Topic: RME ADI-2 PRO FS: shrieking noise + distorted sound during playback
Hello everyone & apologies in advance for the long read but please bear with me.
A couple of months back I bought a RME ADI-2 PRO FS from an authorized local dealer.
I've been using it ever since.
I didn't encounter any problems until 2 days ago when I couldn't help notice the appearance of random pops & clicks in some tracks I am very accustomed with, and knew without shadow of a doubt that those pops & clicks shouldn't be there.
Intrigued, I initially thought it was me, being tired or something similar.
The phenomenon repeated itself so often that I couldn't validate that hypothesis anymore and started researching into the issue.
So I started by narrowing the playlist significantly, allowing only those tracks that seemed to me to generate the most pops & clicks.
All of a sudden, the rather annoying pops & clicks "evolved" into massive distortion of sound accompanied by a... shrieking noise.
At first I couldn't believe this was actually happening since I never experienced anything remotely similar with any equipment I had used before.
Since this type of occurrence became rather the norm than the exception in the past 48 hours, I filmed 5 such events.
Since there is only one link allowed, I will post the 5th only in this post.
5. Clip #5
At 4m:33s I refresh the link and audio comes back to normal.
Excuse the poor quality, I used a mobile phone.
I believe the most suggestive clips are #1, #3 & #5. (nvm, I can only post 1 url per post)
My setup:
17'' laptop HP ZBook G2
Windows 10 Pro, v1903 (build 18362.476)
RME ADI-2 PRO FS (firmware USB 213@DSP 97, driver 0.9685@25.06.2019)
RME ADI-2 PRO FS used exclusively in USB mode
DIGICheck installed and functioning
My old DAC/Amplifier combo OPPO HA-1
What I have tried already and didn't work:
1. Tried to find some tracks that would easily reproduce the shrieking noise & distorted sound.
Those tracks are DARKTHRONE: Boreal Fiends & Snø Og Granskog.
2. Checked if the physical audio files are damaged or the HDD/SSD has issues.
None found.
3. Changed player in which those tracks are being played.
Changed from Groove to Foobar2000 with and without ASIO plugin.
4. Tried eliminating the physical file part altogether by playing the same 2 tracks in a streaming service.
Deezer playing via Chrome browser manifests the same issue.
5. Noticing the above, tried YouTube and observed the problem persists (see Clip #5).
6. Tried using Microsoft Edge instead of Chrome and Netflix instead of YouTube.
7. Changed headphones from Focal Clear Pro -> Sennheiser HD 800s -> Sennheiser HD 650 -> Sennheiser HD 600.
All headphones are affected.
8. Changed sample rate in MADIface from 44.1 to 48.
9. Unplugged the left and the right headphone in order to properly detect if both are affected. They are. On all aforementioned headphones. (Clip #5)
10. Unplugged the headphone and plugged it back in the same slot or the other front slot (3/4 and 1/2). Dual Phones option turned on. (Clip #5)
11. Dual Phones option turned off. Used only 3/4 slot on all aforementioned headphones.
12. Changed USB ports.
13. Changed USB cables. Actually swapped them between RME and OPPO.
14. Restarted Windows
What I have tried and worked:
1. Turned off & on RME ADI-2 PRO FS via button. Works every time.
2. Changed audio track or browse within the current track. Works intermittently independently of player used, be it Groove, Foobar2000, Windows Media Player or some streamer service in Chrome or Edge.
3. Waited for some time, seconds or minutes without turning the RME unit off. Works intermittently.
4. Used OPPO HA-1 with both USB cables and all headphones
I observed the MADIface for USB diagnosis and not one single time an error was reported.
I also tried observing DIGIcheck for any change in the spectral analysis when the noise occurred.
Couldn't notice anything out of order but I can easily record the screen when that happens and submit it to your analysis.
I seem to be running out of options.
Any help or suggestion is appreciated.
Thank you kindly.