Steinberg has just released the latest MR series TOOLS update for macOS (V1.7.9), which supports up to macOS 10.14 (Mojave).
However, from macOS 10.15 (Catalina) Apple has ceased to support 32-bit applications, so we regret to announce the discontinuation of further updates for the MR816 CSX and MR816 X. Further updates for Windows OS have also been discontinued.
This has been a difficult decision for the Steinberg and Yamaha team, but it will have a positive impact on the allocation of resources for developing new products.
All current software for the MR audio interfaces will continue to be available on our website, including TOOLS V1.7.9 for Mac and TOOLS V1.7.8 for Windows, which supports up to Windows 10 version 1809.
In 2008, the MR816CSX and MR816X FireWire audio interfaces were the first hardware products created by the close collaboration between Steinberg and Yamaha. Bringing a DSP-powered mixer and powerful processors seamlessly into the world of our flexible native DAW applications meant that we could deliver a great recording experience for every Steinberg customer — from high-end, professional studios through to the smallest home project studio. It was a big step, but a popular one and ever since we have worked closely with Yamaha on successive generations of Steinberg audio interfaces.
“This has been a difficult decision for the Steinberg and Yamaha team, but it will have a positive impact on the allocation of resources for developing new products.”
Yes I’m sure it was a very difficult decision to give your customers the finger and tell us that you are no longer interested in our business!
The MR816 is an excellent interface and, as far as I’ve heard, the only interfaces that works correctly with the Control Room feature and Direct monitoring. Also we can daisychain up to three MR816s for 24 analogue outputs/inputs (actually, with three Alesis AI3s, we can have up to 48 simultaneous inputs/outputs)! There are not very many interfaces that can rival this!
If Steinberg think that you can force your users to waste money and ditch the excellent sounding MR816 interfaces and buy new Steinberg interfaces, you are sadly mistaken. If I’m forced to replace a perfectly usable interface for no reason, I guarantee that it won’t be with a Steinberg product. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
The issue is actually far worse! Not only will Steinberg prevent us from upgrading Catalina. Within about three years, Steinberg will prevent us from upgrading Cubase/Nuendo as well, when support for Mojave is dropped!
“From macOS 10.15 (Catalina) Apple has ceased to support 32-bit applications”. So, What! I’m convinced that Steinbergs programmers could recompile the drivers to 64-bit format in an afternoon!
Is Steinberg really sure that you will drive your customers away, this way. Remember, you are not Apple!
Please, rethink this catastrophic idea (that is, unless you think that you have to many customers).
That’s really very bad news. Honestly, I’m extremely annoyed to have to throw away hardware that works more than perfectly. No, I’m not an activist in any way. I am simply aware of the problems associated with our consumer society and being forced in the wrong direction is rather depressing. And it’s not even for my own good (…maybe my money…?)!
What to do about it? Buying a new hardware from Steinberg that I may have to throw away in 3-4 years again? Hmm, I must confess that I don’t have that much confidence…
I think I will take my time before updating anything.
Couldn’t agree more. Please rethink your decision, Steinberg team!! I will wait till end of december, when nothing will be announced I’m going to switch to Motu 828es because I need Catalina with my new Mac. Motu and RME cover old gear with drivers for years…
A very good question. I’ve reported many times about the bugless years I’ve had from my mr816’s. A product to build or even rebuild a great reputation on. Then slam dunk, they go and do a silly thing like dropping support for it. A solid and flawlessly working bit of excellent kit.
It does indeed pose the question as to why you’d invest $2k plus in their new top of the line interface as a replacement if you can expect them to brick it several years later.
My decision to move away from Steiny hardware last year was 100% based on the lack of active support for existing products. I had no confidence that it would be the same for the new AXR4 which has proved again to be scant. Last
update June last year. Thats $10k of my money that didn’t go their way.
With my new setup, I had an issue linking 3 interfaces together over TB on PC. Within 5 mins, on a Sunday, an official support rep responded with notes on how to resolve it. Very happy with the setup since and as trouble free as my old mr interfaces but with tons more functionality. The mr’s are now setup as slaves.
For me at least it would take such a huge shift in policy over several years to ever consider investing in Steinberg hardware again.
Great team, great technology let down no doubt by poor top level policy and decision making. They really need to take a leaf out the UA and RME playbook to see how it’s done.
It may get even worse. Louis Rossman has posted that there has been reports that USB2 based audio interfaces suffers from drop-outs when used with Apple computers with the T2 “security” chip. This would mean that… when Apples renders all Steinberg audio interfaces unusable with newer Macs, Steinberg takes the opportunity to kill the only interface that still would work! Great strategy!
And if that wasn’t enough, Steinberg distributes a driver that kills the MR826 interface even on previous versions of macOS (which they falsely claim is compatible).
Steinberg seems hell-bent that no-one should use their hardware!
Now being left with a brick in my rack, and facing the inevitable, what do other users recommend as a replacement for the MR816? I’m mostly going to be recording small ensembles such as string quartets.
One extra thought, would it be viable to start up my Mac with Mojave on an external boot drive (or an internal partition) to continue using my MR816x when it’s needed? (That takes me back to the days when I ran OS 9 and OS 10 on the one machine.)
If not, I’m probably going to dump my MR816x on eBay.
I came across the following in an email from January 2019. I guess we can laugh about it now? Maybe not.
From me to Yamaha customer support…
" I am using my MR816x via a Thunderbolt/Firewire adapter with MacOS Mojave. Certain components of the driver software, notably the YamahaFWCM.app, are still 32 bit apps and will not operate when MacOS Mojave is replaced. Are there plans to update this software to 64 bit so that I will be able to continue to use my interface. "
I don’t know if it’s any laughing matter, but it is def definitely another nail in the coffin of Yamaha/Steinberg credibility as a hardware manufacturer! It appears that one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing.
It would be interesting to hear from someone who has tried to use it with Catalina. Then we’ll know who speaks the truth!
By the way, has anyone noted that there hasn’t been a single response, to all this criticism, from any Steinberg representative, for more than two months?
Anyone care to guess what this tells us about Steinbergs regard (or lack thereof) for their customers?
Sigh… my MR816 CX is a great interface… probably the best I’ve had in terms of sound and build.
I saw this coming and got a smaller USB interface with a nice selection of inputs including ADAT. I’ll just use the 816 as 8 mic Preamps via the adat outs.
However I would like a running control panel otherwise I’ll be stuck with regards to sample rate etc.
Come on Yamaha and SB … it’s not that many resources!
