US-2x2 Audio Interface "crashing"

chipgorilla

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US-2x2
Hi,

I've always been a Tascam fan since the Portastudio days, and I recently bought an US-2x2 USB Audio Interface but I've already regret it. I'm using Windows 10 and I've installed the interface latest drivers. It's also running the latest firmware. But it only works for about 10 minutes, after that, the sound stops and I can't do anything except disconnect and connect it again in the USB port for the sound to come back. After about ten minutes, sound is off again. And worst of all, when I'm editing on Adobe Premiere using the interface as audio hardware, Premiere will freeze when the sound stops and only get back working after unplugging and plugging its USB cable again. It's really annoying. Anyone has any tip I can solve that? Thanks.
 
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Have you read these notes mentioned in the reference manual?

(reference manual page 5) -"After waking a computer from suspend (sleep) mode, if the unit does not operate properly, turn it off and turn it on again or disconnect and reconnect the USB cable."

(reference manual page 14) -"Auto Power Save ON
-When this setting is on, if operating in standalone mode and no input signal (above −60 dBFS) has been detected for 30 minutes, the unit will turn itself off (start standby) automatically.
-Putting a check (4) in the checkbox will turn the automatic power saving function on so the unit will automatically turn off (enter standby mode).
-Removing the check (4) in the checkbox will turn the automatic power saving function off."

Also try disabling USB power suspension options in Windows Power settings or Device Manager.
 
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I'm with you, Chip. Apart from being a Tascam fan - I am not one of those any more. Like you I have a US-2x2, and while I respect the quality of the hardware, the software support on Windows makes the unit unusable for me.

My 2x2 exhibits issues that vary with the PC, USB port, and number of people logged in. But if I line the ducks up just right and try nothing more complex than watching youtube I can get a few minutes good use out of the Tascam before it goes silent.

Accompanying this is an error report in the Windows event log:

Faulting application name: usvmix.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5c7731b6
Faulting module name: vendoreq.dll, version: 1.0.0.1, time stamp: 0x5c6f6150
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00001ad8
Faulting process ID: 0x1f14
Faulting application start time: 0x01d55cb84f97924f
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\TASCAM\US-2x2 & US-4x4 Mixing Driver\usvmix.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\TASCAM\US-2x2 & US-4x4 Mixing Driver\vendoreq.dll
Report ID: 45e6c1f3-3cca-44a9-8c86-0801de7ccead
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:​

If I restart usvmix.exe the playback audio comes back for a few more minutes. You may try that: leave the task manager running and an explorer window open in C:\Program Files\TASCAM\US-2x2 & US-4x4 Mixing Driver and hit usvmix.exe every time your unit drops dead.

I am aware that this will not help you at all -- who wants to hand-hold their audio driver? -- but if you find that this is your problem I won't feel so alone. We could start our own little chapter of the Tascam sufferers' club.

Because grizzling can be therapeutic, here is a brief survey of other problems I have found:
  • using the front USB ports on this (beefy Lenovo Thinkstation) workstation and starting a DAW causes the 2x2 to reset every few seconds: LEDs flash and the audio pops. Alleviated by moving to a USB port on the motherboard. This could be a hardware thing and I have a workaround so I am not looking for a solution.
  • regular drop-outs, crackles, and pops in playback. About every 30s to a minute. It makes watching a TV show a bit tiring. I have a USB 3.0 PCI card on its way to rule out the PC's serial bus as the cause of this fault, and because if I eventually give up and flick off this damned thing I will replace it with a USB 3 interface from Focusrite or Presonus.
  • no service at all when a second user is logged in to the PC. Possibly due to their being two copies of usvmix and usvmixsub running? Not investigated properly - killing the extras sometimes helps.
  • not being able to change the volume on the interface without "mixing" in the name. I think it is "n US-2x2" (with the "n" increasing by two every time I change ports) but I am going from memory because the 2x2 is not appearing at all tonight. Not a problem because there is a good volume knob on the unit.
  • terrible output latency on the mixing devices. Fixed by changing to the non-mixing interface (the one with the volume glued to 100%). Rocksmith is involved here so the 2x2 may not be entirely at fault.
Those are only playback issues because I have not managed to record through it yet.

My plan to address these issues is to keep an eye on this forum, wait for an update from Tascam, try a USB interface on its own PCI card, and (as a last resort) sell the 2x2 to a Mac user.

Very interested in hearing from anyone else with similar problems.

Windows 10 1903.
 
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Ho chaps, another Windows user just purchased this audio interface and getting exactly the same issues.

What doesn't help is the head in the sand approach from TASCAM themselves, their official support said it should work and to remove all drivers then reinstall.

Have done that and still didn't work, then reset my PC to Windows defaults and tried again and still the same thing.
 
In the Device Manager, try disabling battery management on those USB devices.
 
Hi -MJK-, I take it you mean this setting in Windows?

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-windows-10-turning-usb-devices

That doesn't make the slightest bit of difference.

This interface is a lovely piece of hardware, don't get me wrong. But the software supplied with it is hideously poor and underdeveloped, looks like something a 5 year old might slap together.

Mix that with the fact that it seems it cannot coexist with other USB devices on the same computer including another USB Audio interface (Cambridge Audio MINX) and I'm wondering why I didn't just go and buy a Focusrite 212i in the first place.

Oh yeah and TASCAM support are f*cking useless too here in the UK. Firstly when I called up they denied that anyone had ever had any problems with one of their audio interfaces and Windows (utter bollocks!) and then advised me that I should go through a process of removing all drivers and USB devices and resintalling.

Having done this without getting any luck, I then reset my Windows to default in an attempt to get a clean environment for the install of the device. Having bricked all apps and losing a few things along the way, the fresh reinstall did absolutely bugger all by way of making this thing work as expected.

Frankly, I'm going to cut my losses and return this expensive door stop and exchange it for a Focusrite as at least they seem to know what they are doing. These TASCAM interfaces don't even get a mention in the latest online "top ten" of reviews for audio interfaces and that should tell people all they need to know.
 
What I was referring to is a setting for each USB device in the Device Manager.
 
Hello mates. Tried everything above, and it seems my us-2x2 interface stopped dropping dead every 2 minutes, but now after a few seconds its audio starts to crackle. Last try will be update Windows 10 (I don't automatically update it), will post later new tests here.
 
Now the audio crackles when using it for regular desktop stuff (ie. watching youtube videos), but when using it on any DAW, the audio starts to stutter every 15 seconds. Sadly I wasted money on this piece of crap that Tascam doesn't seem to be interested in fixing with good software. Will never buy any products of them again and will tell any friends who ask me for recomendations to stay away from Tascam.
 
Searching the forums, I found a post from a user telling he tried the 1.02 driver version and it worked for him. Did the same here, and it got "better": now it freezes the DAW in 1 hour or so. I have to unplug and plug the usb cable again and it lasts 1 more hour.

Still shitty, but better. If anyone wants to try this "fix": 1.02 version.
 
I'm not shure if the us-2x2 need a power supply but if so try to unplug the power supply and USB for 15 minutes and plug it back in and start the PC.
 
One more thing to try.. works for me with Win 10

Instead of unplugging/re-plugging the USB, check your driver version #. If it's newer than 2.00 or 2.11, uninstall it and re-install the V2.00 or V2.11 version driver.

I just took a peek over at Tascam's site and older driver versions are no longer listed - only the newest V4.00.

If it would help, I can try to email a copy of my V2.10 driver to anyone who wants to try it.
 

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