INTERACT FORUM

Devices => Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, Speakers, and Headphones => Topic started by: Belarathon on May 21, 2011, 05:57:45 pm

Title: Audible "pop" when M-Audio changes sample rates
Post by: Belarathon on May 21, 2011, 05:57:45 pm

Hello-

I have an M-Audio 2496 Audiophile soundcard using Windows 7 x64, Media Center, event style WASAPI (doesn't seem to matter whether it's Kernel Streaming, ASIO, or WASAPI) going analog to my amplifier.  My source material is primarily 44.1 Khz, but I also have a good deal of 88.2 and 96Khz sampled audiophile recordings.  Whenever the sound card transitions up or down in sampling rate, such as going from a 44.1Khz audio file to a 96Khz file, or vice versa, I hear an audible pop in my amplifier, which sounds quite like a static electricity discharge.  Is there anything I can do to avoid or remedy this, short of getting an outboard DAC?  Would that even help?

Thanks,

Cary

Title: Re: Audible "pop" when M-Audio changes sample rates
Post by: Matt on May 21, 2011, 09:56:47 pm

When the sample rate changes, the frequency of the clock on the card is changed.  I think this will create a pop.  The volume will vary based on the hardware, but there's probably nothing you can do about it.

You'll also get a DC pop when you turn your computer on (and sometimes off).

Some cards like Creative X-Fi do a nice job of suppressing DC pop on power-on.  Other cards can really wake you up with their pop if you've got them wired to a high-gain amplifier.

Title: Re: Audible "pop" when M-Audio changes sample rates
Post by: Belarathon on May 23, 2011, 06:42:54 pm

Thanks Matt.  I might have to check into a Creative, provided they don't re-sample.