Getting started with the XS3 USB Audio 16x16 Interface

This getting started guide describes how to initially setup the XS3 USB Audio 16×16 interface.

Use cables following these requirements, in order to connect the XS3 USB Audio 16×16 interface:

  • Cable: USB 2.0 Type-C Standard Cable
  • Maximum lenght: 2m

When connecting the XS3 USB Audio 16×16 interface to an Apple device no special steps are required except plugging in the cable.
All channels of the audio interface are instantly available for usage within Apple devices via the system-integrated Core Audio driver.

Driver Installation

To make use of the XS3 USB Audio 16×16 interface connected to a Windows PC it is necessary to install the correspondant USB Audio Driver.
Follow the next steps to setup the operating system accordingly.

1. Download the driver

Download the current Windows® audio driver version:
DHD.audio XS3 USB Audio Driver Version 2.10.0.3 - multilanguage (zip)

2. Install the driver

Unzip the file and start the included executable.
Follow the steps in the installer.

USB Driver installer:
USB Driver installer - Step 1 USB Driver installer - Step 2
USB Driver installer - Step 3 USB Driver installer - Step 4
USB Driver installer - Step 5

When the installation is finished there will be installed the suitable

  • ASIO driver
  • WDM / WASAPI driver

for using the XS3 USB Audio 16×16 interface.

3. Connect the USB port

Plug the USB cable in.
Windows® device manager will initially setup the new audio interface in the background.

4. Setup the audio interface in Windows®

Now you're nearly ready to use the audio interface.
When you check the Sounds menu, you will find 8 (stereo) DHD associated Audio Playback and 8 Recording devices:

USB Driver - Playback Devices USB Driver - Recording Devices

Now check the audio interface settings in Windows® for each of the 8 associated Audio Playback and 8 Recording entries according to the current samplerate (mostly 48kHz, 24bit).

USB Driver - Playback Device Settings USB Driver - Recording Device Settings

By default XS3 Core runs with 48kHz sample rate, if the setting was not altered in the XS3 Core's configuration.

Recommendations

Recommended to use ASIO for record/playback.
In the case of audio glitches check and modify the ASIO latency settings to use bigger audio buffers.
Start with the Relaxed setting.

In the case of further audio glitches/drops check the following

  • close/reopen the audio application
  • restart the whole PC
  • reboot the XS3 core
  • check again the USB buffer sizes and try an ASIO latency setting with bigger buffers
  • use a DPC Latency checker tool in order to learn about drivers/applications that interfere with general realtime processing requirements