Modi 3+ Crackling and permanently muted after waking from sleep (windows 10)

[lerthedc]

When I upgraded to a Modi 3+/Heresy stack from my Magni/Modi 2U stack for my desktop, I started having problems. Often times when my desktop woke from sleep there would be no sound output no matter what I did. Windows recognized that there was being sound played but nothing came through. The same thing would happen if I hit the mute button then unmuted. This problem was only solved by either unplugging plugging back in or disabling and re-enabling the audio device in the audio settings. Sometimes, even stranger things would happen where audio would only play if my audio settings were set to mute. As soon as I hit unmute, the sound would stop.
But even when the sound is working, there is a crackling and popping when certain audio is playing. Strangely, it doesn't seem to happen on my browser, but it shows up on Spotify, windows Groove Player and when I play the windows test tone.

I have tried every single thing on schiit's website to no avail:
http://www.schiit.com/guides/dac-problems
http://www.schiit.com/guides/system-problems
http://www.schiit.com/guides/usb-problems

The muting problem shows up when I connect the DAC to my laptop but the crackling problem does not seem to be present. I have also had the DAC replaced by schiit and the problem persisted. I also tried recreating the problem in safe mode. The crackling seemed to mostly disappear but it still happened occasionally. And it didn't look like I could put the computer to sleep while in safe mode, so I wasn't able to test that problem. Schiit wants me to send the DAC in again, but I feel like it will be no different this time. I am trying to see if there are any other solutions other than endlessly sending my DAC in for repair.

 

[Propheticus]

As an IT guy doing a wild guess: sounds like USB power management. But you said you checked all tips in those 3 links, and they mention this.

Pure speculation: when left on it could still have some juice from the USB port and not turn off completely, but also not function quite as intended. Then when waking it does not do a startup, skips a connection initialisation it normally would do and ... well strange behaviour ensues. This is then why unplugging helps. On plugging it back in, the connection is now properly initialised.

Just a variation of turning it off and on again: before waking your computer do you turn off the Modi3+?
Maybe try that and only turn it on again after login. And the other way round, turn it off before putting the pc to sleep.

 

[lerthedc]

As an IT guy doing a wild guess: sounds like USB power management. But you said you checked all tips in those 3 links, and they mention this.

Just a variation of turning it off and on again: before waking your computer do you turn off the Modi3+?
Maybe try that and only turn it on again after login. And the other way round, turn it off before putting the pc to sleep.

Yeah, I have already disabled selective USB suspend. I am also running the Modi through a powered USB hub. Unfortunately, the Modi 3+ does not have a dedicated power switch. I would have to reach behind it and unplug it to properly power cycle it, but that is too inconvenient. The only way I am able to easily resolve the muting problem is by either restarting the computer or disabling then re-enabling the Modi as an audio device. The crackling never seems to be solved no matter what I do.

I have switched back to my Modi 2U for the time being and both problems seem to have gone away, so it doesn't appear to be something inherently wrong with my computer. But it also probably isn't hardware problems in the Modi because I have already replaced it through schiit. At this point my only hope might be to just get a refund and I can buy a JDS atom DAC or something. But I wanted to post on the forum in case anyone else has some ideas.

 

[maverickronin]

Unfortunately, the Modi 3+ does not have a dedicated power switch. I would have to reach behind it and unplug it to properly power cycle it, but that is too inconvenient.

Does power cycling get it working again? There a USB cables with built in power switches you could try.

 

[Propheticus]

I thought the selector on the front when set to '0' would turn it off. But constant crackling regardless of your actions sounds more severe.

Next things I would normally check are DPC latency and virusscanner, but since the problem is not there with another dac... those become less likely causes.

 

[lerthedc]

I thought the selector on the front when set to '0' would turn it off. But constant crackling regardless of your actions sounds more severe.

Next things I would normally check are DPC latency and virusscanner, but since the problem is not there with another dac... those become less likely causes.

I believe the "O" on the front switcher corresponds to coax, because the coax input has the same symbol on it.

Yeah I ran a DPC latency check and there wasn't any problems. I also tried disabling my antivirus and it didn't seem to help. But part of me thinks that it is some sort of software problem that conflicts with schiits new Unison USB implementation. That seems to be the only main difference between the Modi 2U and the Modi 3+.

Honestly, the real question might just be if there is any reason for me to have a better DAC than the Modi 2U. I know it suffered some problems in Amir's review, but he also seemed to conclude that it sounded fine after level matching. So idk, maybe I will just stick with my old DAC and try to get a refund on the new one.

 

[lerthedc]

Does power cycling get it working again? There a USB cables with built in power switches you could try.

Power cycling does help with muting problem, and I have considered using a USB hub with a power switch to solve the problem. But power cycling doesn't seem to solve the crackling/popping issue. Also it's kind of annoying to have to constantly power cycle every time I hit mute or put my computer to sleep. But we will see, that might be the only solution.

 

[Propheticus]

Already played with the buffer size (increase)? Relevant if you're using ASIO.

 

[lerthedc]

Already played with the buffer size (increase)? Relevant if you're using ASIO.

I still get confused when it comes to audio drivers but I believe the Modi 3+ uses a proprietary setup using "Unison" drivers or something like that. So I don't think I have any control over buffer length.

 

[AdamG]

I still get confused when it comes to audio drivers but I believe the Modi 3+ uses a proprietary setup using "Unison" drivers or something like that. So I don't think I have any control over buffer length.

Welcome Aboard @lerthedc.

 

[lerthedc]

Welcome Aboard @lerthedc.

So I have found two possible solutions, but I'm a little scared to try them out. One is using VB Virtual HiFi cable to force Asio drivers. Or, I might be able to manually install the legacy drivers that are intended for windows 8/7. I saw that the manual for the JDS Labs Atom DAC includes a troubleshooting tip for my exact problem: sound is muted after sleep on windows. Their solution is to install their legacy drivers so maybe the same thing would work with Schiit. But I think I will wait for a response from Schiit customer support just to confirm so I don't break anything.

 

[schmalgausen]

But I think I will wait for a response from Schiit customer support just to confirm so I don't break anything.

Any news with it?

 

[Dunring]

Did you go into device manager and click on each USB device and also the hub listings and uncheck power management in there also? You'll see a tab for power management in each one for most devices like that.
You might get Autoruns and look in the startup section to see if there's any old sound card drivers loading, they almost never uninstall completely.

 

[schmalgausen]

I read on headfi that schiit changed a "defective" Modius and it helped. However they answered to "use powered usb hub".

It seems like that great usb module is a little bit raw.