CASE ID: #8304 RESOLVED
LOG DATE: MAR 2025

Pro Tools M2 Mac Crashes: Plug-in Incompatibility and Rosetta Advice for Stability

Panic Index FRUSTRATED
Technical Depth COMPATIBILITY

Target Environment

macOS (Apple Silicon) + Pro Tools

Reported Symptom

“Frequent, unpredictable application crashes over several months.”

Consultant’s Assessment

Root Cause / Concept Multiple outdated/incompatible AAX plug-ins (Melodyne, Waves) conflicting with the Apple M2 architecture via the Rosetta 2 emulation layer.
Outcome Client educated on Apple Silicon compatibility. Provided clear action plan for plug-in updates and management.
Intervention Risk
MODERATE

Hi Paul. Getting in touch as we need some help with our Pro Tools rig. Been getting a lot of crashes over the last few months and need some support to get to the bottom of it. 

I received the above message from a new client and we arranged to connect for a remote support session later that week.

Problem

Crashes in Pro Tools on an M2 Mac. Client running a large number of plug-ins.

Solution

I spent an hour remotely connected to my client’s Mac, looking at their set-up and advising on likely cause of crashes.

I offered advice regarding:

  • Use of Rosetta and compatibility with M2 Mac/Pro Tools and plug-ins
  • Why Melodyne might be causing crashes and how to set Melodyne’s preferences to work around the issue
  • Why certain Waves plug-ins might be causing crashes and how to update
  • How Pro Tools plug-ins are organised on a Mac and how to tidy the plug-ins folder
  • How to remove any out of date or unlicensed plug-ins

Conclusion

By the end of the hour’s remote support session, my client had a much better understanding of the likely causes of crashes in their Pro Tools setup. I typed a quick document with notes on what we had discussed and the next steps for them to take. We made a plan to connect again for a follow-up session after they had implemented my advice.

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