[Tunblor]

Hi guys,
 
I've done a lot of searching of the forums, and crackling with these two seems to be a relatively common issue (compared to other issues), however my problem has some differences that I think have eliminated the solutions I have found.
 
My problem is that listening to my HD650s through a docked E7+E9, I get a hiss and crackle randomly. If I pause the music and start it, around 20%-40% of the time the distortion stops completely, and the music becomes crystal clear; other times the distortion is reduced or stays the same. This can also happen if I reduce the volume to zero in VLC player and then raise it again. It stays clear for quite a long time (for as long as I'm listening: hours) sometimes, and comes back within the same song at other times. Essentially I've just been making do by pausing and restarting the music whenever the problem happens, but I'm sick of it.
 
I've tried playing with the bit and sample rates, audio drivers, making sure the E7 is docked correctly, switching gain modes, lowering volumes in windows, on the E7 and on the E9, and in VLC: all ineffective (except when going to zero, and then back up to 100% in VLC). I've tried the headphones on other sources, and they sound fine (my god was I panicking until I realised it wasn't them!) and the fact that the issue comes and goes through changing software settings (volume, pausing/resuming playback) suggests the issue isn't in the E7 or E9, gain settings, connections, music encoding or external interference. The problem exists in other lower impedance and higher sensitivity earphones too.
 
I'm using Windows 7, USB connected E7+E9, VLC media player (problem exists in YouTube as well, windows issue?) and listening to FLAC and mp3 files of various bitrates
 
In general I leave windows and VLC at 100%, and adjust listening volume on the E9, in order to ensure the full bit rate and resolution is going through to the DAC and amp; but the problem persists with dropped software volumes.
 
Does anyone have any ideas? If I've been unclear about anything, or if you want me to retest something, let me know!
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[trotoir]

HI Tunblor
 
I have this problem intermittently and it has been driving me nuts for months. I have tried all sorts like yourself but it keeps coming back.
The fact that you and others report the same issue suggets that it is a permanent problem.
 
My solution has been to decide to get rid and upgrade to something that will do my cans and I more justice. If only I could decide what to get next!
 
If you do find a fix please post as my fiio's will soon be banished to bedroom exile!

 

[Tunblor]

Thanks for your reply Trotoir!
 
Perhaps we can compare notes... Does this issue effect you on Windows 7, or with other sources/computers too? Does pausing and resuming playback, or fiddling with software volume relieve the issue for you as well?
 
Another point I failed to mention, I get crackly sound when listening to the onboard sound as well through the headphone out on the laptop, which is a 17inch multimedia HP laptop; I believe it has quite a high output, as the headphones get quite loud. I cannot recall if stopping/starting, volume fiddling have the same effect on the issue from Onboard as they do on E7/9 output: I think I just attributed the crackling to typical crappy laptop onboard sound. 
 
I'm currently trying to hunt down some other sources to test...

 

[trotoir]

Quote:

Thanks for your reply Trotoir!
 
Perhaps we can compare notes... Does this issue effect you on Windows 7, or with other sources/computers too? Does pausing and resuming playback, or fiddling with software volume relieve the issue for you as well?
 
Another point I failed to mention, I get crackly sound when listening to the onboard sound as well through the headphone out on the laptop, which is a 17inch multimedia HP laptop; I believe it has quite a high output, as the headphones get quite loud. I cannot recall if stopping/starting, volume fiddling have the same effect on the issue from Onboard as they do on E7/9 output: I think I just attributed the crackling to typical crappy laptop onboard sound. 
 
I'm currently trying to hunt down some other sources to test...

The weird thing for me is that temporarily stopping it crackle has been achieved trying different methods. Sometimes the gain switch works, sometimes its turning the volume right up and down or unplugging the A/C power supply. Sometimes it just stops of it's own accord. If there was one guaranteed fix then perhaps I could persevere on for a while longer. At the moment all is well (fingers crossed). Yes I run windows 7 and no I have not tried the Fiio with another computer. Maybe I should next time as the laptop is only 2ft away! I have kind of accepted it is what it is and you get what you pay for and perhaps a more persistent head-fier might solve and share the problem for me.
 
