XDA-1 click noise?

[rsm]

Hi all,
I wanted to get some feedback on my XDA-1. Does anyone else get a slight click noise through speakers when digital stream locks/starts?

I have been using a bluray player Sony BDP 370 initially as source and noted when playing CD's, at the start of the track, I get a quick high frequency double click and also if I move forward/backward through the CD - if I leave a CD to play no clicks (stream is not interrupted).

I tried an O!Play air (media streamer) and between MP3 and WAV files I get the same when the track starts.

Finally I broke out my beloved Denon 2900 and that seems to have the noise only one time when the CD initially inserts and loads up other than that no click noise until I switch out the CD.

This is my second XDA-1 --- I assume it's 'normal'. It's somewhat annoying for a DAC, especially one that is so well built. My 7 year old Pioneer receiver doesn't have the same behavior on its digital inputs.

Let me know if I'm doing something wrong...
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Rob

[BillBauman]

It sounds to me as though the issue is somewhere else. When you use your receiver, the lowest quality, least resolving piece, there's no audible click. When you use the 2900, the second most resolving piece, there is some audible click, and when you use the XDA-1, the most resolving piece, there is audible click at several points of functional use. I highlight audible because it sounds to me as though something else is involved in creating this click, and the component is either masking or highlighting it. Knowing nothing else about your setup, that is my best guess.

[ribbonking]

I have four digital sources connected to an XDA-1 and have not observed any clicking.

Computer (coax), Oppo BDP-93 (coax), TV (optical) and LG BD390 (optical)

[rsm]

thanks for the info -

I have the XDA-1 connected to the UPA-2 amp -> monitor audio bronze speakers. Other than that it's just the various sources.

Since it's my second XDA-1 I agree I doubt that's causing the issue.

I'll try an alterate power amp this weekend. It doesn't sound like noise I would get from the amp though.

Rob

[BillBauman]

Jul 15, 2011 14:05:15 GMT -5 rsm said:

thanks for the info -

I have the XDA-1 connected to the UPA-2 amp -> monitor audio bronze speakers. Other than that it's just the various sources.

Since it's my second XDA-1 I agree I doubt that's causing the issue.

I'll try an alterate power amp this weekend. It doesn't sound like noise I would get from the amp though.

Rob

Do any of your sources support optical digital out? It would be interesting to see if that made a difference. Do you have a laptop with a USB cable you could connect to see if that has the click, as well?

[rsm]

Jul 15, 2011 14:30:43 GMT -5 BillBauman said:

Jul 15, 2011 14:05:15 GMT -5 rsm said:

thanks for the info -

I have the XDA-1 connected to the UPA-2 amp -> monitor audio bronze speakers. Other than that it's just the various sources.

Since it's my second XDA-1 I agree I doubt that's causing the issue.

I'll try an alterate power amp this weekend. It doesn't sound like noise I would get from the amp though.

Rob

Do any of your sources support optical digital out? It would be interesting to see if that made a difference. Do you have a laptop with a USB cable you could connect to see if that has the click, as well?

I have the issue on both the optical and coax line in. Have not tried USB. I'll try to troubleshoot over the weekend and see.
thanks guys
R

[rsm]

So I ended up doing a lot of testing and still had the click or pop noise which started at the onset of a new track - I ended up returning the unit (XDA and the 2 channel amp).

I do note that the DAC chips do have pop or click suppression built in to their architechture and this is a issue at the low level of stream initiation and lock (I had reviewed some Wolfson and Cirrus logic chip documentation) anyway I still could not figure out why in my set up it would occur and with no one else.

Anyway thank you all for the comments. Perhaps I'll give it another try if the XDA-2 comes out.

[wizardofoz]

I think I am getting this now too...don't recall it on the original front panel with linear volume...but log one seems to be doing this...might swap it back out again and see it it fixes it.

[sharkman]

I've never had any clicking with my XDA, neither with the original volume firmware or the replacement version that allowed for smaller adjustments coming off of zero. I've run it with an Anthem pre-amp, a Denon high end receiver and by itself directly into an amp. It sounds like something might be out of spec.

[2nice]

ive been getting clicks and pops whilst switching source or skipping tracks whilst using the frontpanel with the log volume controller
i dont recall having any clicks or pops whilst having the linear volume so ima switch back to the old front panel and see if it solves it for me
il let u guys know how it goes when ive had the time to switch out the panel

[2nice]

i had a few hours to spare today so i switched back and forth between my original front panel with the linear volume and the new one with the log volume on it

and when i use the original panel with the linear volume controller i get no click or pop sounds at all when switching source or skipping tracks

but with the new front panel they sent me with the log volume i get click and pop sounds everytime i switch sources or skip tracks

i guess il be sending emo a mail sometime soon to see if i can get another front panel

anyways just wanted to let u know my findings and it was definitely something wrong faulty or bad programming of the log front panel i got

[nirvana1911]

Guys, for curiosity, are these clicks or pops, or both?
How loud are they?
I noticed I have a USP-1 connected via USB from PC and think I get a very low-level double-clicking sound when starting a track or movie sometimes...

