Garbled/distorted sound after 20+ minutes

Studio
1

After 20+ minutes of continuous listening to playlists, tracks suddenly become barely decipherable - glitchy, like digital distortion.
Log pasted below.
Thank you so much in advance for any thoughts.

CHAIN: Tidal, Audirvana, iMac, USB out to Rotel A12 MKII w/ onboard DAC.

LOG:

Audirvana Studio 2.9.6.1 (20908)

macOS 15.3.1 x86_64 with 16GB physical RAM

Connected account of : Dave Reilly

NETWORK
Status: available
Local network access: allowed

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

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

UPSAMPLING:
r8brain not in use
r8brain filter parameters
Bandwidth = 99.5%
Stop band attenuation 218dB
Phase linear

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

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 1 folders
AUTO: /Users/davereilly/Music/iTunes
iTunes/Music library synchronization: last synchronized on Sun Dec 3 10:54:21 2023

Sort and display order: en_US
Library database path: /Users/davereilly/Library/Application Support/Audirvana/AudirvanaDatabase.sqlite

Local audio files fingerprinting
Tracks with no MBID: 4274

Remote Control server:
Listening on on port 61568

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as PREMIUM

APPEARANCE SETTINGS:
UI theme: dark
Font size: large
Language: System language
Show album covers in tracks list: yes
Source list sorted:
My Music
Radios
Podcasts
Streaming
Local
Startup view: My Music: Albums
Show local extended in source list: no
Use media keys: no
Use media keys for volume control: yes
Use Apple Remote: yes
Number of paired remotes: 2
Remote pairing code required: yes
Screen saver disabled: no

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

Active method: Local

Max. memory for audio buffers: 13312MB

Local Audio Engine: CoreAudio
Exclusive access: ON
Integer mode: ON
Use max I/O buffer size: OFF
Actual I/O buffer frame size: 512

Preferred device:
ROTEL ROTEL USB Audio 2.0
Model UID:ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:278B:5100
UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:ROTEL:ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:14400000:1

Active Sample Rate: 88.2kHz
Hog Mode is off

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

Selected device:ROTEL USB Audio 2.0
Manufacturer: ROTEL
Model name: ROTEL USB Audio 2.0
Model UID: ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:278B:5100
UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:ROTEL:ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:14400000:1
USB Vendor ID: 0x278b
USB Product ID: 0x5100
ID 0x63

8 available sample rates up to 384000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
Audio buffer frame size : 27 to 4096 frames
Current I/O buffer frame size : 512

Volume Control
Physical: Yes
Virtual: Yes
Max volume alert: Disabled

MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
Not automatically detected, user set to not MQA

DSD capability
Unhandled (PCM conversion) with boost gain of 6dB

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 0x64 2 channels starting at 1
32 virtual formats:
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 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 high in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

48 physical formats
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 high in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
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 high in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned high in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

Local devices found : 3
Device #0: ID 0x57 Built-in Output
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Model UID: AppleHDA:16
UID: AppleHDAEngineOutput:1F,3,0,1,1:0
Model name: Apple Inc. Built-in Output
Device #1: ID 0x63 ROTEL USB Audio 2.0
Manufacturer: ROTEL
Model UID: ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:278B:5100
UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:ROTEL:ROTEL USB Audio 2.0:14400000:1
USB Vendor ID: 0x278b
USB Product ID: 0x5100
Model name: ROTEL USB Audio 2.0
Device #2: ID 0x47 eqMac
Manufacturer: Bitgapp Ltd
Model UID: EQMDeviceModelUID
UID: EQMDevice
Model name: Bitgapp Ltd eqMac

UPnP

UPnP network interface
Available Network interfaces:
Wi-Fi

UPnP devices found : 0

Chromecast

Chromecast devices found : 0

2

You are using more than 75% of your 16GB of System RAM for playback pre-load memory (13.3GB)… lower this to 4GB…

Also remove the stand-alone Bitgapp Ltd ‘eqMac’ application as it is competing with Audrivāna for Core Audio API’s… It is best to utilize the Audio Units plug-in architecture of Audirvāna for this DSP.

Also, it is not the best practice to store your music library on the System Drive…

If you are streaming music when this happens, this maybe related to bandwidth throttling by your ISP or LAN issues…

:notes: :eye: :headphones: :eye: :notes:

3 Likes
3

Thanks very much for this!

4

Unfortunately, the suggested changes did not resolve the issue.

I am indeed strictly streaming (not using library). I just tested my download speed, which is 249 Mbps.

5

In this case, it is safe to assume that this is not related to Audirvāna, as it appears playback is as expected until this behavior appears… Get a reading of your internet download throughput at the time this behavior happens.

Note:
Downloads slow over time : r/TIdaL - Reddit :

https://www.reddit.com/r/TIdaL/comments/se6xw6/downloads_slow_over_time/

:notes: :eye: :headphones: :eye: :notes:

6

Thank you.
I just tried that, and still got a high reading:
After 6 tracks or so into a playlist, the garbled sound started. While letting it continue to play, I ran a google speed test at 274 Mbps down.

7

If it’s helpful to know, this immediately resolves the issue:
I pause playback, click the lock button to “release audio output”, then relock it, and then resume playing.

8

I just noticed this… set this to ON

9

Thank you. I see that setting listed in the log I pasted, but I am not finding where to change it in Audirvana Studio. The only setting with the word buffer in it is an on/off toggle for Large Core I/O Buffer, under Low Level Playback Options for the DAC. Is that it? Web searches are no help.

10

Yes…
You will find the online ‘Help’ manual very valuable in understanding the configuration settings… It is found in the top-right of the settings pop-up window the (i) icon.

Also, make sure you have the latest firmware update in your Rotel box… USB audio-signals are delivered to the DAC receiver, asynchronously, where the digital-audio signal and metadata about sample-rate is then managed by the DAC signal clocking topologies… if the signal flow is interrupted or delayed long enough the receiver buffer will run low (under-runs) and be unable to deliver data to the DAC system clocking topology, which will precipitate garbling and drop-outs in the playback.

This latency/interruption in the LAN or WAN signal connection will play into this… It is the data throughput from the Streaming provider’s server that is the key… the ISP throughput you are measuring is a ping to-and-from a localized network server… However on your LAN a variety of influences can randomly influence the data flow to the computer.

:notes: :eye: :headphones: :eye: :notes:

11

Many thanks for this. Greatly appreciated.

12

Has anyone tried using Resplendence Software - LatencyMon: suitability checker for real-time audio and other tasks to see if there are any latency issues?

Oops, my bad… Wrong OS…