Welcome to the tech support area for the HiFi-Link. If you're having some troubles getting your HiFi-Link going, check out the FAQs below – it's more than likely the answer to your problem is already there. If you can't find anything that helps, drop us an email at support@xitel.com. For a fast response you must include the following details:

• a full description of your computer, including: Operating System, CPU, RAM, Brand Name, and a list of other USB devices.
• the serial number on the base of your HiFi-Link.
• the model and brand of the stereo system you're trying to connect to; and
• a full overview of the problem, including a step by step explanation of what is occurring when you try to link up your computer to your stereo system.

Thanks, and please remember, the more detailed your description, the more likely it is we'll have the solution for you by return email.

Your computer can't find the right drivers:

Problem: After plugging your HiFi-Link in for the first time, Windows doesn't seem to automatically default to where the drivers should be and you can't seem to find them on your Windows CD either.

Fix: This symptom occurs when computer manufacturers ship their systems with an OEM version of Windows and shuffle or rename some of the generic USB audio components. Your HiFi-Link doesn't need any special drivers to operate, but it does the generic Windows USB audio drivers to be loaded. If the installer isn't automatically finding these on your computer or system CD, try the following. Plug in your HiFi-Link and just skip through any installation instructions by hitting cancel each time.

Now go to:
START -> SETTINGS -> CONTROL PANEL -> SYSTEM -> DEVICE MANAGER -> SOUND, VIDEO AND GAME CONTROLLERS -> if there is an icon that says USB AUDIO DEVICE select it and then hit the remove button -> GO TO UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS CONTROLLERS -> if there is an icon there that says UNKNOWN USB AUDIO DEVICE select it and then hit the remove button. If there is an entry that says USB COMPOSITE DEVICE select it and hit the remove button -> GO TO ANY FOLDER THAT HAS A YELLOW EXCLAMATION MARK -> there may be an icon that says USB AUDIO DEVICE and has a big yellow exclamation mark next to it, if it does select it and hit remove.

Shut down your computer and restart it with the HiiFi-Link still plugged in. When the Windows installer asks you to specify where the drivers are, direct it to the Win98 folder on your Windows 98 CD by typing this into the location bar. So it should look something like this:

E:\Win98 where E: corresponds with the letter of your CD drive.

Your computer should now start to load the necessary drivers. You'll need to specify this folder each time the installer asks for drivers that it can't automatically find on your system.

You can't select USB Audio as Preferred Playback Device:

Problem: Your HiFi-Link went through all of the driver installation but when you try to select it in the Playback section of the multimedia control panel, there doesn't appear to be any option for USB audio device.

Fix: This symptom occurs because the soundcard in your computer is holding on to the audio resources and is not releasing them for your HiFi-Link. You should drop in to your computer manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers for your soundcard and modem. After updating these you should find that USB audio pops up as an option in the multimedia control panel.

My HiFi-Link doesn't seem to work under OSX, but works fine under OS9:

Problem: After installing the HiFi-Link it doesn't seem to work under OSX.

Fix: Sorry guys, the manual was written before OSX was released. The HiFi-Link works under OSX using the generic USB audio drivers. All you need to do is plug it directly into a USB port on your system and it will automatically load the drivers. You'll then need to select it as the preferred output device, since OSX doesn't change to a new device now with the system preferences control panel.

To do this go to: SYSTEM PREFERENCES -> HARDWARE SECTION: SOUND ICON -> OUTPUT -> select USB audio.

This should now set your system so that audio flows out the HiFi-Link.

Why isn't there any audio coming from my stereo:

Problem: You installed your HiFi-Link and it appears to be set up properly, but there isn't any audio coming from your stereo.

Fix: With your HiFi-Link plugged in go to: START -> SETTINGS -> CONTROL PANEL -> SOUNDS AND MULTIMEDIA PROPERTIES -> AUDIO TAB -> with USB AUDIO DEVICE selected as preferred playback make sure a check appears next to the option "USE ONLY PREFERRED DEVICE" that appears at the bottom of the window.

This should make sure that the audio is only going to be routed to your HiFi-Link. You might also need to check the options of your media player to make sure that you haven't got your soundcard set as the output device anywhere. When it's all set up properly, you shouldn't get any audio coming from your PC speakers but it all going to your HiFi-Link.

Try plugging a set of headphones directly into your HiFi-Link to make sure there isn't something going on with the connection between your system and stereo. The volume will be quite low (because it's a line level signal) so you'll need to max all volume levels. If you can hear music, you'll need to check that you have the RCA cable running into the right connection on your stereo and that you also have the input selected properly on the stereo.

The sound appears a little quiet on my stereo compared to my CD player:

Problem: The volume of sound going through to your stereo appears to be quieter than you get from a CD player connected to the same stereo.

Fix: The HiFi-Link puts out a line level signal of 1vrms. This is pretty standard for most high end audio kit. CD players don't have any real standard for the amount of power they output, so they tend to range between 1vrms and 2vrms. This is a pretty big difference. A lot of amplifier manufacturers adjust the gain level on the CD input to try and allow for this. It means that you should tend toward using the AUX or TAPE inputs on your system with the HiFi-Link. It may still sound softer than a CD player, only because you might have a CD player that is putting out a whopping 2vrms signal.

You're not going to do any damage to your stereo by turning it up to compensate for the difference in gain between the different components you use - just make sure to turn it down again after you've finished. Make sure that you also have all the Windows volume control sliders and the ones in your media software cranked to the max. The HiFi-Link was designed to run like this as an optimum, so there won't be any signal degradation or gain overload issues.

After plugging the HiFi-Link into my stereo I'm getting a hum through my speakers:

Problem: You've plugged in your HiFi-Link and are getting a hum through your stereo speakers even when nothing is playing

Fix: The most common cause of hum in speakers is a ground loop. Here is a great website that explains why this is occurs:

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/home_solving.html

and how to fix it:

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/audio_isolators.html

We have developed a ground loop isolator that's totally balanced with the HiFi-Link's output. This will help cancel the hum that you're getting while maintaining full frequency response (some ground loop isolators result in a big reduction of the frequency response which is no good for high fidelity audio). The suggested retail price is $34.95 plus shipping and handling (US mainland residents only). Click here to order.

You do not have to use our specific Ground Loop Isolator and can use any of the alternates posted on the above website (however we do not recommend the Radio Shack version because of its signal attenuation).

For any products not listed or for questions not in the FAQ's, please drop us an email at support@xitel.com.

For us to be able to help you out as quickly as possible, you must include a full description of your setup, including:

• the serial number on the base of your Xitel unit;
• the model and brand of the stereo system, television or iPod you're trying to connect; and
• a full overview of the problem, including a step by step explanation of what is occurring when you try to link up your product.

Thanks, and please remember, the more detailed your description, the more likely it is we'll have the solution for you by return email.