# USB sound system gets quieter over time, after restarting computer it is fixed?



## pepsi71ocean (Jun 25, 2012)

Hey guys,

I have a USB Audio plug that goes to the amp box VIA USB cable. My computer is doing some annoying crap now. If i play music or a DVD the sound volume spikes and fades. Often times after several hours the song's may or may not play. the high notes will play but the ligher ones won't.

Right now Windows Media Player will be fine playing my DVD of Hogans Heroes. But i had to adjust the USB volume up all the way, and my sound system is set to MAX. and the audio is barely audible.

If i turn the USB volume down and restart the computer it will reset, 50% on the USB slider and volume level 14 (out of 31) will result is nice loud sound.


Often times this gets so annoying when with classical music, it will spike and go from no sound to high pitched notes (of sound) back to silence.


Is my USB port dieing? or is this a software issue?

I should mention that i moved the USb audio from one USB port to another and the problem went away for about 3 months, and now its back.


My right is on the left under system specs.


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## FordGT90Concept (Jun 25, 2012)

Try bypassing the amp?


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 25, 2012)

i don't have a separate amp system, however the amp and sound system play CD's without issue or fading.

i should mention that the left side would sometimes be quieter then the right, and via versa. but playing CD's is not an issue.


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## Random Murderer (Jun 25, 2012)

Try turning off "USB Selective Suspend" under the advanced options in power management.
Also, it would help if you told us the brand and model of USB sound card/DAC.


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 26, 2012)

i looked but i cannot find anything called selective suspend?


and the USB cord goes right into the back with the rest of the USB slots, Under device it just says generic USb audio Drivers?


Sound i buy a USB PCI-E card?


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 27, 2012)

should i buy a USB 2.0 expansion slot that goes into a PCI slot? actually i think i might have one.\

Do you think this would fix my problem?


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## scaminatrix (Jun 27, 2012)

This is how you get to the selective suspend setting.








pepsi71ocean said:


> should i buy a USB 2.0 expansion slot that goes into a PCI slot? actually i think i might have one.\
> 
> Do you think this would fix my problem?



First, are you plugging the USB into the back of the motherboard (in the I/O panel), or into a USB port on your case?


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 27, 2012)

I checked again, but i don't think XP has this, i'll google it.


And im plugging it right into the back of the motherboard.


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## Random Murderer (Jun 27, 2012)

pepsi71ocean said:


> I checked again, but i don't think XP has this, i'll google it.
> 
> 
> And im plugging it right into the back of the motherboard.



No, don't bother with a USB expansion card. This issue lies with an improper setting in Windows or with the USB device itself.
Is it something you designed yourself? If not, could you link us to the product page for this device?
Also, we could use a better description of how the sound system is all hooked up. for example, my system:
Computer -> usb cable -> RM-DAC -> RCA cables -> Xiang Sheng 708b amp -> Sennheiser HD650

something like that that lists the devices, connecting cables, and the order in which they are connected.


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 27, 2012)

I found the hot fix for it, and it didn't change much, the USB slider is at 75% and the sound is at 75% and its decent, not loud but not quiet either. I say just above a normal conversation, where as 3 or 4 months ago it would be really loud, like your in a war movie loud.


It goes, USB port on motherboard -> USB Cable -> Stereo system.

The stereo system came with a USB port on it to plug into the computer, so that is how they are connected. 


I read somewhere that the USB port might be dieing, because i swapped ports from one USB to another and the problem went away but only temporary of course.


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## Kreij (Jun 27, 2012)

What is the brand/model of the stereo system?


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 27, 2012)

JVC MX-GC5  "compact component System


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## Kreij (Jun 27, 2012)

Have you tried it on another PC? Maybe it's not your PC's USB ports but the input USB port on the JVC that is causing problems.


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## Random Murderer (Jun 27, 2012)

Kreij said:


> Have you tried it on another PC? Maybe it's not your PC's USB ports but the input USB port on the JVC that is causing problems.



That was where I was heading. It sounds to me like a cold solder joint or dying transistor/IC in the USB circuitry of the receiver itself.
USB is pretty easy to diagnose problems with. If the PC sees something is connected to the USB port and that device is receiving a signal from the PC, chances are it's not the USB port/hub. If you're receiving messages like "Power surge on USB hub" or "The computer cannot recognize this device" then it's probably the USB port/hub.
USB(pre 3.0) is insanely simple in its implementation; there are only four connections to be made: +5V(power positive), Ground, Data +, and Data -. If any one of these connections is not being made, the device will not be recognized by the PC and vice-versa.


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## pepsi71ocean (Jun 28, 2012)

im going to try and hook up a laptop to it via the USB cable and see if the issues persist.

probibly play a CD or DVD with the lappy and see if the sound degrades.


I know that the amp has no issues with CD's, but like you said it could be on the USB side of the AMP.


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## pepsi71ocean (Jul 4, 2012)

apparently, this is now only an issue with windows media player, especially when playing DVD's.


should i try and reinstall wmp?


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