Micca OriGen G2 - USB DAC and Preamplifier Manual

Introduction

Thank you for your purchase! The OriGen USB audio DAC and preamplifier is a studio master grade digital audio playback device that supports high resolution PCM audio up to 24bit/192kHz. Use the OriGen to bypass your computer's soundcard and unlock the full potential of your music.

Got a Question or Need Help?
Email our technical support team at: support@miccatron.com for personalized assistance with the setup and use of this product. Please visit our product information website www.miccatron.com for the following:

• Firmware Updates
• User's Manuals
• Troubleshooting Wizard
• Technical Support Request

When contacting technical support, be sure to include your order information, product model, and serial number from the bottom of the player.

Features

Input and Output

• Asynchronous USB 2.0 input for use with Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, and MAC OSX.
• Optical S/PDIF digital input. Switch selectable between USB or Optical input.
• Front 3.5mm and 1/4" stereo headphone outputs. Powerful built-in headphone amp supports 16-600 Ω headphones. Switch selectable between headphone or rear analog stereo output.
• Rear 3.5mm analog stereo and combination optical S/PDIF digital output.

Digital Stream Formats

• PCM audio up to 24-bit/192kHz over USB and Optical inputs.
• ASIO support over USB input
• WASAPI Push/Event support over USB input

Key Components

• C-MEDIA CM6631A USB 2.0 High Speed 480Mbps audio controller
• Wolfson WM8740 High Performance Stereo D/A Converter
• JRC NJM4556 operational amplifier

What's Included § Micca OriGen unit

• USB cable
• 3.5mm to RCA audio cable
• User's Manual

Note: All the information contained in this manual was correct at the time of publication. However, as our engineers are always updating and improving the product, your device's software may have a slightly different appearance or modified functionality than presented in this manual.

Product Overview

Connections and Controls

Setup and Installation

Driver Installation

The OriGen is not shipped with a driver disk. Windows 10, current MacOS, and Linux do not require drivers. Download the latest Windows XP, 7/8/8.1/10 drivers from www.miccatron.com.

Windows Vista is not supported.

1. Connect the OriGen G2 to your computer and turn it on. The power LED should green. Set the rear input switch to "USB".
2. Decompress the ZIP file to a folder on your computer. Close all programs on your computer – the computer will be restarted as part of the installation.
3. Navigate to the driver folder and double click on SETUP.EXE to begin installation. If an "unknown publisher" warning is displayed, click "Yes" to continue.
   
4. The driver installation wizard will start. Click "Next", accept the licensing agreement terms, and click on the "Install" button.
   
5. Once the install is finished, the installer will prompt to restart the computer. Select "Yes, I want to restart my computer now", and click "Finish"
   
   
6. Once the computer has restarted, the OriGen is ready to use. To confirm that it is set as the default playback device, right click on the audio tray icon and select "Playback Devices"
7. On the playback devices screen, the OriGen will be added to the list as "OriGen G2". If it is not already the default device, right click on it and select "Set as Default Device".
   

Installation Troubleshooting

The OriGen is ready for use as soon as the driver installation is complete. The computer should now be playing sounds through the OriGen. If there is no sound, try the following troubleshooting steps:

• Connect the OriGen to a USB jack on the computer. If using a desktop computer, use one of the rear USB jacks. Set the input selector switch to use the USB input.
• Use the USB cable that came with the OriGen. It's not a special cable, but it is a good quality cable that works well.
• Turn on the OriGen, check that the power indicator light turns green.
• Right click on the audio tray icon and select "Playback Devices". In the "Playback" tab, make sure that "OriGen G2" is found.
• Right click on "OriGen G2" and select "Set as Default Device". There should now be a green checkmark on this device.
• Connect a pair of headphones to the OriGen, set the gain switch to -10dB, set the volume knob to the 9 o'clock position, and set the output selector switch to headphones.
• Open a web browser to your favorite video site and play a video. The audio should play.

Things to try if you encounter errors in any of the above steps:

• Try a different USB port on your computer.
• Turn your computer off and back on again. :3
• Uninstall and reinstall the driver package.
• Make sure that the sound on your computer is not muted. In Windows 7 it is possible to mute a particular application even though the system volume is not muted. To check this, click on the audio tray icon - all current applications with sound playback capability will be listed individually along with their volume/mute controls.

If after the above steps you still have difficulty getting the OriGen to work with your computer, please contact our support team at support@miccatron.com.

