[bonjonno]

I received my second 0404USB in a week; the first was quite defective. The new one lit up like it was supposed to- yes. Then it took me two hours to get a sound out of it. This unit is very confounding. As it stands I can get a fine sound out of it using the USB connection and a variety of choices in my XMPlay output; I am currently using ASIO E-MU 0404/USB. Here's the thing. I have used AV-710's in two of my computers for years. And I have a Pioneer receiver with a toslink input that I've driven with either of these sources with perfect results. So I know the optical out of the AV-710 is passing good information. When I plug it into the 0404, all the correct lights come on; external sync, optical s/pdif and the 0404 control panel registers the proper info. Of course I have to switch the output of the player to ASIO Direct/X Full Duplex driver which powers the AV-710. And as soon as I do that you can see the VU bars on the envy24 control panel kick in. The problem is the 0404 is then totally silent. It knows it's getting the optical input and it registers it properly and syncs, but there is zero sound. Nada. I talked to e-mu tech support and they hadn't a clue. Just kept saying, "it's a very simple unit. It should work even as a standalone DAC without the usb connection." That's why I got it. But it ain't hapnin'. I suppose I can just go usb, but how do I know the s/pdif in isn't busted?

 

[geardoc]

As a standalone dac I found I had to rotate the left volume knob several times. Try turning it clockwise about 480 degrees or more.

 

[bonjonno]

I was hoping that would work even tho it's in the monitor section and should have no effect. Didn't work for me. I have also tried the coaxial s/pdif in and no sound there either, tho it looks like it syncs up OK. Unfortunately, my main system uses an older computer as source. An athlon 1600. Never been a problem, bit the 0404 refuses to be recognized on it. As soon as I turn it on "New Hardware Found" but only id'd as a usb device not a 0404; so the computer keeps telling me that the drivers on the CD wouldn't be the right ones. This thing is a nightmare for all the praise it's received. I'm trying to do comparisons with the AV-710 rear out on my B system, and the 0404 appears to sound better, but it's useless for my intended purpose. Too bad.

 

[Ahriman4891]

Have you tried pressing the button right under "direct monitor" (to the left of "level" knob, above "Mono" button)? You should cycle through it until the "Main" LED lights up. Also make sure you selected the correct S/PDIF (the S/PDIF button switches between coax and optical). Finally, but check for it first

Are you sure you plugged the toslink cable into optical IN, as opposed to optical OUT?

 

[bonjonno]

geardoc:
my apologies. I had the monitor switched to "off" and moving it to "main" did the trick. It appears that to get s/pdif inputs to the output you have to go thru the monitor section. I've read the manual a coupla times and this is not apparent in the instructions. I am now having a different problem. My envy 24 driver is flaking for the first time ever. So every time I reload the player it defaults to 48 when all my files are 44.1 and the 0404 won't sync up. I'm off to work on that. But thatnks, you solved a big problem for me.

 

[bonjonno]

Ahriman4891 :
Thanks. I was posting at the same time you were apparently and just saw your fix. Yes that "main" switch worked and I'm so glad because I cannot get the usb happening on the system that counts. I'm surprised all the time I spent on the phone with emu techs, they never asked a thing about my monitor settings. Go figure. They wanted me to use media player or i-tunes. Oy.

After alot of frustration I was finally able to sit back and listen to 70 minutes of Pat Metheny playing solo guitar and it sounded damn good. Even got out my almost 30 year old AKG cans that have been on the dump pile and they sounded quite wonderful plugged into this thing. So sejarzo, I'm getting there.

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonjonno /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read the manual a coupla times and this is not apparent in the instructions.

Take a look at how I found out how to do that:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...7&postcount=29

As to the interaction between your player and the AV-710, I've got no clue.......I use only Foobar 0.8.3 and run it via USB.

If you get popping/clicking, make sure that no unnecessary apps are running and that any other USB devices are disconnected or powered down.

It seems as if most of us on the forum do OK with USB.

 

[Gatticus]

What I do is after setting to ASIO, sampling rate etc. is to power cycle the EMU 0404. Sometimes it takes a few tries but it will kick in eventually.

Oh yea, don't trun on EMU until after you have set your software settings in the media player etc. When I do this it usually works fine the first time I turn it on.

 

[bonjonno]

thanks guys. I read the post by gatticus that sejarzo recommended above. I'm starting to see the light. On the one system where I cannot get it to recognize the unit thru usb, I kept getting the flashing external sync, because the rates were contradictory. And I couldn't open the software to manually change anything, because the system wouldn't recognize the unit. Then it suddenly worked and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know; turn the 0404 on after there is a signal in. aha.

 

[Ahriman4891]

Another thing--EMU recently got new drivers out (end of April IIRC). Not sure which drivers you have, but you may want to go to their webpage and check if you need an update.