DAC and Tidal streaming trouble

I’ve used older versions of Audirvana, and generally like it, so I thought I would set up the very latest version on a MacBook Pro that runs my audio (USB connection to Topping D90 MQA). But this time I’m running into quite a few bugs and quirks, including audio artifacts that is making it difficult to enjoy the music…

(1) Topping D90 MQA is not recognized as a MQA device.
(2) Topping D90 MQA is not recognized as a native DSD device.
(3) Pops and crackles on playback, both from local files and streamed from network.
(4) Streamed tracks from Tidal skip and jump (I have superb home gigabit internet).

I’d like to see if there is a way to fix these issues. I searched all over for a setting to force MQA (1) and DSD (2) but found nothing. (3) and (4) are especially strange since the tracks are pre-loaded, I never had this problem with previous versions of Audirvana.

Hello @Tokyo_John,

Can you send me a copy of the “Debug Info”? You can get it in Audirvana Settings>General>Debug Info

Note: By clicking on the Debug Info button, Audirvana automatically copies all its content, all you have to do is paste it in response to this message

For the issue 1 and 2 you can easily override this. In the the DAC settings, just select MQA decoder and disable auto detect MQA capability. For DSD, just select DoP 1.1 and you’re set. Make sure you disabled the software volume control.

For the crackles and pops, try to reduce the pre-load cache. Try with 2000MB and work from there.

Audirvana Mac Version 3.5.44 (3574)
macOS 10.15.7 with 16384MB RAM

Trial version using demo license

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: ON
Effects plugins ACTIVE in realtime mode
	AU plugin #0: Effect - Apple AUGraphicEQ ()
	AU plugin #1: None
	AU plugin #2: None
	AU plugin #3: None

UPSAMPLING:
SoX with Power Of Two upsampling
SoX filter parameters
Bandwidth at 0dB = 99.5
Filter max length = 30000
Anti-aliasing = 100
Phase = 66

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: None
SW volume control: OFF

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 1 folders
AUTO: /Volumes/Shared/Music
iTunes/Music library synchronization: not synchronized
Library database path: /Users/hernlund/Library/Application Support/Audirvana/AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

CoreAudio audio path, buffer I/O frame size: 512

Max. memory for audio buffers: 6912MB

Local Audio Engine:
Exclusive access: Enabled
Integer mode: Enabled

Preferred device:
D90 MQA
Model UID:D90 MQA:152A:8750
UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:Topping:D90 MQA:14200000:1

Active Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
Hog Mode is off

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: none
Sample rate switching latency: 4s
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: OFF
Mute during sample rate change: OFF

Selected device:
Local audio device
ID 0x29 D90 MQA Manufacturer:Topping
Model UID:D90 MQA:152A:8750 UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:Topping:D90 MQA:14200000:1

10 available sample rates up to 768000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
705600
768000
Audio buffer frame size : 14 to 4096 frames
Current I/O buffer frame size : 512
Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: No
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
MQA Decoder device
DSD capability: Unhandled
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:1 R:2
Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:
Channel 0 mapped to 0
Channel 1 mapped to 1

Audio channels in use
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No
Simple stereo device: Yes

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)
Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0
Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1

Stream ID 0x2a 2 channels starting at 1
30 virtual formats:
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 768kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 705.6kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 768kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 705.6kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 768kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 705.6kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz

40 physical formats
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 768kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 705.6kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 768kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 705.6kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 768kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 705.6kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 768kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 705.6kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz

Local devices found : 3
Device #0: ID 0x33 Built-in Output Manufacturer: Apple Inc. Model UID: AppleHDA:40 UID: AppleHDAEngineOutput:1B,0,1,1:0
Device #1: ID 0x89 HDMI Manufacturer: Apple Inc. Model UID: AppleHDA:40 UID: AppleHDAEngineOutputDP:0,1,0,1,1:0:{D94D-4D03-01010101}
Device #2: ID 0x29 D90 MQA Manufacturer: Topping Model UID: D90 MQA:152A:8750 UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:Topping:D90 MQA:14200000:1

UPnP devices found : 0

For the issue 1 and 2 you can easily override this.
In the the DAC settings, just select MQA decoder
and disable auto detect MQA capability.

I disabled MQA auto-detect. How does that fix the problem? Nothing changed. I’m not necessarily sold on MQA, but would like to have the option.

For DSD, just select DoP 1.1 and you’re set.

Where does one select “DoP 1.1?”

Make sure you disabled the software volume control.

It isn’t even an option.

For the crackles and pops, try to reduce the pre-load cache. Try with 2000MB and work from there.

Trying this now.

Before these last changes, I noticed another problem (5) that some tracks seem to stop playback a few seconds before the end.

Do you have upsampling enabled? Disable it if yes. That’s would be the reason why the MQA doesn’t work.

Could you dump the debug info here?

Do you have upsampling enabled?

It was enabled.

Disable it if yes. That’s would be the reason why the MQA doesn’t work.

I disabled it, re-started Audirvana, and it still doesn’t work. It only changed the playback to 44.1 kHz.

Could you dump the debug info here?

See previous reply.

That’s good, now you should see MQA light up on the DAC when playing MQA content.

That’s good, now you should see MQA light up on the DAC when playing MQA content.

No. It indicates that it is receiving PCM…not MQA.

Enable exclusive access and try again.

Enable exclusive access and try again.

Enabled…no luck.

Also, the skipping and stuttering, issue (4), is still present.

Try with the local MQA file just to validate that it works. You can download some samplers from here:

For MQA to work you need to play bit-perfect. Have you installed some plugins, EQ, room correction or similar?

One more thing you can try is to toggle the integer mode.

Did you disable the EQ?

Hello @Tokyo_John,

Audirvana have properly detected your device as

Are you using this firmware from Topping?

https://www.tpdz.net/newsinfo/396959.html

Did you disable the EQ?

Yes, it doesn’t change anything.

Are you using this firmware from Topping?

Yes, my D90 is already running v1.24 (I double-checked it now).

Try with the local MQA file just to validate that it works.

Tried, the issues persist. However, the popping and crackling is not so common, it only occurs occasionally.

For MQA to work you need to play bit-perfect. Have you installed some plugins, EQ, room correction or similar?

No, I have the EQ enabled but disabling it doesn’t change anything.

One more thing you can try is to toggle the integer mode.

I tried this earlier, but it does not seem to be changeable. In earlier versions of Audirvana I always ran in integer mode when possible.