HiFace question

Posted by: Steeve on 02 March 2010

Hi all

Just set up a HiFace from my Dell laptop with a DC1 lead into my Uniti. I've played FLAC tracks (ripped with dbPoweramp) via Foobar2000 and music from Spotify. I think it sounds fantastic for the money, except.....I am getting annoying 'clicks' every 20 seconds or so. It sounds almost like the sound is delayed or drops out for a fraction of a second. This happens when playing from Foobar or Spotify.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Steve
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by Jack
Steve,

I don't own a HiFace but I understand there were some problems with clicks etc although I think most have been resolved. Check out the thread at computeraudiophile and other information here on the Naim forum. There are quite a few owners here so should get a solution!
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by Right Wing
its a bug that has been fixed in the latest software for the HiFace I believe.
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by Steeve
Oh ok. I downloaded the latest drivers from the website and only received the HiFace both today though!

I will 'phone Keith at Purité Audio tomorrow.

Thanks
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by ferenc
Try different USB connector, probably the keyboard driver on the same bus causes some problem?
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by Hook
quote:
Originally posted by Steeve:
Hi all

Just set up a HiFace from my Dell laptop with a DC1 lead into my Uniti. I've played FLAC tracks (ripped with dbPoweramp) via Foobar2000 and music from Spotify. I think it sounds fantastic for the money, except.....I am getting annoying 'clicks' every 20 seconds or so. It sounds almost like the sound is delayed or drops out for a fraction of a second. This happens when playing from Foobar or Spotify.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Steve


Hi Steve -

You may want to check out the thread entitled "Just received: M2Tech Hiface USB interface" over at computeraudiophile.com.

Sounds like clicking is a fairly common problem, and M2Tech has been working on it for a while.

I was looking at the HiFace to replace my M-Audio Transit (and get 24/192 support), but got spooked by the first reports of this problem.

Eloise (the author of many intelligent posts both there and here) suggested it could be related to power. Her idea was to connect the HiFace (and it alone) via a powered USB hub. Might be worth a shot, since it may be a while before this gets sorted out.

Good luck, and please let us know if perhaps an updated driver works does the trick.

Hook
Posted on: 02 March 2010 by JYOW
I have had no problem with the HiFace, mine is about a month old. I am using Macbook Pro though.

Apparently the clicking problem is fixable with latest Windows driver, and only the very first (small0 batch is not fixable with driver fix.
Posted on: 03 March 2010 by js
No direct experience with the HiFace so far but if it's a laptop, turn off the antenna, and play with the power. Battery vs PS. I set mine to not charge until the battery is down to 35% and prefer it plugged in. Background processes can cause this in any setup. If kernel steaming as you should. check the buffer settings in foobar and try increasing them if all else fails. I would also setup the sound preferences in the control panel to use a device other than the HiFace if possible, allowing the HiFace to be devoted to only music playback. Any or all of these may help.
Posted on: 03 March 2010 by james n
We had the same sort of thing on a Mac & Amarra/Weiss at Joe's place with intermittent clicks. Turned out to be Word running autosave.

James
Posted on: 03 March 2010 by paremus
I still suffer from this with my Mac Mini OSX (mild irritant when it starts) :-/

Don't think the latest 1.03.5 fix this.
Posted on: 03 March 2010 by js
Sometimes increasing a buffer size can overcome background process issues but I'm with you guys. I've found wireless antenna and charging to be some of the biggest offenders in other setups but anything running can limit resources and cause a buffer under run. I could also not be buffer related but that's often the issue. If a processor can't keep up, the buffer is what's supposed to keep things flowing but in a multi function machine, even a buffer may be controlled by a bit that's also doing something else.
Posted on: 03 March 2010 by Steeve
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Just to clarify, it is more of a "glitch" than a "click" really. Almost like the sound of tape dropout if anyone remembers that!


I have done everything as recommended. KS dll downloaded and copied to appropriate folder, settings in foobar as recommended (although remember the problem happens outside of foobar as well).

I have played with the buffer sizes in foobar and I have turned my wireless off and tried the laptop plugged in, unplugged, charging, not charging and on different "power plans". I've also tried all the USB ports.

Unfortunately, the result is much the same regardless.

I phoned Keith at Purité Audio today and he is speaking to M2 to see if a solution can be found.

Any more ideas gratefully received though!

Steeve