[IgeNeLL]

Hi there, I discovered a strange sonic issue in the SP2000 which affects all devices. @JasonNYC you'd be interested in.

Some time ago I asked if someone had had experience with parasite clicks or so on in soft piano passages. Initially, I thought it was connected with MQA codec, but I've downloaded the same albums in FLAC and the result was the same. After a week spent with this issue, I realized that this bug is in all music with piano insertion (the most noticeable) stored in my collection. After all, I went to a retail store with confidence in changing my SP2000 Copper and for more sureness had tried SP2000 SS demo unit... the result was the same! I asked for an SP1000 and goddamn clean sound with a black background. I tried with my Hugo2 connected to SP2000 via USB — no issues! The Cayin N8 — no issues. I tried the third one SP2000 SS of my friend — exactly the same result as with mine or demo unit in the retail store.

IEM: Sony IER-Z1R with Brise Audio Yatono cable, also this problem appeared on Dita XLS with its stock (Oslo) cable. That is strange cause IER-Z1R never minded like sensitive phones.
Tried balanced and unbalanced outputs. The unbalanced is better in terms of this issue: clicks are less tangible. After this point, I took QDC Anole VX (stock cable with 3.5mm jack) and also no success fighting this bug.

BT, Wi-Fi are in OFF. Smartphones were switched off during tests to eliminate field shielding issues.

4 people tried different recordings and have confirmed these sonic problems. Same pattern in all cases: parasitic clics, soft muffled crackling sound addition to the music played.

Hi-Res albums have a more prominent issue compared with Redbook analogs. But also still noticeable.

Tried with 1.16 and 1.18 (the latest) firmware.

Tidal users could try Shai Maestro — The Dream Thief or Lang Lang — Liszt - My Piano Hero for instance. Or any other. I have tons of examples.

What clicking could you describle more detail?
I have used SP2000SS FW 1.19 upto now and have no problems. Even with this Lang Lang
I have a the new SP2000 Onyx Black FW 1.13 and there are not any problem with piano @@

 

[Whitigir]

I inspect SP2K a Onyx Black closer and the screen protector seems installed from stock...can’t even tell

loving this Dignis case, color and better protection too!!

Itt even comes with top protector that has 3.5mm covered as I don’t use it

Side buttons are easier to utilize with a nice bump on the play button too!!

 

[arftech]

That blue case goes well with black player. Noice!

 

[nutkunkup]

I inspect SP2K a Onyx Black closer and the screen protector seems installed from stock...can’t even tell

loving this Dignis case and color better protection too!!

mot even comes with top protector that has 3.5mm covered as I don’t use it

Side buttons are easier to utilize with a nice bump on the play button too!!

That's weird. The screen protector should not be installed from factory. I got screen protector in the separate box when I got SP2000 onyx black. Are you sure that you didn't get second hand ?

 

[Whitigir]

That's weird. The screen protector should not be installed from factory. I got screen protector in the separate box when I got SP2000 onyx black. Are you sure that you didn't get second hand ?

Pretty sure as I bought from authorized dealer and it came sealed in my unboxing video

the protector look to be perfectly professionally done, like by a machine. Ther fit is right on everywhere. It is so hard to tell, I was able to tell only by looking sideways, I can see a layer of it there. No bubbles and zero imperfections at all

Unless the screen is actually raised up that much :/ ?

 

[arftech]

I wouldn’t think they intentionally left the screen protector out of the box. Maybe on new batches of the SP2K they’re pre-installing them.

 

[Whitigir]

I wouldn’t think they intentionally left the screen protector out of the box. Maybe on new batches of the SP2K they’re pre-installing them.

It also makes no senses if the screen would be raised up that much. Certainly not for the pricing of this DAP. You can see that picture I uploaded, and look at the corner, you can see the edges of it which is higher than the steel chassis itself. I do think the newer batches have it installed by AK

 

[nutkunkup]

Pretty sure as I bought from authorized dealer and it came sealed in my unboxing video

the protector look to be perfectly professionally done, like by a machine. Ther fit is right on everywhere. It is so hard to tell, I was able to tell only by looking sideways, I can see a layer of it there. No bubbles and zero imperfections at all

Unless the screen is actually raised up that much :/ ?

I saw your unboxing video and I think your screen protector is missing because there is 1 box you opened but empty. See this .

 

[IgeNeLL]

I saw your unboxing video and I think your screen protector is missing because there is 1 box you opened but empty. See this .

The original SP2k as I unboxing is that there a 2 set of screen protectors not used. Sp2k screen comes with a black screen cover. If there are abnormal I need you should as for clarify the situation.

 

[Jalo]

Frankly it doesn’t matter, the stock screen protectors are junk. It is just a piece of soft plastic and after awhile it will dull the scree. last time I was in Hong Hong I had it changed to a much better quality piece. At first I wanted to find a Gorilla Glass cover but then I learned that you cannot use glass because the bottom of the screen is slopped. So I just find a high quality screen protector.

 

[John Dowland]

Frankly it doesn’t matter, the stock screen protectors are junk. So I just find a high quality screen protector.

Do yourself and your device a favour and go for a Clearplex screen protector. Like I said before, It's really the best option imho.

 

[arftech]

Do yourself and your device a favour and go for a Clearplex screen protector. Like I said before, It's really the best option imho.

Where can I get this? Thanks for sharing.

 

[jmills8]

What clicking could you describle more detail?
I have used SP2000SS FW 1.19 upto now and have no problems. Even with this Lang Lang
I have a the new SP2000 Onyx Black FW 1.13 and there are not any problem with piano @@

Hope Vietnam doing ok. Hows your shop holding out ?

 

[arstango]

What clicking could you describle more detail?
I have used SP2000SS FW 1.19 upto now and have no problems. Even with this Lang Lang
I have a the new SP2000 Onyx Black FW 1.13 and there are not any problem with piano @@

Just updated my initial post and added more details.

 

[mthaynes]

Just updated my initial post and added more details.

Read your post about the popping an clicking. I have had problems with popping / clicking but not with the SP 2000. I have a 2013 cayenne. the car's DAC is well crap. My phone or iPod can render a high res with out a problem but send it digitally via cable to the P Car DAC and you get pops clicks and other distortion. Always at the same place in the track. for my old school iPod that serves duty in the car I have to down convert the high res via a program like XLD. the down converted file now plays with no issues.

what you said makes sense. higher res files create more pops and clicks - the higher the res the more likely the distortion will occur.

I have a theory that says the power supply in the AK2000 may not be able to handle the load of the software and the DAC. the software will have priority for power, but if you starve the DAC it will get issues. It will vary by unit depending on efficiency to a degree.

here is a test for you. down covert your test files using XLD. it is free and a nice program to have in your inventory. replay the songs. my guess is you will not have any issues.

not really sure if this tells you anything, but if folks getting distortion are playing very high res files that would give an idea or at least a common start point for hopefully helpful info to AK