For the last c. 2 months I have had an intermittent issue with what can only be described as a “crackling” sound when I play music through my Rossini DAC. I have checked all of the connections. I have removed the Rossini Clock from the system and I have used a temporary replacement DAC. I did not experience the crackling issue with the replacement DAC, so the issue appears to lie with the Rossini DAC. I am listening to music at the moment and am experiencing the issue constantly. This issue occurs on both files from my library and with files stramed from Tidal Music. I use Roon on an Antipodes Audio K50. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Mark.
Can you try to replace the ethernet cable into your Rossini DAC, to see if the issue is there?
Just to clarify, The K50 is connected to the router. The K50 is connected to the Rossini DAC using a USB cable.
Then please try to remove the USB cable from your K50 to your Rossini DAC, and connect the Rossini by ethernet cable to the router. This is the preferred connection.
1 Like
Sorry I have started two threads at the same time. This is regarding the “crackling” issue. I have tried all connections, including ethernet. I have also tried with and without the Rossini Clock and the issue remains. When I changed to a temporary DAC, I no longer had the intermittent crackling issue.
Did you try to reboot the Rossini, by switching off from the back, wait a minute, and switch back on?
Many thanks, Ermos. I have changed DACs on more than one occasion, so I have, in effect, re-booted the Rossini. At the moment I am listening to the temporary DAC. I will re-try the Rossini tomorrow.
Hi,
Just so everyone’s aware, we do have a [email protected] email address that can be used to flag issues or put in a support request which then immediately pops up on our desks jumping up and down making increasingly excited squeaking noises just to make sure that one of us gets right on it… 
(Thanks for flagging this @Ermos …)
OK … (he says, leaning back in his chair and cracking his knuckles)
So … a few possibilities and we need to find out where to go with this.
Firstly … is this with ALL different file formats or just with some file formats? Is it just with DSD files? Is it with DSD files and PCM files? Is it just PCM files? Is it with all different sample rates and resolutions of files or is it just with some sample rates and resolutions?
Secondly … do you have any overall upsampling selected and if so, to what? DSD? DXD?
If you do have upsampling enabled what happens if you switch it from DSD to DXD or vice versa (DXD to DSD)?
What happens if you switch off upsampling (if you have it enabled)?
What happens if you change between the different filter settings? Do the different filter settings make a difference to this crackling sound?
I promise you that these are not just the random rambling questions of a total buffoon here and they do have a purpose … well, they are questions and I can ramble and I may be a buffoon but they’re definitely not random!
Phil
2 Likes
Many thanks, Phil. I will try and answer as many of your questions as I can. For others, I will have to experiment with the Rossini, but unfortunately, I will be out most of today.
As far as I know, don’t really use DSD files. I mostly play .WAV and .FLAC from a hard drive and streamed files from Tidal Music.
It seems to occur with all sample rates.
I do not have any upsampling selected.
I haven’t changed the filter settings. I will try to experiment with those tomorrow.
I will post again tomorow.
…also is the “crackling” consistent?
i.e. if you get a crackle when you play a track and you then play that track again does it still crackle in that track every time you play it and does it always crackle in the same place every time you play it?
Cheers
Phil
I have set up the Rossini again, connecting to the Antipodes K50 with a BNC cable (Rossini input SPDIF2). I have listened to several hours of music today, but have not been able to re-create the “crackling” issue. I will try again tomorrow. I think, though, that when the crackling starts, it continues through the rest of the listening session, and affects every track played. Cheers. Mark.
Sorry I did not post again yesterday. I have once again, listened to several hours of music, both yesterday and today, and have not had the crackling issue again. I have used both a BNC cable and a RCA cable (Rossini inputs SPDIF2 and SPDIF1). After not having the issue yesterday, I put the DCS Clock back in the system today for an uplift in sound quality. I am still unsure as to what created the crackling issue, but at the moment, I will not be returning to USB, as the digital inputs are better (in my opinion, of course). I will leave it there for now, but will continue to monitor things, and will post again if I experience any further issues. Thank you everybody for your help.
Hello again. Sorry for the delay in replying. I am even more confused than ever. I have stayed on input SPDIF1. For at least two days, there was no “crackling”. I’m sure I played .WAV and .FLAC files from my library, plus .FLAC (MQA and non-MQA) from Tidal Music. Then, a couple of days ago, the crackling started again. I swapped out the Rossini DAC for the replacement DAC, and there was no crackling. Yesterday, I put the Rossini back in, and changed the filter to 2 and there was no crackling. Today, as soon as I started playing music, the crackling started (still on Filter 2). I played some music from two .FLAC files and they both crackled. I switched to a .WAV file and there was no crackling. I have switched back to the two .FLAC files and they both continued to crackle, but the .WAV file was ok. I have continued to play both .FLAC and .WAV files. The last .FLAC file I played did not crackle. So, as I said, I am still confused, but will continue to experiment and I will make notes.
Hi Mark,
OK … so this is getting to the point where it’s looking quite involved.
Is it crackling on both channels?
I think I need to get you to try to grab me a phone video / audio recording of the crackling if you can and get it to [email protected] …
BR
Phil
Many thanks for your replyl. It is very much appreciated. I will try and get a recording, but I will be out for most of today and all day tomorrow. so it will not be for a few days. Also, I am not very
technical, so I will see what I can do.
The crackling is on both channels.
Kind regards,
Mark.