[naynay]

I've had the M Scaler and TT2 for more than a month now, and they sound astonishing. Even better than what I could hope for.

Well, except for this one issue: I occasionally hear a subtle crack in the right-hand headphone. Maybe one or a couple of times every minute. It's not unlike the cracks on LP rips but more "electric" sounding. I cringe every time I hear it, especially during crystal clear studio recordings. Tested with different headphones, tested by exchanging the sides, with all kinds of sources, units stacked/unstacked, and it keeps coming. I already bought a FURMAN power conditioner but it didn't fix the issue. (Note that I am using a shielded AudioQuest Cinnamon 1.5m USB cable between the computer and M Scaler.)

Yesterday I wanted to find out more about this noise, so I started investigating via the following steps:

1. Going dark. Turned off the wifi router, disconnected all power cables (computer, monitor, everything), expect the ones for HMS & TT2. (This is a room in the basement with very low mobile signal, rather well isolated.) Played music from my phone in Airplane mode, connecting through shielded USB cable. The crack kept coming as if nothing has changed.

2. Remove M Scaler from the chain. This fixed the crack immediately. The sound was free of noise. The TT2 seems to be beautifully isolated. I could not hear any noise, even after reconnecting the dual BNC from the M Scaler. (At the same time music without the M Scaler sounds very different, I don't want to do it. I can see why Rob takes a HMS on his trips.)

3. Move USB cable and BNC cables apart. Connected M Scaler back on but made sure that the BNC cables and the USB cable are as far apart from each other as possible. Finally this seemed to reduce the volume and maybe the frequency of the cracks. (This was already later yesterday so I will continue testing later today).

Conclusions: either this M Scaler / the BNC stock cables are faulty, or the stock cables are simply not up to the task. Or there is something strange going on in this room, even with other power consumers disconnected. Why isn't anyone else complaining about this?

My next step is ordering WAVE cables from @Triode User and here's hoping they will remove this annoying noise. If not then it's a warranty issue with the M Scaler & cables.

FYI @Mojo ideas & @Rob Watts

P.S. Really looking forward for the new reference Chord DAC (Dave 2?) where the M Scaler is already built in in order to avoid such issues.

My experience with the stock BNC cables was not great slightest touch would lose the signal.
I would say it's the Stock BNC cables myself.

 

[Clive101]

I've had the M Scaler and TT2 for more than a month now, and they sound astonishing. Even better than what I could hope for.

Well, except for this one issue: I occasionally hear a subtle crack in the right-hand headphone. Maybe one or a couple of times every minute. It's not unlike the cracks on LP rips but more "electric" sounding. I cringe every time I hear it, especially during crystal clear studio recordings. Tested with different headphones, tested by exchanging the sides, with all kinds of sources, units stacked/unstacked, and it keeps coming. I already bought a FURMAN power conditioner but it didn't fix the issue. (Note that I am using a shielded AudioQuest Cinnamon 1.5m USB cable between the computer and M Scaler.)

Yesterday I wanted to find out more about this noise, so I started investigating via the following steps:

1. Going dark. Turned off the wifi router, disconnected all power cables (computer, monitor, everything), expect the ones for HMS & TT2. (This is a room in the basement with very low mobile signal, rather well isolated.) Played music from my phone in Airplane mode, connecting through shielded USB cable. The crack kept coming as if nothing has changed.

2. Remove M Scaler from the chain. This fixed the crack immediately. The sound was free of noise. The TT2 seems to be beautifully isolated. I could not hear any noise, even after reconnecting the dual BNC from the M Scaler. (At the same time music without the M Scaler sounds very different, I don't want to do it. I can see why Rob takes a HMS on his trips.)

3. Move USB cable and BNC cables apart. Connected M Scaler back on but made sure that the BNC cables and the USB cable are as far apart from each other as possible. Finally this seemed to reduce the volume and maybe the frequency of the cracks. (This was already later yesterday so I will continue testing later today).

Conclusions: either this M Scaler / the BNC stock cables are faulty, or the stock cables are simply not up to the task. Or there is something strange going on in this room, even with other power consumers disconnected. Why isn't anyone else complaining about this?

