How did I grill my dongle?

[sadoMasupilami]

Hi I have such a how did I damage my equipment question. It is just a usb dongle dac but I want to learn so it does not happen to me again. I got some used naim nait 5i and Vienna acoustics Mozart speakers. To test them out with Roon I flashed a pi4 with RoPieee and from there via a USB A -> C adapter with a usb c to c cable into a Ibasso dc06 dongle. From the dongles 3.5 cinch with a cinch to rca cable into the 5i. It worked nicely for 3min and than I touched the cables a bit and the music stopped. After that the ibasso dc06 dongle seems to be dead. Was my Problem that the dongle was not powerful enough for what I tried to do or is there likely another problem? I am grateful for any tip as I want to order a proper dac but fear I would somehow harm this one as well

 

[krabapple]

Best thread title ever.

 

[DVDdoug]

It shouldn't be that easy to damage it. I don't think it was anything you did.

Maybe a static discharge. You can build-up a charge on your body and then electronics can be damaged if you touch them. Usually you have to touch the actual-internal circuitry but sometimes it can happen when touching the input-output ports. You may not feel or see a spark.

Or maybe it was just a "normal" random failure... Solid state electronics tends to fail randomly rather than wear out an the theory is that a failure in the 1st hour is just as likely as a failure in the 10,000th hour, so over the hours (or years) the probability of a failure adds-up.

Or maybe it was a manufacturing defect that didn't show-up right away.

 

[sadoMasupilami]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my beginner question! That is very reassuring. So I will buy a decent dac from the top list here and try to get a replacement for the dongle

 

[FrantzM]

Best thread title ever.

+1

Peace.

@sadoMasupilami

Welcome! and Houba ! ?

 

[staticV3]

From the dongles 3.5 cinch with a cinch to rca cable into the 5i.

Cinch = RCA. I think you mean 3.5 Aux to RCA.

It worked nicely for 3min and than I touched the cables a bit and the music stopped. After that the ibasso dc06 dongle seems to be dead.

Sounds like ESD

Was my Problem that the dongle was not powerful enough for what I tried to do?

Definitely not.

 

[threni]

Best thread title ever.

As discussed, probably static damage, so it was more of a flambé.

 

[JRS]

As discussed, probably static damage, so it was more of a flambé.

When I think of grilling in audio, it's usually voice coils getting crisped. Or an output transistor(s) from an oopsie.

 

[BlackTalon]

OP's dongle may have E(s)D and is not working...

I can only imagine the targeted ads that are going to be, uh, popping up on his computer after this.