Windows 10 Finally Getting Native USB 2 Audio Support

[BRCMRGN]

I'm running the released version of Creators edition and the new USB Audio 2.0 worked with my Emotiva Stealth DC-1 for two days (after removing the C-Media driver). Now it gets the "driver cannot start" error. The machine will no longer talk to my Schiit WYRD with the C-Media drivers or with the Microsoft driver. So now I have no audio at all.

 

[Hansolo76]

I am using Windows 10 Creator on both my PC and phone with a Burson Conductor Air.

PC - It recognized instantly when plugged in. Played audio from all normal Windows sources. Didn't make a sound with foobar2000. Played with the settings for a bit and no difference. Ended up installing the factory drivers again and everything work perfectly again.

Phone - It recognized instantly when plugged in. Played audio from all normal Windows sources. Sometimes loses audio from foobar2000 when switching songs or shutting off the screen. Not perfect, but more than usable and supports UAC 2.0

 

[TG04]

Well the Creators Win 10 update is finally here, I don't see anything mentioned about USB Class 2 Audio in it. Does anyone know if it got implemented?

Hello there, yes it is implemented in the Windows 1703 (#15063) version but it needs to be activated. I have had some difficulty with this, but after downloading the new Mojo driver for Creator Update (posted 6/28/17 on the Chord website) and switching my third party on-board driver to the Windows supplied driver (no indicated as "Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus") the results are spectacular -- clearly an audible improvement, couldn't be more pleased. Unfortunately, I lost the ASIO64 Chord driver somewhere along the way but WASAPI now plays DSD natively so It's not so much of a problem.

 

[gr8soundz]

Just a heads up for anyone that hasn't installed the Creator's update: I just restored my machine to the older version of Windows 10.

Initially, after the update, audio was fine since my DAC was using the same drivers installed before the update. However, following some issues with a finicky USB port, I was forced to reinstall the factory drivers. That's when problems started.

Even after cleaning out all previous drivers and removing old device instances, I was unable to use the DAC with it's factory drivers under Win 10 Creator. I did the reinstall 5x but no matter which method I tried Windows insisted on using it's own drivers. Half the time the DAC wasn't recognized and other times it wouldn't put out any sound (even within Windows). My chain's power light flickered to the point where I thought something else (including the DAC itself) might be defective. I eventually got sound working under WASAPI but no longer had access to ASIO nor the DAC's latency settings.

Difficult to say if audio quality was worse using WASAPI but I'd rather have the option of using the factory ASIO drivers which (unless the manufacturer releases a new driver update) isn't an option.

 

[TG04]

Just a heads up for anyone that hasn't installed the Creator's update: I just restored my machine to the older version of Windows 10.

Initially, after the update, audio was fine since my DAC was using the same drivers installed before the update. However, following some issues with a finicky USB port, I was forced to reinstall the factory drivers. That's when problems started.

Even after cleaning out all previous drivers and removing old device instances, I was unable to use the DAC with it's factory drivers under Win 10 Creator. I did the reinstall 5x but no matter which method I tried Windows insisted on using it's own drivers. Half the time the DAC wasn't recognized and other times it wouldn't put out any sound (even within Windows). My chain's power light flickered to the point where I thought something else (including the DAC itself) might be defective. I eventually got sound working under WASAPI but no longer had access to ASIO nor the DAC's latency settings.

Difficult to say if audio quality was worse using WASAPI but I'd rather have the option of using the factory ASIO drivers which (unless the manufacturer releases a new driver update) isn't an option.

Win10 Creator Update is different because it defaults to USB Audio 2.0. Nothing wrong with that, as a matter of fact, IMHO it represents a nice step up in terms of audio quality -- greater detail, improved dynamics. And no need for manufacturer supplied drivers. However, the 2.0 does convert all audio files to DSD (PCM 32/352.8) at the time of playback. Sounds really good to these august ears but Rob Watts wants the Mojo to receive the signal as-is and let the Mojo do any upsampling/conversion work. Unfortunately, the new 2.0 driver seems to exclude ASIO as Windows does not support it, at least not initially. But you can get the latest Mojo driver for Creator Update off the Chord website. Won't give you SIO but will allow DoP playback via WASAPI (plain and double, but not quad, and not m.ch).

By the way, if you revert back to a prior Windows 10 version, won't the automatic update feature of Windows Update just keep redoing the update all over again?

 

[gr8soundz]

By the way, if you revert back to a prior Windows 10 version, won't the automatic update feature of Windows Update just keep redoing the update all over again?

I have a dedicated machine for audio so, after reverting, I disabled Windows Update (among many other unused services; audio improves with fewest possible services running). I can manually install the monthly security updates but this was the only way to avoid Windows automatically reinstalling the Creator's update.

If I were using a different DAC right now the Windows Class 2.0 drivers might be ok but I prefer ASIO direct feed to my current R2R ladder dac1101.