Here you are the answer of the Arcam support regarding the possibility to adapt the PLL width, most probably at the origin of the audio cuts via HDMI:
“> The reply from the R+D team is that there is no way to adjust the PLL in the SA30. While the root cause is the same basic idea (the clock is drifting too far) it looks as though the module the handles it is responding at a hardware level. We are investigating options with the manufacturer of the module.”
So if the rootcause is identified, its resolution may be more problematic than foreseen.
That’s odd and disturbing answer.
I think, that by module they mean DSP is this case. Basically it seems, that ALL digital signals are sent to dac via DSP.
It is possible to set PLL width with a firmware for ess DACs, and Arcam already did it with SA20. One of the audiolabs I think has similar issue, and they also implemented possibility to change pll width from menu.
So this might mean, that what is drifting is actually clock of the dsp module output.
If the drift is so “big”, that even setting highest pll width for the DAC doesn’t help, that means we are screwed. There is a chance than, that it really cannot be fixed easily. This might call for a recall, to replace DSP modules with new ones. Question is, if Arcam will be up to the task?
But still it’s weird, that seemingly distortion was not an issue pre v705 firmware, and this is in a way contradictory to what they say now.
Makes you wonder if support even knows what the issue is in reality, and if they are telling us the truth.
I’ve already seen different answers to the same questions several times, so…
Yes possibly by “module” they are referring to software rather than the hardware, since we know it’s not all proprietary code. Of course we are also assuming that the support people spoken to fully understand the issue and are capable of explaining it in a non-technical way to the user, and that as users we actually do understand that fully and then ourselves are capable of passing that on in forums without any ambiguity, watering down or otherwise colouring in, No offence to anyone intended, I include myself in all that! just saying I’m not convinced by anything until Arcam make some sort of official statement about it or otherwise fix it for us.
I’m not sure it’s only the DAC. If it was only that, Arcam would fix it right away, like they did for sa10 and SA20.
It’s probably somewhere between dac and DSP.
Actually what I noticed, in all amps where it was fixed with a FW upgrade, it says it’s always fixed on one particular digital input. If that’s a DAC limitation, that pll can be changed on one input, and in SA30 dsp is connected to different input, might be that they really cannot change the pll setting.
Would have to carefully study datasheet for the DAC, but haven’t seen one for 9038. And to be honest don’t have time for that.
I guess it’s time to let it go, and just wait patiently on any news from Arcam. Let’s see what they come up with…
It isn’t I agree. I have all my stuff plugged into it though. TV and AV processor and OPPO player.
Not wanting to divert this thread however, I have mentioned my purchase because I have seen it almost stop the distortion issue with the SA30. I have proved it by several times plugging the SA30 into a wall socket only for the distortion to re appear.
I didn’t buy it to solve that. It was just an aside observation. The reason I bought it was because during lockdown I’ve been listening to a lot more music during the day when the mains is a lot more polluted than later at night and it was ruining the experience. Now I get that sound you get when playing late at night anytime.
