Nova Popping

Hmm, I’ve been pondering this since my last post. It seems to be extremely unlikely to be a production issue, given the reoccurrence on different units. That suggests some environmental condition, power supply connections, speaker connections, or electrical interface through connected components or other appliances elsewhere on the power supply. The easiest way to check that is to run the unit in a different environment and see whether the problem is still occurring, if so, it’s the unit. If not, isolate other components one by one to isolate the source of interference. Checking whether the pop occurs in the headphone mode may also isolate a source. Good luck... an electrical would also be able to check the power supply for interference.

Richard Dane posted:

Mercky, this is very puzzling.  Out of interest is there anything odd downstream with your speakers or your speaker cable/connections etc.?

What speaker cable are you using?  How long is it each side?

Thanks Richard but nothing has changed since my original Nova that dident pop at all for the 6 weeks I had it (but screeched!) and also my Atom before it. My setup is straightforward. The only change was a new Meicord ethernet cable but I've swopped back to my original Chord CStream and no change. I've been running it in since I got it so leaving it on iradio all day until around 10.30pm, switching to standby overnight and when I switch on radio again in the morning it pops as the music begins. It only seems to happen when running for long periods which suggests it may be temp related. Tomorrow morning I'm going to connect to Tidal and not iradio when I turn it on and see does that make a difference. Some input from support would have been good though.

Mike Sullivan posted:

Hmm, I’ve been pondering this since my last post. It seems to be extremely unlikely to be a production issue, given the reoccurrence on different units. That suggests some environmental condition, power supply connections, speaker connections, or electrical interface through connected components or other appliances elsewhere on the power supply. The easiest way to check that is to run the unit in a different environment and see whether the problem is still occurring, if so, it’s the unit. If not, isolate other components one by one to isolate the source of interference. Checking whether the pop occurs in the headphone mode may also isolate a source. Good luck... an electrical would also be able to check the power supply for interference.

Thanks Mike, yes I'm going to gradually eliminate things one by one but nothing has changed since my non-popping Nova! But it does seem odd that two units back to back are doing it

Ah, so I’ve just read your original post when your first Nova gave out a big screech. Are you happy that the speakers or cables/connections haven’t been damaged? Maybe take the Nova and the speakers and cables to your dealer for a check.

Mike Sullivan posted:

Ah, so I’ve just read your original post when your first Nova gave out a big screech. Are you happy that the speakers or cables/connections haven’t been damaged? Maybe take the Nova and the speakers and cables to your dealer for a check.

They're fine

Mercky posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Mercky, this is very puzzling.  Out of interest is there anything odd downstream with your speakers or your speaker cable/connections etc.?

What speaker cable are you using?  How long is it each side?

Thanks Richard but nothing has changed since my original Nova that dident pop at all for the 6 weeks I had it (but screeched!) and also my Atom before it. My setup is straightforward. The only change was a new Meicord ethernet cable but I've swopped back to my original Chord CStream and no change. I've been running it in since I got it so leaving it on iradio all day until around 10.30pm, switching to standby overnight and when I switch on radio again in the morning it pops as the music begins. It only seems to happen when running for long periods which suggests it may be temp related. Tomorrow morning I'm going to connect to Tidal and not iradio when I turn it on and see does that make a difference. Some input from support would have been good though.

Interestingly I started up this morning with Tidal rather then iradio and no pop, then switched over to the radio and still no pop! It's running all day today on iradio while I'm at work and I'll switch off later tonight but I'm going to bypass my cisco switch and go ethernet directly router to Nova and start up with iradio again in the morning and see if it still pops, next stop will be going wireless.

Recently since I left my Nova powered on more, when I power down and then back on it would get a loud pop, not like the prior bang, but I now know the precursor which is a very loud hissing sound from the speakers coming out of standby (as opposed to a barely audible hiss), if I was to hit play then loud sharp pop.

Sadly I am finding now, I have to repeat the in and out of standby about 4 times with a wait in between to get the barely audible hiss (meaning no loud pop).

So add in the app issues my Nova start up routine is a frustrating sequence.

1. Open Naim app, nothing found;

2. If I hear the loud hiss then toggle standby ~4 times

2. Close Naim app fully;

3. Reopen the Naim app

4. Assuming no Tidal password issue, I can listen.

Obsydian posted:

Recently since I left my Nova powered on more, when I power down and then back on it would get a loud pop, not like the prior bang, but I now know the precursor which is a very loud hissing sound from the speakers coming out of standby (as opposed to a barely audible hiss), if I was to hit play then loud sharp pop.

Sadly I am finding now, I have to repeat the in and out of standby about 4 times with a wait in between to get the barely audible hiss (meaning no loud pop).

So add in the app issues my Nova start up routine is a frustrating sequence.

1. Open Naim app, nothing found;

2. If I hear the loud hiss then toggle standby ~4 times

2. Close Naim app fully;

3. Reopen the Naim app

4. Assuming no Tidal password issue, I can listen.

have you tried bypassing all your network stuff and going wireless ? presumably you're using latest app?

Wireless no, always assumed wired was best.

App wise old on Android, but new with iPad no difference aside from the minor visual changes when it is trying to find a room and the bottom volume bar.

Seeing as this is a problem experienced by other users in other rooms this may well yet be an issue with the Nova. I would think your dealer would offer to come and set up both your Nova and the network it is connected  to so that at least this can be ruled out.

So whilst listening got a notification Android Naim app is available, I will hold judgement yet, but It looks promising... as in the app stability not the loud hiss and loud pops.

I admire your patience on these issues. If it was me I would have got rid of the Nova on the 2nd return and demand a refund. 

SimonPeterArnold posted:

I admire your patience on these issues. If it was me I would have got rid of the Nova on the 2nd return and demand a refund. 

On no 2, I was close, now contemplating a 5th is crazy, it is so sad as everything but this issue is outstanding, the Nova to me is the first Naim box I have bought and managed to avoid the box itch, yes I am looking to an NDX2/SN2 , but with recent setup tweaks I can casually or even critically listen and be very happy with the Nova.

I did start a look into other brands on no.3 replacement, but found again I am very happy with the Nova, less the issues.

It will be interesting to see ND555 and NDX2 owners, I feel will be less forgiving if such issues occur ... you don't pay ten of thousands to be told it's your network or oops your the 1% unlucky population.

Well I switched mine to WiFi last night and lo and behold no pop this morning on iradio. Could be a one off but I decided to spend a few hours today re running and re dressing all cables and repositioning switch. Back on Ethernet now so I’ll leave running all day and see if it pops in the morning, great if it sorts it but it doesn’t explain why first nova dident pop. Will update tomorrow. 

Thanks Mercky interesting, keep us posted, I'm loathed at the moment to change anything as everything is setup perfect.

No pop using Ethernet on iradio switch-on this morning! Not sure what’s going on tbh but let’s see if it holds over the next few days. Sounding nice otherwise with about 120hrs up now. 

Hi Mercky, thanks I am home early for work tomorrow, will try on WiFi, but oddly with the latest Naim app update (fingers crossed) the muting on and off seems different and so far no loud hiss, am hoping ...

Just have my setup perfect with the SR Blues ????

Forgot to say go help a quicker break in, as standby uses very little if any current assuming you have server mode off, I would use the app, other settings and select standby to never, after playback stops, 20 mins later screen dims, runs at 30w, playing music is slightly more.

Update - No pops for three mornings in a row on iradio using original wired connection. Seems the problem has gone away, not really sure what the remedy was, I did redress all my cabling keeping everything well separated but i don't understand why my original Nova dident pop if it was a cabling issue as nothing had changed. Anyway I'll probably never know the reason but fingers crossed it hopefully wont return.