• Registered: 2024-04-27
  • Posts: 3

Topic: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

Hi RME forum!

After searching topics and the web, I could not come to any helpful conclusion (unless I overlooked something) so here is my situation:

For a week now, I have been hearing clipping and popping through the headphone outputs. This happens much more often during web browsing or anything that does not use ASIO. With ASIO in use with Musicbee and Qobuz, I do hear a tiny bit of noise. This happens in both channels but more often in the right one, in the case of using it with my laptop the issue becomes much worse to the point that dac is unusable. Just to note, I am running the most up-to-date driver and firmware and have been before this issue occurred. My dac is also one of those models that use an AKM chip (not sure which from the top of my head but most likely the more recent one) if this information matters.

I also use Auto Ref. mode and I listen to -34 dBr, occasionally -32 depending on the music.

Now, I had several assumptions of what could be causing my issues:
- Headphones or its cable
- My PC
- The usb cable connecting my dac
- The dac itself
- Static

Here are the things I tested or tried to get rid of the problem so far:
- Dedusting everything around my components more thoroughly than ever...
- Tried the IEM output (same issue, although less noticeable with the lower volume)
- A different usb cable
- Using it with my laptop instead (unbearable distortion and noise to the point my dac is unusable with Qobuz)
- Using my headphones with my interface instead (no issues)
- Changing the USB port
- Updating Nvidia drivers (with suggestions from other threads on how to do so), also reinstalling RME drivers
- Checking the status screen for any errors (there were none during every case)

None of these have worked or even helped with the issue. Based on all these I can not figure out what is causing the issue, I've been sleeping on this issue for a week now thinking it must be placebo, but after how my dac behaved on my laptop which has never happened before I became very concerned and I can not overlook it anymore. Based on my testing I suspect my dac having an issue.

I want to find out what the issue is and put an end to it but I just do not know where to begin anymore. If you need any more info please let me know and I appreciate all the help.

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-04-27 08:39:08)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,183

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

You didn't mention it clearly, but you seem to have an ADI-2 DAC FS, right?
What headphones are you using, the normal ones and you also mentioned IEM.

Can you please give an overview what PC and OS version you are using?
Laptop or Desktop. CPU, Mainboard, Windows version?

The ASIO driver that you refer to in the text is MADIface v 0.9833?

Regarding cabling, how long is the USB2 cable? 5m is the maximum.

Did you try all USB2 and USB3 ports of your computer? Does the issue change then?

> For a week now, I have been hearing clipping and popping through the headphone outputs.
To be clear on that point. Is the device new since a week?
Or do you have it for a longer time and then of all sudden the problems started a week ago?

When issues started, did it start suddenly without changing anything?
Or do you remember that you changed something in your setup PC / DAC?
Or did you change the configuration of the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Maybe while trying ADI-2 Remote software?

Might it be that you changed the settings for Clock Source in the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Please check your setting for clock source? See Options -> Clock -> Clock Source

You can check for USB transport errors by keeping the driver settings window open.
As long as you keep the window open, a CRC check is running.

What sample rate and ASIO buffer sizes are you using?
Do the issues change when using higher or lower ASIO buffer sizes?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

3 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2024-04-27 17:53:03)

  • KaiS
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  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
  • Posts: 3,525

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

To things to add to ramses list:


• Is the twist-lock PSU cable on ADI-2 DAC’s back all in and locked?
No silver part may be visible.


• Try a reset:

While powering up, push and hold the VOL button (NOT the VOLUME dial) and Encoder 1, until you see the message: “Reset done“.

User Setups and EQ Presets are not deleted.


Or a full factory reset:

While powering up, push and hold the VOL button (NOT the VOLUME dial) and Encoder 1 and Encoder 2, until you see the message: “Reset done“.

All user Setups and EQ Presets are deleted.
Take notes before, or store them through the Remote App, if you want to keep some.

KaiS's Website

  • Registered: 2024-04-27
  • Posts: 1

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

I had this issue where it was caused by my USB on my motherboards, seems putting it in the back doesn't do the job anymore with the amount of USBs i have connected, I moved my DAC usb cable to the front of my computer and i no longer hear random popping or clicking from the USB hub being overloaded

5 Reply by tekszi (edited by tekszi 2024-04-27 20:49:50)

  • Registered: 2024-04-27
  • Posts: 3

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

ramses wrote:

You didn't mention it clearly, but you seem to have an ADI-2 DAC FS, right?
What headphones are you using, the normal ones and you also mentioned IEM.

Can you please give an overview what PC and OS version you are using?
Laptop or Desktop. CPU, Mainboard, Windows version?

