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D10 optical problem

post #1 of 35
4/27/09 at 10:44am
Thread Starter 
My iBasso D10 optical connection worked at first but now is only half working.

When I plug it in, sound only comes out the right side. I can pull the plug out a little so that it comes out only the left and then a little more, both sides. But obviously this isn't a solution.

I isolated the problem as being with the D10 optical connection, it isn't the source, the cables, the headphones or the headphone jack.

I'm new to using an optical interconnect. It seems strange that it would only come out one side (and sound fine on that side, no static). Does this sound like a defect or is there some remedy or explanation?
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post #2 of 35
4/27/09 at 10:53am
maybe there is dust in one of the connectors or jacks. give them a blow and try again. other then that, hopefully someone else has experience with the problem.
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post #3 of 35
4/27/09 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 
I tried that and it didn't help.
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post #4 of 35
4/27/09 at 11:53am
maybe something defective with the dac circuitry? i guess this doesn't happen with coax, line and headphone out? this might be an RMA...
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post #5 of 35
4/27/09 at 12:02pm
try posting in the d10 thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f105/i.../index128.html

maybe someone can help you there.
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post #6 of 35
4/27/09 at 2:10pm
You're talking about the optical in jack giving different results when the cable plug is moved around? That seems like an optical jack/plug alignment issue.

Check your jack to ensure everything seems "straight" and properly secured, and make sure you try another optical cable.
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post #7 of 35
4/27/09 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions.

I tried blowing out the optical area with some canned air.
I tried two different, both which worked before (the one that came with the unit and then one I ordered from SysConcepts).

The jacks seem to be secure. The unit is relatively new and I haven't subjected it to any rough treatment.

I really don't want to return it and go through all that burn-in time again.

Any other suggestions?
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post #8 of 35
4/27/09 at 4:54pm
So it is only with the optical cable? That is odd as the digital signal is processed by the receiving chip so I am not sure why you would be getting one channel or the other from the optical cable. You have the optical in then use the amp section out to your phones as I understand it. Have you tried a line out section to just the amp section of the D10?
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post #9 of 35
4/28/09 at 11:15am
Thread Starter 
Yes, that's what is odd. Using the headphone out with a normal cable feed through the line in/out works just fine. Also, I plugged headphone in to the line out while the optical was hooked up and heard music out of both sides, albeit very low volume.

"Have you tried a line out section to just the amp section of the D10?"

I'm not quite sure what this means.
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post #10 of 35
4/28/09 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RASeymour View Post
"Have you tried a line out section to just the amp section of the D10?"

I'm not quite sure what this means.
think he is asking if you have bypassed the dac entirely and have tried the d10 in amp only mode...
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post #11 of 35
4/28/09 at 12:11pm
In other words just feeding it through the line-in on the front instead of any of the dac connections on the rear
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post #12 of 35
4/28/09 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Using the headphone out with a normal cable feed through the line in/out works just fine.
^^ yes, thats what I took this to mean. it seems it works

well if he gets both sides when its fed optical and using the headphones plugged into the lineout, then its not a problem with the optical. It is impossible for an optical input to receive only one side, an optical signal is a stream of 1's and 0's there is no left and right side to this signal until it hits the dac and if you hear both channels from the lineout using optical then there is no problem with the dac.

this is a very strange problem indeed; I think we need more information
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post #13 of 35
4/28/09 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
^^ yes, thats what I took this to mean. it seems it works

well if he gets both sides when its fed optical and using the headphones plugged into the lineout, then its not a problem with the optical. It is impossible for an optical input to receive only one side, an optical signal is a stream of 1's and 0's there is no left and right side to this signal until it hits the dac and if you hear both channels from the lineout using optical then there is no problem with the dac.

this is a very strange problem indeed; I think we need more information
true. true. he does get sound as he pulls the cable out so maybe it is an alinements issue? you might want to email ibasso now and inquire about possible solutions and wait times if you do need to send it back.
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post #14 of 35
4/28/09 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
I double checked. With the optical as a source, the problem is only with the headphone out. The aux line in/out plays the music on both sides (albeit at a very low volume, which I assume is natural) through a headphone.

When this first came up, I thought the amp had a bum headphone jack. It reminded me of how portable cassette players used to get bad jacks after awhile. But the jack works perfect with a non-optical source.

More on how the headphone jack is working with the optical input:

Pushed all the way in = right side only.
Pulled out a bit = left side only.
Pulled out so that it is barely in contact = left and right side (although I don't think the volume is accurate, but it is close).

I've double checked all connections. It isn't the source, cable, or headphone that is the problem, only the optical/headphone out combo.

Thanks for all your suggestions so far.
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post #15 of 35
4/28/09 at 4:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by smallcaps View Post
true. true. he does get sound as he pulls the cable out so maybe it is an alinements issue? you might want to email ibasso now and inquire about possible solutions and wait times if you do need to send it back.
i'm saying there is a problem in the connection between the dac and the left channel of the amp, not a problem with the dac itself and not a problem with the amp. the aux line totally bypasses this connection as its a direct path from the dac. do you get this problem with USB and Coax?? if you get the same exact problem then that will confirm it. make sense to you guys??

i'll run through it

optical in (digital in)-> DAC->Amp/AUX->HP
line in->amp->HP
optical in->DAC->AUX


see all other connections are fine; if the USB is the same and the coax is the same I think we have isolated the problem

you see, the behavior you describe with pulling the HP jack out is totally normal for an amp that is only working on the right side. when you pull the jack out, you pull the tip (left) past the right contact (which is working) then you pull it past the point where both left and right channel contacts are touching the right terminal (ring) on the amp (which is working) am I clear??
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