2. digital
  3. 1339518142

Airport Express clicking sound

I'm hearing a clicking or popping noise when using my Airport Express. It only happens on very "pure" sounds, like a high trumpet or a high soprano. Perhaps it is occurring other times but I can't hear it then.

I'm going from iTunes on a laptop to the Airport Express, digital out to a DacMagic. I know it's not the DAC, as I burned the same files to CD and played it through a CD player hooked up optically to the DacMagic, and no problems. I also tested the same files going directly from an iPod Touch to the Airport Express.

The only other thing it could be is the router, but I don't have a second router to test with. Any ideas of what's going on?
markhyams
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Jdoris - skipping is usually caused by the playback software and hardware. The latency is too large for it to keep-up. This can be caused by network congestion if you are using the bridge, or by competing applications on the computer, or slower front-side-bus and small DRAM size with USB.

Which interface are you using on the PWD?

Clipping is usually indicated by ticks on only the louder passages and transients.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,426 posts
 
I had dropouts from time to time on Airport Express digital outs but it stopped after I installed stronger 802.11 transmitter (USB adapter) setting it to transmit on 2.4GHz and 5GHz simultaneously (AE listens on both by default). I don't know if AE receives anything on 5GHz (my router is only 2.4GHz) or is it better transmitter (MacMini has just short piece of wire for antenna inside), but dropouts are completely gone. MacMini's internal Wi-Fi transmitter (Airport) is disabled (won't work with two networks). Dropouts were just gaps lasting 1-2 seconds and not clicks. AE has about 2-3 second buffer judging by amount of time it plays after shutting down transmitter.
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
Markhyams: I had something similar when I first hooked up my computer. I thought my computer out had too much gain??? I don't know if that's the correct terminology but when I lowered the output volume on the computer to %75, the noises went away. Go in your settings and try that.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Devilboy - lowering the digital volume is never a good idea. Good thing to avoid unless you want to lose all of the good things in the music. about -9dB is the most you ever want to reduce volume digitally.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
jdoris
972 posts
 
Thanks Steve!

PSA suggested I approach the skipping as a PC problem, so I: upgraded the system in my MACbook, updated to latest Itunes, put in new memory (8GB), and replaced the external drive on which I store my music. I also did an activity search, to make sure other programs were not running and interfering.

This did not help, nor did swapping out USB cables, so I remained suspicious of the DAC, especially since the problem started when I installed the PWD MKII upgrade.

I therefore obtained another DAC (PSA DL III) and switched it into the system -- that appears to have resolved the problem.

I suspect it is something to do with the USB in to the DAC, since the problem did not occur when I connected a CDP transport via coax.

Curious if you have any further thoughts; I'll be in touch with PSA presently.

John
More to discover