Checking back in FYI
I just started using a H9000 on the same hub and the extra data from that freaks the Big Six (you can see the orange mic mode twitching in the Mac menu bar).
Moved the Big Six to a direct connection and all works - guess its very glitchy with high port traffic.
Thanks for the update! Looks like a direct connection is the only way to achieve a reliable operation.
I have yet to test this out further more - and it could very well be something else entirely.
But right now, Iām using a MacMini M4 base model. And if I plug the BigSIX in one of the Thunderbolt ports, the BigSIX USB disconnects when the Mac goes idle (not sleeping, but just idle for a long period of time).
If I plug the BigSIX in one of the two USB ports of the Mac, then itās all good and stable.
For now, Iāve tried various cables, many OS settings, etc. All with the same result.
Iāll have to test this a bit more - but it was annoying at first. That may be my main gripe with the BigSIXQ : its USB interface is a bit finicky.
Although once it works, it just works seamlessly.
This sounds like itās not the BigSix at fault but a design choice by Apple. Have you asked Apple or checked the manual for the Mac Mini if this or nomal behaviour for the thunderbolt ports?
Edit: didnāt find much on it when searching besides this but didnāt really say much about the new M4. New M4 Mini - USB-C port going to sleep resolved - external drive disconnecting? | MacRumors Forums
You beat me to it.
Not much info on it - and definitely an issue that appears to be on the Apple side.
Although, to be fair, the Volt276 interface I have plugged in the back is not suffering from the same issue at all.
Gotta investigate a bit more to get a definitive understanding of whatās causing this.
Not a real deal breaker at the moment, tho.
To prevent your Mac from putting an external drive to sleep when using power saving settings, you can uncheck the Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible option in Energy Saver:
1. Click the Apple menu
2. Select System Settings
3. Click Battery or Energy Saver in the sidebar
4. Click Options on the right
5. Uncheck Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible
This would disconnect my MOTU as well. Unchecking Put Hard Disk(s) to Sleep in powersave fixed it
I donāt think Iām into making music anymore, but I have one question thatās been plaguing me forever, and I would like some points of view before I bow outā¦
People want gear with multiple outs, yet run those outs into a mixer where itās all summed. Why? [keeping in mind the sound coming from the gears separate outs have their own vol, eq, filter etc [kinda standard today]]
ā¦5000 
Most of the artists I work with normally do this for live performances. This is strictly a method to have control over everything on-stage. Frustrating because most of them arenāt very good at keeping things in check, so iām fighting frequencies at my console.
In the studio, itās super convenient to save inputs. The last studio I was working at did this. We had an API Legacy console with 32 inputs, but wanted to save those for instruments like drums, guitar, vocals, etc. So we essentially ran the synths into an external mixer and summed them down 2 channels to the API. This was super effective for multi-tracking. Whenever the groups wanted to ājamā and record live, weād swap back and setup the synths they absolutely wanted straight to the API.
Everyone has different reasons, but it always comes down to capacity first for me
Thatās exactly what I did. Works like a charm on the front port but occasionally disconnects from the back ports. May be a Thunderbolt 5 thing. Maybe not.
I still have to look into this further - that is, if Apple gets rid of plain old USB-C ports on their new machines.
Right now, with SSLās USB-C to USB-C cable and the MiniM4 front port, it works steadilyā¦as long as the hard drives donāt go to sleep.
So I have an MPC X and a Big Six and I run all my MPC outputs into my Big Six in the studioā¦ I have a few reasons:
Beyond that itās just the way Iāve worked for years, I just like mixing on a mixer rather than tweaking levels directly in the interface of my gear, and Iāve always had a mixer, even live I bring a mackie or whatever.
Edit: Iāll also add thatās why I donāt have one of the new Elektrons, just two many parts coming out of one stereo output doesnāt gel with my type of setup.
So I gave it a try ā¦ I plugged a TRS into the Bus B L output, and the XLR end into the talkback.
Switched the LMC on ā¦ and it beat the sh*t out of my drum break. I liked it 
The mic preamp and LMC even managed to uncover very low crosstalk back from when I tracked the thing in ā¦ Under the right conditions you could hear the neighbour track as loud as if it was the actual track I was processing ā¦ (the āI sit on the couch 3 meters away from the talkback mic and you can still hear my whisper loud and clear in your cue headphones effectā). Wasnāt a problem for my purposes, and I sort of achieved what I wanted.
Sorry for the lame question hereā¦I still havenāt properly explored the BigSix.
What bugs me now is that I just canāt pan anything. I have used all mono and stereo channels and on each channel, when I try to move the Pan knob, nothing happens. Not even when I try to pan the signal from the Analog Four for example. Like, using LFO on the hi-hat panning, no effect at the end.
I should be doing something wrong, but what?
The monitoring section has a mono switch. Have you checked if itās enabled?
(The mono switch is facing the āAltā switch across the āDimā pot, above the āCutā switch - it doesnāt have a LED status helper)
That was it exactly. Thank you!
My kid likes to play with the mixer and after that I spend so much time guessing what he pressed or movedā¦
Haha, in the case of the Big Six with all its routing options and features I guess resetting the mixer after their playing is quite a task 
Ha! Whenever my nephew would come over when he was little, the first thing he would do is push everything to 11.
Using my BigSix with the latest version software on mac mini m2pro. Sometimes when left unused for a while it disconnects. Have to power cycle the mixer for the mac to see it again. Anyone else have this issue?
Mac Mini M4 (base model).
Same here - although it happens with the Thunderbolt ports but not so much with the USB-C ones.
Since itās a desktop, I usually just leave the Mini on.
But still, an annoying little quirk.
Interesting. Wander if SSL are aware? Not a massive issue. More a mild annoyance.
It may be a Mac Mini related issue in my case. The Mini has had some issues (bluetooth, monitors, portsā¦) and it would make more sense than a SSL issue.
But yeah. Now that you mention it, I didnāt send an email. Gonna do it. Just asking if they are aware and if thereās a fix.
Itās an annoyance with the Mini, but it would have been a pain with a MBP or any laptop (since keeping them awake all the time would have killed the battery in the long run)