7.1 USB Audio Adapter External Sound Card with SPDIF Digital Audio
Turn your laptop or desktop computer into a 7.1-channel home theater-ready sound system
Product ID: ICUSBAUDIO7D
3,7 stars
(35 reviews) |
- Full 7.1 audio outputs via 3.5mm mini-jacks
- Optical S/PDIF input (pass through) and output
- Dual microphone input
Your price
€54,99
EUR excl. VAT
€65,99
EUR incl. VAT
This versatile External USB Sound Card/Audio Adapter offers a high quality solution for upgrading desktop or laptop sound.
Providing a robust USB audio experience, the USB sound card connects to a host computer through a single USB 2.0 connection, to deliver impressive external audio capability that can instantly be swapped between systems, without having to open the computer case for installation.
Supporting analog and digital audio for 2 to 7.1 channel audio applications, the external USB sound card provides a cost-saving upgrade from built-in/on-board sound that turns desktop/laptop sound into a home theater-ready audio solution.
The external USB sound card features easy-to-use volume control and two external microphone inputs - a convenient solution for any audio application requiring high quality sound with multi-input capability with support for 44.1 KHz and 48 KHz sampling rates for analog playback and recording or 48 KHz for SPDIF.
A more than suitable solution for home theater, gaming or multi-media presentations, the External USB Sound Card is easy to install with plug and play support in Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems.
Designed to deliver a long-lasting and dependable sound solution, the External USB Sound Card/Audio Adapter is backed by our 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Note: The audio adapter’s SPDIF optical pass-through port supports two-channel audio, this port does not support 5.1 or 7.1 audio.
Applications
- Replace or upgrade the existing integrated audio on a laptop or portable computer
- Connect your computer to an home theater audio receiver through optical S/PDIF
The StarTech.com Advantage
- Connect to external speakers through 3.5mm mini-jacks or optical S/PDIF
- Backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support
Partner Numbers
- Ingram Austria V930885
- UPC 065030835466
Compatibility
Windows® 10 (32/64), 8 / 8.1 (32/64), 7 (32/64), Vista (32/64), XP (32/64), 2000
Windows Server® 2008 R2, 2003 (32/64)
Windows Server® 2008 R2, 2003 (32/64)
Specifications
| Warranty Information | Warranty | 2 Years |
|---|---|---|
| Connector(s) | 1 - Connector Type(s) | USB B (4 pin) |
| 1 - External Ports | Toslink (SPDIF, Optical) | |
| Toslink (SPDIF, Optical) | ||
| 3.5 mm Mini-Jack (3 Position) | ||
| 5 - External Ports | 3.5 mm Mini-Jack (3 Position) | |
| 2 - External Ports | 3.5 mm Mini-Jack (2 Position) | |
| Environmental | Operating Temperature | 0°C to 55°C (32°F to 131°F) |
| Storage Temperature | 0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F) | |
| Humidity | 20 to 80% NC RH | |
| Hardware | Chipset ID | C-Media - CM6206 |
| Indicators | 1 - LED Indicators | Power/Activity |
| Microphone Mute | ||
| Packaging Information | Package Height | 32.0 mm [1.3 in] |
| Package Length | 14.4 cm [5.7 in] | |
| Shipping (Package) Weight | 204.0 g [7.2 oz] | |
| Package Width | 16.4 cm [6.5 in] | |
| Performance | Audio Specifications | 8 16-bit DAC Channels (7.1 Surround Sound) Supports 44.1 and 48 KHz sampling rates for analog playback and recording or 48 KHz for SPDIF 3.5mm output connectors for Front, Surround, Rear, Centre/bass |
| Physical Characteristics | Weight of Product | 90.0 g [3.2 oz] |
| Color | Silver | |
| Material | Steel | |
| Product Length | 100.0 mm [3.9 in] | |
| Product Width | 60.0 mm [2.4 in] | |
| Product Height | 25.0 mm [1.0 in] | |
| Software | OS Compatibility | Windows® 10 (32/64), 8 / 8.1 (32/64), 7 (32/64), Vista (32/64), XP (32/64), 2000 Windows Server® 2008 R2, 2003 (32/64) |
| Special Notes / Requirements | Note | The sound card's SPDIF optical pass-through port supports two-channel audio, this port does not support 5.1 or 7.1 audio. |
| What's in the Box | 1 - Included in Package | USB to Audio Adapter |
| USB Cable | ||
| Installation CD | ||
| Instruction Manual |
Certifications
View downloadable documentation
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Drivers/Downloads
Talk to an Advisor
We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)Driver(s):
-
[cmedia cm6206] windows usb 7.1 audio adapter.zip
- Version: 1.04
- Language: EN
Manual(s):
-
icusbaudio7d__usermanual.pdf
- Language: EN
Datasheet
-
icusbaudio7d_Datasheet.pdf
- Datasheet
- Language: EN
Product Support
Talk to an Advisor
We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)Frequently Asked Questions
Installation
Before you install the device, make sure that your operating system is current (for example, the most recent service pack is installed).
- Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website at http://www.startech.com/Support. The part number and product ID are on the product packaging.
Note: Windows usually saves the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Users\your_name\Downloads).
- After the download is complete, right-click the zip folder that you downloaded, click Extract All, and complete the instructions.
- In the list of extracted files, right-click the Setup.exe file and click Run as Administrator.
Note: If the Run as Administrator option is not available, you might be trying to run the installer from within the zipped file. Complete the instructions in step 2 to extract the files.
- Complete the instructions to install the device drivers, and restart your computer when prompted to.
- After your computer restarts, connect the USB sound card to your computer.
Your computer automatically finishes installing the driver and your device should be ready to use.
Before you install the device, make sure that your operating system is current (for example, the most recent service pack is installed).
- Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website at www.startech.com/Downloads. The part number and product ID are on the product packaging.
Note: Windows usually saves the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Documents and Settings\your_name\My Documents\Downloads).
- After the download is complete, right-click the zip folder that you downloaded, click Extract All, and complete the instructions.
- In the list of extracted files, double-click the Setup.exe file.
- Complete the instructions to install the device drivers, and restart your computer when prompted to.
Your computer automatically finishes installing the driver and your device should be ready to use.
Troubleshooting
If the USB device does not work after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power.
The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening.
Windows 10 / 8
- On your keyboard, press the Windows key + X and select Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
- Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
- Click Change advanced power settings.
- Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows 7 / Vista
- Click the Start button and select Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
- Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
- Click Change advanced power settings.
- Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows XP
- On your desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
- Click the Device Manager tab.
- Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers by clicking the arrow to the left of it.
- Right-click the first USB Root Hub device and select Properties.
- Click the Power Management tab.
- Clear the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
- Repeat steps 4-7 for any remaining devices in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section with “Root Hub” in the name.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
The audio format of your source media may be uncompressed (lossless). Uncompressed surround sound audio is not supported by digital (S/PDIF) connections due to bandwidth limitations. When your lossless 5.1 or 7.1 audio content is sent through the Digital S/PDIF connection, data will be lost which can result in limited 2-channel audio playback.
This issue is not an isolated limitation of this StarTech.com audio adapter, as uncompressed surround sound is universally incompatible with digital (S/PDIF) audio.
Digital (S/PDIF) audio supports:
- 2-channel PCM audio
- Compressed surround sound audio (Dolby Digital, DD+, DTS, DTS-ES)
Digital (S/PDIF) audio does NOT support:
- More than 2-channels of PCM audio
- Uncompressed surround sound audio (DD-TrueHD, DTS-Master Audio)
Playback of digital surround sound is dependent on a variety of factors, including the audio format of your source media, your playback software, and your audio receiver. Digital (S/PDIF) channel settings are managed by the source and playback devices, and cannot be manually configured like analog audio.
When you troubleshoot issues with a sound card, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
-
Stereo audio cables
-
Speakers or headsets
-
Sound card
To test your setup components, try the following:
-
Use the stereo audio cables, speakers or headsets, and sound card in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
-
Use a different set of stereo audio cables, speakers or headphones, and sound card in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
Test each cable individually.
-
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the speakers or headsets and sound card, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Device Manager. Check to see if your device is listed under Sound, video and game.
-
If you do not see the sound card in Device Manager please see this FAQ for PCI/PCIe expansion cards: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#pci-pcie-cannot-boot-os-or-detect-windows
or this FAQ for USB devices: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#usb-cannot-detect-windows. -
If the device is listed with an error, follow the instructions on the website to reinstall the drivers.
-
Make sure that the default playback device in Sound is the sound card that you installed.
To check the default playback device on a computer that is running a version of Windows XP, do the following:
- Click Start.
- Click Control Panel.
- Click Sound and Audio Devices.
- Click the Audio tab.
- In the Default device drop-down menu, click the sound card.
To check the default playback device on a computer that is running a version of Windows Vista or Windows 7, do the following:
- Click Start.
- Click Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound.
- Click Sound.
