Windows 10 bug disrupts audio for USB DAC users after update
Windows 10 has a bug causing issues for users who use external DAC converters with USB 1.0 drivers. The problem happens after the January system updates are installed, which may lead to an error message or simply no sound output.
The service Neowin highlighted the issue. Windows 10 users reported the bug shortly after installing updates in mid-January, though it affects a relatively small number of users.
Microsoft recently updated the documentation for this version of Windows 10, indicating that the system's lack of sound or error messages only affect computers with external USB sound cards—in practice, this includes audio interfaces with USB 1.0 drivers.
Unfortunately, there is no known way to bypass this problem other than avoiding the external DAC and connecting headphones or speakers directly to the computer's built-in sound card. Microsoft states that the issue is being worked on and should be resolved in the "latest release."
In practice, there is hope that this will be resolved in the next few days as part of optional Windows updates at the end of the month, but it’s possible that we might have to wait at least until the end of February for the next cumulative updates.
Regarding Windows 10 updates, it should be noted that support for the system will end in October this year. Interestingly, this hasn't stopped Microsoft from releasing further feature updates for Windows 10, despite the initial assumption that this would not occur after the release of Windows 11.
