Model 976 - Oppo UDP-203 Issue

It has been a long time since I last posted in the Saloon as I've been on a 2-channel adventure for some time. I'm hoping the issue I'm having has been discussed somewhere in the Saloon while I have been away.

When I last posted I purchased one of the first 976s along with an Oppo UDP-203 and an 4K LG 55" OLED. It was a big upgrade from my 990, previous 720p Pioneer flat panel and an Oppo BDP-83. My sources beside the Oppo 203 are a cable TV box and an 4K AppleTV and all use quality HDMI 18gbps cables. The cable box and Apple TV perform flawlessly through the 976 but the same can't be said about the Oppo 203.

When playing either a 4k disc or a Blu-Ray I get frequent but random snapping sounds mostly from the center speaker. The volume of the snaps is about the same as what normally comes from the speakers. The picture is unaffected but the snapping makes movies unwatchable. To diagnose the problem I have:

* run the 203's output directly to my LG TV and there is no snapping.
* split the audio to the 976 and video output to the LG from the 203 using HDMI but snapping still occurs.
* run the 203's output to various 976 HDMI ports plus used different HDMI cables and the snapping always occurs.

From what I can tell the Oppo's audio output and the 976's audio processing are not meshing. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Has there been a firmware update for the 976 that might have addressed this problem? Any ideas from the Saloon? Thanks!

Another bit of information...Oppo has a firmware update from my current version and I will be installing it shortly. Who knows maybe it will solve the snapping problem.

EDIT: Snapping the same with latest Oppo firmware installed.

Sounds like the OPPO is the problem. hope the FW update helps. If not, call OPPO.

The Oppo is your only source that sends out HDMI lossless audio bitstreamed. (ATV sends LPCM)
I'm pretty sure that the Outlaw is the problem. As a test, set the Oppo to output LPCM.

Well that is a brilliant suggestion and it worked! No more snapping. Thanks!

So I believe this means the OPPO is decoding the audio and then the 976 takes care of all the delay, channel levels etc. or do those parameters have to be set in the OPPO? It also begs the questions: 1) Why the 976 can't handle bitstream audio? and 2) Does the OPPO decode better than the 976 or vise versa?

Thanks again!

The Oppos speaker setup options only effect the analog outputs.
In most cases it doesn't matter where the decoding is done, although it may impact the 976's DSP modes in some way. In a perfect world the 976 should be treating LPCM input more or less the same as bitstream.

I watched a full 4K UHD movie (The Revenant) for maybe the first time since I upgraded all my HT gear and it was pretty amazing. I may pose the question to the Outlaws about the 976 processing bitstream from the OPPO but if there isn't any difference in the audio quality it may not matter. However, it seems odd that Outlaw would expend all the effort to build a processor to have it not work with, at the time, a very popular disc player. Regardless, I'm enjoying movies again.

Thanks again!

Is the loudness of the snapping effected by volume level? Check to see if it's just the center channel.
Are you doing any upmixing? Is the material Dolby TrueHD? or DTS-HD Master Audio?
I haven't had this experience with my Oppo-203.

I certainly appreciate everyone's thoughts on what might be the cause of the snapping sound. It really does take a village to watch a movie at home!

Just to note, I get the snapping on UHD and standard Blu-Ray discs so this isn't just a 4K disc issue. However, the latest discs that I heard the snapping was Dunkirk UHD w/HDR that says on the box that it is DTS HD Master Audio and The Revenant UHD. The snapping also occurred when I played the standard Blu-Rays of Dunkirk and The Book of Eli.

As far as the volume of the snapping, it is proportional to the overall volume and occurs in at least the left, center and right speakers. I originally thought it was the just the center but that was because I sit closer to the center speaker than the left or right.

The 976's page on Outlaw's website does not indicate there is a firmware update unless I missed something.

The loudness of the snapping being affected by the volume control, means, it is upstream from the volume circuit. You should contact Outlaw with this issue.

At Outlaw's suggestion I'm going to do a full system reset in hopes that will resolve the problem but if not they've asked that I send it to them to check it out.

Until I do that I have been prepping to replace the HDMI cables with fiber optic versions from my gear to display. The previous cables were were spec'd for 1080p and in the wall. The opportunity to replace cables occurred because I had a plumping leak in the same wall as my cable runs and I had to remove drywall to get to the leak. I'm determined to get something good from having to open up the wall! FYI the fiber optic HMDI cables work well without any handshake issues.

Update: Outlaw authorized me to return my 976 to address why it snapped when fed bitstream by my OPPO disc player. I got word that they are replacing my 976 with a fully tested B stock unit with the warranty remaining on my original purchase. I should have it Monday and I look forward to getting it back in my system and recalibrating everything.

I certainly appreciate Outlaw's customer service in addressing the issues with my 976.

Outlaw has excellent customer service and they sent me a checked out B-stock Model 976 to replace my unit that snapped when sent bitstream audio. The new-to-me Model 976 looks absolutely new, performs as advertised and carries the remainder of the 3-year warranty of my original Model 976.

I actually received two 976s since the first replacement was damaged by the shipper. Even Outlaw's excellent packaging (double boxed and resilient foam) couldn't prevent a bent faceplate and who knows what kind of internal damage. Outlaw didn't hesitate and immediately sent me another Model 976 along with a shipping label to return the damaged unit. Outlaw's customer service has been outstanding!

And now back to the movies!

Awesome! Makes me feel better for whenever, or if, I ever have a problem with my 976. Curious, are you using any of the HDMI control settings? I'm always hesitant to use them myself, as it keeps the 976 power circuits energized and thus, always generating heat from the regulators. I want my 976 staying cool when I'm not using it. I don't use any apps from my TV so I don't need them turned on anyway.

I have both HDMI Control and Pass Through "OFF". If I understand the Control function it allows other components that meet the CEC standard to turn on/off, change volume etc. with that function on the Model 976. I could see where that is handy in some situations but not mine. I just want the selected source, 976, my amp and display on only. When I switch sources I want to turn off the previous source and turn on the new source. The pass through is a nice option if I wanted to just have video, say of a news station, on without sound but I don't use my system that way so I'm not using it either. I wonder if it just passes video and audio? If so, I could use the speakers in my display but they much less than second best compared to the audio side of my HT.

Might this have something to do with it ?
Excerpt from Oppo knowledge base
"In some cases, having HDCD Decoding enabled in both the player and receiver may result in occasional popping or crackling sounds due to HDCD being decoded twice."

I hadn't seen that info about the HDCD issue but that wasn't causing the popping sound in my speakers; my 976 was having trouble accepting bitstream audio from all forms of movie discs but the popping was particularly frequent and louder with 4K/HDR discs. Switching to PCM output from my OPPO 203 resolved the snapping but not that the 976 wasn't performing as it was supposed to. Outlaw simply replaced my 976 with one they'd fully tested and I haven't had an issue since.