Computer not recognizing USB DAC
Apr 21, 2017 at 7:19 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 15
McKinneyMike

McKinneyMike

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I have been trying to get my USB DAC to work, but my PC does not see it.  I have actually returned the first one thinking it must be defective, but now I am not so sure its the DAC's.  
  If I am not wrong, when I plug in the DAC to a USB port, the PC should recognize that a device has been connected.  I get no such affirmation.  Tried multiple ports, tried different USB cables.  Nada.
  What might be going wrong?
 
Apr 21, 2017 at 10:23 PM Post #3 of 15
mckinneymike said:
  I have been trying to get my USB DAC to work, but my PC does not see it.  I have actually returned the first one thinking it must be defective, but now I am not so sure its the DAC's.  
  If I am not wrong, when I plug in the DAC to a USB port, the PC should recognize that a device has been connected.  I get no such affirmation.  Tried multiple ports, tried different USB cables.  Nada.
  What might be going wrong?
Click to expand...

 
Depending on the DAC, some USB receiver chip do not use generic USB drivers nor do they automatically tell the PC to download it somewhere. You have to manually install the drivers while the DAC is connected.
 
Apr 22, 2017 at 9:06 AM Post #4 of 15
I run windows 10 and use the fiio x5ii dac/software.  I find I have to reinstall the windows driver for the dac constantly after major windows upgrades.  I also know there is a security issue (permissions on the driver) and it needs to be installed in a certain way to function properly.  I also thought it was my unit before I picked up the pattern within windows 10.  I do love using my mobile unit with my pc.  I don't have this trouble with my desktop unit but it uses a different driver.  I also have not found that they conflict at all so I think its just the portable unit.  Just a thought but double check your driver whether windows or mac and make sure its installed under an admin account. 
 
Apr 23, 2017 at 11:05 AM Post #5 of 15
The DAC is a SMSL M8, built after December 2016.  I have not been able to find a driver that is not corrupted.  Every time I try to install the driver I have I keep getting an error code that says DAC needs to be plugged in and turned on.  This is my 2nd DAC with the exact same issues, so I am pretty sure its something on my end or the driver is corrupted.  I was sent this driver and have not found a good source for the correct driver to download it on the web.
 
  The driver I was sent is M8 driver v2.23.0
 
Apr 23, 2017 at 10:50 PM Post #6 of 15
What operating system are you running and have you tried swapping out the usb cables.  Mine wont work with just any cable.
 
Apr 24, 2017 at 12:07 AM Post #7 of 15
mckinneymike said:
  The DAC is a SMSL M8, built after December 2016.  I have not been able to find a driver that is not corrupted.  Every time I try to install the driver I have I keep getting an error code that says DAC needs to be plugged in and turned on.  This is my 2nd DAC with the exact same issues, so I am pretty sure its something on my end or the driver is corrupted.  I was sent this driver and have not found a good source for the correct driver to download it on the web.
 
  The driver I was sent is M8 driver v2.23.0
Click to expand...

 
Try the same driver with another computer first and see if that works. If it does, your OS has some kind of incompatibility with that driver.
 
Apr 24, 2017 at 6:07 PM Post #9 of 15
I did try to look into this but norton didn't seem to like the site.  I did read that you want to use the windows 8 driver and there may not be a driver just for windows 10.  Windows 10 is supposed to get some native upgrades for audio drivers which may work.  I would try it on another pc/operating system if you can first as you look like you'll do.  If I find anything else I'll post back.  Windows 10 (and probably other versions) are getting a lot of updates right now and I suspect its to do with the recent nsa hacking tools revelations.  It has messed with my pc in big ways shutting down the usb ports all together.  I'm curious if the driver "ever" worked and if not do you have a win 8 driver?
 
Apr 25, 2017 at 8:15 AM Post #10 of 15
lcasadonte said:
  I did try to look into this but norton didn't seem to like the site.  I did read that you want to use the windows 8 driver and there may not be a driver just for windows 10.  Windows 10 is supposed to get some native upgrades for audio drivers which may work.  I would try it on another pc/operating system if you can first as you look like you'll do.  If I find anything else I'll post back.  Windows 10 (and probably other versions) are getting a lot of updates right now and I suspect its to do with the recent nsa hacking tools revelations.  It has messed with my pc in big ways shutting down the usb ports all together.  I'm curious if the driver "ever" worked and if not do you have a win 8 driver?
Click to expand...

I was sent this driver from the people that I purchased the DAC from, and no I have never confirmed that it works.  I am trying to track down a Windows 7 PC to see it it will load and work.  I don't know of anyone that I know that has a Windows 8 system.  It is maddening when dealing with possible OS issues.  Thanks for your input.
 
Apr 29, 2017 at 7:20 AM Post #12 of 15
OP,
Connect the DAC and power it up, if not powered from usb. Download driver. Then, from control panel go to "sound" and enable the driver from playback menu. That's the step I think which is causing your problem. You must make the driver the default device. From there, you will need to double click the driver which will allow you to set the advanced menu for the bit and bite rate you want to send to the DAC.
 
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May 2, 2017 at 9:56 PM Post #13 of 15
@OP, I don't have the same DAC as you, but I do have a Chord Mojo. After much pestering from Windows 10 I finally updated to their "Creators Update" to which my Mojo drivers stopped functioning. Instead of USB digital it said "Mojo Speaker" and only output the worst sounding audio out of the left driver only. I went through all of the appropriate steps to try to get it working again and nothing. I ended up downgrading the update back to the last available build and what do you know, the Mojo works again. I hope you have similar results if an update downgrade might be your only option. Good luck!
 
Oct 14, 2017 at 7:14 PM Post #14 of 15
I just had a similar problem, all of a sudden. For the first time ever I had turned on my DAC without turning on my computer first. So I closed both then turned on computer first and it recognised the dac as soon as I turned it on.
 
Jan 30, 2020 at 11:37 AM Post #15 of 15
After hours of searching the internet and trying different things, this was the absolute thing I needed to put me over the top on this firmware update thing. My computer has a disfunction in that it can't recognize anything plugged into it's USB unless it's there before the computer is turned on. You can see how that hindered me from figuring this out. I switched over to my wife's laptop and it worked, much to my surprise. I can't thank you enough for posting this.
 
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