spotify clicks

[TitusG]

I currently just have my headphones plugged into my dell laptop when listening to spotify. Now, I am hoping it's just the awful soundcard, but I often get clicking noises over the music when using internet explorer at the same time. I am soon planning to add a DAC to listen to spotify through my HI Fi. Would an external DAC cure the problem or make absolutely no difference what so ever?

Cheers

 

[daveh75]

I assume you've turned off the 'system sounds' right?

 

[idc]

Hi TitusG. Try what Daveh suggests. Start - Control Panel - Sounds and Audio Devices - Sounds tab - Sound Scheme - select No sounds - Apply - OK. Otherwise I get far more noise and crackles by plugging headphones direct into a Dell than through a DAC and amp. But if I keep Sounds on I still get clicks when using the laptop.

 

[TitusG]

Thanks for your replies. Yes, sounds are off but the crackles continue. I think it happens when page scrolling. Thanks idc, I'm glad to hear that noise is reduced through the DAC and amp.

 

[idc]

Er, sorry hold on Titus. My Dell mysteriously crackles with itunes, but not Spotify or WMP. I wonder if you have the dreaded crackle, but with Spotify. A DAC and amp wont affect that.

 

[lordmortlock]

..and you can consider Idc the expert on annoying crackles... the poor chap has been trying to get rid of his for months!

 

[TitusG]

Uh oh, the dreaded crackle! I guess I will have to keep scrolling to a minimum.

 

[idc]

At least you can pin point a cause, I can't. A major PC cleanup and update to itunes 9 and the problem persists. I have given up with the laptop, got some phono splitters off ebay and the ipod is back on duty again. Any CD I get is imported using WMP. But Spotify is still the bees knees business, deep joy.

 

[PJPro]

Do you have a wireless mouse? Does the crackling occur when you scroll any document?

 

[TitusG]

PJPro:Do you have a wireless mouse? Does the crackling occur when you scroll any document?

I have a touch pad mouse on the laptop and the crackling happens when scrolling any document, even spotify. I think it maybe when the laptop has to do any extra work (such as loading a web page and scrolling) ontop of playing the music, is when it struggles. It's not the best! I was just hoping that it was the soundcard causing the problem and would go by bypassing it.

 

[Anonymous]

This is sometimes caused by electrical noise from the graphics chip on the mother board, moving to an electrically isolated, eg optical connection and an external DAC should fix that. Not sure if your Dell can do this, some can.

see if dragging a window makes it happen, or just vertical scrolling. Tricky thing to fix if you can't add an external DAC I think.

Also see if it is better after a restart when there are fewer processes running. Might be an interaction between CPU and graphic card, plus backlight.

 

[TitusG]

zzgavin:

This is sometimes caused by electrical noise from the graphics chip on the mother board, moving to an electrically isolated, eg optical connection and an external DAC should fix that. Not sure if your Dell can do this, some can.

Thanks for your reply. My Dell doesn't have an optical out, but I did see on another thread that Maplins sell a USB to spdif converter. Would that do?

 

[Anonymous]

It would help with isolating the DAC from the main board of your laptop.

Might be worth a try, I think they are only 15 quid or so.

 

[daveh75]

What Dell laptop is it? As some Dell's have digital coaxial outputs via the s-video socket with the use of an adapter believe it or not.

I only found this out by accident,when playing with the sound setting's, as it's not mentioned in any of Dell's documentation/tech specs of my Dell laptop( inspiron 1525) after a bit of research i found the adaptor on ebay, Here infact !

So it may be worth checking your sound setting's and see if show's a S/PDIF output.

 

[TitusG]

It's an Inspiron 1501. I've looked in settings and I'm pretty sure it doesn't have an s/pdif out. It definately doesn't have a s-video. It's very basic, no bells or whistles. When I get a DAC if the crackle remains, I will just have to try the Maplins adaptor.

Cheers