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[51514brad]

I am using a PC connected via USB to my Mon 280D DAC for playback of DSD files. No matter whether it is DSD64, DSD128 or DSD256 I hear frequent, although intermittent "tick" sounds. I am sure this is simply a problem with my settings but I can't find a fix. I have also searched here for a solution with no success so if this has already been addressed I apologize in advance.

[Awesome Donkey]

First of all, make sure you're bitstreaming DSD and not using DSP Studio > Output Format > Output Encoding set to DSD. When doing the latter you're actually converting to DSD on-the-fly (even DSD files are converted, which is a lossy conversion) which is a very resource intensive task. Otherwise we'll need to know more details about your setup, specifically the type of DSD files (e.g. SACD ISOs, DSF files, DFF files, etc.) you're using.

[51514brad]

No, output encoding is set to none

[fitbrit]

Are you using the HD DSD driver?

[51514brad]

I don't recall. How do I check?

[51514brad]

It appears I have MOON USB HD DSD ASIO DRIVER [ASIO] installed. Is that the correct driver?

[51514brad]

Also, I am playing DSF files...

[dtc]

I would try using WASAPI instead of ASIO.  If the problem persists, I would call Simaudio.  This is an expensive DAC and they even have instructions on their website for JRiver setup.  See if they have the save problem with current versions.

[bogdanbz]

This is what is written in the user manual of my DAC (RME ADI-2DAC FS) regarding DSD playback:

Note: The change between PCM and DSD causes a low volume click noise. For optimized sound and fidelity, the ADI-2 DAC does not use any lossy analog volume control, hence can't suppress the DAC's low level click noise.

You may notice clicks and cracks at the title change quite often with DSD, even when the next title has the exact same sample rate. This is caused by the 1-bit format, which, unlike PCM, re-quires absolute silence and DC freedom at the beginning and end of a title, so that the transition as required by the 1-bit stream does not represent a random signal, which can sound like a click or crack. Unfortunately, many freely available tracks are not 'clean' at the beginning and the end. If these are played back one after the other by player software, the ADI-2 DAC's level meters show that the noise to be heard does not originate from the ADI-2 DAC, but is presented to the DAC as a signal to be played. The level meters are in the digital domain before the DAC, so proof of a faulty input signal is easy.

Might be the cause of the ticks you are hearing, if the clicks happen during track changes.

Btw: is it an AMD system (and can hear clicks or distortions  when playing over USB other formats as well)? Then disable PBO and CPB in the BIOS (or set in the Windows 10 settings -> Power & sleep -> Performance and Energy = Best energy settings) and see if they go away. On an AMD system try to use the latest BIOS available for the motherboard, as the USB issues were (almost all) fixed only in the last AGESA releases.

[51514brad]

I have already been on the phone with Simaudio and they had me use the ASIO settings. Tonight I switched (as per the online instructions) to the WASAPI settings and then DSD256 wouldn't play at all. Then I switched back to ASIO and I'll be darned if everything seems fine. Go figure.

For the record, the ticks were throughout the songs, not just at the start. Now they seem to be gone...