advertisement


Sound Quality from DAC/Headphones

Paulq2

Paulq2

pfm Member
I recently bought an RME ADI-2 DAC to handle desktop listening via headphones. It's connected to an iMac via USB and I listen to a combination of Tidal, music stored on NAS and Qobuz. I often use Audirvana to handle playback of all of them.

I am noticing interference on almost all the music I listen to. The best way to describe it is like a crackling/popping sound in the background. I've used a new USB cable in case that was the culprit but no change. All the connections are nice and tight.

Any idea what may be causing it and how I can eliminate it?
 
Just guessing and I'd be surprised if it were the case but I recently had crackling issues through the phono input on my amp, which were down to using homeplugs to pipe the internet signal through the house mains wiring.

Have your iMac and DAC got optical ports you could try? Perhaps there is noise via the USB output.

Or another PC or CD player with digital output you could plug into the DAC to see if the noise is from the iMac?
 
deebster said:
Just guessing and I'd be surprised if it were the case but I recently had crackling issues through the phono input on my amp, which were down to using homeplugs to pipe the internet signal through the house mains wiring.

Have your iMac and DAC got optical ports you could try? Perhaps there is noise via the USB output.

Or another PC or CD player with digital output you could plug into the DAC to see if the noise is from the iMac?
Click to expand...

I had a similar experience when I had a turntable/phono stage.

Could it be a driver issue?
 
deebster said:
Just guessing and I'd be surprised if it were the case but I recently had crackling issues through the phono input on my amp, which were down to using homeplugs to pipe the internet signal through the house mains wiring.

Have your iMac and DAC got optical ports you could try? Perhaps there is noise via the USB output.

Or another PC or CD player with digital output you could plug into the DAC to see if the nose is from the iMac?
Click to expand...

I suspect that you may be right and that the iMac is the guilty party. The DAC has optical in but previous experiments with this have been less than successful as I am reliant on it playing nicely with the iMac's digital out which doubles as its headphone jack. It may be something I am doing but I have never been able to get that to work well.

Is there anything that would suppress the noise from the USB?
 
chartz said:
Sorry. But sound quality wise there is no advantage to adding a DAC to a perfectly audio capable computer. I know, I've tried.
Does the audio out of the iMac work fine?
Click to expand...

I really didn't want this to descend into another 'Are Dac's worth it?' thread so if we can stick to the question I asked that would be most welcome. I respect your opinion, even if I disagree, but I am asking a different question. What's causing the noise and how can I eliminate it?

Thanks.
 
I use a cheapo Behringer 202 DAC as a USB to optical converter for my Mac mini. Never had noise like you have on digital though, just felt that optical was the best input on the DAC and for the £20 outlay fancied trying it that way rather than optical out of the mini.

To use the optical out on the mini I need a mini toslink adaptor on the end of the cable. Sorry if this is telling you what you know already but a standard optical cable won't work in Apple's joint audio and optical port, if it's the same one I have that is.
 
deebster said:
I use a cheapo Behringer 202 DAC as a USB to optical converter for my Mac mini. Never had noise like you have on digital though, just felt that optical was the best input on the DAC and for the £20 outlay fancied trying it that way rather than optical out of the mini.

To use the optical out on the mini I need a mini toslink adaptor on the end of the cable. Sorry if this is telling you what you know already but a standard optical cable won't work in Apple's joint audio and optical port, if it's the same one I have that is.
Click to expand...

That I use to digitally record streamed music from the Mac and it works perfectly.
 
Of the 3 USB ports on my laptop only 1 provides a passable output for music, the other 2 are unlistenable. As you're in the Mac world I realise the answer is likley to be "No", but do you have other USB ports you could try?
 
I don't know how to fix it, but if I were you I'd test the DAC with another source, and likewise the Mac with another DAC, to try to narrow it down.

I'd also try contacting RME directly and asking their opinion. There might be some known driver/compatibility issues when used with a Mac.
 
simon g said:
Many report that this type of product works well for your type of problem. Not tried myself, but worth having a read around perhaps?

https://ifi-audio.com/digital/
Click to expand...

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/ifi-dc-ipurifier-power-filter-review.10786/

"Conclusions
As electronics and audio theory would tell us, a device like iPurifier does nothing useful for the sound you hear. Marketing material talks about what the device does as far as filtering. But nothing is shown as far as the measured impact on the output of an audio device. And rightfully so because there likely isn't any improvement.

Of course, if you bought this device and plugged it, you immediately hear better bass, more air, more microdynamics and resolution. All of that happens not because the device made these changes, but because when you focus on what a device does, you listen differently. When the sound waves coming out of an audio device has not changed, the only thing that must have, is your perception.

Needless to say, you should not waste your money on such tweaks. You can get a great DAC for the same price as this dongle that doesn't care about USB power quality.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I can not recommend the ifi DC iPurifier. If you have to throw away your money, give it to a needed charity."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top