2. pc-audio
  3. 1101741686

USB Soundcards - faint popping/clicks

I am currently using a G4 iBook 933 MHz and have my new Waveterminal U24 connected to a DAC and Headphone Amplifier. The sound is really fantastic. I do notice every minute or so, I get a very faint pop or click sound. Sometimes I go longer without hearing it, but it occurs often enough that I notice it. I have tried to research this and there seems to be an opinion that this is just a USB audio problem and nothing can be done. I have experimented with settings. I have more than enough RAM than I know what to do with. I am using iTunes and so there really aren't any settings to adjust there except turning off all of the enhancements.

Anyway, anybody have any suggestions for USB audio pops?
dshea_32665
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,139 posts
 
The only other thing I could recommend is making sure you have all the upgrades for whatever version of OS X you're using. This doesn't mean you have to upgrade to the latest version, but that for whatever version you are using that it has all the software upgrades.
dshea_32665 OP
28 posts
 
Problem fixed. I recorded into the unit for the first time. This process must have reset a driver or something. The unit was restored to its original settings before I download the problem unneeded driver.

Pops are gone and I am happy.

dshea
fishpatrol
30 posts
 
I'm still building my first system, toying with using a Mac for playback. Anyone here A/B their Waveterminal>DAC against some other transport and the same DAC? I'd be very interested in what you've heard.

Also considering hooking up the Mac to an HDTV for watching movies. Yes, in 2-channel, that's fine with me. Wondering if Mac>Waveterminal>DAC>Amp might push the audio out of sync with the video. Any first-hand experience with this?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
If you defrag the disk and kill all other applications except the player, you should not get pops and ticks. I was getting pops and then they went away after I defragged. After I installed Turbotax and left it running, the pops came back.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Manufacturer/modder
More to discover