TOPIC: crack/plop noise when starting a track? SHD Studio

Hello,

I have a new SHD Studio, connected digitally via AES to some active speakers. So far everything is working fine and sounding good. But when I start a new track or skip to another track or skip inside of one track a small crack or plopp noise is played before the music starts. It does not occur when continuesly playing some tracks.

I cannot remember that I did hear this issue when I had a SHD Studio for testing here. some weeks ago So maybe it has to do with the new firmware? Or is there something I could check? Does anybody have these noises, too?

I am streaming via Bubble UPnP Server most of the time from qobuz and a local NAS.

Gert

I may be wrong but I think I remember reading that this issues occurs when going between tracks with different bit depth/sample rate?

Thanks for your response.

I do not think that it has to do with different sampling depth/rates because it occurs when navigating back or forward inline a track, too. Also when skipping to a next track of the same album that usually (but not necessarily) has the same stream quality.

I will try around a little bit. Maybe I can find what the reason could be.

Gert

Hi

I have the exact same issue and setup as you.

SHD studio to Genelec speakers via AES/EBU.

I stream from Tidal and Spotify connect, and the popping noise comes when manually skipping tracks, or starting a new track.
This happens with Dirac on and off. I Even have a preset without Dirac, and the popping noise is present here as well.

Brumle

Hi Brumle,

do you know if this issue is new with firmware 1.21 or did you have it with 1.19, too?

Gert

Hi all,

Exact same problem here with my SHD Studio FW 1.21 using Spotify, this is really annoying. I can't comment about 1.19 as my SHD was shipped already with 1.21.

I downgraded to fw 1.19 and the issue is present with that fw as well.
I just changed to active speakers and got aware of the popping noise. Maybe it's more noticeable with the new speakers. But I have sold my old rig, so I cannot compare.

Thanks, Brumle, for testing 1.19. This was on my to do list.

I wonder that this did not help, because I really hadn't noticed this noise when I had the testing device here with 1.19.

Did you also load the DSP code into the Studio again with the old firmware andvthe old SHD plugin software? Maybe this does change something?

Gert

Well, perhaps more probably it is an issue in the streaming component. Did get volumio an update, too? But I do not know if this is downgradable somehow?

I am going to buy SHD studio and use AES output to dynaudio core 59.
This incident makes me a little worried.

I now have opened a support ticket and will report back when I get an answer.

The minidsp support answered very positively: A new Software ist available in the user downloads with a new DSP firmware 1.15. I have tried it and it works. No cracking anymore when starting a track. Great.

Wow, that is great news!
Looking forward to test it out when I'm done at work!

Just tested it and problem is now solved. Thx devs!

I think it is still not perfect though. The crack/plop noise is gone, but sometimes a small stuttering occurs on track start. I will contact the support again.