Computer Audio Design OSX Audio Optimization Script

[Shikasta]

I couldn't find a link to download this script on CAD's web site. Can someone please post a link.

 

Al, it's at the link mentioned in OPs original post above. You have to scroll down the text window that starts:

"The first verison of the Computer Audio Design OSX Audio Optimization Script is out!"

 

First of all I made a Time Machine backup of my system. Then I loaded the script into TextEdit and read through it. I then loaded it step by step using copy and paste into Terminal, until I got to the main section containing all the "launchctl" commands. Then I just copied and pasted that whole section into Terminal and took a deep breath.

 

All appears to be working well on my headless Mac Mini, including iTeleport, the VNC app I use with my iPad to control everything. Very pleased with the sound so far. But I've also redone the Dirac irc measurements in Amarra Symphony, AND am trying out running my music from a SDHC card, rather than my usual Firewire drive, or NAS.

 

Overall, the sound is VERY clear, yummy timbre, and bass is tight, deep, and nicely in balance with the mid/high range.

[Computer Audio Design]

Thanks for all the kind comments! When we started work on this Mavericks was not even out. If we can get the script to work with Mavericks I will post it here.

 

 

All updates to the script will be made here and on our website.

 

 

As I mentioned I would like this to be a bit of a community effort. I need people that are willing to stick their necks out and use the script. That way we can find the issues, solve them and hopefully also make our Macs sound even better. I really want feedback (bad and good) about what people think the script does for sound quality. I feel the script improves sound quality - I wouldn't be doing all this if I didn't.

 

 

I did have one of our dealers try the script on his Snow Leopard machine. The script bricked it. : ) I sorted it out for him but I think it is safe to say at this point stick with Mountain Lion and please back up before running the script.

 

Scott

[Computer Audio Design]

To Computer Audio Design...

Thank you for making such a script available for free to everyone interested.

 

To everyone else...

Do these changes make an audible difference - personally I don't know. I have only one suggestion - make a backup of your system and then try it - if you like the results keep them in place; if you don't revert to a backup.

 

There really doesn't need to be a debate about the audibility EVERY time someone posts something; especially when the post is about something WHICH IS FREE. If something is being sold, sure then debate the claims of the salesman, but apart from a small amount of promotion of their company they get by you visiting their website; there is nothing being gained here.

 

Eloise

 

Thank you Eloise!

[Shikasta]

Scott, I forgot to update my signature below to show I am now using Mavericks. Also, the script commands I chose to use from your script (MOST of them) worked well the second time. (not the first time as I wrote earlier).

 

I omitted to tell you that the first time I used your script I was a bit gung ho and attempted to run the whole script WITHOUT backing up my computer. I too managed to 'brick' my Mac Mini!! No damage though, as I just restored the last (2 week old) Time Machine backup. I lost a couple of things only, which I have since fixed. So that's why I was a bit more cautious the second time, and actually READ the script first. THEN proceeded more tentatively, command by command at first.

 

I use an ethernet connection to enable me to use iTeleport VNC app between my iPad and Mac Mini so I chose not to use a networking command in your script, just in case. I did apply the bluetooth and wi-fi shut-off commands though.

 

And I've since done a Time Machine backup of the newly tweaked Mavericks, after rebooting.

 

Many thanks for your good and generous work.

 

Graeme

[satbaba]

I install the script to mavericks OSX

unfortunately, it did not work

my player pure music with iTunes

[Computer Audio Design]

 

I omitted to tell you that the first time I used your script I was a bit gung ho and attempted to run the whole script WITHOUT backing up my computer. I too managed to 'brick' my Mac Mini!! No damage though, as I just restored the last (2 week old) Time Machine backup. I lost a couple of things only, which I have since fixed. So that's why I was a bit more cautious the second time, and actually READ the script first. THEN proceeded more tentatively, command by command at first.

 

Graeme

 

Hi Graeme,

 

Thanks for giving it a try!

 

Just so I understand. The first time you ran the script you "bricked" your Mac Mini.

 

1) Where you running Mavericks?

 

2) What did you change so you did not brick your mac mini the second time you ran it?

 

If you can PM me the lines that you omitted that would be helpful.

