jg7890 Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 HELP! I have recently acquired an AP1 with the P/P battery pack but I am at a loss to get it set up correctly on my own. I have downloaded the 26 page user manual from Audiophilleo, but it might as well have been written in Chinese as it made no sense whatever to a non computer literate audiophile like myself. For over a week now, I have been scrolling the internet looking for clues that I can understand as well as communicating directly with Philip from Audiophellio. Despite all of this, I still have not been able to successfully integrate the AP1 and P/P into my hi fi system and it now just sits forlornly on the floor beside my listening chair. So I now appeal to StereoNet readers to get me back on the right track. Ideally, I would like the opportunity of communicating with someone who already has an AP1 with the P/P and is using a Macbook Pro laptop, the same as I am using myself. By now you would have correctly guessed that I am not a computer wizard, just a simple 2 channel audiophile, so please do not bombard me with abbreviated computer terms etc. Thanks, Jeff
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) Hi Jeff It did occur to me when I first received the P/P pack that the cabling itself was a bit confusing even with the clear diagrams on the manual. Mine was an AP2 (no longer own one) but I think the connections should be the same. First question is, do you think you got all the cabling correct? I.e do both screens light up? Edited July 11, 2013 by b4sound
jg7890 Posted July 11, 2013 Author Posted July 11, 2013 Firstly, I did not receive any manual, but I was able to set up the cables from a video that I found on the internet. Both screens do light up but soon after, both power down again. The P/P battery pack shows that the PC is connected, that the AP is connected and the screen reads 12H, which I take to mean that there is a 12 hour charge in the battery. The screen on the AP1 shows either 72 + db or if I press the toggle switch, it shows -72 and Mute on the bottom of the screen. Where to from here?
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 On the MAC, you need to go to Applications > Utilities > Audio Midi Setup and select the AP1 for the output. Next question is what software are you using to play on the MAC? (I might get stuck here as was using Audirvana mostly myself)
jg7890 Posted July 11, 2013 Author Posted July 11, 2013 This is where it gets tricky for me. Where would I find applications? I am also using Audirvana.
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 Its on your dock and looks like a folder with a grey "A" on it. Should be very near your Trash Bin.
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 My Mac is quite old so not sure if this may look different. Others may be able to help.
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 Google says that it may also be a round circle (blue inside) with a "A" in the middle.
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) Deleted. Edited July 12, 2013 by b4sound
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 If you can find the Applications Folder, inside, look for the Utilities folder. Its not letting me paste the link but if you google "Mac Utilities Icon", it will show you the possible variations.
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 Then look for the Audio Midi Setup Search for "mac audio midi setup icon" Good luck!
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 Last one hopefully... In Audirvana, when it is open, from the menu at the top left corner, select Audirvana > Preferences > Audio System Prefered Audio Device > Change Select Audiophilleo from the drop down > Select
jg7890 Posted July 11, 2013 Author Posted July 11, 2013 Amazing! Music for the first time. The sound level through my speakers is very low, only showing 20db on the AP1 with my preamp set at 9 o'clock, which is about as loud a level as I ever listen at. How do I increase the the sound level to match my preamp at 9 o'clock?
madamesimplifi Posted July 11, 2013 Posted July 11, 2013 In Audirvana > Preferences > Audio Volume Is it set to DAC and Max volume?
jg7890 Posted July 11, 2013 Author Posted July 11, 2013 More tricky questions. When I open up Audirvana >Preferences I cannot find Audio Volume. Where would I find this?
jg7890 Posted July 12, 2013 Author Posted July 12, 2013 A new problem has developed overnight. The music is now playing only through my Macbook Pro, the P/P screen shows APOFF CHARGE and the AP1 screen shows "Audiophellio 1 Connecting to Computer.... " I have checked all of the connecting cables and appears fine. Any suggestions to complete the setup?
aechmea Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 This happens when the Mac and AP1 lose touch. This is apt to happen when the Mac goes into sleep mode and then re-awakens. I don't think that the AP1 USB protocol for sleep/wake is quite right. It happens often enough with USB powered hubs and disks which don't adhere to the proper USB protocol and is a pain in the ..... The easiest way I think is to reboot the Mac whilst the AP and PP are connected normally to a USB port of the Mac. Bit of a sledge hammer to crack a nut but should work. When the Mac boots it starts the USB power and sends out a 'who is out there?' poll. The PP and AP1 should detect the power on the USB bus and boot themselves and send an "I am here" back to the Mac. The Mac should finish booting and then if you look in Audio Midi Setup you should see the AP1 listed as an audio device. Now start Audirvana. Go to Audirvana preferences and make sure that Audirvana is selecting the AP1. 'Play' on Audirvana (having selected a play list) should produce noise! [it is possible that you could get away with disconnecting the USB cable between the PP and the AP1, pausing for say 15 seconds and then reconnecting. This may trigger a useful connection again.] Who said computer audio was easy!