Also, where do you get the logarithmic control knob?
I'm pretty sure my one at the moment is linear?

[nirvana1911]

I'm getting a little confused with the XDA-1 and USP-1.
My PC is connected to XDA-1 via USB and RCA to USP-1.

[rsm]

Aug 24, 2011 4:25:29 GMT -5 nirvana1911 said:

Guys, for curiosity, are these clicks or pops, or both?
How loud are they?
I noticed I have a USP-1 connected via USB from PC and think I get a very low-level double-clicking sound when starting a track or movie sometimes...

Also, where do you get the logarithmic control knob?
I'm pretty sure my one at the moment is linear?

hi,

That is what I was hearing: a double click or pop sound at the start of tracks. It is very slight but for audiophile equipment should NOT be happening at all.

It seems to be from the XDA-1 unit. My unit had the 2nd generation volume - that is that I would need to have it set to 40-60 to get a good sound level. The inital batch had a scale where at 2-4 it was very loud.

Robin

[nirvana1911]

I think I get "double-click" noises sometimes at the start or stop of playback, but does not happen very often and is very low level, I have to listen for it.

My XDA-1 unit has a maximum volume of 80.0, I keep it at 60.0, and it appears to be logarithmic from 0 to 80.0.

[rsm]

Aug 24, 2011 10:17:13 GMT -5 nirvana1911 said:

I think I get "double-click" noises sometimes at the start or stop of playback, but does not happen very often and is very low level, I have to listen for it.

My XDA-1 unit has a maximum volume of 80.0, I keep it at 60.0, and it appears to be logarithmic from 0 to 80.0.

Yes, seems like you may have a similar issue - for me this is not acceptable. It should be dead quiet except for the music reproduction. When I have contacted Emotiva they had not heard of this issue and sent me another unit which also had the same issue for me. I was surprised that no one else had noted this. Perhaps its a bad batch of units??
thanks for the update,
R

[roadrunner]

Perhaps it is not the XDA-1 causing the pop you are hearing. It is more likely to be cabling or a problem with your source component -- either of which could be the culprit. Internals of PCs are not the "quietest" environment one could ask for. The noise floor of the XDA-1 is so low it is nearly impossible to be the source of your clicking/popping.

I am more inclined to believe that you are hearing the disc player's relay engaging/disengaging from the mute circuit when a new disc is starting up. Have you replaced the cable connecting your disc player to the XDA-1? A poorly shielded cable could also be causing your issue.

[rsm]

Aug 24, 2011 11:40:33 GMT -5 roadrunner said:

Perhaps it is not the XDA-1 causing the pop you are hearing. It is more likely to be cabling or a problem with your source component -- either of which could be the culprit. Internals of PCs are not the "quietest" environment one could ask for. The noise floor of the XDA-1 is so low it is nearly impossible to be the source of your clicking/popping.

I am more inclined to believe that you are hearing the disc player's relay engaging/disengaging from the mute circuit when a new disc is starting up. Have you replaced the cable connecting your disc player to the XDA-1? A poorly shielded cable could also be causing your issue.

hi

I have tried it with a variety of sources (O!Play streamer, bluray player, DVD player), multiple cables (opt / coax etc). I do not use it with a PC for a source for general music playback.
It will occur through the speakers as audible (but very slight) click, two in short succession at the start of any audio stream for whichever source I use. I tried an alternate power amp too and a "line conditioner".
So in the end troubleshooting, and testing a second unit, I sent them back - I really didn't want to as they are built so well and look great but for me there was this issue which I couldn't resolve.

R

[nirvana1911]

rsm,

How did you go with the clicking/popping issue?
Any improvement or have you found out anything further?

[rsm]

Aug 28, 2011 20:53:07 GMT -5 nirvana1911 said:

rsm,

How did you go with the clicking/popping issue?
Any improvement or have you found out anything further?

Hi
I ended up returning the unit. I couldn't get the popping to go away. I tried a lot of sources and at the initial digital stream lock I would always get the sound. I wanted to use this mostly with my media streamer but it made the most clicks/pops with this unit as each file played it would occur. The best was my CD transport which just had it happen at the initial time I put in a disc. Since it didn't fulfill my main role I had to send it back.

Robin