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Why MBA USB-C port pulling only 500 mA to Beats Pill?

G

Go To School By Bus

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 500
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

I connect Beat Pill with Macbook using a UBC-C cable for both power and audio. But the Power from MBA is not enough (only 2.5Watts).
I don't wanna drain Pill's battery. Is it possible to pump up the current to about 2000? Thanks
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The Pill is on the latest firmware? I do not have one, but the connected device should negotiate the needed extra operating current, e.g.,
1783485116500.png

can you show the full usb device tree?
 
Go To School By Bus said:
You need to wire-connect Pill to Mac and the data will show
Click to expand...
Can you share a screenshot? As said, I do not have a Pill, but everything I connect, iPad, JBL Flip 7, Beosound, reports back as USB 3 with higher current feed from the Macbook Air (as shown above).
What link speed is reported for the Pill?
 
The 500 mA number isn't really the Mac being stingy — the Pill is enumerating as a bus-powered USB 2.0 audio class device, and that class defaults to that low ceiling unless the device asks for more in its descriptor. When I plug older speakers or a small M-Audio interface into my 16" MBP, System Information shows the same 500/500 for the same reason.

If you want the Pill to actually take power while it's playing over USB-C, the cleanest path is to leave audio on Bluetooth and use the Pill's USB-C for charging from a wall brick — it'll negotiate a real PD contract with a charger it doesn't have to also treat as a host. Trying to get both audio and meaningful charging over one cable from a laptop is a spec dead end for that class of speaker.
 
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benholt said:
The 500 mA number isn't really the Mac being stingy — the Pill is enumerating as a bus-powered USB 2.0 audio class device, and that class defaults to that low ceiling unless the device asks for more in its descriptor. When I plug older speakers or a small M-Audio interface into my 16" MBP, System Information shows the same 500/500 for the same reason.

If you want the Pill to actually take power while it's playing over USB-C, the cleanest path is to leave audio on Bluetooth and use the Pill's USB-C for charging from a wall brick — it'll negotiate a real PD contract with a charger it doesn't have to also treat as a host. Trying to get both audio and meaningful charging over one cable from a laptop is a spec dead end for that class of speaker.
Click to expand...
This.

The link speed should give and indicator here
 
benholt said:
The 500 mA number isn't really the Mac being stingy — the Pill is enumerating as a bus-powered USB 2.0 audio class device, and that class defaults to that low ceiling unless the device asks for more in its descriptor. When I plug older speakers or a small M-Audio interface into my 16" MBP, System Information shows the same 500/500 for the same reason.

If you want the Pill to actually take power while it's playing over USB-C, the cleanest path is to leave audio on Bluetooth and use the Pill's USB-C for charging from a wall brick — it'll negotiate a real PD contract with a charger it doesn't have to also treat as a host. Trying to get both audio and meaningful charging over one cable from a laptop is a spec dead end for that class of speaker.
Click to expand...
So, even if I buy a 70w charger, the input into Beats Pill will still be 500mA?🥹
 
Go To School By Bus said:
So, even if I buy a 70w charger, the input into Beats Pill will still be 500mA?🥹
Click to expand...
He just explained that if you attach a charger-only to the Pill, it should draw more power.

Unfortunately, Beats is terrible about publishing their product specs. For example, they say their product supports “USB-C Universal Audio” —- which is not an actual USB Spec!
 
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Alameda said:
He just explained that if you attach a charger-only to the Pill, it should draw more power.

Unfortunately, Beats is terrible about publishing their product specs. For example, they say their product supports “USB-C Universal Audio” —- which is not an actual USB Spec!
Click to expand...
Exactly, 😪 should I buy a 70w charger though ?
 
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