Quote:
Originally Posted by
Shevlock 
I should also add that I often hear crackling/other sound artifacts that are not in the actual audio files (ie generated by the device). I know that the FAQ said that the tubes need to be warmed up, but this persists in extended listening sessions.
I have a problem that I would describe in the same general terms, but I am not sure which link of my audio playback chain to attribute it to, whether it's the D1 itself, or something I am inadvertently feeding it. I live in a very high static electricity environment (I have a pair of Etymotic MC-5 IEMs, and when I leave them in my ears and disconnect them completely from any source, I get a lot of crackling noises in my ears that is just static discharge from the wire rubbing against my clothes), and I think that it (ambient static electricity) may play some role in my random "artifacts" problem. So, in what Spanky has told me via PM is probably a case of overkill, I got a galvanic USB isolator to electronically "decouple" my D1 from my laptop's USB bus (occasionally, I hear a momentary drop-out when some other device is active elsewhere on the USB), and this device to avoid the D1's USB input and go into its co-ax S/PDIF input instead:
http://www.teradak.com/ProductsView.Asp?id=21
Of course, I don't advocate that you spend more of your money in an effort to remedy a problem that might not provide any results, but according to Spanky, the Teralink X2 provides an SQ (sound quality) improvement, as well as isolation from USB line noises (some people claim they can hear their hard drives, mouse movements, etc.)
And then there is the debate over the D1's device driver. Until my Teralink X2 arrives (it is a plug-and-play intermediary device, so the DAC is no longer directly visible to Windows), I am using the somewhat controversial modified USB driver that Spanky and ninjikiran made when the D1 was first introduced, but seems to have fallen from favor. You can find mention of it in the first post Spanky made in this condensed FAQ. I don't understand it well enough to explain it, but it has worked for me so far, although not many other D1 owners still seem to use it, but it might be worth a trial as you try to localize the cause of your trouble.
I don't really know much compared to the other posters on this thread, but I know that the Maverick Audio "community" on Head-Fi is one of the most helpful groups of people I have seen in any on-line forum, which was a major influence in me deciding to join their ranks. And of course, you can always send an e-mail to Ryan Ping at Maverick Audio describing your problem in as much detail as possible, and he will get back to you very quickly with possible causes and suggested remedies. Good luck!
