Well.......
Over the last few hours, I have confirmed "some" of my stupidity. Clearly I needed help and I greatly appreciate those who have added the HIGHLY needed "How to H140 with D10" tips.
I purchased the H140 refurbished. It came with a user manual on disc which I have been trying to understand, but either I am just that much more stupid than I have assumed (after thinking for so many years I wasn't) or iRiver's Manual and the H140 interface are both horrible.
I have read over and over to upgrade to Rockbox and I assume I will. But, I have a 90 day warranty on this "factory refurbished" iRiver and I want to make sure it works before I upgrade to Rockbox. If I understand correctly, upgrading to Rockbox might void my warranty (???).
In the end, I am MUCH more concerned about sound quality than interface. Otherwise, I would have stuck with my iPod Classic - which looks nicer, better build quality and better interface. But, from what I read, optical out of H140 to D10 seems to offer signficantly improved sound - so that is my goal.
I assume I will get to a point where the device is set up how I want and I can scroll through songs - hit play, or just shuffle and skip forward/back. Volume control on D10. I don't care about the record features, I rip with EAC on my computer and drag and drop files. (I hate iTunes - but that is another issue).
Anyway, enough with the background scenario stuff.
So, late last night, I logged on and saw kayser's post. Thanks kayser for posting and the initial help.
As it turns out, I did "NOT" have the optical out setting set to "On" prior late last night and receiving kayser's post. I had previously looked through the H140's menu options after the hassles of trying to figure out how to GET TO the menu options. But, I missed the optical out settings.
So, once I saw kayser's post and again hassled with figuring out how to get back to the Menu option, I was actually excited to see the Optical out setting set to off and changed it to On - thinking all would soon be good.......
After setting Optical Out to "On", I confirmed red light, hooked up Optical line and plugged everything in, but ..... still NO music.
I tinkered with the two units for a while and can't remember the different processes and connection orders I tried, but I couldn't get it to work.
I was frustrated and it was late - other rough stuff under my skin from yesterday as well, so I didn't post my results and further questions.
----------------
Today, I see ElEsido and wofen68 posts - Thank you guys as well for posting and your efforts in adding help.
Considering the failure from last night, I again was excited that there "might" be some other setting or process that might get things to work. Info needed to know - one way or another.
So, I go back through the process to make sure I have everything set up correctly and connect and turn on everything in the "correct order" - ......while standing on on right leg only, right arm out, head back, and left index finger touching my nose, ..... etc.
But, still no sound.
- Let me rephrase that: No music. I can hear the amp turn on and off as I have made sure my headphones are connected first.
So, I go through the checklist again:
- Start with D10 "Off"
- Turn on H140
- Confirm Optical Out setting for H140 turned "On" (reconfirmed multiple times)
- Confirm Red light coming out of H140 optical out port (Reconfirmed multiple times)
- Confirm optical mini to Toslink connector from Sys-Concepts connected snugly on both units
- I re-Confirm D10 is "OFF"
- I make sure H140 is "On" AND "playing" a music track.
- I confirm music is playing with headphones through H140 headphone out jack (yes - confirmed multiple times, but I don't leave headphones connected to H140)
- Make sure headphones are connected to D10
- THEN turn on D10
............. Still no music (although I can hear the amp turning on and off.
I have tried MANY times now and reconfirmed the process, but no luck with Optical connection. - The H140 works (plays music) with headphone out and the D10 works as Amp with Aux In and USB in.
-----------------------------------------
I don't yet completely understand what the problem is. But, I think I may have been able to confirm the H140 is fine and the D10 is most likely the problem.
The H140 using the "Mini" Optical connector has been a bit of a problem - and I don't know about original packaging, but my "refurbished" H140 did NOT come with a Mini to Toslink Optical cable or any optical cable.
However, I do have a Toslink to Toslink cable - Not sure where I got it (????).
I have a Pioneer Elite Reciever with a Toslink Optical/Digital in jack, but the SysConcept optical connector is "rigid" and fixed in it's small "U" shape with two 90 degree turns. It seems it would likely break if I tried to bend it and at $70 for that little cable, I wasn't about to possibly break it. I have been babying that cable. So, I can't use that cable to connect the H140's "Mini" to the Toslink connector on the Pioneer.
However, somehow it occured to me that a "light" signal might still be able to be picked up if just holding the cable lined up as close as possible. I honestly didn't expect it to work, but I connected my Toslink cable to my Pioneer and held the other Toslink connector as close to center as I could on my H140 and it played music!!!! - quite easily actually. The Toslink tip is much shorter than the Mini Optical tip and probably only goes into the H140's jack about 1/4 the way of the mini Optical connector - and is very loose with lots of move around room. But, it still worked VERY nicely. I even moved the Toslink cable connector inside the H140 to test how "forgiving" the signal was. It was quit forgiving and the Pioneer only lost signal if I removed the Toslink completely out of the H140's Optical out hole.
So, I connected the Toslink cable to the D10 and went through the start-up process holding the cable on the H140. But, still no music.
I confirmed that light was coming out nice and bright on the Toslink side of the cable while holding the cable - Yes.
Then I checked the custom Sysconcept cable with only plugging the Mini jack into the optical out of the H140 and checked light out-put on the Toslink side just to confirm nothing "visibly" wrong with the Sysconcept custom connector - It showed a nice bright light out of the Toslink end.
**** So, I "think" the H140 and Sysconcept cable must both work fine.
And I think there must be something wrong with the D10.
"Or", I suppose it "might" be possible "I" am still doing something wrong. However, with all of the instructions and all of my multiple attempts to "Correctly" connect and follow the correct start up procedure, I would HOPE I would be doing the start-up and connections correctly at this point
- I can get all of my other electronic devices to work just fine (??????)....
So again, at this point, I am starting to think there must be something wrong with the D10 - either the optical in connector on the D10, or an internal switch, or maybe the DAC itself.
The D10's Amp seems to work. As I have used it with iPod via Mini-to-Mini cable and with computer via USB cable.
-----------------
So, any other thoughts or advice?????
I appreciate all of the help so far. But, apparently I either still need more help or most likely I feel I will just need to contact iBasso at this point (????).
I figured I should ask here one more time before contacted iBasso.
--------------------
However, I am concerned if my iBasso D10 is covered by warranty or not since I purchased the D10 2nd hand from the Head-Fi forums.
I have the iBasso Warranty card and have plenty of time on the warranty (if applicable), but not the original purchase receipt.
--------------------------------------------
iBasso's website lists the warranty as:
iBasso products and accessories are to be free from malfunctions and defects in both materials and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. Buyer should retain the original dated sales receipt or the warranty card. Proof of the date of purchase or the warranty card will be required with any request for warranty repair.
This warranty does not cover batteries, and is void when failure is due to: damage from water, modification/alteration, unauthorized service, misuse, abuse, use with incompatible accessories, or when failure occurs outside of the one year duration of this warranty.
-----------------
I don't see any mention of warranty "not" being transferrable (??????).
Is there a good person to contact at iBasso..... (??????)
I have already sunk a lot of money dedicated to this "Complete" iBasso D10 / iRiver H140 combo for the purpose of "Optical" usage including the high dollar optical cable and sure hope to get all of this working.
--------------------------------------------
Sorry for the long post. Just trying to detail/explain what I have tried to help narrow down possible issues.
.