When using the Play+ with USB Audio, changing/previewing synth patches can lead to corrupted / distorted audio on the Play+ 's Audio Out.
Reproduction Steps
Use the Play+ as a Audio Input Device in your DAW (tested with Ableton and Bitwig)
Route any of the synth channels to your DAW
Use the Play+ as the Audio Output Device and connect your headphones to the Out of the Play+
Create a new Project on the Play+
Create a single synth track with some notes
Go to synths and choose ACD as category
Change / preview patches until audio distorts ( you should not have to do this too long )
Once the audio distorts, you can switch the Audio Output Device to something else like the internal speakers and you will notice that the audio there is fine. Itās only the Audio Out on the Play+ that gets distorted.
Occurrence
Always.
Found in
Version: 1.0.1
Build: 1405
Attachments
The following thread has some interesting information, as people were trying to debug this issue:
Iām pretty sure this happens on the non-beta as well, so let me know if i should move this out of beta for visibility and to make it easier to keep track of.
Hi @Sandroid , thanks for reporting this bug and sorry about experiencing issues. I will just give you our usual answer for dealing with issues with USB audio (please check last point):
Audio / MIDI over USB can have glitches or not get recognized by your OS/DAW as a device in certain configurations: depending on your CPU, USB connection, computer OS, DAW, buffer size setting, etc. To avoid issues we suggest the following:
Significant amount of issues are reported from users with AMD Ryzen processors
Avoid using USB hubs (we donāt support them) and instead connect the Play+ directly to your computer USB port
To make sure Play+ is correctly recognized as an audio device by your computer OS and DAW:
first connect the USB cable while your Play+ is still switched off
then power on the Play+
launch the DAW
and finally select Play+ as your audio input and output device
If you are still experiencing issues then we suggest trying another buffer size setting or creating an aggregate device to use a different audio output device simultaneously with Play+ as your input device
Aggregate device setting especially helps with buffer underruns which result in buzzing / frozen loop at the output and can happen in certain configurations during operations like switching synth patches while playback is running
This should be part of release notes for official 1.0.1 release.
Does this solve the issue for you? Please let me know. As far as logging this in Bug , definitely OK by us. Whatever is reproducible in public releases can be logged there. Thanks!
Maybe i should have mentioned: this is not at all any special / convoluted setup and it follows all those rules/preconditions you describe. This is your most basic setup that most Windows or Apple Users will attempt.
This is using default Core Audio on the Mac and the issue happens directly on the Play Line Out output and not within the DAW (which is odd). So iām guessing this is some software glitch within the Play that is caused by switching from patch to patch.
As i mentioned - if you choose an Audio Output Device that is NOT the Line Out from the Play+, there is no distortion happening.
Also - no need to be sorry, just trying to help others out
As a workaround for now just use a different output device than the Play Line Out and all is good.
Exactly, thatās why we recommend using aggregate setup. Once again:
Aggregate device setting especially helps with buffer underruns which result in buzzing / frozen loop at the output and can happen in certain configurations during operations like switching synth patches while playback is running
On ipad you canāt choose another audio output, as when Play+ is connected it will autimaticaly select Play+ for output.
will there ever be a fix for this?
since this bug request seems to
ignore the ipad audio streaming problems, even though the problems were confirmed by multiple users in the mentioned threats, i wonder: should this problem become a new separate bug request?
can i do a bug request ? where are the rules for that i browse and i browse here, but i can find how to do it or how to request it being done.
Using bluetooth? How will that sync with my midi hardware synths controlled by play+?
This seems a very far fetched āworkaroundā.
My problem is that when connecting ipad or iphone to play+ no good audio can be heard over play audio out. Nor over ipad out because once the play + is seen as the audio interface, alternative routing options do not exist as far as i understand. i only tested in Aum.
I must add that i have no idea how to make your own synth patch yet. i only had a few functional sessions yet with play+. i will look into trying not to use preset patches workaround. But honestly i am hoping for the christmas fix for this
Ah, so there is more to your setup. How do you monitor/listen to your other gear? Since iām guessing that is not going to the iPad? Is the iPad just in there as an effect processor to send things out from again?
What has worked for me so far, so that i can actually utilize the Line Out of the Play is to:
Connect things in the correct order when it comes to the iPad
Turn off/close AUM and the Play+
Connect the Play+ to the iPad
Start the Play+
Then start AUM
Then you can have an entire session without issues. THAT ISā¦ unless you change patches .
If you just create your own or load a project, it seems to hold up just fine for me.
I wouldnāt hold my breath for that. Itās the weekend here in europe and the holidays have started, so it will definitely not be this year anymore. I would guess Polyend - just like most of Europe - will be off for a while
I am like many on a trip and i planned to bring my ipad and play+ for mini setup. Bought the 60 euro plastic piece specially for that (after replacing the faulty micro sd card) and in current state play+ is just not living up to the promises.
i dont do bluetooth i learned my lesson with that a long time ago, common knowledge is that its not for āproducingā
I m used to oxi one, with ipad. I wanted to replace it with play+. Because of the extra audio options
I must reconsider this.
a quick fix would be very welcome for al quick deciders for play plus. We are the ones that saw the synthfluencers and said okay here take my money.
Hi @iv0 , thanks for your comments and questions. Iām sorry youāre having issues with your setup. But unfortunately, we officially donāt support iPads. We only support latest Windows and macOS operating systems with Polyend devices and donāt plan to extend support for iPad in the future.
i see.āsupportingā iOS devices would mean to conform to Class Compliant standard, something that Roland and Elektron offered in later firmware updates for respectively the mc101 and model:* units, So maybe it is not so impossible as it seems (?). I mean on windows and mac things allready work ā driver-lessā. It seems quite close to be working.
still having some hope here, optimist that i am and how you all got to know me here
All it would take is to make play+ support āusb class compliant audioā
It seems to be pretty close to that allready.
Both Roland and Elektron gave devices this functionality in a firmware update.
Can we have hope ?
just want to add that this very same problem exists still in 2025. Iām using a iPad but as I see other users on desktop having the same problem I donāt think itās a iPad exclusive issue.
A work around I have found is to solo the synth track (to save your ears) and continue scrolling the presets. When you get one that doesnāt buzz you will find the audio for your sample tracks works as well. If its not the patch you want keep scrolling after finding the āgoodā one you will find a different set of patches now work. Do this until the patch you want āworksā.
Not great but better that shutting down your DAW and Play. I hope there is a fix on the way.
.