Hi.
This is potentially a big problem. To get 3 RME Multifaces working together, for multiple I/O, aggregate devices doesn’t work on this platform - Cubase 11 on Big Sur.
This was OK on Catalina and CB 10.5 (and multiple other earlier versions).
My other DAW is coping OK with this aggregate device. Non-aggregate device (individual Multiface) works OK.
Luckily, I still have a Mojave volume - but whichever company needs to look at this, should take a look
Hi,
Aggregate Device is not officially supported by any DAW since ever, because of timing issues when you are syncing them. Even Logic (Apple’s DAW) doesn’t officially support it.
…but Ableton works and so did Cubase pre-Big Sur. I’ve been using this method for years (almost a decade on Mac), since RME say that it’s the way it should be done to combine multiple identical audio I/O units.
My 3 Hammerfalls are synched via Wordclock.
Perhaps I should just have done with it and sell Cubase and use the other DAWs which actually work on Macs? Serious point. I’ve been using Cubase since original version 3, but am now mostly using other DAWs.
I’ve just been talking to someone with the exact same issue.
He tried Logic. Despite it not being officially supported, it reportedly works OK.
So - Logic and Ableton are OK, but sadly Cubase fails.
Update - looks like 11.0.10 might have fixed this issue. More testing to do.
Spoke too soon. It’s still broken. 
I understood that this was supported by RME - there is nothing in cubase specifically for this. Cubase just wants to see it as one (combined) device.
Have you tried posting over at the RME forums - Matthias (Carstens) is pretty active over there and he’s likely to give you better information - even if it’s bad news it’s better to know.
I heard that even though only 3 devices are supported you could theoretically add even more.
Several RME users have passed info over to RME, but they’ve gone quiet. Hopefully they’re looking into it.
Update from my end.
Cubase and Wavelab both suffer from the same dead audio problem when using aggregate devices.
Ableton, Maschine and MPC software, Rekordbox and a fair set of other audio apps all work OK with aggregate devices.
The obvious difference, is that Steinberg re-present the audio interface to their applications as ASIO, using core2asio.
Therefore, I’m suspecting that core2asio might need updating. Could even be as simple as re-building the software with the latest Xcode, APIs and libraries!
The only people I can see who can address this issue, is Steinberg, but they’re currently sitting on their hands saying that they don’t support aggregate devices.
This really does push me away from the Steinberg products, which is a shame since I’ve been using Cubase since the late 80s.
Someone suggested I try Rogue Amoeba’s Loopback to present the channels to Cubase. That kind-of works when mapping the aggregate through a Loopback virtual device, which suggests that updating core2asio might work.
Loopback looks to be the winning solution. I can take the aggregate out of the equation altogether and it seems to work. Might have some other useful routing capabilities for me too, E.g. sending multiple audio outputs to my various speakers.
Loopback does work, but it adds 20ms latency. Back to the drawing board.
I have the same issue with Lynx Aurora(n) interfaces. All Steinberg products stopped working with aggregate devices on or about macOS Big Sur 11.3. I’ve been using them for 15 years with no problems both with gen 1 Apogee Symphony and now Lynx. Spectrasonics Omnisphere, all the Native Instruments stuff, etc., still works just fine. It’s only Steinberg. Did you make any progress since your post, @ChrisPurusha ? It’s a big time pain having to select from one of three interfaces separately…
Hi. Sadly no progress. I’ve virtually given up using Cubase as a result. I’m now mostly using other DAWs.
Steinberg have essentially washed their hands of the problem, saying that they don’t support aggregate devices.
I’ve been using Cubase for 30 years.
Hm, to say that “Aggregate Device is not officially supported by any DAW since ever” is a bit strange, since Apple on their own offical site tells you to create an aggregate device that “lets you use audio inputs and outputs from different devices at the same time with audio applications like Logic Pro, GarageBand, MainStage”
Here is that link (not allowed to post a link, so you need to copy-paste it and remove the spaces):
support . apple . com / en-us / HT202000
So, it looks like it is Steinberg that has messed something up. Sad, I have been using their software since Atari-time… Guess I have to switch to Logic, if they do not fix something soon…
I’m pretty sure it’s probably in the core2asio component, which might even just need a re-build. Time-stamp on the binary is quite old. Wavelab has exactly the same issue, but I don’t tend to need too many channels for sample editing.
…but now I only use Cubase for old projects and picking up projects from collaborators. I’ll now transfer everything to what is now my usual DAW.
On Apple support page (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202000)
With an Aggregate Device, you can use audio inputs and outputs from different devices at the same time with Logic Pro, GarageBand, MainStage, and most other Core Audio-compliant applications.
It runs not only in Logic it runs an all my music audio apps (StudioOne, Guitar Pro, Spectrasonics, NativeInstruments, etc…) only some Steinberg Apps have difficulties.
So from where do you have the information that it is not supported in spite of apple propose and recommends this usage too?
I upgraded to CB12, with the hope that this might have been addressed.
No luck.
I haven’t yet checked the version/age of core2asio.