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I have a new iMac (with OS X snow leopard) and having difficulty getting Pro Tools software I installed to work, i.e. I don't receive any audio from the external speakers.

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A short, practical follow-up that ties into s thread: many users who saw Pro Tools run but produce no sound on a fresh iMac/Snow Leopard install found the root cause was a compatibility/driver mismatch rather than bad speakers. Updating Pro Tools fixed it in this case, but the steps below explain why that helps and what to try if updating is not possible.

Quick checklist to run through:

  • Confirm the Mac OS X and Pro Tools versions are known to be compatible (OS updates can change driver behavior).
  • Verify the Mac plays system audio first (iTunes or QuickTime). If system sound is fine, the problem is Pro Tools routing.
  • In Pro Tools, open Setup > Playback Engine and make sure the correct audio device/interface is selected.
  • Check Setup > I/O to ensure Main Out is mapped to the hardware outputs your speakers are plugged into.
  • Use Audio MIDI Setup (Applications > Utilities) to confirm the interface sample rate/format matches the session sample rate.
  • Make sure external speakers are powered and physically connected to the audio interface outputs, not only the Mac headphone jack. Avoid unpowered USB hubs for audio interfaces.

A fast troubleshooting sequence:

  1. Restart the Mac and interface, confirm system audio works.
  2. Launch Pro Tools, choose the correct Playback Engine, create a fresh session at 44.1 or 48 kHz, add a mono audio track, route it to Main Out and play a clip.
  3. If still silent, disable third-party plug‑ins and try again; some incompatible plug‑ins can prevent audio.
  4. If needed, reset Pro Tools preferences (follow Avid guidance) or reinstall the interface drivers.

Cautions and prevention: back up sessions and authorization keys before changing installs. Before future OS upgrades, check the Pro Tools and audio-interface compatibility charts and vendor driver releases to avoid repeat issues.

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Problem solved by downloading new update to Pro Tools.

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