Denafrips Ares 2 and crackling speakers

[Tadaoo]

Hello AudioScientists!

Crackling sounds have been emanating from my speakers these past few weeks.
It is a faint crackling sound during the course of the song, loud enough to be annoying in anything more intense than background music.

Because I hadn't recently altered any settings or changed any components, I presumed a component malfunction.

My setup is as follows:

- Streamer: Bluesound Node (with LHY LPS upgrade) streaming Qobuz with ethernet connection
- DAC: Denafrips Ares 2
- Preamp: Denafrips Hestia preamp
- Power Amp: Audiophonics Hypex Class D power amp
- Speakers: Sonus Faber Lumina 1.

I tried a few combinations to identify the faulty element. In short: when I remove the external DAC from the chain, the system works on the BS Node internal DAC without any crackling.

With the Denafrips Ares2 DAC back in the system, the crackling seem to happen for music files with sampling rates of 16/44,1 and 24/48 (x1); when the sampling rate is 24/96 (x2) or 24/192 (x3), there is no (audible) crackling.

I switched cables and inputs, coax and optical cable, but the issue remains.

I sent the DAC to Audiophonics, now the French distributor; they tested the DAC extensively, finding no anomalies or crackling.

As I am going around in circles with no rational explanation, I believed it would be beneficial to consult ASR's brightest minds to shed light on the causes of this distortion for the community, and incidentally, for yours truly.
Is it reasonable to assume that there is a problem of dialog between the streamer and the DAC under certains specific conditions?

If the DAC is not the culprit, where should I look for a fix?

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

T

 

[JustJones]

I'm one of the dullest minds but have you tried a different streamer? I assume you're using either Coax or Optical out of the Node to the Ares2? Does it make noise using either , both ?

 

[formdissolve]

Do you have another preamp or headphone amp to connect the Ares to? That way you can rule out the other gear.

 

[Tadaoo]

I'm one of the dullest minds but have you tried a different streamer? I assume you're using either Coax or Optical out of the Node to the Ares2? Does it make noise using either , both ?

Hi

Nothing dull about your suggestion; I don't have a spare streamer to run the test but I will try to connect an ipad to the DAC via USB to see what happens.

I have been using both Coax and Optical btw the Node and the Ares2 with no noise issue other than the crackling at given sample rates.

Before the crackling started I had a slight psychoacoustical preference for the coax...

 

[godmax]

How old is your Denafrips Ares 2 and have you ever updated the firmware?
I had random crackling noise over USB with the Denafrips Ares 2 some years back and after I updated the firmware it was working fine ever since.

 

[Tadaoo]

Do you have another preamp or headphone amp to connect the Ares to? That way you can rule out the other gear.

Hi

No spare preamp either at the moment, but I might be able to bring the DAC to test it on another system-

Still my system only generates crackling when the DAC is in the chain and only at some sample rates- Notwithstanding my very limited understanding of electronics, it seem to point in the direction of the streamer / Dac communication-
I tested the wifi connection to the streamer too to rule out upstream components (switch, ethernet cables) and the issue remains.

I will give a feedback after further testing and I will gladly take any suggestions