studio to this new computer, all plugins by Sonnox, Soundtoys and Oeksound show ‘crashed validation’ in Logic Pro X plug-in manager and are unavailable. To say the least this is beyond annoying. The manufacturers seem to say it’s an Apple/iLOK issue. Meanwhile my workflow is seriously compromised, so yes definitely avoid Sonoma 14.4 atm….

That's a bummer. Muzines resident Osx Logic guru will know how to do this : rolling back from 14.4 to a previous Osx on a M2 mac.
Meanwhile I looked up utuub vidz on how to rollback from 14.4 to a previous Osx.
This vid shows a process
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O3W4RZbiFIc says first thing to check which previous Osx can be installed on your M2 mcstud thereafter proceeding.

::

There is another option running everything from an external drive plugged into you M2 mcstud until things are stored. Won't be anywhere near as speedy as M2's internal drive.
My 2019 imac has ventura, I run moo have ewe from an external drive with Logic and apps on it.

[muzines]

Apple are aware of this and there will be a fix in a point release update.

It only affects M2 and M3 machines, running AU plugins natively. Pace have already issued an advisory:

"My PACE-protected Audio Units plugins are crashing on macOS Sonoma 14.4. What should I do?

We’ve identified an issue where some PACE-protected Audio Units plugins crash on startup with macOS Sonoma 14.4, when running on M2 or M3 hardware under the ARM architecture.

Apple is aware of this issue, and their fix is expected in an upcoming macOS point release, but they have not indicated a timeline.

Until then, we recommend:

- Avoiding macOS 14.4: If you haven’t upgraded, consider waiting.
- Downgrading: If you’ve already upgraded, you may want to revert to a previous macOS version if possible.
- Running your DAW under Rosetta: For those already on macOS 14.4, running your DAW under Rosetta might help if the plugin is a Universal binary.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update here if there are any changes."

[BigRedX]

I know it doesn't help the OP or anyone else affected, but it is because of situations like this and numerous other problems with iLok that I won't have any iLok protected software on my Mac no matter how wonderful it might be.

IMO iLok is a brilliant idea, but the actual product is poorly executed by a company that does not have sufficient resources to properly support it.

[2pods]

As a very new mac person of two days, I was holding off installing the mac versions of my audio programs until I felt I'd got to grips with the OS.

Turned out just as well, as my Studio Max has Sonoma 14.4 on it.
My programs and vsts on my Windows 10 setup use an ILok for quite a lot of stuff.

However, what are "Unified" installs, are they install programs that allow you to state if you're using a PC or Mac during installation ?

Sorry for the thread interrupt.

[muzines]

However, what are "Unified" installs

I've never heard of the term being used. Can you give an example of the context you've seen a "unified installer"..?

Usually Mac & PC installers are different programs (because, each has to run on their respective OS).

[Wonks]

A ‘universal binary’ is code that will run on older Intel-powered Macs, as well as M1, M2 and M3-powered Macs by auto-detecting the type of processor and picking the appropriate code to use. Otherwise you’d need to pick an installation that covers your particular processor type.

Rosetta is a go-between program that makes a program think it’s running on an Intel processor when you actually have Apple silicon in your Mac. It obviously slows things up a bit, but it keeps older programs working that were not designed for Apple silicon. And in this case it may get round the iLok issue until it’s sorted.

[2pods]

Thanks Wonks.
That's cleared that up for me.

I'll just have to patient, like the rest of us

[Luke W]

I know it doesn't help the OP or anyone else affected, but it is because of situations like this and numerous other problems with iLok that I won't have any iLok protected software on my Mac no matter how wonderful it might be.

IMO iLok is a brilliant idea, but the actual product is poorly executed by a company that does not have sufficient resources to properly support it.

An equally unhelpful comment ( ) from me: I seem to be one of the few people in the audio world that wasn't bitten by an iLok as a child. I've got a fair chunk of software that uses iLok (some machine-based, some that needs a dongle) and I've never had a single issue with any of it. I do appreciate that others haven't had such luck, though. And mine will be sure to throw a fit now I've jumped to its defence.

I also don't tend to upgrade my OS once everything is working as intended, and certainly wouldn't do it as soon as one launches as it's just asking for trouble. This machine has been badgering me about Sonoma on and off for ages, and I just tell it "no" and then use Terminal to clear the red dot over System Preferences (because that's the sort of thing that bugs me). Same with the studio machines: they can have the version they have and be happy about it.

[ConcertinaChap]

Too late for me as I upgraded to 14.4 a couple of days ago. Fortunately the only bit of software I've ever installed with iLok I didn't bother moving to this new machine. So, no issues so far. Sympathy for those who've been bitten. I'm surprised, though. ILok is so common in the audio industry that it really should be included in Apple's regression testing.

CC

[BigRedX]

Surely PACE get pre-release versions of Mac OS for testing their products and therefore it is up to them to spot incompatibilities. Maybe they couldn't afford to buy an M2 or M3 Mac?

[ConcertinaChap]

I stand by my point about Apple's regression testing but think you're right as well. Both parties should be looking for problems like these.

CC

[Kwackman]

This only seems to be AU plug-ins.
I updated and have been able to run a couple of VST plug-ins that are protected by iLok with no problems.

[muzines]

This only seems to be AU plug-ins.
I updated and have been able to run a couple of VST plug-ins that are protected by iLok with no problems.

Sure - read the Pace statement I quoted earlier, which tells you what software/hardware is affected.

[muzines]

A developers perspective on this, with some more info:
https://www.production-expert.com/produ ... ng-us-down

[BarnabyBass]

Following my post yesterday, I opened up Logic Pro under Rosetta. To my delight all my Sonnox and Oeksound plugins validated when prompted to do so in Logic's plugin manager.
So just have to run Logic under Rosetta until Apple correct this Sonoma 14.4 bug. I can't see any problem in using Rosetta tbh.
Hope this works for others!