I have recently installed and set up Roon 1.8 in my home and I’m having issues with one specific device. I have several devices including a NAD M10, KEF LSX, and various Sonos Speakers and Amp. I am ONLY having an issue with the M10.
System info: Roon Server installed and running exclusively on a SSD updated Mac mini Late-2014. Gigabit Ethernet Wired connection for both the Mac mini and NAD M10. NAD M10 is running full version of Dirac.
Some music is displaying weird artifacts, mostly noticeable on softer, quieter music. These artifacts are small static and/or warbling sounds. They seem to be random by song but are reproducible and predictable in any certain song. ie. If they appear at the 23 second mark of a particular track it will always appear at the 23 second mark of that track.
If I play the exact same track, via my library or Tidal, via BluOS or Tidal Direct I do not get any artifacts.
My M10 Audio Device settings in Roon are the default settings and I am not using any DSP processing.
Is this with Dirac on or off? Cause I had similar issues with my NAD C658 when I did a sloppy Dirac configuration. It also helps if you limit the frequency band to a bit above what your speakers are actually capable of playing (ie: I set Dirac to 45Hz to 20kHz for my Monitor Audio Gold 200 speakers, which are rated at 35Hz to 50kHz).
Hope this helps. Otherwise I’d suggest contacting NAD.
Just an update. The issue has been resolved. After much troubleshooting, I was forced to Factory Reset the NAD M10. After reset and update process and reinstalling Dirac filters it appears the audio glitches are gone. Neither myself, nor NAD, can make a determination of what the underlying issue was other than “something” in the DSP of the M10 had got out of whack and was conflicting with Roon.
I my experience owning both the M10 and the 658, most of the odd sound problems seem to start with changes in bit rate and or sampling frequency, with the shift to MQA seeming to present an even greater challenge. Updates seem to have reduced the frequency of these events over time. In addition there is a setting for these players that allows for a time delay with changes to bit rate and sample frequency. I think mine are set to 5000ms at present and almost never have these issues any more.
Bizarrely enough, we have experienced the same thing with our demo Arcam SA30, and also only when Dirac was engaged.
Factory reset and all good again.
Crazy.