Common Issue, but still need help – Popping on Several channels of ME

[Scott]

Hey Folks,

In the middle of an install. Things are going pretty well overall, the mains and 7 various delay speakers are all setup and eq’d, Dante network is going gangbusters, so now I’m onto Personal mixing. The issue is like so many have had before…popping. Specifically, I am getting popping in ME ch 5, 6 and 13. Not that it really is related to those. So we are using a cisco CBS 250-8FP-E-2G switch. While it is gigabit, i have turned all the ports to 100. We are hooked directly to an SQ5 slink port and are getting audio as well.

I don’t have my computer hooked to the switch when its popping. When i connect my computer, it doesn’t seem to change anything (i was assuming there would be MORE popping). I have gone into the swtich configuration and turned off everything that i can seem to find that might make it smarter, but am running out of options. Anyone have any suggestions on other settings or setups to look at next?

Thanks!

[Scott]

Welp I found about 643 more settings to disable in that CBS250 switch and it’s still clicking. We are pulling the plug on this one and rolling with a D-Link DES-1018MPV2 based on the experience of others in this forum. As a temporary measure we are daisy chaining them together. Pretty thankful that option exists. 🙂

[Brian]

I don’t want this to come across as unhelpful, but if daisy chaining fixes the popping issue then it is clear that the problem lies within the switch and not the ME system. Using a ME-U would solve the popping issue, but I completely understand trying to use an alternative due to the cost of the ME-U. Still, you have to understand that by introducing a switch, you are entering the “not supported” realm of the ME system.

I’m sure you have seen it, but just in case, there is a support article that may help: https://support.allen-heath.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4403292650641-ME-Compatibility-with-third-party-switch

[Scott]

Oh yeah, no question it was the switch and really on me and my selection of it. I was trying to tap into the reliability of the Cisco switch and assumed I would be able to turn off enough features to stop any broadcast or other layer 3 features from interfering with the audio… but I was wrong. Finding the actual 10/100 unmanaged one (it gets delivered on Monday) is the next attempt. If that doesn’t work we will fall back to the me-u (after returning the 10/100 unmanaged). Just trying to save that $1800 difference if possible lol.

Appreciate the reply!

[Author]

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