Yes, I've already used one and these are all of its accessories:
It has an C-Media sound-card inside of it and only uses a single USB cable for its HUB, the soundcard and itself. Maybe that's the reason why Thermaltake didn't go ahead with the idea of making a keyboard with backlit, since it'd maybe require two USB cables or removing the soundcard from it (which would make the owners of the previous models quite mad).
Anyways, I probably would prefer a pass-through with good quality, since I own an Auzentech Forte and it's quite powerful when it comes to powering some headphones such as my AKG K240.
I'm gonna giggle a bit.. you do realize that the highest quality sound cards in the world (both SNR and stability testing) are, drumroll please, C-Media? Look up HT Omega sometime. Ain't just rebranding more of Creative's junk. Well, and K240's don't take nearly that much to drive - seen 'em driven by RTL889's at reasonable volume. Passthrough is inherently crap without turning the PCB and housing into a huge expensive mess from all the isolation and shielding required within the keyboard housing to keep out the EMI noise.
Not surprised they went single cable though. The problem with that whole design is the fact that the keyboard attaches through a port on the internal hub then. Because of the way USB works, that means certain uses are right out unless you like delayed keystrokes. Which is generally fine, since you probably are not going to attach your external drives to your keyboard. But it is a nitpick of mine because it also means that you're already down to probably 200mW available power on the usable ports since it's not externally powered. So forget most wireless mice (they want 500mW for charge.) Remember that you've got 500mW maximum per physical port and that single port's gotta power not just the keyboard but also the sound
and the hub itself.
Kinda weird, my Das Keyboard has quite an high-quality USB HUB (well, it does requires a USB cable just for it), and I can use my Xbox 360 receiver and my old USB Headset on it without any problems...
Sure. Those are low power, low data rate devices. Some of it was most likely firmware bugs with SELSUS. But it's not a "high quality hub." The CST-104 "Sydney" controller uses
this specific USB hub. It's fine for low speed, low power peripherals - and that's it. Plenty of evidence out there with a simple search that the GL850G behaves exceptionally poorly with high speed devices.
This is by design and working as intended.No surprise, as this is a low-end part and not intended for use in or with high speed/high power devices. And it invariably behaves badly when you add them to the mix. (I especially love the Chinese company cranking out a USB 2.0 'high speed 7-port hub' based on the GL850G which leaks current.) Different silicon is required to change that limitation. Since the GL852GC and GX aren't pin-compatible with the GL850G, it'd require an almost completely redesigned controller to "fix" it.
Personally, as far as USB hub in the keyboard? I'd want a TI TUSB2136 all-in-one solution, since the 2136 also has an 8052 MCU and a high quality USB downstream with a 48MHz internal PLL. Meaning, yes, it's a single-chip solution a la Unicomp's PSoC design. Well that and you can do code loads via I2C or USB meaning you could in theory modify the keyboard fairly extensively post manufacturing.
(And to be on topic more...) A design like that also means you could omit user-accessible USB ports and use a USB interface LCD display, or USB interconnect of accessories, etcetera. Which is also mighty nice.