- On the Playback tab, right-click the sound card and click Set as Default Device.
To check the default playback device on a computer that is running a version of Windows 8, do the following:
- Press the Windows key + X.
- Click Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound.
- Click Sound.
- Click the Audio tab.
- On the Playback tab, right-click the sound card and click Set as Default Device.
How To
To confirm that Windows detects your USB device, complete the following:
- Press the Windows key+R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
- In Device Manager, under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an exclamation mark next to it. For example, a USB controller card would be under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
Compliance and safety
Compliance letters
-
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE)
- Language: English
-
RoHS & REACH Certificate of Compliance
- Language: English
-
Country of Origin (COO)
- Language: English
-
Declaration of Conformity (DOC)
- Language: English
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
*Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Customer Reviews
(35 reviews)3,7 out of 5 stars
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Startech, a smater Choice
I bought this USB sound card a week ago, its amazing!
Perfect First Time
I lost all sound to my computer a week ago. Saw this item on you tube.Set it up today.Didn't need any instructions at all.Though I might need a new internal sound card replacement or motherboard.Up and running perfectly in 10 minutes.Thanks guys.Saved me service call that would or could have cost hundreds.Highly recommended.Purchased at Future Shop
Thanks Again
Wayne
Works as promised!
This is an excellent audio addition with a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker set. I can work much longer when listening to music through this unit.
Better than any internal audio card
I have had one of these for over a year now. Best thing about this card is the ability to have more than one input working at the same time. Windows DRM since Vista has disabled the ability to have Line in and Microphone working at the same time. Since I have two computers, one connected to line in on this and a microphone for talking to friends it does exactly what I need. I have purchased several audio cards and spent hundreds on some that couldn't perform as well as this one.
There is no way this is better than in internal sound card. An internal sound card has a high end processor that just eats this thing for lunch. I work for a hearing company and we did test this and other options. Unless it is on board sound you meant? On board and internal dedicated higher end sound card is completely different thing. We use these for 5.1 audio as they need no driver. They just work for what we need at the price point. I would definitely recommend these but not on the basis that it is better than internal audio card. This misleading.
powerful and simple
I broke my headphone jack on my laptop and this product fixed all my problems quickly with no effort other than to plug it in and change a couple of settings in the sound options. Very happy customer right here!
for the audiophile
turns your laptop into a sound studio. am able to control so much
Easy install, no added software
Was installing this on a Windows 2008 Server, and was concerned about having to install extra software that might cause some issues with the software we are currently using. Thankfully, the driver was already in Windows, so no added software, which meant that no ill effect to the system. Just, now we have sound. Very nice.
Not working at all
I got this as a Christmas gift from my parents last year. I'm finally getting around to using it and it is not sending a signal to my receiver. I can see the blue light blinking on top of the box but there is no red light coming from the S/PDIF.
I have a similar problem. I bought this product for use with a Raspberry Pi 4B. All seems well and good, but it does not seem to be sending out via spdi/f output into my receiver. I play a video and the volume buttons work in relation to audio out via hdmi, and that tells me the Pi is using it, but no audio comes from my receiver via the optical cable.
Wow finally plug & Play
Bought this fix a Realtech audio problem that wasted MANY hours of my time
I plugged this in and it M$ Win 7 picked it up immediately and the volume nightmarish issues are gone the lack of vocal clarity is gone
For 20 years as a tech been happily using Startech products but this was a sweet easy and could not be faster install.
For anyone wanting an optical out - stop right here this is the one.
Outstanding
Raspberry Pi
My mate bought this for his windows system and I had my raspberry pi with me... Plugged it in and it worked without installing additional drivers... It doesn't say in the manual anything about Raspbian OS so thought I would let everyone know it worked...
5.1 sound Rocks
I had purchased a new computer but it didn't have the output for 5.1 for my speakers so I purchased this nifty item. The disk that came with it didn't have the drivers I needed so I downloaded the software for it and I got my 5.1 sound back. I am a happy camper rock'in out to my tunes.
Bought for the wrong reason, but supprised.
I have an old Klipsh computer sound speaker system (whose sub is also an amp.) that was paired to a (at that time) high end gaming computer's sound card. Computer long gone now. Found a convoluted way to hook up these speakers to a retired HK receiver using only the pre-amp functions as the amp portion was dead. HK amp fully died. Needed solution to use speakers system. PS: this is still a very good sounding system for my bedroom. Found your 7.1 USB Audio Adaptor. Hoped I could just use it without the computer. No go. Disappointed. Used my notebook. Worked, sort of. Only 2.1 and no headphones. Hmmm. Drivers down loaded automatically were generic. Try the disc, not compatable with Win 10. Went to you web site, got Win 8/10 drivers. WOW. Impressed for such an inexpensive item. Everything works,. Controls the amount of speakers to use and can even use other audio players via the input. Still checking it out, but happy now. Can't run it without the notebook, but for the price, that's OK.
