New to RuneAudio - clicks with USB DAC

[dominique-tanguy]

Hello,

This is my fist post on this forum. I am using a RPI3 connected to a USB DAC (Yamaha CD-S2100). Before switching to the Pi, I was using Jriver on a Intel NUC.

I am currently using Volumio which is working fine. I wanted to give a try to RuneAudio and the first contact with the software was very positive. The configuration was very straightforward.

Unfortunately, I am hearing clicks whan I am playing files.

Is there any parameter that I could adjust to avoid this problem that I do not have with Volumio, using the same Pi and DAC?

Cheers,

Dominique

[janui]

Hi dominique-tanguy,
The Yamaha CD-S2100 uses a ES9016 Sabre32 Ultra DAC chipset. Several of the EES (Sabre) chips have problems with 16 bit audio reproduction. The trick which works in most cases is to force MPD always to use 24 bit depth output. The examples in the forum are for problems with I2S DAC's not USB DAC's, so not sure it will solve your problem. You can test it by editing /etc/mpd.conf and adding a format "*:24:*" command to your MPD output definition, see here for details: post17804.html#p17804. If it works the permanent fix is to add the format command to the relevant line in the file /srv/http/db/redis_acards_details. This is also documented in the post above.
You should include your debug, it helps when solving problems.
janui

[dominique-tanguy]

Dear Janui,

Thank you for the swift answer! This is the debug: https://pastebin.com/7QHHrdEC

I will try the 24 bits option and report back.

Dominique

[janui]

Hi dominique-tanguy,
Just looked at your debug, I see that your Yamaha is not enabled but another interface is. So before you start playing with the format command try the following. Using the menu go to the MPD page. Using the 'Audio output interface' option switch to each available option in turn and finally select your Yamaha CD Player. It is possible that MPD is driving more interfaces at the same time causing time-outs which result in clicks.
janui

[dominique-tanguy]

So I have recycled several time between analog and Yamaha on USB, and this is what I get:

PLAYBACK devices: (aplay -l)
--------------------------------------------------
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA], device 0: bcm2835 ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA]
Subdevices: 8/8
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
Subdevice #4: subdevice #4
Subdevice #5: subdevice #5
Subdevice #6: subdevice #6
Subdevice #7: subdevice #7
card 0: ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA], device 1: bcm2835 ALSA [bcm2835 IEC958/HDMI]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Player [Yamaha CD Player], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

[janui]

Hi dominique-tanguy,
What you posted looks OK. The exercise of choosing each output device in turn was to make sure that no MPD output devices were enabled except the Yamaha. Look in your debug, section ### mpd.conf ### (the section below is copied from the file which you posted)

Code: Select all

audio_output {
    name        "bcm2835 ALSA_1"
    type        "alsa"
    device      "hw:0,0"
    dsd_usb     "yes"
    auto_resample   "no"
    auto_format     "no"
    enabled     "yes"
}

Look specifically the line enabled "yes", this line should no longer be there. If it is still there try editing /boot/config.txt, commenting out the line dtparam=audio=on It should look like this

Code: Select all

#dtparam=audio=on

Reboot with the Yamaha connected and on. The Yamaha should then be the only available output device.
The question then is do you still have clicks?
If the clicks are still there then proceed with modifying /etc/mpd.conf as described in the previous post and post17804.html#p17804. Your mpd.conf should then contain the following lines:

Code: Select all

audio_output {
    name        "Yamaha CD Player"
    type        "alsa"
    device      "hw:1,0"
    dsd_usb     "yes"
    auto_resample   "no"
    auto_format     "no"
    format     "*:24:*"
}

Then test, very interested in the results.
janui

[dominique-tanguy]

Thank you for the advice. I have edited config.txt but the #dtparam=audio=on was not available. So I have added the instruction and rebooted the system.
The Yamaha appears in the menu, but Raspberry analog out and hdmi are still available in the drop down menu.

But debug says:

MPD audio outputs status: (mpc outputs)
--------------------------------------------------
Output 1 (Yamaha CD Player) is enabled
Output 2 (bcm2835 ALSA_1) is disabled
Output 3 (bcm2835 ALSA_2) is disabled

audio_output {
name "Yamaha CD Player"
type "alsa"
device "hw:1,0"
dsd_usb "yes"
auto_resample "no"
auto_format "no"
enabled "yes"
}

audio_output {
name "bcm2835 ALSA_1"
type "alsa"
device "hw:0,0"
dsd_usb "yes"
auto_resample "no"
auto_format "no"
}

audio_output {
name "bcm2835 ALSA_2"
type "alsa"
device "hw:0,0"
dsd_usb "yes"
auto_resample "no"
auto_format "no"
}
This is looking good to me.

Time to listen and check for the click!

Thank you!

Dominique

[hondagx35]

Hi Dominique,

I have edited config.txt but the #dtparam=audio=on was not available. So I have added the instruction and rebooted the system.

This option is only available with more recent kernels.
If you like you can try my latest test image from here.

Frank