Possibly your AVR is being slow to recognise the format. The crackling being the raw audio stream.
Do you get the same cracklink when playing audio through TV or other audio device?
Im test:
Egreat Hdmi-1 audio+video---->Primera spa23---> Monitor = Sound crackling!
Cambridge Cxuhd no sound crackling.
HTPC no sound crackling.
Only egreat A11 crackling!
Im like egreat A11.................. Please how to fix ?