[Incognito73]

Hi there,

I was using Geek Pulse X hapilly for few months and then move it on for sale to fund the new project. Now, new user is claiming that USB connection is pretty much unusable as endless ammount of nursing is needeed for DAC to be recognised or used. It will just dissappear as device itself or just stop working.

Is Geek Pulse X (or Pulse in general) reactive to specific USB chipsets (hosts) and could anyone kindly share any specific firmware to resolve this problem?

Thanks!

 

[jbr1971]

Hi there,

I was using Geek Pulse X hapilly for few months and then move it on for sale to fund the new project. Now, new user is claiming that USB connection is pretty much unusable as endless ammount of nursing is needeed for DAC to be recognised or used. It will just dissappear as device itself or just stop working.

Is Geek Pulse X (or Pulse in general) reactive to specific USB chipsets (hosts) and could anyone kindly share any specific firmware to resolve this problem?

Thanks!

 
Is their computer Windows or Mac? If Windows, does it have the latest driver?
 
How are they connecting it? Directly to the computer? Through a LPS? Through an external USB hub? If it is not direct, have them try connecting directly to the computer.
 
If it still does not work, have them try a different USB port. The port could be having issues. Also check if it is USB 2.0 or 3.0. Have them make sure it is moved from one bus to the other in case there are bus speed issues.

 

[Incognito73]

It's Windows machine and the guy evaluated Pulse on two laptops, changed USB cable etc. I was using my own linear PSU and USB cable with the Pulse, so never tested the bundled ones but I believe that PSU wouldn't not cause such issues as, for example, other inputs are fine. He mentioned that he never had a DAC before behaving like that before. In my case, Pulse would occasionally drop the connection but really far away from anything serious. Doesn't make sense the it's not reliable on other system.
 
One would expect that DAC should work reliable in-line with the USB spec... so I'm starting to suspect that it's a firmware issue. 
 
Accidentally stumbled across this Roon thread:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/lhlabs-geek-pulse-no-longer-works/14990
 
It's very much the same behaviour as reported to me and user, curiously enough,  got the firmware update and fixed the problem. I wonder from where or who?!

 

[Laseng]

Well they said that the infinities would ship in order of your pulse order that was updated to an infinity.

So if you ordered your original pulse in December of 13, you should get your infinity before someone who ordered it in Jan 14. (With the exception of the first batch that were sent to us customers, since any warranty returns would be easier.)

You need to file support tickets and ask what is going on... You should have received your infinity a while ago.

 
Its clear that Pulse infinities would not ship in order of your pulse order, even though it was promised.
I know about international backers who ordered Pulse as late as January 2014 and received Pulse Infinity 2.0 as early as November 2015.
 
I backed Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start.
 
In august I submitred a support tickets to LH Labs and told them that It should be those who backed Pulse first that get it first.

The answer i get back was that there are about 100 Pulse Infinity left and about 20 units that are currently ahead of me in their shipping queue.

 

[foreverzer0]

this is the lh labs support & vent group lol.

 

[jbr1971]

  It's Windows machine and the guy evaluated Pulse on two laptops, changed USB cable etc. I was using my own linear PSU and USB cable with the Pulse, so never tested the bundled ones but I believe that PSU wouldn't not cause such issues as, for example, other inputs are fine. He mentioned that he never had a DAC before behaving like that before. In my case, Pulse would occasionally drop the connection but really far away from anything serious. Doesn't make sense the it's not reliable on other system.
 
One would expect that DAC should work reliable in-line with the USB spec... so I'm starting to suspect that it's a firmware issue. 
 
Accidentally stumbled across this Roon thread:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/lhlabs-geek-pulse-no-longer-works/14990
 
It's very much the same behaviour as reported to me and user, curiously enough,  got the firmware update and fixed the problem. I wonder from where or who?!

 
I have seen where moving from one USB port to another on a computer, taking the LPS out of the chain, or switching the cable(s) will fix dropouts. Multiple players in the chain increase the odds of issues exponentially.
 
Make sure he tries running it connected directly to the computer to rule out LPS issues.
 
My XFi is fully updated and it still drops from my Mac from time to time. I have to power it off for 20 seconds, and as soon as it powers back on it is recognized and functioning properly.
 
Firmware updates come from the tech support team. To get it you will need to open a support ticket as the original owner (warranty is not transferable, do not mention it was sold), and provide the exact model version, along with the full serial number (including numbers off to the side).

 

[Incognito73]

OK ... I've been sniffing around a bit and it seems that there is a V2 firmware in the wild and that helped with USB stability. As I'm not sure if firmware files are interchangeable between Pulse/X/Xfi models, could some kind soul share or PM the Pulse X V2 firmware? LHlabs is not responding for a few days.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Careful, incompatible firmware will brick your unit. DFU utility have no way of telling if the firmware being flashed is the correct one or not.

 

[Incognito73]

Well, yes, sort of. Difference between the X and Xfi is just femto clocks and capacitors,resistors, op-amps PCB upgrade but baseline (XMOS USB control chipset namely) is the same. With X I can select femto digital filter form the display apart form the fact that femto clocks are not physically there. In that respect, I'm suspecting that  X and Xfi firmware files may be interchangeable.
 
Just to be on the safe side, I may wait for someone to share Pulse X V2 firmware. I've got Xfi V2 firmware with me at the moment from someone (file is named GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin

 

[jbr1971]

  Well, yes, sort of. Difference between the X and Xfi is just femto clocks and capacitors,resistors, op-amps PCB upgrade but baseline (XMOS USB control chipset namely) is the same. With X I can select femto digital filter form the display apart form the fact that femto clocks are not physically there. In that respect, I'm suspecting that  X and Xfi firmware files may be interchangeable.
 
Just to be on the safe side, I may wait for someone to share Pulse X V2 firmware. I've got Xfi V2 firmware with me at the moment from someone (file is named GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin

 
DO NOT use a XFi firmware with a X Pulse. The firmwares ARE NOT interchangeable.
 
It is not a guarantee it would brick your Pulse, but it would be an extremely high amount of risk. Bricking Pulse units this way is not a warranty covered fix.

 

[wingsounds13]

Nahhhh.. Go ahead and update with the wrong version, then come back and tell us how long it too for LH Labs to fix it and how much it cost.

It doesn't seem like the same basic design with some different parts on the board would make any significant difference in the firmware but it sure seems to.

J.P.

 

[mandrake50]

I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
 
GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
 
I have an Infinity V1. I think it was called a Pulse X Infinity.
 
It would seem that, although perhaps not universally interchangeable, one firmware version is applicable to more than just a single model.

 

[jbr1971]

 
I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
 
GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
 
I have an Infinity V1. I think it was called a Pulse X Infinity.
 
It would seem that, although perhaps not universally interchangeable, one firmware version is applicable to more than just a single model.

 
It depends on the model. The Infinity is much closer in spec to the XFi than the X.
 
If you have not already, double-check with them that that file is truly Infinity compatible.

 

[Shawnb]

 
I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
 
GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
 
I have an Infinity V1. I think it was called a Pulse X Infinity.
 
It would seem that, although perhaps not universally interchangeable, one firmware version is applicable to more than just a single model.

 
You post made me wonder What happened to my ticket. Seems they closed it without replying. 

 

[Greg121986]

   
You post made me wonder What happened to my ticket. Seems they closed it without replying. 

After a period of time with no activity from either side, their ticket system automatically closes the ticket. I think it's 48 or 72 hours.