Speaker cracking on Some paid Apple Music tracks on NAD C399

Answered

a. louw

• October 04, 2025 17:05

I’ve noticed several tracks that are from Apple Music that, when the stored M4A file is moved to a NAS and played by the BluOS module in the NAD C399 my speakers start crackling like a cone has gone.. Moving the speakers around (L -> R etc) moved the problem to the other speaker. Even playback over a headphone with amplifier to the C399 produced the same issue. Weirdly enough, playback via Apple Music streaming to the C399 does not produce the issue. Is this something in the decoding on the BluOS module or C399 itself ? Anyone with similar issues. Example track; CD The Veil of the Temple by John Tavener by Signum Classics. Try track Cycle II, I Primordial Call (Gives 2 cracks on the R speaker) or Cycle III, I Primordial Call (this will cause both speaker to throw up).. Just for info: speakers Piega 501s with subwoofer (tested on and off).

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  a. louw

  • October 05, 2025 08:46

  Update: Problem seems to be in the ‘Smart Gain’ option in the C399. Setting gain control to disabled does not produce the issues in the sound. Looks like smart is not that smart after all.

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