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External sound interface claims to consume too much power on iOS, but works with USB hub in between!
On my hunt for a lightweight iOS compatible external audio interface that would allow me to connect both a guitar and a microphone (see What is the SMALLEST 2 channel (guitar/mic) USB audio interface?), I finally managed to get an UGM96 (OEM version from OrangeAmps)!
I’m very pleased by its size and overall build quality. BUT: it is very strange that I can’t run it when it’s connected directly to the CCK (which itself is powered by the power outlet), as iOS will tell me that it requires too much power. Bummer.
However, when I plug a USB hub between the CCK and the UGM96, then it works!
This is very strange. It seems that the USB hubs (I tried it with 2 or 3 different ones) do not propagate the power consumption of the UGM96 to iOS, or something like that. And it feels strange that the UGM96 indeed works with the given power (when combined with an USB hub), although iOS tells me that it would not.
As portability (weight/size) is very essential to me, I’m unhappy to need to carry an (otherwise unneeded) USB hub with me. I ordered a very small one to minimise the problem, but it would still be great if I would not need it.
Is this an iOS issue or an UGM96 one? Could a firmware update solve this? Maybe it already got solved in newer version of UGM96 (and not the OEM version)?
Anyone has another idea on how to solve the problem? Could I tell iOS to ignore the (wrong) assumption that the UGM96 would need too much power? Or could I get some weird/special USB cable that would be recognised like a USB hub instead of the UGM96?
Thanks for your help.
Comments
Huh, that is weird but good to know! Looks like some devices may register or claim to need more power than they actually do, err or something.
Yes, it looks like that. But what is really strange is the fact that the UGM96 would never need more power than the plugged in CCK can provide! I mean - it's plugged in to the power outlet! And otherwise, the UGM96 works from a "normal" USB port (e.g. the one from my Macbook pro).
So it's definitely some bug/failure on the product side, claiming that it needs too much power.
From what I have been told the CCK lightning port is only for charging and not providing power to the USB port.
I believe some devices don't actually take too much power, but they need a surge of current when first connecting. I have a controller (Xtouch Mini) that works that way. By playing with the order of connections, I can make the iPad accept it. Your USB hub may be limiting the initial current surge, so it is below the acceptable limit. Just one of those things.
This is not true, at least not from my experience: my Zoom U-44 works like a charm on the CCK (in USB mode, no batteries inserted), and this beast definitely would need more power than the UGM96, as far as I can imagine!
How disappointing would that be.
most if the time you can use a passive hub between the cck and interface to trick ios to think its drawing less power. Its an old trick but it works, unbelievably. it doesnt matter how much power the interface draws; its only that ios doesnt allow the device if it draws even a low amount of current. try it with your hub when it arrives by attaching it without power.
You mean that I would not need to connect the CCK to the power source, and it still would power the connected audio interface? No, this doesn't work for me, neither with the UGM96 (its green power light flashes for a second, then goes out again) nor the Zoom U-44 (the red power light stays dark).
If you unplug the lighting power it doesnt work?
No, see comment above.
Sorry I don’t understand.
This one here. I think we both posted the same moment.
Oh very good to know!
So my new quest would be: what's the smallest USB hub available?
I think this one (that I have ordered) is pretty small already:
But I don't really need 3 USB ports, maybe a cable-splitter would work, too?
I'm just a bit confused about this:
Not all usb hubs solve this problem. I had the same issue with an ancient Zoom H4. I tried with 4 passive hubs, 1 worked the other three didn’t.
I will report back whether the one that I ordered solves the problem.
Just to save you some sanity: I tried the splitter (the cable thing) too and it doesn't work. It's not recognized in the same way the passive USB hub is.
This is very helpful. Thank you.
Hey guys
Short recap: My ESI UGM96 doesn't work when connected directly to the Lightning to USB camera adapter, as it tells me that there's not enough power available. However, when I put an USB hub in between the adapter and the UGM96, it magically works! Somebody in the forum mentioned that some devices report that they need more power to start up than they actually need, and that some USB hubs "interrupt" this message.
Meanwhile, I contacted the ESI staff and they claimed that their UGM96 works perfectly with an Apple Lightning to USB3 camera adapter.
It could be 2 problems now:
1) My OEM UGM96 from OrangeAmps could be different from the "original" UGM96.
2) My Lightning adapter clone could be different from the original Apple one. I meanwhile also tried a Meloaudio OTG Cable For iPhone Ios, but this also doesn't work, neither with the USB hub in between nor without it. So there definitely are big differences between all of these 3 adapters. I might try to visit an Apple store to find out whether it works as expected (without an USB hub in between) with the original one.
As I finally found a very small USB hub that I can use "in between" instead of my old, big one, I'm kinda satisfied with my current setup though:
Having this HUB available, I'm even ready to even add a MIDI keyboard or something to my setup (although I'm ogling with a guitar to MIDI converter right now, see Pros and cons of different guitar to MIDI solutions (iOS Midi Guitar 2, Fishman Triple Play...)?).
And for the records: another HUB that I ordered does NOT work as "in between".
Quintessence: it is a very complicated world with so many different devices that act even more differently when combined with each other... Maybe everything works as expected with the original Apple adapter? Then I could have saved myself a lot of headache... still it is more expensive than all the cheap replacements together (and I'm sorry for Mother Earth that I caused so much electronic waste). What crazy up world.
The usb hub workaround is a very old trick for bypassing the power limitation from Apple. My zoom h2 has internal batteries or external power , but neither work, unless I plug thru a passive usb hub
Interesting. My Zoom U-44 works perfectly without the USB hub - and it's a much bigger device than my UGM96. Strange world...
I have the ESI Ugm96. I can confirm that it powers up using the apple usb3 adapter with charging cable. But sadly it is not usable at 96khz. It only allows 41khz or 48khz. With my macbook 96khz is an option though, so it must be an iOS thing.
Thanks for confirming that. So it's either my OrangeAmps branded "OEM" version of the UGM96, or my generic non-Apple Lightning-to-USB adapter. I will try to go to an Apple store some day to sort this thing out.
Hey everybody
It's been a while, but since Loopy Pro was released, I'd love to dig a little more into looping again.
I just wanted to know: since newer iPads are more and more powered machines, and with the introduction of USB 3, do they offer more power now to connected peripherals? To be more concrete: is there any chance that my UGM96, which doesn't work with my iPhone 5 SE, would work with a newer device (iPad or iPhone)?
I will just try it if I find someone in the neighbourhood who owns such a thingie...
Just for the notice...
Non-Apple Lightning devices (if not certified) lack an Apple custom chip that does a significant part of power management/protection.
The chip is expensive, that‘s why uncertified adapters are cheaper... but in case of „wrong power“ at the input, your iPhone/iPad will be unprotected and a part on the mainboard may fail. Google iPad Tristar for details or videos of repair...
This only applies to Lightning, newer devices with USB-c are an entirely different story.
ps: the above has nothing to do with your original problem, it‘s part of general hardware management.
Thanks for explaining, @Telefunky!
So there may be hope that USB-C would deliver enough power then?
At least it features significantly higher power specs, but I‘ve no USB-c device (of any kind) yet.
That's good to hear! I'm just gonna try it myself and will report back. Thank you!