Recently I got a new stand for my A/V system so I tore it all down and reconnected everything from scratch. I have a HD-DVR from DirecTV connected via optical and DD is enabled. When I flip through the channels I get a click or a pop from the speakers each time I switch to a channel that broadcasts a DD signal. This pop is heard just before the sound is audible and is not heard again until I change to another DD channel. The pop is not heard when switching to a stereo channel. I don’t remember this before because it would have drove me nuts just like it does now. If I disable DD in the HD-DVR the problem goes away. The only difference from before is that I’m using balanced cables between my 990 and 7500 but I reconnected the un-balanced cables to see if the problem went away and it did not. I have reset the 990 and unplugged it from power for 20 hours or so and nothing changed. I also tried a different optical cable.

Has anyone else noticed this behavior?

Do you only get it from the HD DVR, or do you also get it from the DVD player? I'm wondering if it is part of the actual Dolby Digital bitstream or if it's being generated by the 990 or 7500.

From the moment I put the 7500 in my system, I've noticed a soft click from the speakers when the 990 acquires any signal - but I was also looking for it because I'd heard a couple reports of such behavior. It's not what I would consider noticeable enough to be equal to what you mention, but it is independent of the incoming signal format (PCM, DD, or DTS) and it did not occur with my old 750.

My 990 is completele popfree, Daryl.

How did you solve the pop problem? please explain... so others can benefit from your experience.

I reported the same problem not too long ago. I'd like to know how you solved it because I tried everything I could, short of replacing the cable box.

Barend - Is your 7700 up and running yet, or are you using a different amp? I never encountered any pop either with either my Model 750 or my 200's.

I also have this pop - from both my Comcast HD DVR and my DVD player...

I'm using a Monster 3250 amp.

Would love to know if this is normal behavior or if there is a way to get rid of this.

@gonk
Not yet, couldn't manage to get the 230V conversion exactly as I wanted, because the transformers aren't alike, the 230V doesn't distribute in twice 115V...
Wish they made them identical, like on the Arcam P7, which divides the 7th double secundary between transformer 1 and 2...
Now I'm going to split the PSU into a different cabinet for ease of handling...oh my poor back...

No, there was no pop from the 7700 when I switched it on with the ballast transformer; when operating on 115V the transformers are switched one after the other, in 4 stages.
What normally causes the pops (the smoothing electrolytic) is not very high in value, it doesn't have to be because every module has its own, including a rectifying bridge.
It's difficult to see what could cause the pop, because the amp switches on after several seconds, enough to leave the pops behind you...

Also, there is an elaborate error sensing circuit for each module AND the transformers.
The 7700 was also dead quiet.

In fact, the modules look better than those in the Arcam P7.

I do hear the pop once in a while when using the DVD player. Sounds like others have this same behavior. Maybe it is "normal". One thing I did notice when I tried the un-balanced cables is that the pop was a little more faint then when using the balanced cables. Maybe switching to balanced cables made it more noticable for me. The balanced cables did get rid of the 60 Hz hum though. My old un-balanced cables would pick up noise very easily. I had to position them just right. Thanks for the replies.

I have the same problem and have posted on it before if you want to do a search. I get it from a H20 HDTV Directv box and Pioneer DVD player. The problem goes away if you set them to output PCM. Do we have faulty units? I've had the problem since day one.