dropout streaming

Are you using Wi-Fi without an Ethernet cable to your streamer?

If you are using WIfi, get an analyzer to make sure you have a strong signal without competing broadcasts on the same channel.

@soix 

+1  Typical built in WiFi receivers do not work well. On my Aurlic Aries G2, I found it much more reliable to use a wall wart wifi extender and a cable to the streamer than using it’s internal internal WiFi receiver.

Also lower end streamers don’t cashed the data and are much more suceptable to small short disruptions in signal. My two Aurenders work flawlessly when I can’t ever refresh a page on my iPad. They make up for all sorts of deficiencies in the network.

+1, @ghdprentice 

Lower end streamers don’t buffer or cache data stream as good as some of the high end streamers. Even an entry level streamer from Aurender, like N150 would yield much more stable and high resolution streaming experience over your Node. A wired Ethernet connection is highly recommended for any high resolution streaming system. 

BTW, you have a gorgeous audio system. 
 

my bluesound is Wired, not WiFI, and has EtherREGEN upstream

I dont recall this  being a problem when  I used the Benchmark DAC 3b.....I need to go back to that and see if the problem persists

Could also check some of the settings on the Bluesound. 

i.e. turn off wifi, and bluetooth capability.

In Quobuz, it all depends on which tracks you're listening too. Many of their selections are inferior to most of the streaming services. Only pop selections are OK.

IMHO, Quobuz is the most overrated streaming service. 

There are settings in Qobuz you can adjust if you’re getting dropouts.  Can’t remember what they are but definitely worth looking into.  And I disagree with everything @czarivey said regarding Qobuz and think he’s in the extreme minority here in his opinion — he can’t even spell it correctly.

+1 @soix 

It's almost certainly a network issue or a suboptimal configuration of Qobuz. In streaming, good networking conquers all.

SO, the problem is ONLY with this particular DAC; when I switch back to my Benchmark, it does not occur....I dont want to say anything negative about the DAC brand, as so far the owner of the company has been responsive and I am sure it will  be addressed adequately...I have no clue how to explain why the  dropout only happens with certain  tracks, or why, on those tracks, it recurs in the  same places.....

I'm new to Qobuz,  but spelling aside, have read on many sites that many users seem to think that Qobuz at it's best is the best streaming, but that their quality is quite inconsistent...long time Tidal user , but now signed up for a year of Roon and Qobuz in addition so I can it figure out ...

@jl35 , well, I have never had a complaint during my experience with Qobuz, and Im 99.99% certain my current problem is NOT Qobuz

sorry if I was unclear...I was referring to previous mentions of sound quality...I have no clue as to the problem you're having...

If using Roon where is your Roon database?  I had a similar problem and ended up moving to a dedicated music server from Small Green Computer (i5).  Prior to moving I was running Roon on my MacBook which was using Wi-Fi.  Now run Roon app on phone, MacBook, etc with the Roon database on the i5 which is hard wired to my network.  Also need a streamer which buffers.  I’ve found many companies selling DAC’s really don’t know / invest much in streamer cards solutions.   I moved to Bricasti.  High quality build with excellent streamer.  All residential internet services experience wait times, gaps, channel overloads and interrupts because of competing network connections.  Again look for a streamer company that understands networking and builds buffering into their solutions.

@jw944ts 

Sounds like you may have gotten a bad unit. Does it happen with the other digital inputs as well on the problem DAC (if there are multiple)?

The manufacturer seems to be exploring the possibility that my streamer has too

much jitter, but I am skeptical. I don’t get dropout on my other DAC. I will try another streamer soon .  I don’t get dropout when I use it as DAC for CD playback