My next step is ordering WAVE cables from @Triode User and here's hoping they will remove this annoying noise. If not then it's a warranty issue with the M Scaler & cables.

FYI @Mojo ideas & @Rob Watts

P.S. Really looking forward for the new reference Chord DAC (Dave 2?) where the M Scaler is already built in in order to avoid such issues.

Had the same problem with Dave M Scaler, it short, it was fixed by using the Wave Storm Cables. Let me know how you get on with the Wave Cables.

 

[iceanddice]

I've had the M Scaler and TT2 for more than a month now, and they sound astonishing. Even better than what I could hope for.

Well, except for this one issue: I occasionally hear a subtle crack in the right-hand headphone. Maybe one or a couple of times every minute. It's not unlike the cracks on LP rips but more "electric" sounding. I cringe every time I hear it, especially during crystal clear studio recordings. Tested with different headphones, tested by exchanging the sides, with all kinds of sources, units stacked/unstacked, and it keeps coming. I already bought a FURMAN power conditioner but it didn't fix the issue. (Note that I am using a shielded AudioQuest Cinnamon 1.5m USB cable between the computer and M Scaler.)

Yesterday I wanted to find out more about this noise, so I started investigating via the following steps:

1. Going dark. Turned off the wifi router, disconnected all power cables (computer, monitor, everything), expect the ones for HMS & TT2. (This is a room in the basement with very low mobile signal, rather well isolated.) Played music from my phone in Airplane mode, connecting through shielded USB cable. The crack kept coming as if nothing has changed.

2. Remove M Scaler from the chain. This fixed the crack immediately. The sound was free of noise. The TT2 seems to be beautifully isolated. I could not hear any noise, even after reconnecting the dual BNC from the M Scaler. (At the same time music without the M Scaler sounds very different, I don't want to do it. I can see why Rob takes a HMS on his trips.)

3. Move USB cable and BNC cables apart. Connected M Scaler back on but made sure that the BNC cables and the USB cable are as far apart from each other as possible. Finally this seemed to reduce the volume and maybe the frequency of the cracks. (This was already later yesterday so I will continue testing later today).

Conclusions: either this M Scaler / the BNC stock cables are faulty, or the stock cables are simply not up to the task. Or there is something strange going on in this room, even with other power consumers disconnected. Why isn't anyone else complaining about this?

My next step is ordering WAVE cables from @Triode User and here's hoping they will remove this annoying noise. If not then it's a warranty issue with the M Scaler & cables.

FYI @Mojo ideas & @Rob Watts

P.S. Really looking forward for the new reference Chord DAC (Dave 2?) where the M Scaler is already built in in order to avoid such issues.

When you say different sources, do you mean with CD players, PC/Mac, laptops etc? Also, any software?

 

[zenlisten]

My chief suspect would be something else in the house / apartment where you live. Have you tried switching off the supply to other circuits elsewhere in addition to the room where you have your music?

This is something I cannot do. It's a house of six apartments, we are using just one of them.

 

[zenlisten]

When you say different sources, do you mean with CD players, PC/Mac, laptops etc? Also, any software?

The noise sounds consistently similar, no matter if I am using iTunes+BitPerfect or Audirvana, or playing music from my phone.

 

[zenlisten]

My chief suspect would be something else in the house / apartment where you live. Have you tried switching off the supply to other circuits elsewhere in addition to the room where you have your music?

I could take everything to a friend and try them there.

 

[Triode User]

I could take everything to a friend and try them there.

Good plan.

 

[ray-dude]

I know it may seem silly, but check the back of your HMS that you’re connected to BNC DX outputs. It is very easy to mistakenly connect a BNC to the SPDIF output (this throws all sorts of things out of whack)

I got caught by this during soMe of my testing.

Also, the HMS runs well with a PowerAdd Pilot2 battery pack. That would be a way to isolate the HMS from your home electrical network without asking neighbors to shut everything down

 

[zenlisten]

I know it may seem silly, but check the back of your HMS that you’re connected to BNC DX outputs. It is very easy to mistakenly connect a BNC to the SPDIF output (this throws all sorts of things out of whack)

I got caught by this during soMe of my testing.
…

Thanks. Looking at the photo I posted the connection seems to be alright.

