Random crackles sounds in speakers only using Roon

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number):
iMac 27, Mac OS mojave 10.14.6, 3,2 GHz Intel Core i5, RAM 32 Go 1600 MHz DDR3. Roon version 1.7 (built 667)

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
All network wired 1 Gb/s cat 6e, except Blue Sound Pulse Mini in wifi.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
Living room: Blue Node 2 in Ethernet with audio quest RJE diamond, Allas Mavros coax cable to DAC Heed Abacus, Classé CAP 2100 with Atlas Cables Mavros Ultra Grun, B&W 800 diamond with Atlas Mavros 4:4

Bedroom: Blue Sound Pulse mini wifi.

Description Of Issue

I am using Roon since 2 years and i was very pleased with a fantastic sound quality. Around 2 weeks ago i had 2 releases, one from Roon with the built 667 and one from Blue sound player with BluOS 3.12.2 ( Now we are at 3.12.6)
Since those releases i have some random crackles in the speakers when i am playing music with Roon (streaming from Qobuz or from my library), as well playing in the living room (ethernet) as in the bedroom (wifi).
But I don’t have any crackles when playing the same tracks music using BluOs app or from my CD player in the living room, or in bluetooth with the qobuz app.
I didn’t change any set up as well in Roon as in the Blue Node player, Since 2 weeks I am checking connection and rebooting everything, but i found no clue to explain this sudden phenomenon.

i hope someone is able to help me to find a way to resolve this issue which spoils the Roon used.

Sincerely

Guy
PS: i am french sorry for my english which is not my native language.

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, does this happen if you play to any endpoint, including system output?

Hi Nuwriy,
Thanks for your quick answer. Crackle sounds in the speakers happen as well in the living room (blue node 2 with ethernet connection) as in the bedroom (blue sound pulse mini wifi connection), but only with the Roon app. No crackles if i used the bluOS app.
I tried this morning to play Roon on my computer (which is Roon Core) on system output, and i don’t have crackles even if the sound is awful.
My router is connected with fiber optics (951 Mbit/s in average), the router ethernet port deliver 1Gb/s, and wifi is on average around 200 Mbit/s.
I hope those informations will help you to find a solution.

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, and thanks for the update! Now that we’ve confirmed system output works, do you have the node 2 connected to the router or the core? Also, could you please send me a screenshot of your signal path to the node 2? Thanks!

Good morning Nuwriy,

The node 2 is connected to the router, and my core is also connected with the router. Everything in ethernet.
here the signal path

and the audio setup in Roon for the Node 2


Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, and thanks for the screenshot! Does this only happen with FLAC files? How about local content?

Good morning, it happens with any kind of files: streaming from qobuz (FLAC) or from my library (FLAC or AIFF or mp4)
I have the feeling that when i play music from Roon the wired network seems to be saturated, if i play music with bluos no issue.
Before the last Roon release and the bluos release everything was working fine as well with Roon as bluos.

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, have you verified that your endpoints are updated in the BluOS app? Also, could you please give your network a quick reboot and see if the issue still occurs?

Hello Nurwiy, thanks for your kind email, but please read my 1st post and you have all the answers you asked since few days; Yes all the end points are at the lest released bluos 3.12.6, Yes the network was reboot several time, and nothing change.
The random crackles sound start with the last Roon release built 667, which was almost the same day of the bluos release 3.12.2.
It seems the release built 667 is saturated my network (everything wired in 6e), with a deterioration of the sound quality.
Is there any setup or improvement i need to do to avoid the bad sound quality?

Thanks in advance for solutions you can give me.

Are you doing any dsp functions like eq?

Hello, thanks for your post.

No i have no dsp functions on, as well in Roon as in bluos for the blue sound node 2.

This is why i don’t understand how the sound quality suddenly change with the built 667 release.
Now I have the feeling when using Roon my wired connection is saturated.

If you have any advice, I will be so happy.

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus,

Roon build 667 did not contain any changes in the audio playback system, so it is unlikely that this is the cause of your issues.

Can you try rebooting your Mac, Router, and Bluesound devices to see if this fixes the issue?

Do you experience this issue if you play to the “System Output” zone of your iMac?

-John

Hello John,
i have reboot everything and nothing change. But i have no crackles if I play music on the system output of my Mac.
I think this show my issue is coming from my wired network, but what I don’t understand it is why i didn’t have it during 2 years.
Is there something I can add to the network which can help the solve the issue?

Thanks

Guy

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, and thanks for trying that! Could you tell us what model router you have?

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Hi,

my router is coming from France it’s a Lifebox 4 from Sercom which was deliver from my fiberoptic internet provider (Orange).
Please find the technical specifications:

Hello @Guy_Neuhaus, could you please reproduce the issue one more time and reply here with a timestamp (your local time) when you do? I’d like to enable diagnostics for your account, thanks!

Hello, sorry for my late answer but I was not at home for a couple of week
I have reproduce the issue today on december the 2nd between 6pm and 6h45 pm local time Paris, France
I could notice again random crackles sound with Roon and no issue with bluos.
Thanks for your diagnostics
Best regards

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A post was split to a new topic: Crackling with bluesound devices

It’s true there is several people having the same issue, but no solutions at this time. Perhaps the diagnostic which going to be realized by Nuwriy will find a way to resolve it. Me too i reboot everything several time but nothing change.I also checked the speed of my wired ethernet cat 7 and every
where i have a speed above 900 Mb/s.
It s very strange because the issue start with the release built 667, before every thing was perfect.

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This is the same issue as i had and others have lately with the Bluesound Node 2i with S/PDIF.
I suspect a problem with a recent update.

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/pop-noises-on-node-2i/130300/6