Average product with hidden limitations
I purchased this unit because I use a Small Form Factor PC with limited upgrade options. On the photos I could see it has a lot of connections. I wasn't interested in the 7.1 features, but more for recording purposes, especially the optical input.
The C-Media Audio chip in this device is quite basic, limited to 16 Bit and 48 KHz. So it won't do 24 Bit or 96 KHz or any of that.
The specifications and manual mention that the S/PDIF optical input is only pass-through, yet it shows up as an input in Windows 10 and you can record just fine with software such as Audacity.
The specifications mention dual microphone inputs. Yes there are 2 ports, and you would assume that you can connect two microphones, but this is not the case. Windows audio properties show only a single microphone input. The way this USB audio device is setup is that the left mic port is for the left channel, and the right port for the right channel. Rather than have a single mic port that does Stereo. Very strange and means if you have standard Stereo Mic you need to get a Y-cable.
Finally the device has optical-in, line-in and mic-in. On a standard sound card you can use all the inputs simultaneously. For example receiving music from the line-in, while doing a voice over through the microphone. But this device only supports on of these at a time! So it's either optical in, either line-in or either mic in. But you cannot use two or three inputs at the same time. I'm amazed at this limitation and that this is not mentioned.
The driver seems to be quite old and mixer has just two sliders for volume and CD, which makes no sense. There are no sliders for the other ports. The software and driver doesn't seem to add much compared to the built-in functions that Windows 10 provides.
On the positive side the build quality seems solid. The buttons on the unit as handy, but most keyboard have the same volume and mute button. The mic mute button though can be very useful.
The power LED blinks all the time which is a bit strange.
All in all the product didn't meet my expectations, especially that you can only use one input source at a time and that this wasn't mentioned anywhere.
Thank you for your review of ICUSBAUDIO7D. We're always looking for ways to improve our products, and we appreciate your detailed feedback. Please remember, if you have any problems with our products, our Technical Advisors are available to help 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. To reach one, go to www.startech.com/support.
Creative Sound BlasterX G5 has the same limitation. To your point, I also don't understand why a company would create a device that only allows one input to work at a time. The upside here is that this device is under $40, while the Sound BlasterX is over $100.
buzzing sound and only stereo is working
I bought this external card to be able to use my Logitech Digital Audio controller for my 5.1 speakers and my new Dell Optiplex 7060, which apparently offers no internal sound card option with a digital audio connection. No problem, except that I get an annoying buzzing sound at any volume, and it's only working in stereo mode and pretty low quality from what I can tell, Something isn't right, but I can't figure out what to do to fix it.
We're very sorry you ran into some problems. For analog 5.1 surround sound to work with this product, you will need to install the software application and set audio playback to be 5.1. You will also want to set this in Windows within Control Panel, Sound.
If this doesn't help or you wish to troubleshoot the situation further, please reach out to us using the our live chat or call us directly.
Win 10 keeps messing up this device
I have used this device since Feb 2016. It works great when the drivers are correct. However Microsoft updates keep messing up the drivers and it's next to impossible to restore the driver settings. Until a better driver install is available, I suggest avoiding this product or be ready to waste hours upon hours installing drivers.
Thank you for taking the time the leave feedback on the ICUSBAUDIO7D. We apologize for the issue you've experienced, and we want to help.
I see that our support department is already in contact with you and we are happy to continue to work on this issue until we find a solution. We are sorry for the frustration this has caused but we are looking into this for you and will be reaching out to assist with further troubleshooting.
Really good upgrade
Bought this card to take advantage of my Logitech Z506 5.1 Surround audio, however the drivers have not been necessary in my case since windows handles this device so far without problems
Not working properly in Windows 10
I bought this item 2 days ago. Since the DVD in the package only support the OS up to Windows 7, I downloaded the separate driver from this website. Installation of the driver seems to be fine. But, the device only output 2 channels of the sound only. I tried to fix this problem by 'USB Multi-Channel Audio Device' program. Still, it only stream the sound through 'front' aux output even I have set the analog output as 4, 6, or 8.
