[smilach]

I tried several search terms and didn't find anything close to an answer 

I want to run some 44.1 files through my Windows 7 laptop using Foobar to run to the USB input of my BDA-1.  Call it whimsy, but I wanted to compare the sound from the CD source to the sound of the same cut ripped to a hard drive.

Using control panel the computer doesn't "see" the BDA-1 at all.  Likewise, Foobar sees nothing.  I tried installing AQVOX_USB_ASI and it wouldn't install because it couldn't find an audio device.

What am I doing wrong and what do I need that I don't have?

[Mag]

Okay, go to the Control Panel and select Sounds & Audio Devices. Select Audio Tab, and under default, type in BDA-1 or Select USB Audio DAC, BDA has to be connected with USB cable.

Also you may have to change the speaker configuration, I have mine set to desktop stereo speakers, but it shouldn't matter only that it may interfere with your stereo. And I have the Performance levels for Hardware & Sample rate conversion set to Max.

[smilach]

I appreciate your reply but what you describe doesn't come close to what appears on my Toshiba Satellite.  From control panel the option is "hardware & sound".  From there, one option is "sound" which brings up a dialog box with no options to search for a device, or type in anything.  The other option from "hardware & sound" is "manage audio devices".  Clicking on that brings up the same exact dialog box with tabs for playback, recording, sounds, and communications and no place to to search for a device or manually type or enter anything.  "Add a Device" does nothing because if Windows doesn't detect the device you have to be able to supply a driver.

I've tried all four USB ports multiple times with the BDA-1 in standby and in ready modes.  This is frustrating!!  This BDA-1 is from early 2009.  Could it be ones of the units that needs a firmware update?

[Mag]

Not having Windows 7, I would say it should be under playback. You should see as default device the soundcard that your computer is using. Click on the down arrow at right and you should see USB audio device or Bryston BDA-1.

Selecting USB on front input panel of BDA, the light will turn from red to green if you have a connection.

Also under Volume you should set the wave strength to about 80% if you want to level match with another source. Don't go above that as you may get input distortions which could potentially damage speakers.

[srb]

I appreciate your reply but what you describe doesn't come close to what appears on my Toshiba Satellite. 

That description of the Control Panel Sound applet was for Windows XP, not Windows 7.

The 16bit/48KHz USB input on the BDA-1 should be driverless.

Check Control Panel > Device Manager, and under Sound, Video and Game Controllers is there an entry for the Bryston USB DAC?

If not, is there an entry for Other Devices and under that, an entry for Unknown Device with a yellow exclamation mark?  If so, delete that and when prompted to remove all files, say yes, then reboot the computer.

Foobar only recommends using an ASIO driver if that is the only driver a particular piece of software can use.  The recommended Windows Mixer-bypassing driver for Windows 7 is WASAPI.  WASAPI will need to be downloaded from the foobar2000 website components section and copied into the foobar2000\components folder.

Lastly, if none of the above helps and because you've tried all USB ports, have you tried a different USB cable?

Steve

[smilach]

"The 16bit/48KHz USB input on the BDA-1 should be driverless.  Check Control Panel > Device Manager, and under Sound, Video and Game Controllers is there an entry for the Bryston USB DAC?"

No.
The entries are:
- Intel(R) Display Audio
-Realtek High Definition Audio

"If not, is there an entry for Other Devices and under that, an entry for Unknown Device with a yellow exclamation mark?"

No.  I also checked System Devices and there is nothing there either.

"Foobar only recommends using an ASIO driver if that is the only driver a particular piece of software can use.  The recommended Windows Mixer-bypassing driver for Windows 7 is WASAPI.  WASAPI will need to be downloaded from the foobar2000 website components section and copied into the foobar2000\components folder."

Thanks for the info.

"Lastly, if none of the above helps and because you've tried all USB ports, have you tried a different USB cable?"

That was actually the first thing I tried.  My apologies for leaving that step out of my description.

Does anyone have any other thoughts??

[srb]

The next definitive troubleshooting step would be to connect it to another computer if one is available and see if it's recognized.  If it isn't, maybe the USB input is faulty (?) and you would need to contact Bryston.

Steve

[Mag]

No.
The entries are:
- Intel(R) Display Audio
-Realtek High Definition Audio

That's what I see on my Laptop under Playback, Realtek HD Audio output. To the right of that there's what looks like an arrow pointing down. If I then click on the arrow it shows Bryston BDA-1, which I then select as the default device.

[srb]

That's what I see on my Laptop under Playback, Realtek HD Audio output. To the right of that there's what looks like an arrow pointing down. If I then click on the arrow it shows Bryston BDA-1, which I then select as the default device.

Smilach (and I) were referring to the device listing in Device Manager, not the audio playback devices listed in the in the Sound Control Panel.  A device could show up incorrectly recognized in Device Manager and therefore not show up under the Sound Control Panel (which was not the case).

For reference, Windows 7 does not use a dropdown for audio devices, but instead presents them in a graphical list.



Steve

[Mag]

Okay there's Set Default at the bottom of the screen. If you select Realtek Device Output, that should activate the Set Default?  Then click the arrow, that's where the BDA-1 should be?

[srb]

Okay there's Set Default at the bottom of the screen. If you select Realtek Device Output, that should activate the Set Default?  Then click the arrow, that's where the BDA-1 should be?

No, the BDA-1 would (should) show up in the graphical list and the Set Default dropdown contains the available default type assignments for the currently selected/highlighted playback device.



Steve

[smilach]

Well, the mystery may (or may not) be solved.  Running through the four USB ports on the laptop this evening, ONE and ONLY one of the ports triggered the following alert:

"A USB device has malfuntioned and exceeded the power limits of its hub port.  You should disconnect this device."

It then says to click on the message for more detail at which point the dialog box lists all four USB ports with one in bold saying, "Unknown USB Device" which I assume is the offending device.

I just purchased the BDA-1 from another circle member.  Definitely no fun to have the unit malfunctioning so soon.

I do have a color scan of the purchase receipt so I guess my next step is to call Bryston...