The ASIO driver that you refer to in the text is MADIface v 0.9833?

Regarding cabling, how long is the USB2 cable? 5m is the maximum.

Did you try all USB2 and USB3 ports of your computer? Does the issue change then?

> For a week now, I have been hearing clipping and popping through the headphone outputs.
To be clear on that point. Is the device new since a week?
Or do you have it for a longer time and then of all sudden the problems started a week ago?

When issues started, did it start suddenly without changing anything?
Or do you remember that you changed something in your setup PC / DAC?
Or did you change the configuration of the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Maybe while trying ADI-2 Remote software?

Might it be that you changed the settings for Clock Source in the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Please check your setting for clock source? See Options -> Clock -> Clock Source

You can check for USB transport errors by keeping the driver settings window open.
As long as you keep the window open, a CRC check is running.

What sample rate and ASIO buffer sizes are you using?
Do the issues change when using higher or lower ASIO buffer sizes?

Thank you all for the answers!

I tried all your suggestions, in the meantime I will provide all the additional info you asked me to.

Your guess was correct, I indeed have the ADI-2 DAC Fs. I have a pair of Focal Clears (OG ones) and for IEMs, I have the Seeaudio x Crinacle Yume Midnight.

My PC runs Windows 11, a i7 13700KF, 3070TI, MSI Z790 Tomahawk DDR4 with 16 GB ram of G.Skill Ripjaws (4000mhz).
My laptop is running Windows 11 as well, it is a Asus Vivobook running 11th gen i5 and with 16 GB ram like my main PC.

The ASIO driver one was the exact one you mentioned, 0.9833

I am using the cable that comes with the ADI-2 DAC FS in the box (which is 2 meter's long), the other cable I tried was a brand new one which was 3 meter's long.

I tried different USB ports, both USB2 and 3, but not all of them. My assumption was that the USB hub mattered more than the actual port. Either way, I haven't noticed any difference between the ports I tried.

My device is about 3-4 years old at this point (as I mentioned it is the AKM version too), I haven't tampered with settings for weeks leading up to this situation.

When it comes to clock source, although I do have the option, I can not change anything. It jumps back to the "INT" every time. It is set to INT.

I had the driver open for 5 minutes each for sample rates from 44.1 to 96. In the brief 15 minutes I spent looking at it, it showed no errors. Did the same thing on my laptop too, with all the audible noise, there were still zero errors according to the driver.

I've been using the lowest buffer since I've got this unit and had zero issues. I did try using a much higher value like 1024 and 2048. The issue persists, and is a little more audible with higher buffers but it could be a placebo observation.

As for the power cable, it was in place but I unplugged it and plugged it in again to make sure. It is fully plugged in now and the same issue occurs.

I tried resetting too, both ways as it was suggested by KaiS. The problem is still there after doing so.

I tried the front panel USB hub too as aetherclion suggested, same issue again.

6 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-04-28 05:33:24)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,183

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

Thanks for the complete information as reference.

As a final attempt, I would try all USB2/USB3 ports on PC/Laptop for the reason to catch an USB port coming from chipset.
While doing that I would disconnect not required USB devices (except mouse and keyboard).

I fear the device is defective. You have the device since 4y and this error occurrs out of the blue and is persistent and on two computers, desktop and laptop. No issues with USB transport, as CRC error counters are not increasing. Larger ASIO buffersizes do not fix the issues. As KaiS suggested, you ensured that the power connector is connected tight and locked and you even performed a full reset.

I would contact RME support per mail  you can send the URL of this thread to them.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2024-04-27
  • Posts: 3

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

ramses wrote:

Thanks for the complete information as reference.

As a final attempt, I would try all USB2/USB3 ports on PC/Laptop for the reason to catch an USB port coming from chipset.
While doing that I would disconnect not required USB devices (except mouse and keyboard).

I fear the device is defective. You have the device since 4y and this error occurrs out of the blue and is persistent and on two computers, desktop and laptop. No issues with USB transport, as CRC error counters are not increasing. Larger ASIO buffersizes do not fix the issues. As KaiS suggested, you ensured that the power connector is connected tight and locked and you even performed a full reset.

I would contact RME support per mail  you can send the URL of this thread to them.

Thank you, I will contact the support. When I tested with my Laptop I had nothing else plugged into it so I do not assume anything would change by changing usb ports. I will still try a few things, maybe they will help but ultimately I do not have any hope of being able to fix this by myself.

  • Kubrak
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  • Registered: 2023-08-03
  • Posts: 548

Re: I can not figure what is causing popping and noise during playback

Using different USB socket may lead to different results even if nothing else is attached to computer. That socket may be shared with HW inside computer.