1. Just regular stuff. 2. Asus RT-AX82U - Also tried on Ethernet, as said before.
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Has anybody been able to use Airplay 2 without the clicks/crackling sound?
- Thread starter PeterOo
- Start date
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- Tags
- airplay citation amp
I have read several articles concerning the cracks & popping sounds. I never experienced this but enough others have that there is some good info out there regarding this. I am one who believes Airplay 2 does have some minor issues however. My experience is rather deep with streaming music in the Apple world. I started as soon as the Airports were first on the market. I did not start having any problems until Airplay 2 was introduced. My problem manifested itself as ALL the Airplay 2 devices I own (Apple TV 4K's & HomePods) would randomly drop out of the stream then come back in. They did it with no discernible time frame or other measurable or quantifiable criteria. However they ALL did this at the same time. The Airplay 2 devices will drop out and in in perfect unison.
ALL my Airplay 1 devices (3 each 1st Gen Airport Express 3 older Apple TV's & Yamaha integrated amp & Altec Lansing In Air 5000) play perfectly and NEVER drop out or give any problems. They NEVER HAVE SINCE DAY ONE OF being put on line. I stream from either my 2012 MBP through Apple Music or my 07 iMac with iTunes. ALL the music files were either ripped on my iMac from CD's (at the highest setting) into iTunes OR added to my library as an Apple Music member. None of the files reside on my Macs - except the CD's I ripped on the iMac.
I feel reasonably sure there is an issue with the protocol of Airplay 2 being completely compatible with older Apple products. My main router is the newest AirPort Extreme. Both the AP extreme & the Expresses were updated to their last available update from Apple. All my Apple TV's are completely updated & stay that way. My home is wired directly with Blue Jean Cat 6 cabling. Every device except for the HomePods are on the ethernet cabling.
The only reason I can think of is that since OS 10.15.7 Catalina is the latest OS that I will run on both these older Macs - It could very well be that the newer OS have some sort of software that reconciles Airplay 1 & 2. Not gonna upgrade to find out just for that. The new Apple TV 4K's work perfectly with all other functions. Ditto the HomePods. I have enough Airplay 1 systems to keep my entire home filled with excellent sounding music. I have tried to find out answers since Airplay 2 was introduced. It is a question an Apple Engineer could answer in 1 minute. But connecting with one of them is like trying to get in touch with Brandon.
ALL my Airplay 1 devices (3 each 1st Gen Airport Express 3 older Apple TV's & Yamaha integrated amp & Altec Lansing In Air 5000) play perfectly and NEVER drop out or give any problems. They NEVER HAVE SINCE DAY ONE OF being put on line. I stream from either my 2012 MBP through Apple Music or my 07 iMac with iTunes. ALL the music files were either ripped on my iMac from CD's (at the highest setting) into iTunes OR added to my library as an Apple Music member. None of the files reside on my Macs - except the CD's I ripped on the iMac.
I feel reasonably sure there is an issue with the protocol of Airplay 2 being completely compatible with older Apple products. My main router is the newest AirPort Extreme. Both the AP extreme & the Expresses were updated to their last available update from Apple. All my Apple TV's are completely updated & stay that way. My home is wired directly with Blue Jean Cat 6 cabling. Every device except for the HomePods are on the ethernet cabling.
The only reason I can think of is that since OS 10.15.7 Catalina is the latest OS that I will run on both these older Macs - It could very well be that the newer OS have some sort of software that reconciles Airplay 1 & 2. Not gonna upgrade to find out just for that. The new Apple TV 4K's work perfectly with all other functions. Ditto the HomePods. I have enough Airplay 1 systems to keep my entire home filled with excellent sounding music. I have tried to find out answers since Airplay 2 was introduced. It is a question an Apple Engineer could answer in 1 minute. But connecting with one of them is like trying to get in touch with Brandon.
What you say may be important but these devices are very old and I’m surprised that they are even still supported.
New workaround: If I configure an Airplay device as being the system audio output for either a Mac or an iPad, there are no audio microskips. Can other people experiencing very short audio dropouts (especially at the beginning of the track or while fast forwarding a track) can test this workaround and provide feedback, please? Thanks.
How are you doing that? I can test with iPad and MacBook
How are you doing that? I can test with iPad and MacBook.
I have similar issues with Denon AVR's. I have always had connectivity issues/drop outs crackles with them, while my mini WiiM and raspberry Pis work flawlessly.
I use a pi for my Airplay without issue but I never had an issue with Airport Express either.
OP
PeterOo
Member
- Thread Starter
- #29
On my Citation Amp and Zeppelin it makes no difference if I stream system audio from iPad or Macbook Pro.
The static/clicks I experience are present all the time, not especially at the beginning. I linked a recording in my start post. They are not very loud. Do you have a recording of the microskips you are experiencing? Just that we know if we are talking about the same thing.
Depeding if you have the option in MacOS or not... In the menubar left-click on the speaker icon, and you will see Airplay receivers directly in the Output list. Choose one, and all sound from that Mac will be directed to Airplay (so every sound will be directed to that Airplay receiver).
What applications are you using with Airplay? Do you stream directly from Apple Music, for example?
OP
PeterOo
Member
- Thread Starter
- #32
@sarumbear @TSX @NiagaraPete @Maginness
You do not experience the clicks with your Airport Express’s. Is that using the analog out or the digital output connected to a DAC?
Reports suggest the analog out of the AEs does not suffer from this.
Meanwhile I contacted HK support. See if they can reproduce it. They have been responsive in the past, althoug I am waiting for more than a year on a firmware update they said they were working on.
You do not experience the clicks with your Airport Express’s. Is that using the analog out or the digital output connected to a DAC?
Reports suggest the analog out of the AEs does not suffer from this.
Meanwhile I contacted HK support. See if they can reproduce it. They have been responsive in the past, althoug I am waiting for more than a year on a firmware update they said they were working on.
That's exactly how I use it.
I stream Apple Music vi iPhone, iPad, Macbook, and Apple TV all via Airplay2 to my PI. The only thing I'm wondering about is why I have more gain from the iPhone, iPad, Macbook overthe Apple TV. BUt again I don't ever have delays or clicks.
I do not use AirportExpress. It’s no longer supported.
I used my Airport Exress both analogue direct into a power amp as well as digital to a DAC.
For Airplay2? It is, but its old and obsolete.
In my main system I go digital out to a MiniDSP Flex. No unwanted noises. I've also added a WiiM Pro to this system to play around with. Also using AirPlay and iOS devices as my source. Sounds the same to me as the Airport Express and also no unwanted noises.
In my other systems I'm going analog out from the Airport Express and no unwanted noises.
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Cote Dazur
Addicted to Fun and Learning
As I am using ITune on my PC to manage my digital music files library, I have 2 airport express, 1 Apple TV, 1 Denon AVR with airplay and I have no issue with crackling/clicking noise in any of them.
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