A new problem popped up this afternoon, and I thought I’d get others’ experiences and/or the hive’s input on the likely cause:
After my last system change (refurbed Mk1 and a new Stellar Gold preamp) I’ve been enjoying several weeks of perfect function and great sound, But today all of the discs I’ve tried to play sound horribly distorted, like the output was sent through a fuzz/distortion guitar pedal. Seriously bad. It happens with both SACDs and CDs. I’m not sure if the problem is with the transport or the DAC. If it’s the DAC, the problem is limited to the I2S input (I get the same results on I2S1 and I2S2 for whatever that’s worth). But the USB input from the server/streamer is fine.
I guess I can try changing the PST’s output from I2S to coax, but if I do, I’m not sure either result, good or bad, will help isolate which component is malfunctioning. I could try XLR too, but I’m not sure how to make that connection - the PST has a pair of XLR outputs labeled L and R, but the Mk1 has only one XLR input.
I submitted a help request to PSA via the website, but it’s too early to expect a response. I thought I’d check to see if anyone else here has run into anything like this before.
Have you rebooted the two devices, I.e. turned them off with the switch on the rear and then back on after a few seconds? I occasionally have a static glitch and I immediately do that and it is restored to normalcy.
I agree with Lonson. When in doubt I always power cycle the devices. It seems to be the solution nowadays for modern electronics?
Additionally if you want to try the XLR route, I believe either output from the transport will work. The second one is for DAC’s that use two cables for double rate DSD.
I had thought I had written that I powered down both units (at the rear switch), waited several minutes and powered them up again, but that might have been in my note to PSA. At any rate, yes, I tried that, and nothing changed.
A longer duration power down may benefit. Substituting a different HDMI/I2S cable would aid in eliminating the cable as a cause. Is the HDMI cable you are using providing for a snug fit at the PST and DSD M1?
Otherwise it may be best to work with PSA tech support on Monday.
Everything feels secure to me, and it had been working perfectly before this started, with no movement of components that might have tugged at the cable or stressed it, but I realize that often doesn’t mean anything. Everything that’s broken started out unbroken. I’ve shut the transport down for the weekend. I’ll try it again Monday, and unplug and replug the cable to see if that action has any effect.
So you had a similar distortion issue? Did the techs say which machine was at fault? Doesn’t seem likely both would be problematic. Forgive me for grasping at straws, but if it’s a port problem I’d much rather have it be the DAC since it’s under warranty. The transport warranty expired a couple of weeks ago.
I got a note back from Delia in service the other day, and she suggested as a first step not just powering down the transport, but powering down both it and the DAC, unplugging everything from them - power, signal, network, what have you, and let them sit for a few hours.
So I did that - shut them down with the rear power switches, pulled them from the shelf, unplugged every cable there was from both units, and let them sit, just two isolated boxes. For, in this case, about 48 hours, since I had other things to attend to. Then this afternoon, while they were still out and fully accessible, I reconnected everything, using the same cable and I2S input, powered them up, let them initialize, put in a disc and hit play. And it all sounded good as new. I even jostled the cable gently at each end to see if there might be a loose connection of some kind at one or both jacks, but nope. No crackles or distortion.
As I told Delia, I’m extremely grateful, if flummoxed. I never expected this to work, and I’d been in a profound funk for almost a week. The cloud has lifted.