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Device model (e.g. 2020 iPad Air 4th Gen):
Version of operating system (e.g. macOS 14.4.1):
Version of djay (e.g. 5.1.2):
Hardware/controllers used (e.g. Reloop Mixon 8 Pro):
Hardware firmware version (e.g. 1.0.1):
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Hi,
I’m using an Apogee ONE with a Mac and DJ Pro for long DJ sets (5–6 hours).
My setup is:
– Apogee ONE connected to the mixer (master output)
– Headphones connected directly to the Mac for cueing
Everything works fine at the beginning, but after some time the headphone cue suddenly stops working, even though DJ Pro settings are still correct and Cue is enabled.
Is this a known limitation when using Apogee ONE for DJ applications, due to having only one physical output?
Does macOS sometimes reassign or merge audio outputs during long sessions, causing the loss of a separate headphone cue?
I’d like to understand whether this behavior is expected and what the recommended setup would be for stable cue monitoring in long DJ performances.
Hi @Debina, welcome to the Community! Normally you should use a 4 in x 4 out (2 x 2 stereo channels) audio interface for DJing. So, in general I wouldn’t recommend this device for DJing. However, on macOS you can create an Aggregate Audio device setup to separate the audio between your Mac headphone output and your audio interface.
While aggregating audio devices usually works fine, some combinations of audio devices can be unreliable e.g. if they don’t support the same sample rates or if their clocks cannot be brought in sync.
That being said you can try adjusting the settings in the “Audio MIDI Setup” system app to see if that helps:
While djay is running and configured with an aggregate device, select the “Aggregate-Audio-Device” device in the “Audio Devices” window of Audio MIDI Setup.
Try disabling “Drift Correction” for one or both devices that are being aggregated.
Try adjusting the sample rate of the aggregate device.
Try changing the “clock source” of the aggregate device.
If that doesn’t solve your issue, I recommend that you upgrade to 4x4 audio interface or a basic DJ controller with a built in audio interface.
I experienced similar problems when setting up online radio. I hope this helps -
What you are seeing is a limitation of the current hardware routing rather than a fault in djay Pro.
How your setup behaves at a system level
Your configuration uses two separate audio devices:
Apogee ONE → master output to the mixer
Mac built-in headphone output → cue monitoring
Because the Apogee ONE only provides one physical stereo output, macOS has to treat this as a multi-device audio setup in order to separate Master and Cue.
Even if this is not explicitly created as an Aggregate Audio Device, Core Audio is still managing two independent hardware clocks under the hood.
Why it works initially but fails later
Each audio device runs on its own internal clock. These clocks are never perfectly identical.
macOS compensates by:
Resampling audio in real time
Applying drift correction between devices
Over short sessions this usually works. Over long sessions (5–6 hours), timing differences accumulate and Core Audio eventually has to make a stability decision.
When this happens, the secondary output path (the Mac headphone output used for cueing) is the first to become unreliable or drop out entirely.
This explains why:
Cue is still enabled in djay Pro
Routing settings remain correct
But no sound is delivered to the headphones
The application state is intact; the OS-level audio routing is not.
Is this a known limitation with the Apogee ONE?
Yes, for DJ applications.
The Apogee ONE is designed primarily for:
Recording
Monitoring
Single-output workflows
It is not designed for:
Split-cue DJ monitoring
Long-running live sessions that depend on multiple output devices
Clock-critical routing across separate audio endpoints
The issue is not audio quality, but output architecture and clock synchronisation.
About using an Aggregate Audio Device
Creating an explicit Aggregate Audio Device can sometimes improve stability by giving you control over:
Clock source selection
Drift correction settings
Sample rate alignment
However, aggregate devices are still a software-level workaround and can remain unreliable over long DJ sets, especially when the devices involved do not share a common hardware clock.
Recommended stable solution
For reliable cue monitoring in long DJ performances, the recommended setup is:
A single audio interface with at least two stereo outputs (4×4)
Or a DJ controller with a built-in multi-output audio interface
This ensures:
One hardware clock
No drift correction
No aggregate routing
Stable cue monitoring for unlimited session length
Summary
The behaviour you are seeing is expected with this setup
It is caused by clock drift between separate audio devices
macOS audio aggregation is not fully reliable for long DJ sessions
A single multi-output interface is the only fully stable fix.
Hello! It’s been a week since my last reply. I’m going to consider this topic completed for now so I can focus on others. However, please feel free to respond and we can definitely revisit this. Thanks!