Advanced Configuration

Advanced users may wish to make adjustments to the default operating parameters based on the guidelines in this section.

Playback Device Setting

• From the list of playback devices, right click on "OriGen G2" and select "Properties".
• In the Levels tab, make sure it is set to maximum of 100. Use the volume knob on the OriGen to set playback volume.
• In the Levels tab, make sure it is set to maximum of 100. Use the volume knob on the OriGen to set playback volume.
• In the Advanced tab, select any Default Format desired, such as 24 bit 192000 Hz.
• Click "Apply" when done.

More Advanced Configuration

This section provides certain setting recommendations for use with certain popular music playback software such as Foobar2000 and JRiver Media Center.

Foobar2000 Playback Settings

The OriGen supports all of the different methods that Foobar2000 can output audio. To access these output options, select File -> Preferences and go to the Playback -> Output configuration menu. In the Devices drop down box, the following output options are available for the OriGen:

• DS: Primary Sound Driver – Foobar2000 will output sound to the OriGen using the Windows DirectSound component. The OriGen must be set as the default audio playback device for this setting to work. In addition to Foobar2000, all other system and application sounds will also be played through the OriGen.
• DS: Speakers (OriGen G2) – Foobar2000 will always use the OriGen to output sound. This is useful if the OriGen is not set as the default audio playback device and all other system and application sounds use a different audio playback device, so that your music isn't interrupted by beeps, dings, and other computer system sounds.
• ASIO: ASIO for USB Device – Only available if the optional ASIO component for Foobar2000 is installed. When using the ASIO interface, Foobar2000 requires exclusive access to the OriGen such that other programs will not play sound through the OriGen at the same time. It is important to set another audio device as the default audio playback device prior to using the ASIO interface with OriGen. Otherwise, conflicts with other programs may result in locked sound output requiring a system restart.
• WASAPI (event/push): Speakers (OriGen G2) – Only available if the optional WASAPI component for Foobar2000 is installed. Both event and push methods are supported. When using the WASAPI interface, Foobar2000 requires exclusive access to the OriGen such that other programs will not play sound through the OriGen at the same time. It is important to set another audio device as the default audio playback device prior to using the WASAPI interface with OriGen. Otherwise, conflicts with other programs may result in locked sound output requiring a system restart.

JRiver Media Center Playback Settings

The OriGen supports all of the different methods that JRiver Media Center can output audio. To access these output options, select Tools -> Options and select the Audio configuration menu. In the Audio Devices drop down box, the following output options are available for the OriGen:

• Default Audio Device (Direct Sound) – JRiver will output sound to the OriGen using the Windows DirectSound component. The OriGen must be set as the default audio playback device for this setting to work. In addition to JRiver, all other system and application sounds will also be played through the OriGen.
• DS: Speakers (OriGen G2) – Foobar2000 will always use the OriGen to output sound. This is useful if the OriGen is not set as the default audio playback device and all other system and application sounds use a different audio playback device, so that your music isn't interrupted by beeps, dings, and other computer system sounds.
• ASIO for USB Device (ASIO) – When using the ASIO interface, JRiver requires exclusive access to the OriGen such that other programs will not play sound through the OriGen at the same time. It is important to set another audio device as the default audio playback device prior to using the ASIO interface with OriGen. Otherwise, conflicts with other programs may result in locked sound output requiring a system restart.
• DS: Speakers (OriGen G2) (WASAPI) – When using the WASAPI interface, JRiver requires exclusive access to the OriGen such that other programs will not play sound through the OriGen at the same time. It is important to set another audio device as the default audio playback device prior to using the WASAPI interface with OriGen. Otherwise, conflicts with other programs may result in locked sound output requiring a system restart.

Usage

Basic operation of the OriGen is simple, just turn on the OriGen and adjust the volume knob to the desired playback volume. This section describes the features of the OriGen in additional detail, along with recommendations on how to maximize performance and listening enjoyment.

Signal Display Grid

To help indicate the current operating status, the OriGen has a grid of 10 display lights above the volume control knob. The following describes the information conveyed by each status light.

Label	Description
44.1 - 192	Group of six lights indicate the sampling rate of the current USB input audio signal, including 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz. No display for optical input.
	Volume level indicator light. This light has a blue and a red component, corresponding to the left and right channels. When both channels have a signal, the light will be purple. At relatively low playback volumes, the light may not appear to turn on at all.
	Power indicator. Turns green when a valid USB connection is established, red if not. No light when turned off.