We're sorry to hear about the difficulties you're having with our ICUSBAUDIO7D. We've found your conversation with us and hope that we were able to solve these problems but if you still require assistance, please feel free to contact us back at www.startech.com/support where our Technical Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to provide support.
device can only play stereo
This device cannot and will not output anything more that stereo 2 channel.
It's important to us that our customers have a positive experience with our products and we apologize for the difficulties you're having with our ICUSBAUDIO7D. This sound card does support 7-channel surround sound but you need to install the latest drivers from our website and change the settings in the C-Media software as well as Windows to achieve surround sound. If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at www.startech.com/support where our Technical Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to provide support.
Will not work
Windows 10 installed Windows 10 driver and uninstalled and reinstalled it. No Sound out any of the speaker jacks on the front with using the line input. How do you rate something that does not work.
Hello John,
We always try to ensure our customers have exceptional experiences with us and our products and we apologize for the difficulties you've had with our ICUSBAUDIO7D. Once you've installed the drivers for Windows 10 you may need to change the Sound Settings to set the sound card as your default audio out. If you're trying to get audio from the line-in port to the speakers you also need to go into your audio input settings and manually set your computer to output anything coming into that input. If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance at www.startech.com/support. Our Technical Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to provide support.
Complete waste of money
I have never been able to get anything other that 16 bit 2 channel audio out of this useless device. Installing the latest drivers from startech is a waste of time as the drivers are from 2012.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your disappointment in the performance of our ICUSBAUDIO7D and we would like to help you troubleshoot. The drivers available for this adapter include software and to achieve surround-sound you need to change the setting both in Windows and the provided software. If you require assistance getting this setup, our Technical Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to provide support. You can contact us at www.startech.com/support.
Fantastic!
Bought recently as a new computer I was building had limited 3-jack sound integrated. Wanted to use my Altec Lansing 4.1 speaker system with new build. This Startech card solved my problem! Installed card, Windows recognized and installed drivers, hooked up speakers and the sound is awwesome! Couldn't be happier.
Stereo on win10 only
Win 10 only works with stereo. It only seems to use 2 channels making the product pointless. The software from cmedia 2012 doesn't seem to do any difference.
Im using SPDIF in
We always try to ensure our customers have exceptional experiences with us and our products and we apologize for the difficulties you've had with our ICUSBAUDIO7D. The SPDIF input is a stereo-only pass-through port as SPDIF technology only has the bandwidth for stereo sound without compressing the audio. This sound card does support 7.1 surround sound when using the analog outputs and audio on the computer but it needs to be set in both the C-Media software as well as Windows to function properly. If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at www.startech.com/support. Our Technical Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to provide support.
Just need to know what your doing! Works Great
I have a Surface Pro Book and I have two docking stations, one for my car and one for my office. I have the Logitech 5.1 surround system and I bought this switch to utilize this system. This thing was fairly straight forward to hook up. I have the best surround sound I have ever had including my full desktop systems with Soundblaster cards. The tech support is awesome so If you cannot figure it out, call them and you will not be disappointed.
this item is pretty much useless when using the spdif output as it only supports 2 channels
We apologize for any confusion when purchasing our ICUSBAUDIO7D. While we do not list a specific level of support for the SPDIF port on this sound card, it should work with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. However, it depends on the source material as well as the audio device you're connecting the sound card to as they must both support the same audio format. If you're playing a Blu-ray that uses DTS but your sound system/TV only supports Dolby Digital then you won't be able to achieve more than 2-channel audio.
WORKS GOOD BUT NEED UPDATE FOR WINDOWS 10
i bought this item for my pc who doesn't have a very good sound card, this product is the response for that work beautyful but the software for windows 10 is difficult to install or is missing and my sound card it's not working the way should be
Windows 10 Build 2004 Breaks Aduio
Great device - however the new 2020 Windows 10 Build 2004 the device stopped working - no audio - uninstall - re-install drivers / usb audio drivers - still no audio - device appears in sound control panel and device manger.
Hello,
I'm sorry to hear you are having audio issues. We offer free lifetime support with our products so we're reaching out directly to see if we can assist.
Works Perfectly But Easy To Think It Doesn't
I've just inherited a new PC which unfortunately has no native support for the 5.1 surround sound set up I had with my previous computer. Received this external sound card today and it's working a treat within 20 minutes.
Connected using the USB provided in the box, tried running the driver install from the provided CD but received an error message as it appears windows 10 drivers aren't on the CD so downloaded the drivers from the startech website instead. Once everything was installed and showing in device manager, I was only getting 2.1 sound, with the front speakers only showing in the Xear Audio Centre. After messing around for 15 minutes thinking that the sound card didn't work, I discovered that you simply have to right click on the speaker in the Audio Centre to change the set up...now works perfectly!
