Audio Interface Help

Associate
Joined
2 Jun 2013
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Location
Glasgow
Hi,

I've had my Line 6 PODxt Live for about 10 years now. Been using it as an external USB soundcard for my PC to power HS5 Active Monitors and also connect my guitar in to play along with.

Unfortunatley I think there is something wrong with the USB on it. When I go to play music it starts to crackle and echo and then the sound just crashes. I have to power it off and turn it back to for it to just do the same again.

Does anyone know a good replacement USB interface I can get that lets me plug in two input jacks for the active monitors and also a guitar instrument?

Thanks
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
I think any decent interface should do what you need, such as; Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Has 2 inputs for either microphone and/or instrument and 2 line outputs which can either go to an amplifier or powered speakers.

I'm wondering though if it's something to do with drivers.

Are you using Windows 10?

Updates have caused problems with audio for some people. Worth reinstalling the drivers, see if that makes any difference. If not then I suppose the only way to know for sure whether it is driver related would be to use with another PC, preferable one with Windows 7 or 8.1.
 
Associate
OP
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Posts
1,265
Location
Glasgow
After a bit of playing around I think I have sussed it to be the USB port within the PODxt live.

If I connect it all together with just guitar and speakers I can play happily, but the soundcard part of it went from sometimes detecting the driver to not even at all. So I assume the soundcard is fine as it works through speakers without USB but because it will not detect the board anymore in windows.

Are the USB ports on the back of these easy to replace? Or is there a test I can try to see if it is infact the internal port?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Have you tried a different USB cable?

Best to rule that out first.

If it isn't the cable, a quick search points to a hardware failure, so very well could be a problem with the USB port. Shouldn't be too hard to replace. Suppose it depends whether you have any experience with a soldering iron.

USB 2 ports have 4 pins go through holes in the circuit board and then will be soldered. Might be tricky without a solder sucker though, as there is no way you can heat all 4 and remove it before the solder re-hardens. Without a solder sucker, you'd have to cut the pins from the body of the socket, allowing you to heat and remove each pin individually.

Of course, there is no way of knowing whether it is indeed just the USB port causing the problem, or something else. Replacing it might be futile.
 
Associate
OP
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Location
Glasgow
I tried different USB cables. I tried every setting I could find on google regarding the error. I tried registry stuff and safe mode.

I ended up buying a new Behringer UMC22 for £32.

I may still buy a 4pin type B usb port and attempt to fix it myself.

However since I have a new interface coming it may not be worthwhile.

Is it possible to plug my PODxt into the UMC22 so I can still use the floorboard settings rather than software on PC?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
I suppose you could connect the guitar into the podxt then the output from that into one of the instrument inputs of the umc22. I think that should work, but something you'll won't know for sure until you try it.
 
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