Knobs and Switches

Volume Control

The volume knob on the OriGen is also the power on/off switch. Always start each use with the volume knob no higher than the 9 o'clock position. Adjust to the desired listening level. If you switch output devices or headphones during use, remember to lower the volume to the 9 o'clock position first.

The OriGen does not need to be turned off when not in use. Some computers will continue to supply power to the USB port when shut down. In this case, the LED indicator lights on the OriGen will continue to be illuminated even when the computer is off. This is normal and will not cause any issues.

Input Selector Switch

The input selector switch toggles between USB and the Optical S/PDIF input. Both inputs can be connected at the same time, though only one will be selected for use as the input signal.

Output Selector Switch

The output selector switch is used to output signal to either the rear analog stereo output, or the front headphone jacks. Both cannot be used at the same time. If there is a need to output signal to a downstream amplifier and a pair of headphones at the same time, this can be accomplished by connecting both the amplifier and headphones to the front headphone jacks.

Gain Switch

The gain switch adjusts the output level of the OriGen as needed to properly drive the attached device or headphones. The maximum output signal level corresponding to the gain switch setting is as follows:

The 0dB setting is suitable for driving amplifiers with low input sensitivity, or headphones with low efficiency and/or high impedance. Always start with the gain switch in the -10dB setting and the volume control at the 9 o'clock position. Switch to the 0dB position only when needed.

Inputs

USB Input

The micro USB input jack is used to connect the OriGen to a computer's USB connector. Make sure that the OriGen is connected to a USB jack on the computer. If using a desktop computer, make sure to use one of the rear USB jacks. Use only the USB cable that came with the OriGen. It's not a magical cable, but it is a good quality cable that we know works. Set the input selector switch to USB when using USB as the signal input.

The USB input also functions when used with compatible mobile devices that support OTG USB Audio. Since support for OTG USB Audio is not universal, this functionality is dependent on the specific mobile device and is therefore provide only on an as-is basis. Because the USB port on most mobile devices does not provide power output, a separate 5V DC power adapter (not included) will be needed for this functionality.

Optical S/PDIF Input

The OriGen Optical S/PDIF input accepts PCM signals up to 24-bit/192kHz from devices such as computers, DVD players, TVs, and etc. Set the input selector switch to Optical when using Optical as the signal input.

When using the Optical S/PDIF input, the OriGen must be powered either through the USB jack, or the DC input jack. Any USB power source, such as a computer USB port, or USB phone charger is acceptable.

Please note that the LED indicators for bit rate only show information for the USB input and therefore will not display information for the Optical S/PDIF input.

DC Input Jack

The DC input jack accepts 5 volt DC power adapters (not included) for use when the OriGen is attached to a compatible mobile device through an OTG USB Audio connection. While it is possible to use the DC input jack to power the OriGen when using the Optical input, it's more convenient to use the USB port for power instead.

Outputs

Rear Analog Stereo Output

The 3.5mm rear output jack provides analog stereo audio output that can be used to drive a downstream device such as an amplifier or powered speakers. The output signal level is adjustable based on the volume control as well as the gain switch. Be sure to start with the gain switch setting at the -10dB position and switch to 0dB only if additional output signal amplitude is needed.

Optical S/PDIF Output

Also built into to the 3.5mm rear output jack is also an optical output that accepts mini optical jacks for connection to an outboard DAC. When used this way, the OriGen functions as a USBto-S/PDIF transport and does not perform any signal decoding or volume control function. This is useful for providing high quality digital audio signal to an audio system that otherwise does not have an USB interface of its own.

Headphone Outputs

The OriGen is equipped with two headphone jacks for connecting headphones with 3.5mm or 6.3mm (1/4") headphone jacks. The headphone output signal level is adjustable based on the volume control as well as the gain switch. Be sure to start with the gain switch setting at the 10dB position and switch to 0dB only if additional output volume is needed.

The two headphone output jacks are in parallel, so two pairs of headphones can be connected in parallel. The minimum recommended impedance for headphones used with the OriGen is 16 Ω. If using two pairs of headphones in parallel, the minimum recommended impedance is 32 Ω per headphone.

Specification

Copyright © 2009-2019 Micca. All rights reserved.

Documents / Resources

References

• Micca Electronics | Micca Electronics

Download manual

Here you can download full pdf version of manual, it may contain additional safety instructions, warranty information, FCC rules, etc.

Download Micca OriGen G2 - USB DAC and Preamplifier Manual