USB Audio¶
Overview of USB Audio¶
The miniDSP ADept produces stereo PCM audio over USB at sample rates up to 192 kHz.
To record USB Audio to a computer, connect the USB Type-C port of the ADept to a free USB port on your computer. You will need to set the sample rate at which you wish to record – this will automatically set the internal sample rate of the ADept.
You will also need software for recording. Depending on your application, you might use a free program such as Audacity, dedicated vinyl recording/processing software, or a digital audio workstation (DAW). For an example of the latter, see this app note on our website:
USB Audio for macOS¶
The miniDSP ADept is USB Audio compliant, so no drivers need to be installed to play audio on macOS. Open Audio MIDI Setup (in Applications->Utilities) and click on its name in the list on the left-hand side.
Selecting default input device¶
Right-click on the miniDSP ADept on the left sidebar bring up the context menu. Click on "Use This device for Sound Input."
Note that most audio recording programs will allow you to select the audio input device that they use independently of the system default.
Setting sample rate¶
Click on the selector next to Format to bring up the sample rate and bit depth selector. Sample rates up to 192 kHz can be selected:
Note that individual audio playback apps may control sample rate based on their own internal settings.
Selecting the sample rate here also changes the internal sample rate of the ADept. That it, the sample rate on the digital outputs will change accordingly. The ADept remembers the last sample rate, so for standalone operation it can simply be disconnected from the computer and will continue to operate at the same sample rate.
USB Audio for Windows¶
Note: to record USB audio on Windows, the miniDSP driver must be installed first.
System requirements¶
- Windows 10 or later, with all updates installed
- At least a dual core i3, i5, or i7 processor, or AMD equivalent
- At least 4 GB RAM
- One free USB 2.0 compatible port
- Internet connection
Download the miniDSP driver¶
If you purchased your ADept directly from miniDSP, your software will be available from the User Downloads section of the miniDSP website when your order ships. To access the download, you will need to be logged into the website with the account you created when purchasing.
If you purchased your ADept from a miniDSP dealer, you will receive a coupon together with the product. To redeem this coupon, go to this page:
Select the Plugin Group ADept from the dropdown menu and enter your coupon's code. Click the Validate button.
The User Downloads link is visible from the drop-down menu at the top right of the website:
Navigate to the USB Audio Drivers section and then to ADept drivers. Download the zip file from that page to your computer.
Install the miniDSP driver¶
Unzip the downloaded file by right-clicking on it and selecting “Extract All...”. It will create a file named something like miniDSP_UAC2_v5.68.0_2024-08-06_setup.exe. (The version numbers and date embedded in the file name may change.)
Double-click on the installer file. We recommend accepting the default installation location. Once the driver installation completes, click the Finish button.
Setting audio device¶
Open the Settings app and navigate to the System → Sound page.
The miniDSP ADept sends its two output channels to the computer over USB:
Setting the sample rate¶
Set the sample rate here to the desired sample rate of the ADept:
Selecting the sample rate here also changes the internal sample rate of the ADept. That it, the sample rate on the digital outputs will change accordingly. The ADept remembers the last sample rate, so for standalone operation it can simply be disconnected from the computer and will continue to operate at the same sample rate.
ASIO¶
If your audio application supports ASIO® audio drivers, we recommend selecting the miniDSP ASIO Driver in its settings. This typically allows the application to automatically change sample rate.
miniDSP UAC2 control panel¶
The current settings of the miniDSP ADept can be viewed by opening the miniDSP UAC2 Control Panel from the Windows Start menu (under the miniDSP Ltd folder). This control panel allows you to view current settings. In addition, it can be used to set buffer size, although we recommend that you leave this setting at the default. If you are having an issue with inadequate input levels over USB, check the Volume tab.
To see the installed version of the UAC2 driver, use the About tab:
