Loud Popping Sounds With External DAC When Sample Rate Changes or Wakes from Standby – Anyone Else?

[OldDickieBaker]

I’m experiencing an ongoing issue with my WiiM Ultra streamer when using external DACs, and I’m wondering if others have encountered the same problem.

The issue is as follows: whenever the sample rate changes, I hear loud popping sounds – sometimes 2, 3, or 4 consecutive pops. This also happens when the WiiM wakes up from standby or goes to sleep, with a loud single pop. It occurs consistently whether I’m using my Denafrips Ares II DAC or when I previously used an SMSL RAW MDA-1 DAC, which I ended up returning thinking it was faulty.

I’ve tried multiple connection methods – USB, coaxial, and optical – but nothing seems to resolve the issue. I’ve also experimented with changing the buffer settings, fixing the sample rate, but none of these adjustments have worked.

I’ve searched this forum extensively, and more broadly online, and while I’ve seen some reports of similar issues, I haven’t come across any concrete solutions.

I’ve raised a support ticket with both WiiM and Denafrips but am still trying to figure out if this is a common issue with the WiiM Ultra when paired with certain DACs or if there’s a fix I’ve overlooked.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, have you found a solution or workaround?

To provide more context, here’s a description of my current setup:

Streamer: WiiM Ultra, connected via coaxial to the DAC.
DAC: Denafrips Ares II.
Preamp: From the Denafrips, I run into a Schiit Saga II preamp.
Amplifiers: XLR out from the Saga II into two Schiit Vidar monoblocks.
Source: I’m using Tidal through ROON.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wiimer]

I’m experiencing an ongoing issue with my WiiM Ultra streamer when using external DACs, and I’m wondering if others have encountered the same problem.

The issue is as follows: whenever the sample rate changes, I hear loud popping sounds – sometimes 2, 3, or 4 consecutive pops. This also happens when the WiiM wakes up from standby or goes to sleep, with a loud single pop. It occurs consistently whether I’m using my Denafrips Ares II DAC or when I previously used an SMSL RAW MDA-1 DAC, which I ended up returning thinking it was faulty.

I’ve tried multiple connection methods – USB, coaxial, and optical – but nothing seems to resolve the issue. I’ve also experimented with changing the buffer settings, fixing the sample rate, but none of these adjustments have worked.

I’ve searched this forum extensively, and more broadly online, and while I’ve seen some reports of similar issues, I haven’t come across any concrete solutions.

I’ve raised a support ticket with both WiiM and Denafrips but am still trying to figure out if this is a common issue with the WiiM Ultra when paired with certain DACs or if there’s a fix I’ve overlooked.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, have you found a solution or workaround?

To provide more context, here’s a description of my current setup:

Streamer: WiiM Ultra, connected via coaxial to the DAC.
DAC: Denafrips Ares II.
Preamp: From the Denafrips, I run into a Schiit Saga II preamp.
Amplifiers: XLR out from the Saga II into two Schiit Vidar monoblocks.
Source: I’m using Tidal through ROON.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi,

Have you tried turning on the fade in fade out effect in the audio settings?

I have previously experienced a similar popping sound to yours with the SMSL M200 DAC (on Mini and pro.). It seems that a very small percentage of DACs have this problem. And I believe there was a history of latency and fade-in settings being added to address this issue.

If a fixed resolution setting is added to Ultra in a future update, your problem may be solved.

However, in my case I have never heard a pop sound on return to standby or sleep. Thus I do not know if this is the same issue.

 

[OldDickieBaker]

Yeah, fade in and out is engaged but it makes no difference. Thanks for suggesting though. Denafrips ARES II is such a high profile DAC, I’m surprised there aren’t others in my boat.

 

[Mr Ee]

You mention trying fixed resolution - was that by setting the max sample rate /bit depth in the wiim app as low as possible, i.e. 44.1/16?
Does it pop for optical and usb connections too?

 

[OldDickieBaker]

That’s right. I set maximal sample rates to the lowest possible and still experience pops. All outputs (USB, optical and coax) generate the same issue.

 

[Mr Ee]

It might be better to think of it as all (ares) inputs generate the same issue
Strange though, if there's only a single rate coming out of the wiim there should be no sample rate change for the dac to adjust to.
When set to 44.1/16, when exactly do these pops occur?

 

[Wiimer]

That’s right. I set maximal sample rates to the lowest possible and still experience pops. All outputs (USB, optical and coax) generate the same issue.

Btw, where is the power cable for the Ultra connected? Also, are you using the supplied power cable?

I actually heard a pop noise today from my WiiM connected to my newly purchased power strip. It occurred when returning to standby and going into standby. When I plugged the power cable into a wall outlet the noise went away.

I don't know if this is related to your problem, but it might be worth checking around the power supply.

 

[g3rain1]

It might be better to think of it as all (ares) inputs generate the same issue
Strange though, if there's only a single rate coming out of the wiim there should be no sample rate change for the dac to adjust to.
When set to 44.1/16, when exactly do these pops occur?

I have the same issue with the Wiim Ultra on a complete different dac than his. That same dac didn't pop when using a Wiim Pro. I brought this issue a while ago and got dismissed as it being my dacs fault.

 

[Mr Ee]

I have the same issue with the Wiim Ultra on a complete different dac than his. That same dac didn't pop when using a Wiim Pro. I brought this issue a while ago and got dismissed as it being my dacs fault.

If no issue with a pro and an issue with an ultra to the same dac, using the same connection method, then indeed, raise a ticket to wiim (check that all those fade settings etc. are the same first).
I don't know quite how the sending of logs works when submitting feedback (do logs for all devices get sent or just the current 'active' device?), but it might be worth using both in a row so they potentially have logs from both devices to check for differences?
Some dacs are known to produce pop sounds when sample rates change so yes, it's easy for others to dismiss it as having to be that, hence my attempt to elicit more info on exactly when they occur with a single sample rate.

 

[mlsstl]

Just a data point -- I recently tried my Pro with coax out into a Hifiman EF499 headphone amp which has a built-in DAC. No popping noise in between tracks, even when resolution has changed. I have Qobuz with the Pro set at 24/192K max, so there will often be switching between 16/44.K all the way up to 24/192K.

ADDENDUM -- just tried the Pro with optical out to a Topping E30 DAC. No popping noises here, either.

 

[Kro]

I think I have the exact same issue with SMSL SU-1 and ultra. Every time I change radio preset with different resolution there's 1 or 2 small pops in both speakers. Same pops when starting to play local files with different resolutions. And pops also when going in or out of sleep state. Same on toslink and coax and even worse on USB (it looks like there is twice more pops when through USB).
No issue with my 2 other DACs (Khadas Tone2 pro and SMSL DO200 pro) whatever the input used.
I have tried to play the same local files with SU-1 on my laptop through USB, no pops.
Still have to test with "fixed" resolution and also with my other Wiim (pro).

 

[slartibartfast]

I recently noticed the same issue with a Focusrite 212 connected to my Amp USB out for headphone duties so it isn't just the Ultra. I didn't try setting Fade In/Fade Out as it seems like papering over the cracks

 

[Kro]

I did some more tests :
Wiim pro toslink : same pops every time the resolution change. No issue with fixed resolution
Wiim ultra toslink or coax : no more pops between track changes if setting forced to lowest resolution, but still pops when going in or out of sleep.
Wiim ultra usb : twice more pops every time I play/pause () or change tracks, even if same resolution ! setting to lowest resolution has no effect. But no pops going in or out of sleep.
I guess I should blame the SU-1 however it has no issue when plugged to my laptop, so... not so sure.