 

[zenlisten]

Had the same problem with Dave M Scaler, it short, it was fixed by using the Wave Storm Cables. Let me know how you get on with the Wave Cables.

Thanks, this gives me hope!

 

[rkt31]

I know it may seem silly, but check the back of your HMS that you’re connected to BNC DX outputs. It is very easy to mistakenly connect a BNC to the SPDIF output (this throws all sorts of things out of whack)
I got caught by this during soMe of my testing.

Also, the HMS runs well with a PowerAdd Pilot2 battery pack. That would be a way to isolate the HMS from your home electrical network without asking neighbors to shut everything down

That supply must be using some circuit to step up voltage to 20v. So in a sense there is not much point in using it in replacement to linear or 12v lead acid battery.

 

[STR-1]

deleted.

 

[ray-dude]

That supply must be using some circuit to step up voltage to 20v. So in a sense there is not much point in using it in replacement to linear or 12v lead acid battery.

i would always lean Into a quality linear supply. However I suspect the PowerAdd Pilot2 will have better voltage regulation than the acid battery, and it is obviously better mains isolation than a linear supply (ground loops etc)

Definitely agree that it should fall short of a quality linear supply. Alas, my Uptone Audio LPS 1.2 didn’t have enough current output to drive the HMS, so i wasn’t able to test. Running on AA batteries was very unsatisfying, but I suspect a big 12V battery will have better voltage stability than the AA’s

 

[rkt31]

Found this. Best performance was of battery and second was ifi ipower with anc and then linear supplies. But i have not tested myself. I use ifi dc purifier with anc tech and it definitely improved the things. https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/31119-power-supply-8-group-test-lps-and-smps/

 

[Deano1974]

I've had the M Scaler and TT2 for more than a month now, and they sound astonishing. Even better than what I could hope for.

Well, except for this one issue: I occasionally hear a subtle crack in the right-hand headphone. Maybe one or a couple of times every minute. It's not unlike the cracks on LP rips but more "electric" sounding. I cringe every time I hear it, especially during crystal clear studio recordings. Tested with different headphones, tested by exchanging the sides, with all kinds of sources, units stacked/unstacked, and it keeps coming. I already bought a FURMAN power conditioner but it didn't fix the issue. (Note that I am using a shielded AudioQuest Cinnamon 1.5m USB cable between the computer and M Scaler.)

Yesterday I wanted to find out more about this noise, so I started investigating via the following steps:

1. Going dark. Turned off the wifi router, disconnected all power cables (computer, monitor, everything), expect the ones for HMS & TT2. (This is a room in the basement with very low mobile signal, rather well isolated.) Played music from my phone in Airplane mode, connecting through shielded USB cable. The crack kept coming as if nothing has changed.

2. Remove M Scaler from the chain. This fixed the crack immediately. The sound was free of noise. The TT2 seems to be beautifully isolated. I could not hear any noise, even after reconnecting the dual BNC from the M Scaler. (At the same time music without the M Scaler sounds very different, I don't want to do it. I can see why Rob takes a HMS on his trips.)

3. Move USB cable and BNC cables apart. Connected M Scaler back on but made sure that the BNC cables and the USB cable are as far apart from each other as possible. Finally this seemed to reduce the volume and maybe the frequency of the cracks. (This was already later yesterday so I will continue testing later today).

Conclusions: either this M Scaler / the BNC stock cables are faulty, or the stock cables are simply not up to the task. Or there is something strange going on in this room, even with other power consumers disconnected. Why isn't anyone else complaining about this?

My next step is ordering WAVE cables from @Triode User and here's hoping they will remove this annoying noise. If not then it's a warranty issue with the M Scaler & cables.

FYI @Mojo ideas & @Rob Watts

P.S. Really looking forward for the new reference Chord DAC (Dave 2?) where the M Scaler is already built in in order to avoid such issues.

I had the same issue drop outs from the right speaker, thought it was the stock bnc cables so changed them out for others and problem was reduced but still there

Solution was making sure the cables exiting the M Scaler are straight and no pressure on the connectors, it seems they need to be connected perfectly ie no pressure or angle on the connecting socket

Since doing this I've had zero drop outs or crack noises

Good luck