[wijnands]

Do a google for ground loop and usb audio

 

[HiCZoK]

I don't get constant buzzing. Noise floor is very low.

 

[Arvan]

  I don't get constant buzzing. Noise floor is very low.

 
I had the same issues with my first dac/amp ( Nuforce Udac ) got a new two times then i realized that my motherboard USB was ****. Worked like a charm on my new system. 

 

[HiCZoK]

I had the same issues with my first dac/amp ( Nuforce Udac ) got a new two times then i realized that my motherboard USB was ****. Worked like a charm on my new system. 

So what is Your solution?
Get a hub, pci usb card or what ?

 

[Arvan]

So what is Your solution?
Get a hub, pci usb card or what ?

 
pci usb if you can, might solve the problem. I don´t really have a good solution

 

[HiCZoK]

pci usb if you can, might solve the problem. I don´t really have a good solution

Thats what I was leaning towards. Thanks for Your opinion.
Those pci usb 2.0 cards are super cheap

Do they require drivers on win7 ?
There are also pciex1 usb3 carda but i dont need that for usb dac.

 

[Arvan]

Thats what I was leaning towards. Thanks for Your opinion.
Those pci usb 2.0 cards are super cheap

Do they require drivers on win7 ?
There are also pciex1 usb3 carda but i dont need that for usb dac.

probably depends on the USB controller used in the card. But driver issues is not very common these days. I wish you good luck

 

[HiCZoK]

Well I've not ordered the pci usb controller card yet (dont really want to and dont think it would work.. well maybe) but:
 
When I am playing music in winamp, youtube or anything actually and mute it totally, the popping and high latency caused by all other sounds than the player sounds are gone. There is no more pop when i do my windows folder/stereo/and volume slider click test. It's perfect device then.
 
So it seem that windows i sending constant audio bitstream and don't have to turn it on/of because he thinks its going constantly. (btwm this is not connected to usb suspend or power modes of windows)
 
 
So basically the solution to this whole problem is to make windows listen to the device all the time or rather send constand audio stream, because as soon as I pause that muted player song and test my thing, the popping and latency are back.
 
Now I could just have muted winamp running in background all the time... but thats a bad and weird solution. Well maybe if i could find some portable non install super light player to have running a song in muted loop all the time... I feel like a maniac now
 
The other thing is that at least on Youtube and games, audio sometimes cuts of. Sometimes not for hours or at all and sometimes it at random cuts of and comes back in few second or never and I have to restart game/youtube video. Maybe winamp trick would help.
 
Edit: I've tested it also on windows 10. same behavior. And yes - I've tried messing with recording tab under windows audio options (becasue windows think that e10k is also recording device) but it went nowhere and i disabled it

 

[Hammy]

  Well I've not ordered the pci usb controller card yet (dont really want to and dont think it would work.. well maybe) but:
 
When I am playing music in winamp, youtube or anything actually and mute it totally, the popping and high latency caused by all other sounds than the player sounds are gone. There is no more pop when i do my windows folder/stereo/and volume slider click test. It's perfect device then.
 
So it seem that windows i sending constant audio bitstream and don't have to turn it on/of because he thinks its going constantly. (btwm this is not connected to usb suspend or power modes of windows)
 
 
So basically the solution to this whole problem is to make windows listen to the device all the time or rather send constand audio stream, because as soon as I pause that muted player song and test my thing, the popping and latency are back.
 
Now I could just have muted winamp running in background all the time... but thats a bad and weird solution. Well maybe if i could find some portable non install super light player to have running a song in muted loop all the time... I feel like a maniac now
 
The other thing is that at least on Youtube and games, audio sometimes cuts of. Sometimes not for hours or at all and sometimes it at random cuts of and comes back in few second or never and I have to restart game/youtube video. Maybe winamp trick would help.
 
Edit: I've tested it also on windows 10. same behavior. And yes - I've tried messing with recording tab under windows audio options (becasue windows think that e10k is also recording device) but it went nowhere and i disabled it

Why not output sound in Winamp via WASAPI?  I don't recall if it's in-built or you'd require a plug-in and I'm just guessing that would work as Windows shouldn't try to override it while it's active.

 

[HiCZoK]

 
Why not output sound in Winamp via WASAPI?  I don't recall if it's in-built or you'd require a plug-in and I'm just guessing that would work as Windows shouldn't try to override it while it's active.

I don't have a problem when playing music ... that means, popping occurrs every time on start of another sound file, wheter its a song or windows sounds whatsover.
 
So i don't see wasapi helping if it ait working for whole system

 

[Osga]

Hey, I have a small question.
I'm looking to buy an amp/DAC for desktop use and  this is one of the most reccomended around here along with the fulla. I intend to use it to amp pair of Sennheiser HD 598 cans but I'd also like to use my speakers on the pc by connecting it to an amp. Would there be any problem connecting this device (or any other similar) to the (speaker) amp, using a 3.5mm jack to analog cable?
I'm just confused as to wether being part headphone amp restricts it to just headphones.

 

[Arsis]

Hey, I have a small question.
I'm looking to buy an amp/DAC for desktop use and  this is one of the most reccomended around here along with the fulla. I intend to use it to amp pair of Sennheiser HD 598 cans but I'd also like to use my speakers on the pc by connecting it to an amp. Would there be any problem connecting this device (or any other similar) to the (speaker) amp, using a 3.5mm jack to analog cable?
I'm just confused as to wether being part headphone amp restricts it to just headphones.

no problem. it has a "line out" on the back.

 

[HiCZoK]

As for now I am just using foobar2000 minimal install portable version to keep my usb audio stream open.
It sits in tray, startup, is hidden and plays one 10m song muted in repeat automatically on startup open. That keeps all my other windows sounds in order and eliminates pop in winamp, youtube etc. I've still have not tested long enough to see if it helps with drououts but these are rare to test it well.
 
So now I just need to find a way to keep usb audio stream running open/ready all the time withoug muted music player...

 

[Zephead]

This could get expensive. Just got my E10K. I used to think that the Asus Xonar DS sound card in my PC was driving my AKG K550's well and it probably was but the sound quality is nowhere near the E10K. The mid and top is more present and the bass actually slightly recessed from what it was but the overall sound is so much more enjoyable. Only problem is that the DT990's that I keep looking at on Amazon might have to be bought now that I've got a worthy source.
 
I'm not an audiophile but my dad always had good kit and I've learnt from a very young age that quality counts. I don't really have the words to describe the E10K sound, the best I can do is that it's more balanced and cleaner but still gives the punch and extension in the bass that I love the K550's for. Could sometimes do with a little more bass but the bass boost works well for those occasions.

 

[wijnands]

If you're a basshead the 990s aren't the best choice.