Frequently asked questions
Short answers for normal operating questions.
For wiring and safety, use the connection guide. For the detailed sequence, use the user guide.
What does QRNix do?
It processes radio audio between the source and speaker. Spectral and Adaptive modes estimate noise and reduce it; Bypass passes the audio through as a comparison reference.
Which mode should I use?
Use Spectral for stable noise and weak signals after a clean, one-second noise capture. Use Adaptive while tuning or when the noise floor changes. Use Bypass to compare settings or leave the signal untouched.
Why does Spectral mode need a noise-only capture?
The capture tells QRNix exactly what the current noise looks like. Capturing while wanted audio is present risks putting part of that signal into the profile. Capture again after retuning or when the noise character changes. The same capture is the first step of auto-tune, so the noise-only rule applies there too.
Does the Spectral profile survive a mode change?
Yes, it survives a mode change in RAM. It is lost when QRNix resets or loses power.
Why does Adaptive mode sometimes sound wrong just after I switch to it?
Its first frame seeds the baseline. Enter Adaptive during quiet audio when possible, then let it settle as it tracks the changing band.
What causes metallic or musical artifacts?
Too much Aggression can create isolated, rapidly changing spectral bins. Lower Aggression first, then use only enough Smoothing and Whitening to improve intelligibility.
What does the button do?
Tap cycles Tone-kill and Post-filter states. Holding the button in Spectral mode captures a noise profile and auto-tunes the four controls, or clears a latched tune. Holding in Bypass clears feature states; holding in Adaptive has no action. The user guide shows the exact behavior by mode.
What is QRNix Manager?
A free companion app that runs in a terminal. It connects to QRNix over USB to show live signal trends, compare the installed firmware with the latest release, and install verified firmware updates. Windows and Linux are supported today; macOS is coming. See the downloads page.
What is auto-tune?
Holding the button in Spectral mode captures one second of noise and automatically sets Reduction, Smoothing, Whitening, and Aggression to match. Press again to cancel. After a tune, each knob can be taken back to manual one at a time. See the user guide.
Does Tone-kill work in Bypass?
Yes. Tone-kill is available in all three modes. Post-filter only affects the two noise-reduction modes, because it reshapes the denoiser gain spectrum.
What does CLIP mean?
The input signal exceeds the ADC's range. The OLED shows this by inverting the mode line — the top line flashes inverted colors while the overload lasts. To avoid it, lower the radio source level until the inversion stops, then leave that setting fixed before using Spectral capture.
Can I connect my radio speaker output directly?
No, not on the current hardware. A speaker-level source can hard clip the line input. Use a line output, controlled headphone output, or external attenuation. See Connect your radio.
Does QRNix need a computer during normal operation?
No. The radio, QRNix, and listening system form a standalone audio path. A computer is optional: the free QRNix Manager app can monitor the device and update firmware over USB when you want it.