Music Server Recommendation for Merging NADAC (ravenna ethernet)

[The Computer Audiophile]

19 hours ago, longinc said:

HI @El Guapo

 

I recently bought the Afterdark clock for NADAC (https://www.adark.co/products/afterdark-project-clayx-giesemann-word-clock-x-10m-master-clock-for-merging-nadac). They actually make the clock work at the 625K frequency needed by the NADAC. Clock performance spec wise, it's actually slightly better than the Merging UL clock. It does sound amazing - i must say. Anyways, the issue I am experiencing is as follows: 

 

1. Connecting my Macbook air M1 directly to the nadac via ethernet cable works perfect and sounds great

 

2. Connecting my Macbook air M1 into a network switch (cisco 2960) and from the switch into the NADAC, my laptop is not able to connect with the NADAC , and I am getting the error in my CoreAudio driver "No ptp master or unrecognized domain". Prior to the introduction of the external clock, I was able to get this setup (with the switch) to work.

 

Any thoughts you might have on what is causing this error? I can't imagine the introduction of the external clock is causing this issue since on the NADAC it's showing that the NADAC is syncing with the external Word clock. I wonder whether with an external clock, it is expecting certain changes to my network switch configuration. Tried searching the merging confluence site but can't seem to find an explanation for this error.

 

Also, now when I play DSD files i get this static like ticking sound. HIgh res PCM and DXD are fine though. This didn't happen before. Again, can't imagine it's a clock issue. FYI , I do have both Core Audio and VAD installed on my laptop (the VAD installation is a recent introduction) 

 

Any thoughts or insights you might have?

 

Thank you!

I’ve seen this error. Uncheck and recheck the DoP option in VAD. This fixes it for me. 
 

[cjf]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

2. Connecting my Macbook air M1 into a network switch (cisco 2960) and from the switch into the NADAC, my laptop is not able to connect with the NADAC , and I am getting the error in my CoreAudio driver "No ptp master or unrecognized domain". Prior to the introduction of the external clock, I was able to get this setup (with the switch) to work.

I will admit up front that I do not own a NADAC but do own a HAPI. What comes to mind for me after reading the issue above is two things.

1. Does NADAC require the use of the ANEMAN program from Merging? If so, is your configured, UP and running?
 

2. Are all of the ports on the 2960 switch configured to use the same VLAN and does the NADAC and music server show an IP address within the same Subnet?

[cjf]

Oops...quoted the wrong person but the OP question is what I am responding to 

[longinc]

Thanks @cjf. I reached out to Merging and yes, using VAD would require my configuring some routing settings in ANEMAN. I am not very networking savvy - fortunately, they sent me the latest version (still beta) of Core Audio to use so I don't have to deal with the routing configuration issues. So that part is all sorted out. However I am still experiencing the "ticking" sound when playing DSD and DXD files on both HQplayer and Audirvana. And the ticking sound goes on for 5-10 seconds even after i pause the music. Things were fine when I was on MacOs 12.3. Currently I am on 12.5, and am wondering whether its an OS and Core Audio driver issue. Another issue to go hunt down :(

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 hours ago, longinc said:

Thanks @cjf. I reached out to Merging and yes, using VAD would require my configuring some routing settings in ANEMAN. I am not very networking savvy - fortunately, they sent me the latest version (still beta) of Core Audio to use so I don't have to deal with the routing configuration issues. So that part is all sorted out. However I am still experiencing the "ticking" sound when playing DSD and DXD files on both HQplayer and Audirvana. And the ticking sound goes on for 5-10 seconds even after i pause the music. Things were fine when I was on MacOs 12.3. Currently I am on 12.5, and am wondering whether its an OS and Core Audio driver issue. Another issue to go hunt down :(

Are you using a USB C to Ethernet adapter?

[longinc]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Are you using a USB C to Ethernet adapter?

Yes, I am using the Belkin USB-C ethernet adaptor. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

54 minutes ago, longinc said:

Yes, I am using the Belkin USB-C ethernet adaptor. 

That’s the first thing I would replace. Your cpu usage with that will go up 30-40% on the latest macOS versions. 
 

Use this instead - https://www.sonnetstore.com/collections/thunderbolt/products/thunderbolt-avb-adapter

[longinc]

43 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

That’s the first thing I would replace. Your cpu usage with that will go up 30-40% on the latest macOS versions. 
 

Use this instead - https://www.sonnetstore.com/collections/thunderbolt/products/thunderbolt-avb-adapter

Thank you - let me give that a try!

[cjf]

That's a damn shame that Apple forces you back to relying on a USB interface even though you have an ETH based DAC. Might see better results without Apple period but I'm not a fan, never have been : )

 

I would love to have a few words with the "Genius" who started the trend of getting rid of physical ports on all laptops and the headphone jack on every mobile phone.