tranqui1ity
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2011
- Posts
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Hello friends,
Posting here because I am genuinely confused. I've got a Gustard A20H that I've been using for a good half year with my PC, and it's been connected using the cheapo USB cable it came with this whole time. Recently I noticed that on startup sometimes, the DAC would not connect properly, requiring me to either turn the DAC off/on (I leave it on 24/7), or disconnect/reconnect the cable. I had two theories, the USB port was having issues, or the cable had issues (I know it could be related to the hardware of the XMOS receiver, but if that were the case then anything I did would be moot). I tried changing ports, using the front panel, various back panel, 2.0 vs, 3.0, all with the same results - sometimes the DAC would have issues connecting upon startup, which is easily remedied by turning the device off/on, or disconnecting/reconnecting the cable. I then began to explore the idea that maybe there was an issue with the cable, and this is where it gets weird.
I've got a 2M LH Labs 1G USB cable that I use with my Vi Dac, the computer can't even pickup the Gustard, on ANY port. My friend lent me his 2M LH Labs 2G (split) USB cable, and the computer can't pick up the Gustard, on ANY combination of all 10 of my USB ports. I bought a cheapo silver eBay USB cable (http://r.ebay.com/J72Z2G), and while my computer can pick up the DAC, there is either a lot of static noise when sound is playing, or there is no sound at all, on ANY port. I switch back to the USB cable the Gustard came with, and of course, it works. It works, but has the same issue of SOMETIMES not being detected properly upon first turning computer on. I then rummage through my garage and find a old USB cable that came with some long forgotten printer, and of course, it ALSO WORKS. Why is this happening? I sincerely doubt LH Labs and this random Chinese cable company are making USB cables so bad they can't connect to this DAC properly - the soldering work alone must be leagues above these other cheapo USB cables.
This is not a knock on LH Lab, because as much as their customer service/business practices have been called into question as of late, they make pretty good stuff (when they actually make them...). My Vi Dac is awesome, and works great with either the 1G or the 2G (I had one before that I sold, and it also works with the one my friend lent me).
Why does the Gustard only work with cheap USB cables...I am so confused...
I should also mention before any new cable I try I also do the following:
1) Turn off DAC
2) Uninstall device + driver in My Devices (Win10)
3) Uninstall XMOS application
4) Restart
5) Install XMOS application
6) Turn on DAC
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Edit: So with all things in the actual soldering work of the cable to pins being equal (and the conductor not purposely made out of resistor material--because I mean really, the difference in conducting material from copper to silver even at only 99% purity is still fairly insignificant, and both quite efficient and conducting electricity), what could case this cable to not work, as the manufacturer states, with Windows 8/8.1??? (https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/u04.html)
Isn't a USB cable (at least A/B) just four separate cores carrying electricity??? I would have to imagine some pretty big issues with EMC/EMI in the first place, or just shoddy soldering work on the pins in order for one USB cable to work and another not.
Posting here because I am genuinely confused. I've got a Gustard A20H that I've been using for a good half year with my PC, and it's been connected using the cheapo USB cable it came with this whole time. Recently I noticed that on startup sometimes, the DAC would not connect properly, requiring me to either turn the DAC off/on (I leave it on 24/7), or disconnect/reconnect the cable. I had two theories, the USB port was having issues, or the cable had issues (I know it could be related to the hardware of the XMOS receiver, but if that were the case then anything I did would be moot). I tried changing ports, using the front panel, various back panel, 2.0 vs, 3.0, all with the same results - sometimes the DAC would have issues connecting upon startup, which is easily remedied by turning the device off/on, or disconnecting/reconnecting the cable. I then began to explore the idea that maybe there was an issue with the cable, and this is where it gets weird.
I've got a 2M LH Labs 1G USB cable that I use with my Vi Dac, the computer can't even pickup the Gustard, on ANY port. My friend lent me his 2M LH Labs 2G (split) USB cable, and the computer can't pick up the Gustard, on ANY combination of all 10 of my USB ports. I bought a cheapo silver eBay USB cable (http://r.ebay.com/J72Z2G), and while my computer can pick up the DAC, there is either a lot of static noise when sound is playing, or there is no sound at all, on ANY port. I switch back to the USB cable the Gustard came with, and of course, it works. It works, but has the same issue of SOMETIMES not being detected properly upon first turning computer on. I then rummage through my garage and find a old USB cable that came with some long forgotten printer, and of course, it ALSO WORKS. Why is this happening? I sincerely doubt LH Labs and this random Chinese cable company are making USB cables so bad they can't connect to this DAC properly - the soldering work alone must be leagues above these other cheapo USB cables.
This is not a knock on LH Lab, because as much as their customer service/business practices have been called into question as of late, they make pretty good stuff (when they actually make them...). My Vi Dac is awesome, and works great with either the 1G or the 2G (I had one before that I sold, and it also works with the one my friend lent me).
Why does the Gustard only work with cheap USB cables...I am so confused...
I should also mention before any new cable I try I also do the following:
1) Turn off DAC
2) Uninstall device + driver in My Devices (Win10)
3) Uninstall XMOS application
4) Restart
5) Install XMOS application
6) Turn on DAC
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Edit: So with all things in the actual soldering work of the cable to pins being equal (and the conductor not purposely made out of resistor material--because I mean really, the difference in conducting material from copper to silver even at only 99% purity is still fairly insignificant, and both quite efficient and conducting electricity), what could case this cable to not work, as the manufacturer states, with Windows 8/8.1??? (https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/u04.html)
Isn't a USB cable (at least A/B) just four separate cores carrying electricity??? I would have to imagine some pretty big issues with EMC/EMI in the first place, or just shoddy soldering work on the pins in order for one USB cable to work and another not.
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