ID260: Insider audio over USB to Power Amp

Discussion - ID:Series amplifiers.
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NickT
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm

Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:37 pm

Hi All,
I bought an ID260 last weekend after chatting with Steve Marks who did some great demos at a show at PMT in Birmingham. I'm generally blown away by it, but I have an issue that I know has been discussed earlier this year on one of the forum threads and confirmed by Blackstar. The outcome however doesn't stack up with what I saw in the demos:
At the show, I'm sure that Steve was playing backing tracks from Insider over USB to the Power Amp/Amp Speakers. When I try this, I get the same as other users were complaining about - silence. The metronome doesn't sound either. Other apps (Media Player) do play over USB to the power amp, so I know that nothing in general is wrong. If I disconnect the amp audio from Insider is routed to my laptop speakers. Can someone out there please give me a sanity check? Can Insider play audio over USB to the amp speakers?
I'm running Insider 1.6.2 on Windows 8.1 64 bit and the amp appears to have firmware 1.5.1 (I think - although I had some problems with starting Insider with the amp connected).
Thanks in advance.

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flimbo
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:53 pm

Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:36 pm

It's never worked for me either. ID15 and Windows 7.

NickT
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm

Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:36 pm

Thanks for replying flimbo.
Anyone else care to chip in? Maybe Blackstar trawl the forums and might like to comment? I'm sure that Mark only had a USB cable from his laptop plugged in. I've emailed and asked him, but no reply yet.

ashtp
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 3:08 am

Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:27 am

I have an ID:30 and contacted Blackstar via email back in June/July about the same issue and got this reply
Thank you for contacting us here at Blackstar Amps.

Yes this is normal for the amplifier, the cassette player feature needs to be played via computer speakers and cannot be played through the amp speakers via USB. To play the cassette deck through the amplifier you would need to connect the computer to the mp3 in socket on the ID:Core via a jack cable. Audio playback software such as Windows Media Player and iTunes can be used to play audio through the amp via a single USB connection.

Hope this helps, if you have any further questions feel free to ask.

Best regards,

Ollie Clubb
Product Specialist
Blackstar Amplification
http://www.blackstaramps.com

NickT
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm

Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:22 pm

Thanks ashtp.
It was your thread I was referring to. Blackstar don't use special audio drivers, so the amp should look like a Windows audio device. Seems kinda crazy that every application can use the amp except for Blackstar's own. Still, Media Player can change playback speeds without changing pitch, so the only benefit to Insider is the looper I guess. I'm sure Steve Marks was playing back through the amp via USB only. Blackstar don't seem to spend much time on the forums, so I might try them direct.

ashtp
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 3:08 am

Fri Nov 14, 2014 4:09 am

NickT wrote:Thanks ashtp.
It was your thread I was referring to. Blackstar don't use special audio drivers, so the amp should look like a Windows audio device. Seems kinda crazy that every application can use the amp except for Blackstar's own. Still, Media Player can change playback speeds without changing pitch, so the only benefit to Insider is the looper I guess. I'm sure Steve Marks was playing back through the amp via USB only. Blackstar don't seem to spend much time on the forums, so I might try them direct.
Yeah I found it quite ridiculous it doesn't just work. i would have thought they could have fixed this in an update by now but they don't seem to care. They might as well remove it from the insider software

NickT
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm

Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:05 am

Wouldn't it be great if we could suggest and vote on improvements? Most votes get promoted to the top of the list and get priority in the next release. Come on Blackstar. How about some real community spirit?!

NickT
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm

Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:21 pm

Just for clarification All,

Ollie sent me the following info, which might explain the confusion over this:

<snip>
With regard to USB audio on the ID:Series amplifiers, in order to play the INSIDER audio section through the amplifier you would need to also have an aux cable (3.5 mm jack) connected from your PC line out to the amplifier mp3 input- it unfortunately cannot playback through the USB cable alone. On Apple machines however it is possible to do all of this through a single USB connection.

When demoing with a Windows laptop Steve uses a USB cable, and a 3.5 mm jack cable connected to the mp3 input. When demoing with a MacBook he uses a single USB cable.
<snip>

I've asked what are the chances of extending this functionality to the PC.

spamhead
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:36 pm

Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:48 pm

Hi there,

I had the same problem with my ID15 until I spoke to Blackstar. With their help, I got my audio player to work with my Windows 8.1 laptop by carrying out the following:

Open Control Panel in Windows
Open Manage Sound Devices
Right click and DISABLE ID Amp
Ensure that MP3/LINE IN TO POWER AMP is ticked in Global Settings of Insider software
Ensure that USB IN TO POWER AMP is unticked in Global Settings of Insider software.
Connect audio lead from Headphone socket of PC to mp3 input socket on amp.

The Blackstar is unable to send audio from PC via USB and so when the amp is detected by Windows as a sound device, it needs to be disabled. Audio is then transferred from PC to amp via a audio lead with 3.5mm jacks from PC to amp.

You also then have the option of using other media players on the PC such as Windows Media Player if you wish.

Hope this helps.

maldavies
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:26 pm

Sat Jan 09, 2016 6:57 pm

I dont understand this my audio is now working and i havent disabled anything except for mp3 line in to emulated.
I also still have the amp enabled on the pc.
so it appears people have different settings but it works somehow.

Anyway this is how i have my setup:
Hardware: usb connected to front panel of amp from the back of my laptop
headphone jack connected from laptop to back of amp
insider software: effects loop off
mp3 to line in unticked
mp3 to line in power amp ticked
usb in to emulated ticked
usb in to power amp ticked
Thats it and everything works including the metronome. :)

Hope it helps!

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