M2tech hiFace2 with an older MacBook Pro. Power issues?

[mathgeek97]

Help!!! I would like to repurpose my old MacBook Pro (2006, Core Duo, 2GB RAM, OS X 10.6.8; this is maxed out, btw).

I have concerns about the underpowered, shared USB 2.0 port.

My USB powered external drive won't work on the shared (with iSight camera and more?) USB port, but is fine plugged into the other USB port.

My plan is to buy an M2tech hiFace2 to send music to my non-USB DAC. I'm trying to be as cost-effecient as possible here. Could I use the underpowered, shared USB port with the hiFace2? Would that be a detriment to the sound, even with no other devices on the shared USB turned on (I'm guessing the answer is, "yes.")?

The other possibility is to plug the hiFace2 into the "better" USB port and get a cheap powered USB hub for the hard drive or maybe a powered external drive enclosure. Again, I've got to wonder, am I going to kill the sound adding a powered USB hub or enclosure to the lesser of the two USB ports?

 

My setup will look something like:

FLAC/ALAC files -> Audirvana+ -> hiFace2(RCA) -> AVA Vision DAC

[Audio_ELF]

A few options...

 

1) use optical instead of HiFace connection.

2) use a FireWire drive to replace the USB drive.

3) get a USB ExpressCard - Sonnet - FireWire/USB ExpressCard/34: Compatible in MacBook Pro and Windows Notebooks With ExpressCard Slot - and connect the HiFace to that.

 

Eloise

[Purite Audio]

The ***** ( wouldn't want to be seen advertising) needs USB2 minimum requirement.

Keith.

[Audio_ELF]

The ***** ( wouldn't want to be seen advertising) needs USB2 minimum requirement.

Keith.

Erm... The MacBook Pro has USB2.0...

[Purite Audio]

My mistake, then the ****** will work fine.

Keith.

[mathgeek97]

The issue is a question of power. The MacBook Pro reports that both USB ports are 500ma (and that they are both USB2.0), but after much frustration and some Google searches, it seems that the port on the left side is shared and can't draw enough power to work with a USB powered drive. I'm just trying to find out if anybody has had success with any USB powered USB->S/PDIF converters in the lesser of their MacBook Pro's USB ports.

 

Audio_ELF, I do have an external FireWire drive that I could test. It's too loud to use in an audio environment, but if that's a workable solution, I'll go the FireWire route. I'm really trying to move away from the optical out, and trying to get a lower jitter setup going via asynchronous USB->S/PDIF.

[Liam]

This PSU might be off interest. USB audio power supply, audiophile USB Power supply, USB low noise transformer, USB DAC power supply, audiophile power supply, usb dac power supply

[Alan Brown]

As a cost effective solution, why not use a powered hub or powered isolator?

 

At a guess (maybe someone could confirm this?), the Olimex looks a good solution.