Sound works amazingly, drivers are hard to find.
I've had this for about 3 months now and it works great as my PC's built in sound card did not work at all when I built it. The quality of the sound is great, however there are some caveats. I am using Windows 10 as an operating system. The drivers are not on the disc for Windows 10 and on the website, the drivers do not fix the issues that are present. Line in doesnt work, the speaker output doesnt work, and the microphone inputs are annoying to deal with as i am a DJ and need ONE direct line in, but since the line in doesnt work, I have to split the audio in two ways just to get Stereo sound, and even when i do set it up, every little sound going through the inputs will sound clipped and too loud on the outputs no matter WAHT KIND of adjusting you do in software. I have not tested the fiber-optic inputs/outputs so I can not give a definitive response on that front. However if we can get a driver update to make sure that this device works wholeheartedly, this review will go STRAIGHT to 5 stars. The only output that works are for the headphones and while the quality is great and it does partially what i need it to do, the lack of Windows 10 driver support and the fact that i can not use a Line input for my DJ mixes takes this to a 3 star. Practical and usable, but you will need something better to record any form of audio with it.
Customer service helped solve my issues with the e
I am here writing again because i left a decent review of this little device. It almost didnt work for my DJing applications as the line in port didnt work. They contacted me and i was able to work out EVERYTHING on how to get this item to work. I would recommend buying this product and if you have issues, contact their customer support. They were very helpful and amazing at their jobs. I thought this was going to be some cheap product that would only partially work but they have put work into this device and drivers even for Windows 10. Please. Get this thing if your sound card doesnt work.
Just what I needed - Line In
I have my own preamp and needed something to digitize line-level signal.
Startech does it fairly well, with excellent low-frequency response -
which is great for my application.
When you get it working it's great!
I got this to reuse a 7.1 surround sound system that was collecting dust in my loft. I plugged it in on my Win 10 machine (Version 1909) and it seemed to auto install. Problem is it would only output as "headphones" no options to output in any other way. I then installed the startech drivers from the website, still nothing. After half an hour of troubleshooting I contacted support, long story short you need to install the drivers from the Startech website which will install the app "Cmedia Xear Audio Centre", open the app, right click on the "Headphone" icon, select the second option "headphone settings" then in the top right select the drop down box that says "Headphone" then you can select "speaker" or "SPDIF Out" . once you select "speaker" the "headphone" icon will grey out and "Speakers" will be selected. You can then output in 5.1, 7.1 etc! No mention of this un-intuitive "feature" in the manual but support were great!
dont buy this
the audio station that comes with it decided it will no longer recognize 5.1 - no support articles, etc. speakers are fine, used different usb ports, uninstalled and reinstalled - only a few months old.
Hi,
We are sorry to hear that the audio interface is no longer working for you. We'll reach out to see if we can offer some assistance to get things working again.
Perfect (once I got new drivers online)
I just this box and, so far, it's been working great. I needed to download new drivers off of the Startech website to make it work with Windows 10, but once I did, no problems.
I have a Dell laptop and I got some 5.1 speakers secondhand so I needed a USB solution to give me 5.1. This was exactly what I needed. The sound quality seems fine, although the speakers I'm using are not great. Works nice with games, Netflix. Very pleased.
Monophonic line-level input!!!!
I bought this a couple of years ago while seeking a sound device to use with an iPhone through an OTG cable. I tested the mic inputs and headphone output at the time.
On 6/24/2021, I plugged it int my Win10 box. The Sound dialog window showed it as Line-In USB Audio Device. I sent stereo sound in through the Line-in. Win10 Audacity recorded it as monophonic audio. I installed the USB driver available on this StarTech.com site, rebooted Win10 as instructed, and once again, Audacity recorded the sound input as monophonic audio.
Two stars lost because Line-in is mono and the docs do not say either stereo or mono. IT would be far more useful to provide stereo line-in.
Fantastic Customer Support!!
I had a connection issue. I contacted customer support and first chatted with "Chris". I am not computer savvy like I'd like to be, so he took over my computer and installed the software that was necessary. That didn't completely solve my problem, so I re-contacted them and got connected to "Justin". He troubleshooted my problem and figured out my issue was a setting on my computer. I am now enjoying fantastic sound form my laptop. This sound card is a MUST HAVE if you enjoy music!!
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