 

Thanks-

 

Scott

[corehun]

I install the script to mavericks OSX

unfortunately, it did not work

my player pure music with iTunes

 

I think you missed the warning,

 

"At this point the script is only for Mountain Lion (10.8.x). Do NOT use with any other versions."

[tranz]

Thank you Scott!

 

I have been looking for something like this. Anything that can lessen the load, and thus current fluctuations will help in my opinion.

 

The rollback script works! Thanks much for including that.

 

For those using Amarra and VNC Server, this script will not work as is. If anyone has already gone through the research of what to alter to make those work, please share...

 

If I find out I will do the same.

 

Cheers

[CAD Support]

Hi,

 

My name is Damian and I work for Scott at Computer Audio Design.

 

I have uploaded a new version of the script which is compatible with OSX 10.9 Mavericks.

 

Changes:

 

- Fixed a boot issue caused by /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.xpcd.plist which has now been removed.

- The option to remove the 3D glass effect from the Dock appears to have been removed from 10.9.

- Screen sharing/VNC should now work after running the script.

 

As per Scott's original post the use of the script is completely at your own risk. I would strongly recommend making a backup of your Mac before using the optimization script.

 

The script is available from the Computer Audio Design website and can be downloaded here: Computer Audio Design » OSX Audio Optimization

 

Please feel free to test the script and let me know how you get on.

 

Damian

[juliocat]

Hi,

 

My name is Damian and I work for Scott at Computer Audio Design.

 

I have uploaded a new version of the script which is compatible with OSX 10.9 Mavericks.

 

Changes:

 

- Fixed a boot issue caused by /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.xpcd.plist which has now been removed.

- The option to remove the 3D glass effect from the Dock appears to have been removed from 10.9.

- Screen sharing/VNC should now work after running the script.

 

As per Scott's original post the use of the script is completely at your own risk. I would strongly recommend making a backup of your Mac before using the optimization script.

 

The script is available from the Computer Audio Design website and can be downloaded here: Computer Audio Design » OSX Audio Optimization

 

Please feel free to test the script and let me know how you get on.

 

Damian

 

Big thanks to you!!!!!!!

[baddog]

Hi,

 

My name is Damian and I work for Scott at Computer Audio Design.

 

I have uploaded a new version of the script which is compatible with OSX 10.9 Mavericks.

 

...

Damian

 

Thanks for sharing this! One comment, it looks like you meant to disable the Bluetooth command but did not. I ran this and it left Bluetooth set to on, without any manner to turn it off. By running the command included in your reset OSX script I was able to reset Bluetooth such that I could turn it off (including Bluetooth power).

 

Here is the part of the OptimizeOSX script I am referring to:

 

 

# disable bluetooth (NOT WORKING)

# Mavericks tested: No

echo " Bluetooth"

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist 2>/dev/null

[CAD Support]

Thanks for sharing this! One comment, it looks like you meant to disable the Bluetooth command but did not. I ran this and it left Bluetooth set to on, without any manner to turn it off. By running the command included in your reset OSX script I was able to reset Bluetooth such that I could turn it off (including Bluetooth power).

 

Here is the part of the OptimizeOSX script I am referring to:

 

 

# disable bluetooth (NOT WORKING)

# Mavericks tested: No

echo " Bluetooth"

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist 2>/dev/null

 

 

Hi bplexico,

 

Thanks for your comment.

 

This was an issue with the 10.8 version as well. I have updated the script by commenting out those lines until such time that we can get bluetooth disabled properly.

 

Damian

[tipunch]

Hello, thank you for the script!!!

All is OK

Just reactivated the FireWire for Mytek

[Superdad]

Will the Unloaded Launch daemons stay unloaded after reboot, or does the script need to run again each time after reboot?

[tranz]

Here are a few more that I had disabled which could perhaps be added to the script.

 

[tipunch]

Will the Unloaded Launch daemons stay unloaded after reboot, or does the script need to run again each time after reboot?

 

Yes the daemons stay unloaded after reboot, and the SQ is very very good :-)

[alcarp]

For the uninitiated, how do you execute this script in Mavericks?

[wgscott]

Easy way: Double-click it. It will run in the Terminal.app

[jhwalker]

For a contrarian view, I ran this on my Mac Mini running Mavericks. I commented out the line about Bluetooth (as it stated it does not work on Mavericks), but allowed all of the start daemon optimizations.

