I am experiencing constant pops and clicks.
Roon core is on iMac playing to oppo ha 2 dac through roon bridge on laptop in different room have airport express and AirPort Extreme and airport time capsule on one network. Roon remote on iPhone 7 plus
Hi @Todd_Sevig ---- Thank you for the report and sharing this observations with us. To help me better evaluate what could be causing this behavior may I kindly ask you to please provide the following:
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If you playback content through the internal speakers of the iMac are you noticing the same pops and clicks?
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If you were to mount the OPPO HA 2 DAC directly to the iMac do you still get the same pops and clicks?
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Do you notice any relation between this behavior and the file type/sample rate being streamed? In other words, is there a specific type of media you are noticing this with or is not media dependent?
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Can you provide the details of the device hosting your core (iMac) and the device acting as your Roon bridge (laptop)?
-Eric
This report is an additional (adding to others seen in these forums) report of “clicks and pops” heard when playing back from Roon. I hope this report will be valuable adding to those already out there as I’ve done some A/B testing which may prove probative.
First, the basic case that exhibits the problem:
Playback of a 192/24 FLAC file to endpoint #1 (see config below for details) exhibits clicks and pops behavior. In this test case, all DSP is off and there is no change in sample rate or bit depth – just straight to the endpoint as confirmed by the Roon app.
For testing, I used a recording purchased from HDTracks: Torval Toren – Durufle & Dupre: Organ Music. I selected this as my standard test piece as the periods of relative silence make it easy to quickly detect the problem. I have of course verified it on several other recordings as well.
From this basic case, here are variations and the results:
- Same file played to same endpoint via Bluesound App has no clicks or pops. Subjectively, the sound is SO much better, like a veil has been lifted – not just clicks and pops cleanup.
- Same file played to endpoints #2 and #3, clicks and pops cannot be heard, but similarly, the SQ is remarkably different when played through Bluesound app, like a veil being lifted. The difference is so great as to being well beyond the subjective audiophile opinion zone (in my opinion – lol).
- Same file played to endpoint #1, however, device settings changed to max sample rate of 48K. Clicks and pops greatly diminished, but not entirely gone.
Please note, that I have also filed a report on this site related to Bluesound Node2 playback ceasing.
In working with Bluesound and sending them the logs from the Node2, they say they can see the Node2 experiencing issues (dropout reports) when playback is from Roon – further, these issues eventually crash the unit and cause a hard reboot. Clearly not as designed.
I hope this data helps track down the mystery.
Thanks.
My Configuration:
Synology 3615 XS+ running Roon Core on SSD, 16GB of Memory
3 Bluesound Node2 Endpoints – all physically wired to router – no Wireless connection
- #1 Bluesound Node2 connected to DAC via Coax out
- #2 Bluesound Node2 connected to headphone amp via RCA analog out
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#3 Bluesound Node2 connected to powered speakers via RCA analog out
Control of playback from iPhone and iPads
Netgear Nighthawk R9000 Router (X10)
Current SW/FW on all systems
Music Library = ~6500 Albums / ~90K Tracks, Redbook FLAC, HiRez FLAC, DxD and DSD
Active Tidal subscription with some Tidal albums added to library (<100 Tidal Albums in library)
Here are the specs of my core the iMac and bridge the MacBook.
no issues when playing through iMac internal speakers
Hey Todd,
Did you have a chance to test this, or is it not possible:
It would also be good if you could post some screenshots of your audio settings and signal path as shown here. An answer to this question would also be helpful here:
Lastly, can you explain how this network is setup:
Which devices are running over wifi? The Core, the Roon Bridge machine, or both? Which router is doing DHCP, and do the wireless devices connect to that router, or are some connecting to a different access point?
With that information, I’m sure we can make some progress here @Todd_Sevig – thanks for your patience!
no problems with oppo ha 2 directly in iMac.
Not media dependent
All devices on wifi
Airport Extreme doing dhcp, time capsule extending, airport express extending to listening room.
Hi @Todd_Sevig ---- Thank you for the follow up and taking the time verify that information for us. Both are very appreciated!
Moving forward, I’d like to see if we can isolate a few more variables here. You’ve confirmed that there are no issues when the Oppo DAC is mounted directly to the iMac hosting your Roon core so my assumption is that this behavior you are experiencing (i.e pops and clicks), could be related to something environmental. May I kindly ask you to please perform the following:
- Move the DAC back to the MacBook (Roon Bridge) and test with a hardwired connection between your iMac and the Airport Extreme.
Note: please make sure to turn the WiFi “off” on the iMac when performing this test 
- With the DAC still mounted to the MacBook, please try with a hardwired connection between this device (MacBook) and the Airport Extreme.
Note: please make sure to turn the WiFi “off” on the MacBook when performing this test
Let me know how it goes!
-Eric
MacBook is upstairs and AirPort Extreme is downstairs so can’t do that test. Also I am having the dropouts and pops on the airport express streaming airplay also from roon but when I stream straight from tidal app to the airport express through airplay there are no problems.
Will try the other test though.
Tried the first test and still getting dropouts. Definitely seems like a network problem with all of the different routers and access points.
Update.
No problems now on airplay streaming to the airport express but still frequent dropouts on the oppo ha 2 dac output with same content (tidal)
Hi @Todd_Sevig ----- Thank you for touching base with me and sharing the results of your troubleshooting. The insight is appreciated.
“MacBook is upstairs and AirPort Extreme is downstairs so can’t do that test. Also I am having the dropouts and pops on the airport express streaming airplay also from roon but when I stream straight from tidal app to the airport express through airplay there are no problems.”
Since you are unable to perform this test, I would recommend trying to remove some of the “links” in the chain of communication and see how things perform. So the next round of tests should resemble the following:
- Try with just the Airport Extreme.
- How do things perform? Better, worse, or the same? If things perform better…
- Try with the Airport Extreme and the time capsule.
- How do things perform? Better, worse, or the same?
Note that I am leaving out the third scenario (Airport Extreme + Extender #1 (Time capsule) + Extender #2 (Airport Express)) because that is the currently configuration in place and is having issues.
-Eric
i am having trouble getting the time capsule to not extend the network but i am not sure if you guys can help with that or not. I have the option to have the airport express join the network instead of extend it, is that what i want? the time capsule does not have the option to join only create, extend, and off but when I set it to off i get an unexpected error and it get disconnetd from the network and i have to reset it back to how it was before.
The same thing happens to the airport express when I try to turn the wireless off it just disconnects from the network so now I don’t know what to do.
Hi @Todd_Sevig ---- Thank you for follow up with me. Just to make sure that I am understanding this correctly. When performing the first test:
- Try with just the Airport Extreme.
Are you not able to turn off the Time Capsule and the Airport express to just use the Airport extreme?
- When you perform this test you need to make sure that under the WiFi settings on the device hosting your core (iMac) and the bridge device (MacBook), are both getting their Wifi signal via the Airport Extreme. If those device are looking for the Time Capsule or the Airport Express, they will not be able to connect.
-Eric
I unplugged the airport express and the time capsule and now everything is connecting to the AirPort Extreme and I am still getting frequent dropouts and error messages.
Hi @Todd_Sevig ---- Thank you for touching base. How is locally stored content behaving under these conditions?
-Eric
