Upon returning home after the hellish heatwave had passed, I turned my system back on and—to my great surprise—there was no sound. After some troubleshooting, I realized the issue was a USB communication problem between the K50 and the DAC. I ran various tests, all of which pointed to a problem with the K50’s USB port, so I arranged a consultation with technical support. It turned out the K50’s USB port was working perfectly—except when I connected the Jorma cable; yet, that same cable worked flawlessly when connecting my MacBook to the DAC. To cut a long story short, I discovered that the K50’s USB port is too “loose”—meaning it doesn’t hold the USB-A connector with sufficient “grip.” I’d like to know if anyone else has encountered this issue and how they resolved it. Thanks.
I previously reported an issue with my USB connector here
Over time a USB connector can become loose with constant swapping of cables and/or very heavy USB cables used without support.
Not saying that’s the case here as the Jorma is a lightweight high quality cable.
If you are experiencing an issue and would like it checked by a technician, then we would require an repair request from our RMA portal:
Hi Mark, I’ve only ever used lightweight cables in my setup, and I don’t enjoy the hassle of constantly plugging and unplugging them. I’ve always found the K50’s USB port tricky to use, and I remember a post on this forum about opening up the unit to better position the connector. The idea of shipping the K50 from Italy to New Zealand doesn’t appeal to me, so I was wondering if anyone else had faced a similar issue and how it was resolved.
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I believe it was @NickBacon who did that. If I recall correctly, he found that one of the later K50 models provided a way to tighten the grip. Maybe try searching this forum for Nick’s post where he mentions USB.
I only have problems with the loose connection when I make some kind of change with my equipment or cables and then forget to make sure that the cable is properly seated. It’s become a habit though for me to check that. When I leave everything be, I never have any issues with it.
I’m guessing the heatwave you had must have changed a physical property of something enough where the grip loosened. Maybe check with the manufacturer of your cable to see how excessive heat might have affected the connector. Easier to swap a cable than a K50.
@kennyb123 @Luigi Yes it was me that had issues with the USB cable being loose in the socket to my K50. I have searched but cannot find my posts about that. My problem was with the original K50. When I upgraded to the mk2 K50 my recollection is that a better usb socket was used but more importantly the clamp mechanism mounting of the usb socket could be adjusted and I was able to cure the loose usb cable problem. That revised usb socket and adjustable mounting was carried forward to the Oladra that I now have.
So Luigi if your K50 is not the original one I suggest maybe try adjusting the usb socket to be a tighter fit. It does involve going inside the K50 but it is not difficult.
I also have had the same problem with my K30 a few years ago. It was fixed by my local distributor (CM-Audio, Germany), who ordered a new USB socket from New Zealand and changed it. After that, everything was stable and worked as it used to be.
If Mondo Audio—which distributes Antipodes in Italy—helps me out, I think I’ll follow the same path.
As I mentioned earlier, my USB socket just came away. It was replaced by the updated arrangement
I have a Shunyata USB on my K30 that needed strain relief to hold in place, this gave way one day and tore the connector clean off the board. It has obviously been an issue with some of the early USB connections but in typical Antipodes style they sorted it out quickly with no fuss, my unit came back with not just a new connector but a new board as well.
EU service is undertaken in Germany.
Hi Luigi
Come stai?
I am a proud owner of a K50 ( Original Model ) and find the USB - A port connection to be rather flimsy.
Should be a Snug Fit !
I’m extremely careful as to Not Disturb or move the Cable when cleaning / dusting!
In the past : I have inadvertently knocked the USB - A cable during playback. It resulted in No Sounds, I had to Switch everything OFF and perform a Complete Reset !
As mentioned in the Thread. I could undue / remove the Casing and tighten up the USB socket ?
However, unless I have real problems in the future, I will leave it as it is.
Hope you and other Owners resolve ANY Issues they may experience.
Thanks for the Information from All the Antipodes Owners.
Enjoy the Music 
I elected to leave as is, while also trying my best to route the USB cable in a way that makes it less prone to coming loose.
I designed a support that utilizes the recess in front of the socket and had it made by a 3D printing lab. Now the cable makes perfect contact and doesn’t slip out. However, I don’t think it would have taken much effort for the Antipodes designers to implement a less fragile socket.