jg7890 Posted July 12, 2013 Author Posted July 12, 2013 Congratulations, you are a genius. After 12 days of ownership and pestering everyone I know, it is finally working. As to who said computer audio was easy, if I thought for a moment that it would have been this frustrating, I would not never have started in the first place. However, as I am now committed, I am determined to obtain the best results that are reasonably possible. A few posts back, I made enquiries about increasing the sound volume, but could not locate the volume control in Audirvana. Are you able to complete the answers started by b4sound? Many thanks to you and b4sound, who spent a lot of time helping me earlier on.
madamesimplifi Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Hi Jon Good work! I was looking at Audirvana Plus but most likely you are using the stock Audirvana. There is a Master Volume at the far right of the panel (next to Stop and Next), is yours dialed to the max?
aechmea Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 The slider is present in Audirvana Free as well. That's what I use. Previously, when I was using a HiFace1, the volume slider in Audirvana doesn't show because the device driver for the HiFace1 says that the HiFace1 doesn't have a volume control, which is correct. So there being no control to talk to, Audio Midi Setup (aka Coreaudio) does nothing and thus Audirvana does nothing as well, both assuming the volume control is done further down the path at say a DAC or Pre-amp. In the case of the AP1, it does have a volume control of its own, and it tells Audio Midi Setup so, when it connects. Audirvana gets to know this too, so Audirvana sets up a 'volume slider' so that the user can control the volume of the AP1 from there. Depending on where you want to do your volume control in your system, it may not be a good idea to let the AP1 do it. This is why most (some?) people set the AP1 volume to maximum via the Audirvana slider. Mine is set to maximum. Now the question remains ... why isn't Jeff's Audirvana showing the slider for the AP1 on the main panel? It could be quite a few reasons and is quite difficult to tell without actually seeing some of the settings in Audio Midi Setup and Audirvana. Jeff, can you post a screen shot of the Audio Midi Setup screen when the AP1 is attached and apparently working? A screen shot can be taken by using the keystrokes (hold down 'Control'/hold down 'shift'/ press '3'). A file will be created on the desktop. Open the file in an image editing program and trim the rubbish away. Attach it to a post here and we'll see if we can work out what's happening with the 'volume slider'. I am thinking that the PP and AP1 haven't announced themselves properly and Audio Midi Setup is unaware of their capabilities and therefore Audirvana isn't setting-up a volume control slider. Anyway time will tell. [Probably not the time nor place for this but ... Having spent nearly 30 years in the IT industry, I am largely appalled at the lazy design, documentation and implementation of modern day software. It needn't be this hard! You shouldn't need to be a spotty faced nerd with a degree in EE to get consumer software to function properly. I have been along the path that Jeff is going down and it is a right royal pain.]
aechmea Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) THis is the symbol for the Apple App Store application. This is where you can get Apple system updates and buy 3rd party Mac software. (A bit like the iTunes shop.) This is the typical icon for the Applications folder on the local hard disk. Edited July 12, 2013 by aechmea
madamesimplifi Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Too right.! I have deleted the icon. (should have noticed it)
jg7890 Posted July 13, 2013 Author Posted July 13, 2013 Hi b4sound, I am also using Audirvana Plus. After opening up Preferences, I have selected DAC if available, else software in the Volume control type. I have also set the maximum volume level at 100% which is showing 0 db. Are these the correct settings that you would recommend? The good news is that it is all working now at normal levels. Many thanks for your assistance to this lost soul. Jeff
jg7890 Posted July 15, 2013 Author Posted July 15, 2013 Hi Aechmea, I am not ignoring your last post, it is just that I am having difficulty in knowing how I should respond to your request. I am sorry, but I am unable to post a screen shot as you have asked me to do. Not that I do not want to, I am just incapable of doing so. In the meantime, I am enjoying what I am hearing with the Audiophellio in place. Regards, Jeff
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