After some months of issue-less use on Windows 10, i encountered yesterday exactly those problems that many users seem to have with this interface…
Erratic dropouts and crackling sound, like it was a buffer problem - but i think it is not.
These issues first came up since i updated my Windows to V1909 (at least this is what i think).
I read some postings and articles in various forums and FAQs and it seems that these issues are known from 2013 on…
The crackling sounds like the buffer was too small but it starts very slowly and slightly but then grows up until the sound (even single played notes) are a complete mess.
When i disconnect the interface and plug it back in, it sems to be good again, but only for the first moments. I raised up the buffer size to really unusable amounts and i also changed the sample rate from 41kHz to 48kHz and back with no effect.
Needless to say that the drivers and also the firmware are up to date (like they were before when everything used to run smoothly).
As soon as i plugged in my older Behringer interface, all the issues had gone instantly.
As i wrote before, there are quite a number of users that all have the same problems and it actually seems that Steinberg doesn’t see the urge to develop a new driver version.
So i may have to buy a new interface.
Does anyone need an almost new Steinberg interface (not recommended to use on WIN 10!)? 
I had similar issues with many audio interfaces running under Windows, when the audio interface is based on a USB 2 chipset and it is connected to a USB 3 on the computer side.
That’s exactly the situation here… i think about buying the Zoom UAC-2 which is natively build with USB 3, but also has a “class compliant” switch which provides USB 2 compatibility.
And about 200€ still seems to be a quite reasonable price for it.
…but before i go and buy it, i first will explore the forums.
Have you looked at the new MOTU interfaces?
I recently bought a Presonus Studio 24 that seems to work flawlessly with Win 10 for under $100.
I’m thinking about returning that and going to a Motu M4 for the extra IO and prettier package. The Motu M2 and M4 both claim to be USB 3 compatible (and come with a USB 3 cable, so I’d hope they are.)
I’d be surprised if the “class compliant” switch on the UAC would help under windows. I believe all that does is report the device (over USB) as a generic audio interface. That would tell Windows to use its built in audio drivers instead of the manufacturer drivers. The UAC-2 should work fine on a USB 2 port with the Zoom drivers.
Only complaints I saw on the Zoom interfaces over the past year or two are about the volume knobs failing. Only issue that kept the Zoom out of my recent option list was price. I’d lean toward the M4, for more IO at a lower price. (And nothing but positive past experience with Motu.)
I had a Zoom UAC-2 plugged into a small laptop’s USB3 port - Stopped working AT ALL after latest Windoz update. No support for Pentium Class…78^(
That’s a great info. My RME UCX works fine with USB3, but I would like a second cheaper audio interface for my test laptop. Thanks.
Ok… it seems that i got it going again.
I checked again all the USB-controllers in the Windows device manager and it seems that the last update switched some energy-saving options to ON again. I also updated the BIOS.
I guess it was that energy crap that messed it all up. But i do not actually know…
However: Trust has definetely gone and i think i will move from Steinberg to Motu now…
I had a closer look at the Motu M2 and it really looks quite promising (it only uses USB 2.0 actually, even though it has the “modern” USB-C plug).
If you do so, please report your experience when using it on an USB3 computer port.
I have 2 MOTU interfaces(Ultralite AVB and 1248). They’re rock-solid.
Also on Windows on a USB 3 computer port ?
I got an M4. Wow. Extremely well behaved. Outputs 1 & 2 Mains, Out 3 Click, Out 4 Cues.
Bus powered. Great metering. I have it plugged directly into a Thunderbolt 3 port on my Mac via USB-C to USB-C cable (rated at USB 3.1 specs).
I’m a Mac user.
I now have a Motu M2 and all my problems have gone so far.
And i really love those LED-VU meters that show you what’s actually going on with the in- and outputs.
Do you use it on a USB3 port?
Yeah, i use the USB-C port of my laptop, which surely is USB 3.
I hope it’s ok to join this discussion.
I “had” a USB3 Zoom UAC-2.
It stopped working after windoz update on more than one pc so I gave up on it.
I would like to know if a USB-C audio interface plugged into a small laptop with USB 3.0 would work at all?
At least in my case it works now.
I have now a Motu M2 connected by USB-C to USB-C cable to my HP Envy laptop without any problems so far.
The controllers (a Numa C2X and a Behringer X-Touch Mini) are connected through a powered USB3 hub, where also a Cubase and a bluetooth dongle are plugged in. This hub is then connected to one of the remaining two USB3 ports of the laptop.
Thank you for writing!
Just to confirm - your USB ports are 3.0 (which I have…78^( - or 3.1 ?
The device manager tells me it was USB3.0… so i think i should believe this. 