New airport express clicks on track change when streaming itunes

[daddyfreako]

Hi

I stream music wirelessly from my imac computer through an airport express then via optical out of the airport express to a DAC converter and then to my stereo. I recently got a new airport extreme base station and a new airport express as I was occasionally experiencing intermittent dropout when playing especially if the microwave was on..

With the new airport extreme and airport express I get no dropouts but the system clicks loudly every time a track changes or I skip a track in itunes.

This seems to be a problem with the new airport express (wireless n) because if I change back to my old airport express (wireless G), then there is no clicking.

I'm running 7.6.1 on the airport extreme base station and the new airport express and 6.3 on the old airport express.

Any ideas or fixes?

Is this a known issue?

Thanks

Charlie

 

[garybUK]

I had this problem with it connected to my old Rotel system via Optical.... the problem is that the Airport Express doesn't have a clock inside, instead it uses a software clock that is broadcast with the stream, this is why iTunes can sync between Airplay devices and internal sound (and match).

Some DAC's will loose lock when no signal is being sent via Optical i.e. when track changes.

 

[daddyfreako]

Thanks for your help. I'll see if I can borrow or try out some DACs and find one that works. I'm currently using an old Arcam Delta Black Box 5 DAC. Is it something about needing one that reclocks the stream or more about one that is tolerant of clock breaks in the stream?