Motu M series with Android, anyone

[asphaltradler]

Has someone managed to use the M4 or M2 with an android phone?
Motu doesn't support Android but some interfaces work with android nevertheless.
With a M6, it is recognized by Android and I could use its inputs with Universal USB Recorder app but didn't get any sound out its headphone output then. Also, there was intermittent noise on the interfaces output even when I used only the internal monitor function (direct listening to the Microphones).

This makes recording possible but difficult because I have to remove the interface and use the mobile phones' HP output if I want to check my recording.

Thought that could be different with an M4 or M2 with less IO ports.

Someone must have tried this?

With a Behringer UMC 202HD it is plug&play, recording and playback.

 

[staticV3]

If you're looking for an interface specifically for that purpose, consider the Topping E1x2 OTG or E2x2 OTG.

Their OTG interfaces are designed to be used with Android.

 

[asphaltradler]

Well that doesn't answer my question. As far as I know OTG isn't even necessary for that, only adherence to some common standards. I know that the non-OTG version of the topping work with Android, too, as does the before mentioned Behringer or interfaces by RME and other manufacturers.
I decided for the Motu for different reasons. The main usage will be with PC/laptop but it would be nice to use it mobile without computer, too.
The Topping seems not to be fully mature to me. Scratchy potentiometers with non-logarithmic gain in a new product would drive me mad when recording. The Motus work fine in every other aspect, so I wondered if anyone was able to fix the Android problem.

 

[staticV3]

Motus work fine in every other aspect

well..

 

[asphaltradler]

I have read user comments to this and no one seems to be able to replicate the behaviour. Bad/insufficient usb power perhaps?

 

[rioven]

M4 user here..cant recommend using for android, it does not work properly (using via powered usb hub). In the end, im just using other audio interface that works without hitch

 

[phofman]

Android linux kernel uses standard linux usb-audio driver, but not all commits are picked from linux mainline. Some commits are backported, some not. Plus the kernel version on android devices is typically very old while Motu support is relatively recent, including new fixes, e.g. https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub...nd/+/d915a6850e27efb383cd4400caadfe47792623df , https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub...nd/+/73ac9f5e5b43a5dbadb61f27dae7a971f7ec0d22, https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub...nd/+/48d6b91798a6694fdd6edb62799754b9d3fe0792, https://kernel.googlesource.com/pub...nd/+/c249177944b650816069f6c49b769baaa94339dc etc.

Motu M devices are not fully UAC2 compliant and require driver quirks.

 

[asphaltradler]

If you're looking for an interface specifically for that purpose, consider the Topping E1x2 OTG or E2x2 OTG.

Their OTG interfaces are designed to be used with Android.

Have bought a E2x2 now and it doesn't work AT ALL with my Samsung S10. Worse than the Motu M6. I get no output from the phone to the interface (although phone recognised usb connection and shuts off internal loudspeaker). There is a strange mouse icon (?) flickering on the phone's screen and several times it freezed completely. Mic inputs of interface _sometimes_ show in USB Recorder app and then I get a very very low signal, perhaps -40db or so.
I doubt very much that the Topping has ANYTHING specially designed for Android. (Tried different cables and an OTG adapter)

Btw I even bought the OTG version. With the otg input i get NO connection at all, it's completely useless. The Topping Software shows nothing on that input, doesn't even recognise when it is connected. Above was with normal USB C input and additional power.

2nd BTW the same happened when I tried a collegues Samsung M30.

3rd BTW the simple 80,- eur Behringer Umc202 that was never advertised as Android compatible works flawlessly with the S10, both input and output. But, alas, not with very high fidelity.

 

[phofman]

IMHO there is nothing like "android compatible" modern USB audio device. Android uses a patched linux kernel, which comes with alsa sound drivers. Android kernel people backport some patches from the alsa usb driver. IIRC originally the drivers were compiled only for UAC1 support. This has probably changed, but SoC vendors who maintain android kernel for their SoCs backport different patches and use different kernel configuration for their builds.

Good UAC2 support was added to linux kernel relatively recently, when comparing with age of android kernels, especially on older android versions. Plus lots of the USB devices require recent quirks which means more backporting. IMO that's why some android app authors decided to write their own UAC2-driver stack in userspace using low-level USB access, without the alsa kernel drivers.

 

[asphaltradler]

I would think that is what the 'USB Audio Recorder Pro' and Player Pro do. They offer even multichannel inputs and outputs for USB audio devices. Both apps recognise the Topping when it is connected via normal USB C port and then powered on (even name of the device) but still neither get sound to it or from it (the very low -45db input is the only thing I heared from the device when using it with them, and the recording is really so quiet; whereas a recording with Behringer UMC 202 was completely normal).

 

[Shinya]

I recently switched from an iPhone to an Android (Nothing Phone 2a), and I tried connecting my MOTU M2 which I usually use with my main PC just to see if it would work.
To my surprise, it worked without needing any external power.
Since the manual didn’t mention Android compatibility, I was a bit confused (but impressed).

 

[phofman]

Android is a slightly patched linux kernel with user-space UI designed by Google. Source code for all android kernels by Google is freely available.

Motu M support was added to linux kernel some 5 years ago (with a few commits a year later). These commits are in kernel 5.15 which android 14 (on Nothing Phone 2a) uses. Just search for "motu" in history of commits in the linux alsa usb drivers https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/+log/refs/tags/android14-5.15-2025-03_r1/sound/usb - they are in "next" pages of the history.

 

[Shinya]

I think it depends on the version, but it’s very convenient that Android can work without installing drivers, just like Mac.
I have confirmed that the output works, but I haven’t been able to verify the input yet.
Also, I haven’t tried it with my previous iPhone because it used a Lightning cable.

 

[Multicore]

I tried it a couple of years ago and it works to just connect an M4 to an Android phone. But it flattens the battery in no time. To use a charger and the M4 at the same time requires a hardware USB hack that I did not attempt.

 

[unpluggged]

To use a charger and the M4 at the same time requires a hardware USB hack that I did not attempt.

Just a generic powered USB hub or a USB hub with PD pass-through.

 

[Multicore]

Just a generic powered USB hub or a USB hub with PD pass-through.

I tried a couple of things including a powered USB hub (idk what PD pass-through is) and the phone either went into charging and didn't do the OTG with the M4 or it didn't charge. I searched and found on yt that it's well known, technical explanations for why, and descriptions how to build adapter circuits. That's when I gave up.

I'm glad this is now solved by a USB hub with PD pass-through, whatever it may be.