[gr8soundz]

   
As h1f1add1cted /img/forum/go_quote.gif said, it's a generic OTG cable I picked up at the big electronics market we have here in Taipei. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guang_Hua_Digital_Plaza
It took me a while to find a store that had cables with L-shaped micro USB connectors. I think it's pretty much identical to this and most others on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/niceeshop-Degree-Female-Converter-Adaptor/dp/B00871Q5PI/
 
My searches have come up with nothing for a similar cable with L-shaped connectors on both ends (male-to-males exist, but not the male-to-female the micro needs). I work at a computer company and a colleague sourced some female USB 2.0 upright SMT sockets that I'm going to use to convert the female end to L-shape, so I don't have to worry about stressing the cable, or bumping it loose. I've seen heat shrink elbow boots on industrial websites, but I doubt I could get just a few for a reasonable price. So I'll probably finish it off with a hot glue and cloth tape.
 

 
THIS!
 
I searched for weeks also looking for a (non-existent) short OTG cable with angled female usb connector. Ended up going with one similar to gixxer's.
 
If you are successful in stabilizing the the cable I'd be very interested in getting one from you.

 

[gixxerwimp]

 

gr8soundz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  THIS!
 
I searched for weeks also looking for a (non-existent) short OTG cable with angled female usb connector. Ended up going with one similar to gixxer's.
 
If you are successful in stabilizing the the cable I'd be very interested in getting one from you.

 
I have several. Will probably want to hang onto a few spare, but if it works out, I can send you one, sure. Will post my results within the next few weeks and you can remind me then.
 
Living in Taiwan can be a pain (it's like 80°C and 1000% humidity now, don't get me started about traffic and elevator etiquette), but working in hi-tech here does have it's perks.

 

[DougD]

Using JRiver MC20 and a std desktop PC, I get a constant series of highly annoying crackles and dropouts when my Micro iDSD is connected via USB in the conventional way. No amount of fiddling with MC20 settings seems to cure this, and re-installing the iFi Audio drivers hasn't helped. (However, I did not have this problem for the first few months.) 
 
The same tunes, played directly via DAP --> headphones, or DAP --> iDSD --> headphones, have no problems. That rules out the music files as being the cause of the problem.
 
Interestingly, going from JRMC-20 --> my Yamaha AVR --> the Stax h/p also has no problems ... and that's an ethernet connection. That would seem to rule out JRMC and its settings as being the cause of the problem. 
 
So my conclusion is that my desktop PC is just a swirling cesspool of (USB) noise and/or some latency issues and/or driver issues I can't figure out ... and I'm wondering if routing the signal to the iDSD via ethernet wouldn't be a cunning way of just finessing that cluster problem entirely. 
 
I googled for ethernet-to-USB adapter, and found lots of things like this ...Anker-Gigabit-Ethernet-Adapter ... and was wondering if anyone else has already tried this kind of a solution for an audio connection to an external DAC. 

 

[technobear]

Using JRiver MC20 and a std desktop PC, I get a constant series of highly annoying crackles and dropouts when my Micro iDSD is connected via USB in the conventional way.  

First thing to check is the iFi Audio USB Driver settings:

 

[DougD]

First thing to check is the iFi Audio USB Driver settings:
 

 
That's what I have. The sample rate varies of course, depending on what's being played.

 

[rickyleelee]

Hey you ruled out the micro dsd, the music file. Likely down to the computer or usb cable. usually the driver and j rivers installs fine. No need to mess. maybe useful or useless. Try latency checker. too on your computer

http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

 

[DougD]

Hey you ruled out the micro dsd, the music file. Likely down to the computer or usb cable. usually the driver and j rivers installs fine. No need to mess. maybe useful or useless. Try latency checker. too on your computer

http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

 
Well that is .... interesting. 
 
On my machine, EVERY test bar using the DPC Latency Checker is over 8000 us, and some spike over 16000. Going by the color-coding that 500 us is green/good (for hi qual/realtime audio) and 1000 us is yellow/marginal, my readings are waaaay into red/seriously-lousy territory.
 
It will take me a while to try to isolate the cause of the slowness, but this is very useful info.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, rickyleelee. 

 

[john57]

That is a very bad latency value. Myself I get about 22ms. One of of the tools I use is msconfig and use the diagnostic mode. Run the DPC Latency Checker and see if it will improve. I then add things back until I find the service that is hogging the bandwidth.

