AT2020USB+ not being recognised properly

[ScarisRacer]

This is just something that I find a bit strange. For several months, my AT2020USB+ has worked fine. It still does, but it's no longer being recognised as "AT2020USB" on either mine or my dad's PC, or even my PS4. It's now showing up as "USB PnP Audio Device." It's also been cutting out intermittently, especially when recording.

My old Blue Snowball microphone still shows up as "Blue Snowball" just fine and works fine (even though the outer shell is cracked).

Is there any way I can get the AT2020USB+ being recognised properly again? Cheers

[Syntaxvgm]

um....bad cable or connection on the mic? 

Try a different cable, from there contact AT support if it's still under warranty. If not, I can probably help you narrow it down to the plug and repair it if it's that ( and if you are ok with soldering)
 

(I too have an AT2020USB+, worried this might happen to me since I use it on the go)

[ScarisRacer]

1 minute ago, Syntaxvgm said:

um....bad cable or connection on the mic? 

Tried several cables, all do the same.

[Syntaxvgm]

1 minute ago, ScarisRacer said:

Tried several cables, all do the same.

There's some windows tricks I know to solve this problem, but given it's multiple computers and a console, I think it's a hardware problem. Still under warranty? 

[ScarisRacer]

1 minute ago, Syntaxvgm said:

There's some windows tricks I know to solve this problem, but given it's multiple computers and a console, I think it's a hardware problem. Still under warranty? 

Should be, I only got it last August

[Syntaxvgm]

Just now, ScarisRacer said:

Should be, I only got it last August

OK, if it is, I'd contact them. 

If not, 

I think it's a plug problem, and soldering a new on in there is the best bet, but given I don't know too much about mics, (and have never taken any of mine apart), I would want other's opinions first, not exactly an audio equipment expert here. 

@SSL is a good person to pull in. 

[SSL]

Try uninstalling the microphone in Device Manager, then scan for wardware changes. Sounds to me like the USB controller chip is having issues. I would get in touch with support.

[Syntaxvgm]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

Try uninstalling the microphone in Device Manager, then scan for wardware changes. Sounds to me like the USB controller chip is having issues. I would get in touch with support.

see this is why I brought you in. I wasn't sure it would still recognize it at all with plug problems. I've had that happen with mice (generic usb device) and had it be a plug problem.

Also the USB type b plug on mine seems very solid.

[ScarisRacer]

4 minutes ago, SSL said:

Try uninstalling the microphone in Device Manager, then scan for wardware changes. Sounds to me like the USB controller chip is having issues. I would get in touch with support.

Just tried this, didn't work. Every other device works just fine.

[Syntaxvgm]

5 minutes ago, SSL said:

Try uninstalling the microphone in Device Manager, then scan for wardware changes. Sounds to me like the USB controller chip is having issues. I would get in touch with support.

 

Just now, ScarisRacer said:

Just tried this, didn't work. Every other device works just fine.

well I agree with what he's saying, it may not be the plug at all, that's a gamble. I mean I've heard of plug-caused issues on the blue yet (since that dumbass thing uses the mini usb jack which breaks easily), and have experienced it with removable plugs on mice.

 

and @SSL, odd question-

(I have the same mic) given the USB controller on one of these dies out of warranty, would it be possible to bypass it with some soldering magic and parts from Digikey and make it into a ghetto XLR mic? I'm not exactly sure how that interface works TBH

[SSL]

8 minutes ago, Syntaxvgm said:

well I agree with what he's saying, it may not be the plug at all, that's a gamble. I mean I've heard of plug-caused issues on the blue yet (since that dumbass thing uses the mini usb jack which breaks easily), and have experienced it with removable plugs on mice.

 

and @SSL, odd question-

(I have the same mic) given the USB controller on one of these dies out of warranty, would it be possible to bypass it with some soldering magic and parts from Digikey and make it into a ghetto XLR mic? I'm not exactly sure how that interface works TBH

 

It's possible that the plug is bad and causing an incomplete connection as well. It was the fact that Windows no longer recognizes the device that made me think it could be a problem with the controller chip, which is responsible for providing that information to the system. Either way I don't think it will be resolved without help from Audio Technica.

 

In theory you could turn a USB mic into an analog.. With a USB microphone you have the hole mic preamp > A/D pipeline inside of the microphone, so it might be possible to bypass the A/D and carry the analog signal to a mixer. Not positive though, as I have no knowledge of the internal workings of this mic (or any other).

[Syntaxvgm]

Just now, SSL said:

 

It's possible that the plug is bad and causing an incomplete connection as well. It was the fact that Windows no longer recognizes the device that made me think it could be a problem with the controller chip, which is responsible for providing that information to the system. Either way I don't think it will be resolved without help from Audio Technica.

 

In theory you could turn a USB mic into an analog.. With a USB microphone you have the hole mic preamp > A/D pipeline inside of the microphone, so it might be possible to bypass the A/D and carry the analog signal to a mixer. Not positive though, as I have no knowledge of the internal workings of this mic (or any other).

as far as I know, and I have no experience with audio equipment, but I think I was told XLR is directly wired to the mic itself. I was told to consider when buying the AT2020USB+, as while I didn't want to buy an interface, it would potentially mean I was less likely to have any problems with the mic itself in the future since it was just a dumb mic if I bought the XLR version. 

[ScarisRacer]

5 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

It's possible that the plug is bad and causing an incomplete connection as well. It was the fact that Windows no longer recognizes the device that made me think it could be a problem with the controller chip, which is responsible for providing that information to the system. Either way I don't think it will be resolved without help from Audio Technica.

I doubt I can send it back to Scan either.

[ScarisRacer]

On 08/02/2016 at 11:46 PM, ScarisRacer said:

I doubt I can send it back to Scan either.

I take it from everyone else's silence, I can't...

[ufee]

Had the exact same Problem, heres a workaraound that worked for me:

Deinstalling the Driver

Restart wihle already plugged in

plugged in to an USB 3.0 Port(!) of an Desktop PC (Win7)

Then, and only then it works if i plug out and in again it doesnt work and i have to deinstall und restart again, annoying, but this works for me.

[Plushka]

On 2/9/2016 at 4:35 AM, Syntaxvgm said:

as far as I know, and I have no experience with audio equipment, but I think I was told XLR is directly wired to the mic itself. I was told to consider when buying the AT2020USB+, as while I didn't want to buy an interface, it would potentially mean I was less likely to have any problems with the mic itself in the future since it was just a dumb mic if I bought the XLR version. 

So, did someone fix this problem? Right now I have the same issue  and Russian Audio-Technica doesn't reply at all...

[griffin747]

This microphone intermittently fails at the USB connection. By that I mean the only joy comes through actively fiddling with the connector during which time the connection is intermittent at best. This renders this microphone a complete failure for me, and I am skilled (read; experienced) at USB failure and its diagnosis. Tried a dozen different cables and this recurs on OS X and Win 10.