Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 20:45:35 -0700
From: d modulator <dmodulator@...>
To: mark@...
Subject: XWAX / RANE SL1 information for you, real important new discovery

Hey Mark,

I found your page regarding xwax compatible sound devices because I
have a RANE SL1 and was interested in trying XWAX.

I found a way, without using the kernel sound driver patch that seems
to be rarely discussed but out there somewhere, to enable the phono
pre-amps within the SL1

Using usb_modeswitch, which was intended for cell phone / "hotspot"
mode switch toggling (as in changing it to work as a modem rather than
just a removable disk type device with useless windows drivers on it
:) so you can use the device as a PPP internet connection, I was able
to issue a command to my SL1 that definitely enabled the phono preamp.
>>Definitely<<, as in prior to issuing the command, as in simply just
connecting SL1 to USB and trying to record from "line" 1/2, the audio
level would be VERY VERY quiet and end up sounding like distortion if
you amplified it enough.  Arecord reported 0% - 1% VU level.

So I plug in the SL1, & after I see it get recognized in dmesg /
lsusb, I tried issuing the folloiwing:

usb_modeswitch -v 13e5 -p 0001 -M 0700 -2 06 -m 03 -r 83 -R
(13e5 / 0001 is vendor/product IDs, respectively,. as listed in
'lsusb' for my SL1)

So after issuing that, and recording off the interface with SL1200
plugged directly into SL1, I get normal readings (as if it was now
being pre-amped) in arecord, for instance.

I came up with this after looking at the patch that appeared in some
mailing list convo I found on google today while trying to see WTF the
big deal with preamp enabling was all about :)

[...]

Thanks Mark!

David B in Calgary, Alberta, Canada