Topic: Modifications for SD USBpre?

[stirinthesauce]

How much did you pay?  I may buy it.  Seriously.

[timP]

how about powering it with one of the usb battery packs like people are using with the microtracker?

[KLowe]

how about powering it with one of the usb battery packs like people are using with the microtracker?

kindof tried that experiment already and it didn't work.

I spoke with SD today and asked straight up if it could work as a standalone and he said nope.  Needs a comp attached to it.  I asked if there was any in-house mods to make it stand alone.... he paused and said no.  Then went on to say that "maybe it could be modded" but it would no longer be under SD warrantee?   

Damnit...... what does one make of this.  I already own a W-UA5.  Why do I care???  Is it because what "may be possible"?... bc I had to much shitty cabernet with dinner?  B/c I'm a gear slut???

Someone help?

[SmokinJoe]

Do these have that transformer warmth like an MP2?  If so, I might be interested in hacking on it...

My solution would probably involve a small single board computer (which I develop software for at work) running an embedded Linux to give it the info it needs, then ignore it.  Does anyone know if this is usable in Linux?  I have used an Maudio USB MobilePre, and I've read a UA-5 works too, using the generic usb sound driver.

[KLowe]

Yeah, sure.

I let you hack on it.  Don't know about the sound but seems to be alot of people fluffing the sound.

I'll PM ya.


the software that comes with it is VERY basic....so my bet is that it does use generic usb sound driver

[sygdwm]

the sound is warm, similar to that of an mp2, if not the same.

[SmokinJoe]

Do these have that transformer warmth like an MP2?  If so, I might be interested in hacking on it...

My solution would probably involve a small single board computer (which I develop software for at work) running an embedded Linux to give it the info it needs, then ignore it.  Does anyone know if this is usable in Linux?  I have used an Maudio USB MobilePre, and I've read a UA-5 works too, using the generic usb sound driver.

It appears my idea falls apart... this doesn't take a generic linux driver... and I'm not aware of any other.

[BC]

Great to use as a computer sound card if nothing else.

good thought.  Elaborate a little will ya.  I can't think how that may work as a soundcard.... (i just finished dinner and had some wine )

mmmm...I could use a glass of wine right now...
well, I just meant that you can play audio out of it if you leave the USB connected to your computer.  It gives you a clean, high quality output w/RCA's, and a strong headphone amp.  Also you then have SP/DIF in & out of your computer...as well as XLR, 1/4",  & RCA into your computer.

How much did you buy it for?

FYI: mine would always play back with glitches from the analog outs.

[BC]

I found the following in the    device manual.
I guess it can do SPDIF out?

Output
Because of a limitation in Microsoft's kmixer system file in Windows 98SE, 2000, and Me, the output of the USBPre is limited to 16-bit. A 20 or 24-bit signal sent to the USBPre will output 16-bit data.

AFAIK, the SPDIF out is not active when taking an input, it is only active on playback.

[bdasilva]

SmokinJoe... not a linux driver. Monitor the usb communications between the computer and Pre... Then,  use a small processor to emulate the trafic..

[SmokinJoe]

SmokinJoe... not a linux driver. Monitor the usb communications between the computer and Pre... Then,  use a small processor to emulate the trafic..

My thought was this... use some simple, dedicated singleboard Linux computer (which I develop on) to give it the computer signal it wants, just to "initialize", i.e. use the computer to "boot" the preamp into digimod mode, so to speak.  I know the M-audio USBmobilePre and the UA-5 use a generic usb_snd driver.  This one doesn't use that driver, and I guess the pre doesn't feed to DigiOut anyway.  I expect it's possible to do something to capture USB data and reverse engineer it, but I didn't have an real interest in getting into a big project.

[larrysellers]

Hopefully someone can come up with a way for these to work stand alone. After I retired from laptop taping, I couldn't justify keeping my usbpre. I figure that when usb technology goes the way of the floppy disc, these will be the equivilant to the word clock disabled ad1000/ad500. Not by way of chronic design problems, just outdated technology. In a nutshell, they sound too nice to become doorstops.

[bdasilva]

The reason there is no digimod is that there is no switches in the unit to set resulation and bitdepth... Once that is set and powered it should work. It does sound great... sell it to someone that will love and use it.