Q: Noise during Airplay music playback

Thanks, HeavyLiquid. You got it. I downgraded the AX firmware to 7.4.2 and that does the trick. 7.5.2 is the culprit.

This is very odd. I had the same problem, but solved it by upgrading from 7.4.2 to 7.5.2.

I bought the AX today (my first ever), set it up and noticed the same type of noise that OP describes. Checked the firmware and it was 7.4.2. Upgraded it to 7.5.2 and the noise is gone.

Btw, the sound quality on this setup is fantastic, best I've had on my stereo.

Same problem here! I have an Apple TV 2 connected to my Onkyo A/V receiver through HDMI. When i play some music (specially noticeable when it's a piano solo) the cracks and pops are very annoying. Connecting my Mac directly to the receiver via the mini-jack produces clean audio but through Airplay sounds very bad. This also happens when i connect it via iPhone, so it's not a problem of the mac/itunes, and also using Airfoil. It has to be some kind of problem with the ATV software

Same here. I have a MacMini (OSX Lion) connected via Toslink with Onkyo A/V receiver. I use Airfoil as "Airplay receiver". I use the latest iOS 5.1 on my iPhone 4. I get constant pops, especially noticeable when listening to classical music. Any suggestions?

well, when using the software AirServer as Airplay receiver on my MacMini the issues seem to gone.

I've noticed this for quite a while now. I'm running airplay off a yamaha rx a720 through Monitor BX5s and the clicks and pops seem to be across the board: on WAV, AAC256, etc. Less noticable on mp3 and more noticable when quieter tracks at better quality bit rate are played at higher volume. This was present on my old airplay plug-in unit as well, and is the same whether I'm running itunes off the PC or through my iphone. I've tested it enough to know this is not the source material and that it only shows up when playing through airplay, but unfortunately that's where the trail ends for me. Changing the firmware version has not solved the issue. Is it possible that it's simply that airplay can't handle the amount of data transmitted when streaming the higher quality stuff?

High everyone.

I am having the same noise / statics issue with Airplay on my Marantz M-CR603 amplifier.

This happens when playing from my iPad or Macbook Pro with iTunes, through Wifi and Ethernet, on all kind of files (mp3, 256 AAC or ALAC).

I also mostly notice this issue when playing piano sonatas or similar recordings.

This is VERY enoying once you notice the noise is there. I am writing an email to Marantz but I doubt they will be of much help.

This is even more enoying because the alternative (playing through Toslink from my late 2008 macbook pro) also presents another issue. There is a soft, but very noticeable high-frequency noise in the background, whenever the audio chip turns on (you notice the sound dissapears when no sound has been playing for a while, or when switching to Airplay).

So much for purchasing high-end, high-fidelity equipment... but most people don't notice these imperfections.

Any comments ?

I used to have this problem and it turned out to be interference with neighbors with WiFi. 

I changed the channel on my Airport Extreme and the crackling went away. 

I have GREAT speakers and the music over Apple TV is perfectly clear now.

Thank you for your suggestion.

However, I do not think this is the issue, since I can here the noise even through Ethernet (Macbook and Dac unit).

I'm pretty sure there is an issue with the dac's firmware.

I'm also getting noise and "LP pops" when playing tracks in iTunes through an Apple TV.

It is very noticeable when playing certain audio test tracks e.g.

Wide Sweep: 5 Hz - 22.05 KHz, L + R, -15 Db

The noise always occurs at certain frequencies.

I've tried 1st and 2nd generation Apple TVs - both show the same problem.

Same problem even if they are connect to the computer with Ethernet and Wi-Fi is disabled.

BUT:

No noise when playing the same tracks using iTunes Home Sharing to send the audio via Wi-Fi from one Mac to another.

I also have this problem. It occurs on my Apple TV and my airport express feeding a Naim B&W hifi system. It is most noticeable on piano music but also shows up on other classical tracks. I tried the airport express with headphones to check if it was a hifi compatibility problem and still got the crackling. I have also tried airplay from my iPod touch to the express to rule out the PC and this also had the same problem. If I listen to the same track directly on the touch then there is no problem, thus the problem must be with either airplay or the firmware on the Apple TV and the Express. This is very irritating and it looks as though I will have to move away from apple devices for the streaming of audio.

I have what sounds like the same problem as the original post: what sound like 'ticks' at irregular intervals and intermittent. It sounds like there is at least 1 other issue being described on this thread as well that has to do with a noisy or weak wi-fi connection.

I recorded the sound and it can be found here along with my notes: http://sprng.me/fenuv

I did some testing on the 'tick' issue and here's what I found:

Test tracks:

Stereophile test CD 3 test tone tracks 22 (1 kHz square wave), 23, 24

Equipment:

iPhone 4

Audioengine A2 powered speakers

Marantz SR5006

B&W Zeppelin Air

HTPC running Windows 7 and iTunes connected via Gb ethernet

Laptop running Windows Vista and Asset uPnP server connected via wi-fi 802.11g

Using Airplay:

- from iTunes on PC to Marantz SR5006 via Ethernet and AirPlay - tick sound (bad jitter?)

- from iPhone via home sharing and AirPlay to Marantz, iPhone line out, B&W zeppelin air: all had ticks

- from iPhone with track stored on iPhone to Marantz, B&W zeppelin air and AppleTV via AirPlay: had ticks,

- same track on iPhone via line out (to Audioengine A2's) did not have ticks

Using other input methods:
- when played using iTunes and PC analog out to Marantz (not airplay), no ticks heard
- when played via USB on Marantz, no ticks but slight warble sound (could be jitter but not as bad?)
- when played via DLNA (asset uPnP server on laptop via wifi), push from iPhone app and pull from receiver: no ticks, just like USB
- when played from CD on blu ray player connected via HDMI to Marantz: no ticks, just like USB.

Conclusions:

1. All AirPlay streaming has tick sound, including home sharing from iTunes on PC to iPhone, independent of AirPlay device manufacturer.

2. iPhone audio out does not have tick sound when playing file stored on iPhone.

3. Asset uPnP server playing via DLNA does not have tick sound even when playing from laptop connected via wifi.

4. CD and USB methods have no ticks and are same as USB.

The ticking and perhaps the slight warble sound I noticed during the USB, DLNA, and CD playback sounds like the jitter example track on Stereophile test CD 2. Can anyone confirm or disprove that this is jitter? Regardless it seems like AirPlay does not work as an audio streaming solution for critical listening.

I solved my issue by rolling back the firmware to 7.4.2. You should give it a try.  This was very reproducible.

AE - toslink - audio-fun gd - hd650. No longer issues. Might not work for all because I assume there are different hw revisions for the AE, not sure.

I don't have an AE but I was thinking of getting one for the Audioengine speakers until I found the ticking problem. Now I am considering going with DLNA for audio.