I will endeavor to approach the problem a tad more scientifically whilst I'm making the decision to find it's successor and will share my findings if successful.
 

 

[zhenya]

Have you guys tried restarting the Windows Audio service when this happens?

 

[Tunblor]

Thanks for the suggestion Zhenya; just tried it now and it seemed to help, until I changed track and the crackling returned.
 
Currently looking into using a Macbook Pro as the source, I'll post my results when I'm done.
 
EDIT: Just as I suspected: the Macbook was clean as a whistle. Listening to Dire Straits, and I think my choice of band reflects the situation I feel my HP laptop and Windows are now finding themselves in...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Move the E7 around a bit while docked to the E9. The flimsy dock can hamper SQ and sometimes make you lose a channel.

 

[Tunblor]

Thanks for your suggestion, MLE.
 
As noted in my initial post, I have made sure the E7 was docked properly, tried wiggling it around (and all it did was make me feel like I was weakening the connection and pins by stressing them).  I haven't had any missing or unbalanced channel issues, anyway.
 
Also the fact that the issue is resolved in a repeatable way by making software based changes, and that the issues are NOT occurring with other sources (Macbook, MP3 player) suggests the issue is NOT related to the E7 or E9 themselves.
 
My suspicions are that the noise is due to software/driver/OS conflicts stemming from my Laptop vendor, Windows 7 or both. No new audio drivers are available (from Microsoft, or HP), and I haven't found any alternative drivers to try; so I'm out of ideas for the time being. If I find anything, I will be sure to report back!
 
 

 

[Tunblor]

Small Update: I have greatly reduced the frequency of the problem, by changing to Foobar 2000 as my media player.
 
I have no idea why this works, perhaps a different software utilization of the dodgy drivers or services. Either way, I thought I'd share in case it could be of use to someone else with the same nonsensical yet persistent issue. It's now barely an issue for me, I have only thought heard a crackle twice in the last 4 hours, while doing other things on the computer; any one of these other things could have produced an artefact, if I even did hear one.
 
 
 

 

[Arvan]

Hey! 
 
Well i don´t have the E9/E7 myself but i do have the same problem with any USB dac that i plug in to my computer..It´s so darn anoying and i don´t know how to fix it..When i listen to music in spotify the sound is superb..Foobar, it´s still superb..The only thing that trigger this crackling and hiss or whatever it is when using Flashbased websites..Like youtube for example. And since im a huge youtuber this is such an issue for me. I even bought a new dac which is the HRT head streamer since i thought my problem was with the old Nuforce UDAC that i was using before..Well no its the computer im using.
 
Since it´s a custom built work/gaming rig i can switch out the motherboard..But then again, it may not work...The only way i see it is that i need to get myself a pure headphone amp and a rather good internal soundcard to sort this out?
 
And yes i tried everything..Disable on board soundcard..Erase drivers, format the whole thing etc etc...No luck :S 

 

[dr rob]

Hi,
 
Same problem. Its been going on for about 6 months. Windows 7 only as far as I can tell. Tried it on an Xp machine and on a MAC.
 
Find that sometimes it will just come on half way through a film or something.
 
Maybe I should just put XP back on my machine?!
 
Sounded like highly amplified electrical noise so I got a USB PCI card for my machine, and no luck!
 
Winows really sucks at sound stuff, number of times I have had an issue with sound on a winows machine is beyond funny.
 
Just wanted to let you know you were not alone!
 
Rob

 

[z28dreams]

Hey all,
 
Just wanted to say that I was having terrible distortion problems with the Fiio E7, and figured out the solution:
 
When playing back in VLC, you need to leave the volume slider in the middle.  "100% volume" is actually in the middle of the slider, anything past that and you'll be artificially amplifying the music before it gets to your Fiio.
 
There's a preference where you can just set VLC to automatically start at 100% every time, so I just leave that alone and control the volume entirely on the Fiio now.
 
Hope this helps.  I discovered this when music played back perfectly in iTunes but not in VLC and did some googling.