LH Labs Geek Out v2 Discussion Thread

[rigo]

Okay so one more thing before I upgrade. If I go line out to a separate headphone amp am I able to control the volume on the amp?

 

[foreverzer0]

Okay so one more thing before I upgrade. If I go line out to a separate headphone amp am I able to control the volume on the amp?

If it were an integrated amp that had it's own volume control..

Edit: actually most if not all headphone amps have volume controls, so yes.

 

[willowbrook]

I thought this was fixed from 2.0 to 2.1? No volume control keys are super inconvenient.

Wasn't really a bug or problem in the first place. It makes sense to get rid of volume control from Windows and driver or else what's the point of implementing physical volume control anyway? You can always control volume via 3rd-party software though.

 

[foreverzer0]

depends on use-case; so theoretically you would max out the volume to line-level to your headphones and use in-app volume control, for each app? that's horrible if any other app or the os itself made a sudden chime or noise. I use mine in a work environment with chat etc in the background and typically use my magic keyboard for volume, song control, and muting when someone comes to tell me something.

 

[stuck limo]

Balanced line-out is slightly more complicated, you have to tap the SE ground, I believe.

There's documentation on this somewhere

You have to use two cables for balanced. A 3.5mm TRRS to 2 XLR cable for balanced main signal and a 3.5mm TRS to 2 RCA cable for ground. Plug both cables in and choose balanced input on external amp.

No, this is ONLY if you have grounding issues or a loop issue in the first place. If you have none of those, a regular balanced cable from the unit will work fine. No extra cable is needed.

I don't understand why no one (including Larry) has made this clear yet to the general public. He just dumped this information out there with the latest update and didn't explain this was ONLY for people who already had issues. Then everyone else jumped on it and started passing it around as a necessity to run the amp.

 

[Roen]

Yes, Windows & driver volume control is gone. You can only control volume via device or software.

How do you do it via software? I can only do it via device.

 

[willowbrook]

How do you do it via software? I can only do it via device.

I meant 3rd-party software like a music player or internet browser etc.

 

[manukmanohar]

Had a query with regards to the 2.1 firmware on my geekout v2+.

I'm going to use it on balanced out with my He-560. Have heard that the pairing works best on high gain mode. So, to achieve high gain, (I listen at low to medium volumes usually, around 70-80 db), should I decrease the software volume on the media player, and then increase the volume through my geekout v2+, to reach high gain mode?

Any other way to achieve this. The only problem is the approach which I'm looking at goes against the common recommendation of putting the software volume at 100% and then adjusting volume on the amp. Would really appreciate your help on this.

 

[willowbrook]

Had a query with regards to the 2.1 firmware on my geekout v2+.

I'm going to use it on balanced out with my He-560. Have heard that the pairing works best on high gain mode. So, to achieve high gain, (I listen at low to medium volumes usually, around 70-80 db), should I decrease the software volume on the media player, and then increase the volume through my geekout v2+, to reach high gain mode?

Any other way to achieve this. The only problem is the approach which I'm looking at goes against the common recommendation of putting the software volume at 100% and then adjusting volume on the amp. Would really appreciate your help on this.

I'm afraid no other way because gain is automatic now. Either low software volume and high gain or vice versa.

 

[Roen]

I'm afraid no other way because gain is automatic now. Either low software volume and high gain or vice versa.

I hate the fact that you have to choose between line-out and manual gain

 

[GoodEnoughGear]

I hate the fact that you have to choose between line-out and manual gain

On firmware v.1.5 just max out the volume and you have line out - no digital attenuation. And you get 2-3 gain levels to choose from depending if you have infinity/SE versions. The only 'catch' is high gain and medium gain (4v, 2.68v) may be a bit hot for single ended gear, and the low gain (1.26v) may be a bit weak.

Another issue is I am not aware of anyone downgrading back to 1.5 successfully. You're stuck on 2.1 if you update.

 

[Roen]

On firmware v.1.5 just max out the volume and you have line out - no digital attenuation. And you get 2-3 gain levels to choose from depending if you have infinity/SE versions. The only 'catch' is high gain and medium gain (4v, 2.68v) may be a bit hot for single ended gear, and the low gain (1.26v) may be a bit weak.

Another issue is I am not aware of anyone downgrading back to 1.5 successfully. You're stuck on 2.1 if you update.

I have downgraded and upgraded between 1.5, 2.0 and 2.1.

Wouldn't you need to set the gain at high in addition to maxing out the volume?

If so, what is the difference between line out mode in 2.1 and max volume - high gain in 1.5?

 

[manukmanohar]

My GO V2+ has developed an issue with the power button. It seems the power button is no longer functioning and the device is always on.
Has anyone faced this issue, and fixed it by themselves.
I'm in India, and sending this to the company for fixing would be very difficult for me :/

Any help or suggestion or workaround to fix this would be great, and highly appreciated.

 

[GoodEnoughGear]

I have downgraded and upgraded between 1.5, 2.0 and 2.1.

Wouldn't you need to set the gain at high in addition to maxing out the volume?

If so, what is the difference between line out mode in 2.1 and max volume - high gain in 1.5?

Gain is not the same as volume - there are many amplifiers that have multiple gain levels for line outs, especially in the professional world where there are several reference levels. See the following article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level .

TL;DR Line level is essentially no attenuation. You need to look at your chain for level-matching if you do have gain control. In terms of 2.1, line out mode is 3.6v max single ended - usually consumer gear works on a 2v standard so that may be hot.

 

[Roen]

Gain is not the same as volume - there are many amplifiers that have multiple gain levels for line outs, especially in the professional world where there are several reference levels. See the following article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level .

TL;DR Line level is essentially no attenuation. You need to look at your chain for level-matching if you do have gain control. In terms of 2.1, line out mode is 3.6v max single ended - usually consumer gear works on a 2v standard so that may be hot.

I understand that, but I am looking to understand what is the equivalent setting in 1.5 vs. line-out mode in 2.1