 

The script completely disabled my computer. I could no longer use screen sharing to remote in (though I'd specified to leave screen sharing enabled), I could not access my home network or the Internet, I could not open / edit *any* files, Bluetooth was disabled (even though I'd commented out the section about Bluetooth), my Time Machine volume was dismounted, on and on . . .

 

I couldn't even run the script to reverse the changes because my Bluetooth keyboard was not working to allow me to type "y" and my password - I could see the prompt on my external monitor, but had no way of responding to it! I finally had to boot into rescue mode (also difficult with a Bluetooth keyboard), then restore from my Time Machine backup from last night - the Time Machine drive mounted just fine when booted from the rescue partition.

 

Two lessons learned:

- Don't try scripts unless you read and understand every line and what it will do

- Even if you're not going to use it every day, buy a USB keyboard / mouse . . . just in case

[baddog]

Well, I tried it in more depth today. To echo a few of the earlier points, it disabled my ethernet access as well, so no access to NAS for music files, nor Internet via Safari, and no access to screen sharing from another Mac ( I run my Mac Mini headless ). And I couldn't use Text Edit to modify the scripts.

 

Fortunately I do have a USB keyboard and mouse, plus spare monitor so I was able to run the un-do script to restore things to their former state.

 

I too am running Mavericks.

[Superdad]

I had similar but not exactly the same results: With the 1.2 version of the script, Screen Sharing still works for my headless (ML desk to Mavericks music server), whereas with 1.0 it did not. However, I too lose privileges to move or open any documents (including the scripts themselves, and access to network drives is cut off.

 

The script unloads a bunch of launch daemons which certainly appear to be unessential, but now I am trying to figure out which commands to comment out so that I don't lose basic file functionality and network drive access.

 

It would be great to have a reliable and comprehensive slimming script for Mavericks, since doing a heavy job of it manually is a pain--especially when an OS update comes along and puts back most of what we deleted.

 

Tranz: Thanks for your list of a bunch more daemons which can likely be unloaded. When I used to run ML, I had a cloned partition on which I experimented--moving launch Agents and Daemons out of the Library until the OS would break, then putting those last ones back and making notes. Very tedious. Mavericks is much better about idling extraneous processes, so I have not bothered with this process lately (except for all the usual big ones like Spotlight, etc.).

 

I'm curious as to how few threads and processes folks here have gotten an idle (no apps launched) Mavericks install down to. Activity Monitor tells me that at idle I'm down to 99 processes and about 385 threads (while running Screen Sharing). After running the CAD script and rebooting, it dropped down to 85 and about 300 threads. But without the network file system working, I can't keep it.

[tranz]

There are two more daemons that seem to be related to Remote Desktop. Try turning those back on and see if that helps.

 

System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.RFBEventHelper.plist 2>/dev/null

System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.PrivilegeProxy.plist 2>/dev/null

 

With this new version 1.2 provided graciously by the CAD team, and the two lines in the script shown above commented out by putting a # in front of each line, Amarra and VNC works with this script as well.

 

This should show in the CAD script file for those two lines instead:

 

# sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.RFBEventHelper.plist 2>/dev/null

# sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.PrivilegeProxy.plist 2>/dev/null

 

 

It is hard to see what is now running in the background, since the Activity Monitor shows nothing, which is not true. But that is part of the benefit, as the activity monitor likely was constantly churning in the background, plus it can always be brought back with the undo script.

 

Perhaps it is my imagination, but listening fatigue has gone down yet again.

 

Thank you! Thank you!

[tranz]

There is one issue noticed when looking at iTunes metadata. The library does not show correctly in iTunes. However, when going through the Apple Remote application on the iPad, the music files show and play fine. It might be related to the following Daemons that are turned off by the script, but I have to run, so for another day...

 

 

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.scan.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.spindump.plist 2>/dev/null

 

 

Cheers.

[CAD Support]

Thank you all for your feedback.

 

We will incorporate your suggestions in an update to the script and take a look at the issues you've been experiencing.

 

Damian

[freddie40]

Instead of automatically shutting off WiFi and Bluetooth you should give people the choice, i.e. do you want to turn this off.. I ran this on a Headless WiFi machine and was screwed because WiFi was turned off. Not a good thing.

 

Dave