• jss
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Topic: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

Hello I'm an inexperienced RME user of the product.   When connection the unit on USB with iPad the unit works fine.   However when I connect to the A&K DAP again on USB, the unit doesn't seem to recognize the DAP!.   FYI, the USB connection was USB-C (from the DAP) to USB-B on the unit.   I've already switched the DAP to USB-audio mode with line out.   But the unit only responded with "USB mode detected" and the "INT" displayed a number of 768.0.   When iPad is connected over USB, the "INT" showed 44.1 which was corrected.

Can the experts here give me a helping hand to see if I have done anything wrong/incorrect and the right procedure for me to USB connect the DAP to the unit to play music.

Thanks in advance and appreciated for the kind assistance.

John

  • KaiS
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

If the USB is not solvable, does your DAP have optical or coax digital output as an alternative?

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  • jss
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

KaiS wrote:

If the USB is not solvable, does your DAP have optical or coax digital output as an alternative?

Unfortunately the DAP doesn't have any other digital output except the USB connection.

I suspect that the DAP may need installing a driver in order to connection to ADI-2 Pro to properly recognize, my guess!  If this conjecture is correct then where can I find such drivers?

I'm hoping the experts here can lend a help hand ..

TIA, John

4 Reply by rawac (edited by rawac 2021-09-11 16:28:23)

  • rawac
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

jss wrote:

... However when I connect to the A&K DAP again on USB, the unit doesn't seem to recognize the DAP!.
...

Thanks in advance and appreciated for the kind assistance.

John

I have the Astell & Kern Kann Alpha. In the USB bus system this is a portable media player (German: Tragbares Medienwiedergabegerät). This an USB client. The ADI-2 Pro is a DAC, this is a client too. And now the bad thing is, that two clients can't work together alone. USB needs either a host (usually the computer) or one of the clients has to have a special >USB to go< function (some smartphones have). My Kann Alpha hasn't and i presume your Astell & Kern hasn't this too.

I don't use apple products, therefore i don't know the name of this type USB unit apple shows.

Therefore the only solution i know is connecting both with a computer (or in your case the iPad), tell the computer software to play the files from the Astell & Kern, and listen with the ADI-2 Pro. But i don't think this is what you want, sorry.

Ralf
(ADI-2 Pro FS with Dell XPS13 and Dynaudio Focus 600 XD or Focal Clear — and a lot of Jazz)

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  • jss
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

Thanks rawac for your help.
As you've said, this, routed thro a PC, amy not be a solution I'm looking for. I may just continue to search fora solution, failing which may just drop my orginal idea ..

6 Reply by MC

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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

I think this topic came up before. There seems to be something incompatible in the A&K implementation.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • jss
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

Thanks Matthias ..

8 Reply by rawac (edited by rawac 2021-09-12 16:37:48)

  • rawac
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

Hello again

John, i hope you still read this thread. Your question gave me no peace. After reading in the Kann manual

How to Connect a Portable USB DAC

  1. Connect the portable USB DAC to the AK device’s USB
    Type-C port with a dedicated cable.

  2. Press [ ] in the Notification Bar.

  3. Once [ ] is activated, you can enjoy music stored on the
    device through the connected portable USB DAC.

How to Change USB Audio DSD Output Type
You can change the type of DSD data that is outputted through the USB audio out.
Select a DSD output type in [Menu - Settings - USB Audio].

  • PCM : DSD audio is converted into PCM before being
    outputted through the USB audio out.

  • DoP : DSD audio is converted into DoP before being
    outputted through the USB audio out.

  • MQA : Optional activation of S/W MQA decoding.

Options may differ depending on the connected external device. Please refer to the specifications of each device.
The USB Type-C cable that comes packaged with the device is only to be used for computer data transfer or to charge the device. The type of dedicated cable needed to connect to the portable DAC varies; please refer to USB DAC manufacturer instructions for correct cable type. A USB DAC cable is not included with the device and must be purchased separately.
Depending on the OTG cable used, the connection may be unstable.

began to think, that Astell & Kern may have the necessary >USB On The Go< feature (I wrote >... to go< above, my mistake). I searched for an USB On The Go cable with USB C plug and found in my box on:

https://www.amazon.de/Anker-Weiblich-Ve … amp;sr=1-3

I made a try:

http://www.rawac.de/bilder/KannAlpha_with_ADI2Pro.jpg

It works with this cable, without doing anything else then putting the hole cable thing together as shown in the picture. PCM is selected in the Kann. USB mode was selected by the ADI-2 Pro automatically. Seams to be a question of the right cable.
I looked in the manual of the SE200, page 37, he has the same feature.

Ralf
(ADI-2 Pro FS with Dell XPS13 and Dynaudio Focus 600 XD or Focal Clear — and a lot of Jazz)

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  • jss
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Re: ADI-2 Pro FS USB connection to A&K SE200 DAP

Many many thanks rawac,

I'll try and follow your suggestion and will report back the result.

Again appreciates your help

John