SB Touch & Receiver synchronisation glitch...

[WAD62]

Hi there SB users...

I have four SB clients/players in the house, all being fed from a QNAP TS-119Turbo server, running LMS 7.7.2, and a FLAC catalogue.

Until recently both my downstairs players were SB Receivers (Kitchen & Living Room). I often like to synchronise these players, it makes cooking a more enjoyable experience...

Recently I upgraded to a SB Touch on my main/Living Room system, and since then whenever I run it in a synchronised mode with the Kitchen, every now and then (5 to 10 mins between but not predictable) I get an audible 'click' from the Touch, but no such issue from the receiver.

This 'click' is not there when I run the Touch on its own.

I've gone from coax to USB (EDO) on the touch, and have added a USB galvanic isolator, however the above behaviour is consistent. I've messed around with the buffer settings in EDO, but the issue is still there...an occasional 'click' from the Touch when synchronised to the receiver, perfect on its own.

All SB players are at the latest firmware level, and the Touch is now at the latest EDO, but the click has always been there regardless of the Touch's firmware. I've also monitored the M-DAC's USB buffer level when the 'click' occurs, but it's steady at 50%, so the 'dropout' or whatever it is, isn't happening there.

FYI I've only just realised that the click only occurs when I synchronise the Touch with the receiver...which comes as something of a relief, I thought there was something wrong with the Touch at first

Anyone had any similar experiences when synchronising different SB players?

P.S. Monitoring of the server reveals that it isn't a server CPU issue, it runs at about 15% even if I synchronise all four of my clients, or have them playing individually in parallel

[WAD62]

...just me then, worth asking anyway, I'll try the SB forum

[Alex_UK]

Sorry Will, not my area I'm afraid.

[WAD62]

Sorry Will, not my area I'm afraid.

I think I'm in a small sample set Alex, people who use SB's, in conjunction with a central server, who also use them in a synchronised setting, and that happen to be synchronising a Touch and Receiver at the same time...

[Stratmangler]

I can give it a go with 2 Touch players, but I don't think that will prove very much.
The glitch might be down to the server sending a deflicted stream to the Touch, 'cos the server looks to the spec of the least capable device and makes that the common denominator for all of the sync'ed players.

[WAD62]

I can give it a go with 2 Touch players, but I don't think that will prove very much.
The glitch might be down to the server sending a deflicted stream to the Touch, 'cos the server looks to the spec of the least capable device and makes that the common denominator for all of the sync'ed players.

...I think it's in that area Chris, my 'backup' Touch is arriving shortly from Amazon, so I'll test out the theory by substituting it for the receiver in the Kitchen...temporarily, as I don't want it to get covered in kitchen 'gunk'. The receiver is ideal for kitchen conditions

[Covenant]

Interference? Fridge freezer maybe?

[WAD62]

Interference? Fridge freezer maybe?

Not in this instance Jerry, at first I thought it was something of that sort, I've even put a galvanic isolator between my Touch and my M-Dac, they're all plugged into mains conditioners.

I then explored the various EDO USB buffer settings, which didn't seem to help.

I then realised that it only occurs when I'm synchronised with the receiver, so I think Chris is on the right path.

As I said in my initial post now that I know what it is I can live with it, as it's infrequent, and with the second touch on its way I should be able to prove it.

But it was driving me nuts for a while...an intermittent click, that's sometimes there and sometimes not...aaaaarrrrggghhhh!!!

To make matters worse I listen to quite a bit of modern electronic music, e.g Fourtet, Caribou, Loscils etc. and the music is stuffed with rhythms built on clicks and digital noise...an absolute nightmare when you're trying to pin down a stray random 'click'.

Thankfully I can now listen in confidence again

[Tony Moore]

Hi Will,

I run 2 x SB3, a Receiver and a SB Radio, usually all synched, probably synched to the Receiver most of the time and I can't say I've heard the problem you had. So maybe it's related to the Touch? My system is all wired and my firmware (apart from the SB Radio) are all old as I still prefer the sound of the older versions for SB3 & Receiver. (call me mad but I _can_ hear the difference, I've re-tried the test on several occasions)

Cheers,
Tony

[WAD62]

Hi Will,

I run 2 x SB3, a Receiver and a SB Radio, usually all synched, probably synched to the Receiver most of the time and I can't say I've heard the problem you had. So maybe it's related to the Touch? My system is all wired and my firmware (apart from the SB Radio) are all old as I still prefer the sound of the older versions for SB3 & Receiver. (call me mad but I _can_ hear the difference, I've re-tried the test on several occasions)

Hi Tony, I also have an SB Boom and an SB3 in the house (spare room & b'room), and I've not noticed any similar issues, although I don't tend to synch these as often, and probably don't listen to them with the same 'rigour'.

As for SQ differences with the SB FW I can't say that I've noticed, or checked for that matter...