 

[Music Path]

First thing to check is the iFi Audio USB Driver settings:

 

   
That's what I have. The sample rate varies of course, depending on what's being played.

They say to use safe or extra safe, but relaxed works very well too, thigt bass and vivid. But if you lower latency further it can make crackles with the sound depending on buffer size and pc performance. 
Sample rates should idealy be beetwen 48000 and 96000. After that its unecessary. No audible gain. 192k hurts even. Not very good. 

 

[mogulmaster]

Are the "power modes" on here gain essentially?

 

[Music Path]

  Are the "power modes" on here gain essentially?

Yes

 

[gixxerwimp]

 

gr8soundz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  THIS!
 
I searched for weeks also looking for a (non-existent) short OTG cable with angled female usb connector. Ended up going with one similar to gixxer's.
 
If you are successful in stabilizing the the cable I'd be very interested in getting one from you.

 
Didn't think I'd get to this for a while, but I was bored at work on Friday afternoon and started playing with the USB socket. First, I popped the cover off the back and trimmed and bent in all pokey bits.

 
Then stripped the "straight" female USB socket off my cable, measured it up against the micro iDSD, and cut a shallow notch so the edge of the socket would kind of "mortise" into the cable.

 
I'm really crappy at soldering, but all the connections checked out OK.

 
Used a glue gun to fill in the gaps and layer up a "blob", then trimmed it down to form a grip.


 
Used photographer's gaffer tape to finish it off.




 
It works out well that I can see the light from the LED coming out through the USB socket, since my phone covers it up.
 
I think a cable like this should come stock with the micro iDSD. Are you listening?

iFi audio

 
This looks very similar to my connector.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/USB-A-female-side-plug-90-Short-Body-Type-A-USB-socket-is-inserted-bead-pendant/32374066178.html
 
Here's a USB 3.0 version, but I think it's too long and awkward to be very useable.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/USB-3-0-Type-A-female-socket-USB-A-F-90-degrees-side-plug-order/1848566913.html
 
 
@gr8soundz: PM me your address and I'll send you a couple. I'll still have 2 left over for myself to make replacements if this one dies.

 

[RadioWonder737]

  That is a very bad latency value. Myself I get about 22ms. One of of the tools I use is msconfig and use the diagnostic mode. Run the DPC Latency Checker and see if it will improve. I then add things back until I find the service that is hogging the bandwidth.

Excellent information at the software website... Things to disable and things to never disable were especially interesting... 
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

 

[gr8soundz]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

   
Didn't think I'd get to this for a while, but I was bored at work on Friday afternoon and started playing with the USB socket. First, I popped the cover off the back and trimmed and bent in all pokey bits.

 
Then stripped the "straight" female USB socket off my cable, measured it up against the micro iDSD, and cut a shallow notch so the edge of the socket would kind of "mortise" into the cable.

 
I'm really crappy at soldering, but all the connections checked out OK.

 
Used a glue gun to fill in the gaps and layer up a "blob", then trimmed it down to form a grip.


 
Used photographer's gaffer tape to finish it off.




 
It works out well that I can see the light from the LED coming out through the USB socket, since my phone covers it up.
 
I think a cable like this should come stock with the micro iDSD. Are you listening?

iFi audio

 
This looks very similar to my connector.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/USB-A-female-side-plug-90-Short-Body-Type-A-USB-socket-is-inserted-bead-pendant/32374066178.html
 
Here's a USB 3.0 version, but I think it's too long and awkward to be very useable.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/USB-3-0-Type-A-female-socket-USB-A-F-90-degrees-side-plug-order/1848566913.html
 
 
@gr8soundz: PM me your address and I'll send you a couple. I'll still have 2 left over for myself to make replacements if this one dies.

 

 
Nice work Gixxer.
 
That's exactly how I imagined an otg cable on my micro since I bought it. Should give me the extra inch clearance I need to better fit my Note3/Micro rig in the case I got for it.
 
Really hope iFi is listening
 
PM sent!

 

[Soulrave]

So my ifi idsd suddenly wont work with my iphone, when i plug it in the LED indicator just turns white and the music plays on my iphone speakers.
 
Tried it with my friend's iphone and still same problem. 
 
When I tried plugging it in my desktop pc and my laptop via the provided usb cable, the indicator led also turns white but it doesn't get detected by my desktop and laptop. Tried installing the ifi drivers but it gives the error "setup requires device is plugged in. please connect the device etc etc etc".
 
Everything else works btw, just the usb input. 
 
Thanks!