Caiman SEG making painful noise when changing source or album

[Phonostage Records]

Hi all... I just wanted to check if this was a known problem before I trouble Stanley with it. When I change to a different track or album (streaming through Airport) I get a loud crackly fizzing noise. Even louder if I am using my Apple TV and changing videos on Youtube or something. It is fine once playing... it is just that second before kick-off it makes a terrible sharp noise. Is this a fault? Should it mute itself till it syncs in to the new track or source? Anyone else had this?
Thanks all
Tony

[Sherwood]

Hi all... I just wanted to check if this was a known problem before I trouble Stanley with it. When I change to a different track or album (streaming through Airport) I get a loud crackly fizzing noise. Even louder if I am using my Apple TV and changing videos on Youtube or something. It is fine once playing... it is just that second before kick-off it makes a terrible sharp noise. Is this a fault? Should it mute itself till it syncs in to the new track or source? Anyone else had this?
Thanks all
Tony

I have the same problem and reported it but did not really get an answer. It is a nasty digital "spitting sound" which kicks in when switching between bitrates.

Geoff

[struth]

Sounds like it's dropping the lock.

[StanleyB]

On the Apple TV and Airport Express the signal is dropped by the Apple product in between tracks or TV channels. I am not sure why Apple is doing it that way. The SEG will then end up hunting for the signal in order to find it again, or to see if it has changed frequency.
I myself can't emulate this fault since I avoid MAC products like the plague. But I shall modify one of the Sound Signature options in the Firmware and dedicate that to this kind of timing issue.

[struth]

On the Apple TV and Airport Express the signal is dropped by the Apple product in between tracks or TV channels. I am not sure why Apple is doing it that way. The SEG will then end up hunting for the signal in order to find it again, or to see if it has changed frequency.
I myself can't emulate this fault since I avoid MAC products like the plague. But I shall modify one of the Sound Signature options in the Firmware and dedicate that to this kind of timing issue.

thought that would be it.

[Sherwood]

I am experiencing the problem with my Rpi/Digione. If my playlist includes a mix of 44 and higher bit rate files, the switch is accompanied by the spitting sound.

A firmware update would be very welcome as I am otherwise very happy with the SEG, especially since the cap upgrade.

Geoff

[maxrob200]

It's a shame that manufacturers like Stan have to modify their perfectly good products to run with flawed implementations from other products (sic Mac)

[Phonostage Records]

I have the same problem and reported it but did not really get an answer. It is a nasty digital "spitting sound" which kicks in when switching between bitrates.

Geoff

Hi Geoff, yes that is the same symptom, I could live with it for spotify etc but it is really loud when I attempt to use the Apple TV. The set up is sources streamed into an Airport Express then optical from the Airport to the DAC
You’re not using an Airport Express by any chance are you? Just seeking to eliminate that from my enquiries
Regards
Tony

[Sherwood]

Hi Geoff, yes that is the same symptom, I could live with it for spotify etc but it is really loud when I attempt to use the Apple TV. The set up is sources streamed into an Airport Express then optical from the Airport to the DAC
You’re not using an Airport Express by any chance are you? Just seeking to eliminate that from my enquiries
Regards
Tony

No. I think the problem is about bit rate changes. The SEG does not mute when switching.

I don't have this problem with my M-DAC and the Rpi/Digione.

Geoff

[Phonostage Records]

Hi... ok thanks very much. I will contact Stanley and see if he is aware of it and also ask if this is the kind of thing that could be controlled using software.. ie some sort of delay written in to the audio output so there is a second or so of silence if you change anything.. or would some sort of relay be needed to acheive this (you can tell I am no engineer!)
Thanks
Tony

[mikeyb]

Hi... ok thanks very much. I will contact Stanley and see if he is aware of it and also ask if this is the kind of thing that could be controlled using software.. ie some sort of delay written in to the audio output so there is a second or so of silence if you change anything.. or would some sort of relay be needed to acheive this (you can tell I am no engineer!)
Thanks
TonySee post #4 [emoji6]

[Phonostage Records]

Oops silly me! Thanks!

[mikeyb]

Oops silly me! Thanks!Lol don't worry I'm a skim reader too, bigtime.

Great to see that Stan is very hands on with any issues, mind you they are rare with the Beresford kit.

I have a SEG and it's a great DAC for the money.

