[miketlse]

I have recently run into an issue where some/most HD music files have static crackle and pops during the more intense portions of the song, similar to clipping, but at very low volume as well. I assume this is down to my Dell laptop/Realtek speakers, but even after trying everything I still can't figure it out. THe workaround I have is to play Youtube music at 0% volume in a webbrowser outputting to laptop speakers. This allows Roon to serve HD files flawlessly.

I am just a little worried I have a problem that isn't letting my system perform as it should. Thoughts?

I don't see any mention of qutest there. Were you using it, or just playing everything via your laptop?

 

[gasmonkey]

I don't see any mention of qutest there. Were you using it, or just playing everything via your laptop?

The issue is only with Qutest. I feed Qutest with the laptop, through Roon, bitperfect. I try to stay as pure as I can. I feel there is an error with the laptop not feeding Qutest properly. I have the Qutest drivers installed, and thats what drives me crazy. Can't think of what could be going wrong

 

[miketlse]

The issue is only with Qutest. I feed Qutest with the laptop, through Roon, bitperfect. I try to stay as pure as I can. I feel there is an error with the laptop not feeding Qutest properly. I have the Qutest drivers installed, and thats what drives me crazy. Can't think of what could be going wrong

Yes I too think that you must have your laptop settings wrong.
Those settings could be related to roon, youtube or windows?
if you can post a screenshot of your roon settings, then hopefully one of the roon users can provide feedback as to whether they look right.

 

[Victorr]

I have recently run into an issue where some/most HD music files have static crackle and pops during the more intense portions of the song, similar to clipping, but at very low volume as well. I assume this is down to my Dell laptop/Realtek speakers, but even after trying everything I still can't figure it out. THe workaround I have is to play Youtube music at 0% volume in a webbrowser outputting to laptop speakers. This allows Roon to serve HD files flawlessly.

Try while you use the DAC to disable the built-in sound card in the device manager.

 

[Victorr]

Try while you use the DAC to disable the built-in sound card in the device manager.

Also check in the properties of the digital audio output whether exclusive mode is provided to this output.

 

[gasmonkey]

Try while you use the DAC to disable the built-in sound card in the device manager.

Also check in the properties of the digital audio output whether exclusive mode is provided to this output.

Yesterday I disabled the microphone and speaker by "disabling" it in hardware manager. No improvement. I have also tried just about every setting, from default or low clock priority to big buffers. Computer shouldn't have an issue serving the files, hardware spec wise its overkill.

 

[Victorr]

Yesterday I disabled the microphone and speaker by "disabling" it in hardware manager. No improvement. I have also tried just about every setting, from default or low clock priority to big buffers. Computer shouldn't have an issue serving the files, hardware spec wise its overkill.

In the task pane, click on the speaker, then on the DAC icon. In the "Digital output - Properties" window that opens, on the "Advanced" tab, check if there is a check in "Exclusive mode". If not, then check these two positions (I have Ukrainian Windows).

 

[gasmonkey]

Longtime Qutest owner with a new Class A/AB Power amp here.... Have a few questions that I think may have relevance to others in this thread.

1. How to calculate the theoretically appropriate Voltage output for Qutest to properly utilize the sweetspot of a Power Amp.
2. To pre-amp or not to pre-amp?

1) My Power amp is 100 watts with a gain of 26.6db (460ish x the original signal) Not sure exactly how many watts of Class A there is, but think around 17.
1a) How many milliwatts does 1V, 2V, 3V put out?
1b) I think that 17000 MW / 460 = a sweet spot output of 37mw from Qutest?
1c) Is there a "cleanest" voltage out setting if ignoring amp compatibility?

2) General consensus is a Pre-amp will help. But, if the Power Amp is going to do the same gain anyway, and I can digitally control the Qutest volume, I don't see the need for a pre-amp. Am I not understanding something? (Besides the fact that bitperfect really only works at 100% volume, but this is offset by the 768khz upsampling, so the effect is minimalized)
2a) Do you use a pre-amp? or just Qutest to Power Amp and control volume digitally?

 

[tesarpa]

ad 2) I'd fear that software sends 100 % signal strength to power amp and blows my speakers.

 

[HumanMedia]

I don't see the need for a pre-amp. Am I not understanding something? (Besides the fact that bitperfect really only works at 100% volume, but this is offset by the 768khz upsampling, so the effect is minimalized)
2a) Do you use a pre-amp? or just Qutest to Power Amp and control volume digitally?

IMO software volume control ruins the waveform, upsampling later will just upscale a severely lumpy and compromised signal. It will in no way make up for the severe loss of information. done correctly INSIDE the dac before it goes to analog is fine, just not prior to the DAC

 

[gasmonkey]

ad 2) I'd fear that software sends 100 % signal strength to power amp and blows my speakers.

I have the advantage of having speakers that want 80-160 watts, so sending them 100 watts at full volume is only an issue for my ears and the neighbors.

But +1 for good point, no physical volume control to manually turn down before playing music.

IMO software volume control ruins the waveform, upsampling later will just upscale a severely lumpy and compromised signal. It will in no way make up for the severe loss of information. done correctly INSIDE the dac before it goes to analog is fine, just not prior to the DAC

This, as I understand it, is exactly what is happening. The volume control is relegated to the internals of the Chord Qutest, but can be told what volume from Roon, and from Roon on my phone.

Still leaves the question how correctly it is done inside the DAC, but I generally trust that 768khz is enough headroom and @robwatts did a good job on the implementation.

 

[Icenine2]

I've joined the club here. Should be here on Tuesday.

 

[Reactcore]

IMO software volume control ruins the waveform, upsampling later will just upscale a severely lumpy and compromised signal. It will in no way make up for the severe loss of information. done correctly INSIDE the dac before it goes to analog is fine, just not prior to the DAC
[/QUOTE]

I did severe comparison to either max digital volume in f2k and using a (pre)amp or direct out to my HP. Must say the lack of extra circuitry in the chain really prevails in SQ. Software vol. control only changes the amplitude information of the PCM signal.

 

[jwbrent]

I've joined the club here. Should be here on Tuesday.

Congrats! It should rock your world.

 

[HumanMedia]

I have the advantage of having speakers that want 80-160 watts, so sending them 100 watts at full volume is only an issue for my ears and the neighbors.

But +1 for good point, no physical volume control to manually turn down before playing music.

This, as I understand it, is exactly what is happening. The volume control is relegated to the internals of the Chord Qutest, but can be told what volume from Roon, and from Roon on my phone.

Still leaves the question how correctly it is done inside the DAC, but I generally trust that 768khz is enough headroom and @robwatts did a good job on the implementation.

@Rob Watts
Please set us straight here.
As far as I know there is no internal volume control in the Qutest that the user can control or that any preceding software can control?
I know there is in the TT2, but not in the Qutest, and even the TT2 cannot have its internal volume control controlled by Roon?

As far as I know Any volume changes that happen with Roon occur by DSPing inside Roon, and sending out non-bit perfect probably decimated data. Note that you need to turn a few default settings off in Roon to stop it screwing with the data. Some have innocuous sounding names that don’t immediately suggest that they will screw with the data. I had to check settings with a Roon support person to be completely sure it was sending untouched audio data. And again correct me if I am wrong, but to get the cleanest, best digital reconstruction of the analog sound, that Qutest should be fed the untouched non-decimated, native sampling rate data and let Qutest do the processing? (Apart from an MScaler of course)