Dac Sound Quality Problems

[admin_exported]

Hi, I have a Firestone Audio USB DAC plugged into a port on my laptop, I have started to experience some pops and crackles when listening to music. It happens a couple of times per track and can be in spotify, itunes or windows media player.

I have changed the USB port I connect the DAC to, the USB cable, switched the DAC off and on, restarted my laptop, disabled my AV but nothing seems to work.

There is nothing wrong with the tracks as I have streamed them to an Airport Express and they play fine.

The only advice I have found is to try a powered USB hub, has anyone experienced this before?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone experienced anything similar?

Thanks

 

[richie60]

I too have the same DAC as you mention. No problems with mine!

Have you access to another PC to try it on? What's your current operating system? Have you tried a live CD of Linux (to bypass any possible OS issues on the same hardware)?

Richie

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Richie, after a bit of shuffling equipment I have tried the DAC on my PC (running XP) and it works fine. So I now know it is a laptop problem.

My current OS is Windows 7, I have ran a Linux Live CD off so will try that and report back. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Anonymous]

With random cracks etc it could indeed be the power or a noisy ground connection. Separate power may mot solve the latter problem. Did you test it with laptop running on its battery rather that connected to AC?

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Peter,

I did try with laptop just running on battery and it was the same, as daft as it sounds I think the problem is related to Windows Update.

 

[songox]

hey! i had a arcam rdac and it had similar problem! it used to crackle from d right channel but since it was only a few days old i took it back to the shop to get it replaced!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Songox but this doesn't happen all the time and until recently was fine! Though obviously a fault could have developed with my DAC. Anyway I have created a custom powerplan; one with the "USB selective suspend setting disabled" and the problem seems to have gone (fingers crossed). I can't fathom why it has just occured but there we go.

I have also downloaded the latest Linux Ubuntu for testing if the problem reoccurs.

Thanks peter again as well because your post made me start looking into the power settings

 

[Anonymous]

It can also be very helpful to uninstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using Device Manager in windows and the reinstalling them. This removes any driver conflicts and ensures the latest drivers are installed.

Simply unplug your DAC, startup Device Manager, scroll down the list to Universal Serial Bus controllers, right click on the first one in the list and click properties, click on the drivers tab and then click uninstall driver. Then continue down the list and when your finished plug your DAC back in.

 

[SteveR750]

Can you set the buffer? If you can try setting it to at least 200ms.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Steve the buffer is another good point. I currently have no sound problems; I posted in case it could help anyone else out that was struggling with cracks and pops.

 

[Anonymous]

i realise that this is bit late but i thought it might help to note what i have found out.

i've just got an Arcam rDac for xmas and i have found the same poping and clicking problem when playing music through my windows7 pc.

after foraging for any answers it seems that the problem could be windows7 audio drivers, apparently they are not kernels in win7 which means they're less stable (or something).

there is another thread saying that it could be usb bus drivers being out of date so you could try updating them.

i've not really found much of a solution other than using a non-win7 pc but there is a windows hotfix (sadly for xp or server 2008 ) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953228/en-us

i also found a latency checker to check if your pc is keeping up with HQ audio streams, http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

ive also heard about increasing the buffer but have no idea how to do that so if anyone has a fools guide out there it would be nice.

i think im going to take it back to the shop to check it isnt the rdac itself and if not that i'll try picking their brains to see if they have a solution, i'll report back if i get any further.

 

[SteveR750]

I have just spent half an hour getting J River MC17 to play via USB into the dacmagic plus. W7 does not make this easy at all, then again MC17 is sometimes easy to screw up.

 

[Anonymous]

i realise that this is bit late but i thought it might help to note what i have found out.

Thanks for sharing. The buffer can be set in foobar if you use it?

I still occasionally get a pop or crackle but it does seem rare at the moment.

 

[Anonymous]

i've just got an Arcam rDac for xmas and i have found the same poping and clicking problem when playing music through my windows7 pc.

i think im going to take it back to the shop to check it isnt the rdac itself and if not that i'll try picking their brains to see if they have a solution, i'll report back if i get any further.

What is your media player ?

This is probably a software issue...

I had the same problems with foobar/wasapi output because foobar minimum buffer is 50 ms (with playback stability issues)... and some asynchronous USB DACs need very low buffer lenghts (lower than 50ms to work properly)

Changed mediaplayer to MusicBee, problem solved.

 

[Anonymous]

i didnt take it back in the end, after further digging the tubes i come to the conclusion its my pc thats the problem. from what i read win7 is throwing problems with latency/ cracking popping for most people.updated drivers, got asio4all and fiddled with settings but little improvement |(

i was using VLC player but switched to foobar2000 as jriver isnt free. i then bumped the buffer to 200ms and it helped but still have latency problems. i tried to root the exact problem out but all the monitor programs could only tell me that something was causing latency probs but couldnt pinpoint the cause, my best guess is usb driver but im stumped to be honest :wall:

i'll try droping the latency to 50ms but im not hopeful, worth a try though. i'll take a look at musicbee too.

cheers

 

[Anonymous]

I would say it depends have often you are getting pops and crackles. I don't use my DAC that much now as I use an airport express in my main set up. But when I do with a Windows 7 laptop it is rare that i get a crackle. Have you tried putting the Arcam DAC into its own plug socket?