This is documented by AKM to happen in DSD Direct mode. It should be handled by DAC firmware by keeping output muted long enough across the boundary. But there are still sometimes DACs out there that don’t quite manage on this front.
DSD specs say that the output must be muted for at least 50 ms at the beginning and at the end of the DSD stream.
Could it be solved the other way around? Like adding an option in HQPlayer to start each new stream with a pause?
I believe the DAC would still click or pop. As the source of the unwanted noise is generated at the dac. So even with a silence it could still make the noise.
Ok, but i don’t understand, with HQP4, there is no issue. Why… with same dac and settings ?
I doubt there is any difference with same settings between HQPlayer v4 and v5.
It would be useful to compare to some known well behaving DAC, such as T+A DAC 200, or Holo Audio.
It is already done… The thing is that the DSD stream must start at some point, there is no way around it. And around that point, the output needs to be muted.
Just like power amps keep speaker relays open when you power those up, and connect the loudspeaker outputs only after couple of seconds. Otherwise you would have loud pop from your speakers when the amp is powered up.
My question would be (because of lack of understanding how DSD works) why it cannot be digitally muted during the start of the DSD stream and unmuted after the DSD stream has started? So like a digital relay.
Yes that’s what the DAC itself should do, as Jussi explained above.
The problem is the DAC pops when it starts the DSD stream…it doesn’t matter if the stream starts at -140 db or at 0 db (muted or full volume). The DAC needs to mute the output when the stream starts or there will be pops.
Thanks.
Ok, so my lack of understanding is therefore, why does the DAC (or the digital stream) pops when starting the DSD stream even signal is very low. For PCM I gues this is not the case right? For an amp I know why the pop happens, but why here? Does anybody know?
You’re right, I’m going to do some more extensive tests but I’ve never noticed it so strong.
Could it be reinforced by certain filters? I really noticed it with the sinc-MGa.
@Stefano_Antonelli
On the A26, the latest firmware 1.42 is installed with the latest networkaudiod 4.4.0-56 version (kernel 5.4.61).
Single SDM sample, for example one bit of DSD doesn’t represent any signal state. It is just either full positive or negative voltage rail. So the converter will start without established signal state.
In fact, it’s the switch from 5.6 to 6.1M (and back again). If, depending on the initial PCM, you stay at the same bitrate, no problem. As soon as you switch to the other… crack!!!
@jussi_laako I am trying to load my headphone’s eq file from AutoEQ. When I plot the response, the “PK” filters look fine, but it seems like the low and high shelf filters are not being applied. To check this, I created a sample file with the following lines:
Preamp: -3.2 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 0.70
The plot shows a flat line at -3.2dB. Can you let me know what might be doing wrong here? Thx.
Seems like “LS” has changed to “LSC”. I need to update the file parser. You can edit the file by changing the “LSC” to “LS” item.
Yup, changing the name fixed it! Thx.
Has anyone heard anything further about getting the new version 5 on to any of the sonictransporter‘s? Is there any way of doing the update ourselves and paying the discounted fee for the new version 5? I have a sonictransporter I-9 that came with HQ player version 4 embedded that has had some updates through about version 4.4-ish but would love to get version 5 on there and give it a whirl. I just have no idea how to do it without the site transporter team releasing some type of update through the sonic transporte’s own mini app Store.
Thanks
Doug
Did you email Small Green Computer ?
It’s this kind of support issue that caused me to sell my sonicTransporter i9. I now run Roon and HQPlayer 5 Desktop on an M1 Mac mini and am far happier…