RD160: Significant overdrive distortion using streaming

#1

My system for reference;

RS130 connected to network via fiber, connected to RD160 via fiber
RD160 (fw 1.51)
ML 52 preamp
Constellation Audio monos
Magico S5 speakers

when playing any music from my RS130 embedded ssd, through the RD160, all is ok. The 52 takes up to 12Vrms input, I have the RD160 set to 9V balanced out.

When I switch the music to streaming through the RS130 using say Qobuz, i hear obvious distortion (overdrive type). While this distorted music is playing, I lower the RD160 output to 5Vrms balanced, and the distortion is gone. I don’t get any such distortion playing any music that is local from the RS130 to the RD160 while the output on the RD160 is set to 9Vrms balanced.

Am i doing something wrong?

#2

In audio it is better to follow standard practices. For balanced output voltage around 4 V is considered good practice. 9 V seems to be too demanding for upstream overload. Why you were setting 9 V in your system? Was there a noise problem?