· New here so be gentle… Roon seems to be adding a click track/metronome click to music now when I send Airplay to an Airplay (1) receiving device (what I have in my office). It happens with Roon playing Qobuz and with Qobuz but not Apple Music. I thought restarting the mac mini fixed it but, it does not. (Regardless, this needs a permanent fix.) Does anyone know the cause and how to stop it? This is new behavior this past week. Roon on Mac mini M1, macOS 15.7.2, Airplay version 1 (so 16/44 lossless) not Airplay 2.
Hi @Quartet, welcome to the Roon Community — and thanks for the clear description.
Let’s try to narrow down where the click/metronome sound is being introduced.
A few clarifying questions that will help:
Does the clicking occur only when using AirPlay, or do you hear it as well if you play to:
System Output on the Mac mini, or
Any non-AirPlay endpoint (if available)?
When this happens, does the clicking persist:
Across all tracks, or only certain albums/tracks?
At the same tempo, regardless of the music?
In Roon, under Settings → Audio → AirPlay, are there any DSP features enabled (DSP Engine, volume leveling, headroom management, etc.), or is DSP completely disabled?
Just to confirm: this does not occur when playing the same content via:
Apple Music to the same AirPlay (1) device, correct?
What is the exact make and model of the AirPlay (1) receiving device you’re using in your office?
Please reproduce the issue once more and let us know the exact timestamp (date and time) when you hear the clicking, so we can correlate it with diagnostic data.
Since this started only within the past week, it may be related to a recent macOS update, an AirPlay timing issue, or an interaction between Roon’s audio pipeline and AirPlay.
Once we have the answers above, we can determine whether this is an AirPlay-specific clocking issue, a DSP interaction, or something else entirely and advise on next steps.
Here are the answers to your AI generated list of questions…
1-5 answers are just for reference for Roon. But 6 may suggest an answer. 1. Only Roon. Only Airplay. But, I only play to that from my home office mac, which is also the Roon server, via Airplay. I barely use it except for web, email, music ripping, nothing nuts. 2. All. Same tempo. 3. No. 4. As I said, it is only Roon. 5. Airport Express v2, firmware 7.6.9 (Airplay v1), all other features off. Only Airplay receiving via ethernet. Rock solid. Not the issue.
6. And, of course, like a sick kid at the doctor, it is not happening today. If it happens in the next 6 days, I will let you know. However…
I just remembered that the click is identical to a Toslink pulse when no audio is linking to any Toslink device. I have just never heard it while the music is playing! Perhaps there is something Apple Music and their macOS audio processor does to correct it whereas Roon in hog mode/exclusive mode does not (when it happens?) Assuming, you guys do not use the Apple audio chip to process it?
I tried something new in that I added a subscription URL (PLS) to Roon for a radio station that sends FLAC lossless. It happens in that too. So the source is not the issue it is something from Airplay that Roon is inserting.
Time: 11:13:13 Dec. 16. but it also happened in Roon the day before just playing Qobuz. It seems to come and go and level might have something to do with it as during quiet piano passages, it is less apparent or I can’t always hear it. but the, BAM, I clearly hear it. Tock, tock, tock.
Can you please try to experiment with other thing.
Do you mind setting the Speaker of your MacOS as AirPort Express like on the screenshot below and then in Roon set the audio output as “System output”.
Only happens with Roon to Airplay. I tried all combos of settings and you name it and have.
AI indicates it is likely caused by Roon not quite getting something right, probably after a recent update. Since my DAC is very precise, it is picking up this mistake by Roon.
AI said Roon needs to address it.
What I’m asking you to check will make your mac to AirPlay the content and not Roon. And the result will help us to understand whether it is only Roon’s Airport delivery causing problems or Mac’s Airplay too.
This helps to narrow down the scope of the issue and help us to investigate the problem.
Mostly it has mistakes. However, Roon is acting too slowly to help me resolve this. I had to do what I have a my disposal to do something. I am on a trial and, I certainly cannot decide to keep Roon based on this problem. I spend hours in my office. The system works great and has for years and still does. It is Roon and I need them to get serious with me.
— and thanks for the clear description.