[Phonostage Records]

I think it’s a great DAC full stop... i’ve had some truly immersive experiences with it so far. It is very capable. Listening mode 3 suits my setup very well though I can’t remember exactly what that is... Stan can I appeal to your good nature and adapt Sound Signature mode 3 to accommodate the digital dropout since that’s my favourite???
Best Regards
Tony

[StanleyB]

I am sending off a test firmware to someone on another forum to check out for me so that I know if the solution works or not. I can then insert that part of the code in the firmware of all the other DACs in case anyone else has that issue. I also want to merge the Caiman MKII and the SEG firmware into one so that MKII owners can benefit from the updates in the SEG firmware.

The one problem I have is that I would like to use the same type of chip for the firmware as the Bushmaster MKI. It's a more expensive chip, but it gives some sonic improvements that I just can't get out of the chip that is used on the later DACs. I dropped that chip since it added an extra U$5 to the cost from the moment it was bought at the factory end, to the moment it was sold with the DAC on my website. The main reason why I haven't tried doing that so far is because the initialisation routine for the BMI chip is so complex, I just can't figure out how to code the equivalent into the firmware of the other DACs. Either the DAC refuses to boot up, or refuses to pass any sound through it. But I'll figure it out hopefully.

[Phonostage Records]

Hi Stanley and all...I thought I would reinvigorate this thread now that a bit of time has elapsed..... I was wondering Stanley, Did you get chance to test the firmware you were working on? I know you said you were going to send something to someone on the forum to look at. Sorry if I’ve missed something, I haven’t been on the forum in a while
Best regards
Tony

[StanleyB]

Yes it's all sorted. The beta test version worked fine and sorted the problem out. I made some additional changes to the code to tweak the sound so that it would benefit the SEG and the MKII when used with the SuperCap PSU. And yes, the SEG and MKII will now both work with the same SEG-11 firmware.
The Firmware code is SEG-11 for the final version.
I was hoping to sell and ship it together with the SuperCap PSU of mine, but the latter has suffered from some delays in production. As a consequence I haven't put any notification on my website.
The new firmware will work with or without the SuperCap PSU. The SuperCap feature in the firmware doesn't affect the operation of the DAC or the sound from it. That feature is automatically activated when using a 15V power supply, or using the SuperCap at 15V. So those with a 15V PSU would get the most benefits of the SEG-11 firmware.
If you need the SEG-11, email me and I can sort you out with one for just the cost of the part plus P&P. Or you can pass by and I can do the firmware upgrade whilst you wait, for just the cost of the part. But that's just for you. Everyone else will have to do it via the sales option on my website when I list it.

[Sherwood]

Yes it's all sorted. The beta test version worked fine and sorted the problem out. I made some additional changes to the code to tweak the sound so that it would benefit the SEG and the MKII when used with the Supercap PSU. And yes, the SEG and MKII will now both work with the same SEG-11 firmware.
The Firmware code is SEG-11 for the final version.
I was hoping to sell and ship it together with the Supercap PSU of mine, but the latter has suffered from some delays in production. As a consequence I haven't put any notification on my website.
If you need the SEG-11, email me and I can sort you out with one for the cost of part plus P&P. that should be about £7 for gift payment, or £8.00 if you need a Paypal invoice. Or you can pass by and I can do the firmware upgrade whilst you wait for the cost of the part.

Stanley,

How does the firmware update work? Also, when will you be posting details of the Supercap PSU?

Geoff

[Phonostage Records]

Thanks Stanley, that is great news and I am sure we all appreciate your efforts. I have the same question as Geoff - If you could tell us a bit about how to apply the update (do you just send a chip?) - then I can decide if it is within my or my friend's technical span to apply it. Unfortunately if I recall I am a bit of a distance from you
Best Regards
Tony

[Getgaff]

If I’ve read Stan’s post correctly, the SEG-11 firmware will be contained in a new chip which, with a little care and using a small flat-bladed screwdriver, is very easy the swap out.

EDIT: It’s the chip marked ‘SEG 7’ in the pic below

http://i67.tinypic.com/5oa2w5.jpg

[Phonostage Records]

I will cross Stanley's palm with silver straight away and get one of these installed
Thanks everyone
Tony

[Phonostage Records]

I’m really pleased to report that this works! I have the chip... have it installed and have been sat in front of such greats as The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation on Youtube through the ATV4 over wifi into an Airport Express. Great sound, no jitter with this setup and no sharp noises except just once or twice switching between devices or something when the lock times went outside the boundaries of the chip program. To capture every scenario I imagine you would have to put up with a too-long period of silence at every turn! This is a perfect balance. Same with Spotify (iphone/wifii/Airport Express) and lossless (iphone as remote/laprop as server/Airport Express). All this works perfectly. The DAC sounds really nice, even with lower res sources such as youtube. Thanks a lot Stanley!!!