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

Showing 3 responses by audioengr

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Your DAC may be clipping.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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
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
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