HifiBerry Amp+ Volume

tschinz

Hallo Guys,

thanks for this great tool. I managed to use the Hifiberry Amp+ by changing the /boot/config.txt and add the following line.

dtoverlay=hifiberry-amp

Now I have two/three problems
1. Hardware enabled Volume control doesn't work. Even though Hifiberry Amp+ has this feature. (In "a similar" distro it works)
2. Volume is too loud. I use it for listening in my bedroom and Volume 1 (software enabled) is still too loud. Is there a way to change the range of the volume control knob?
3. In Airplay the Volume knob can't be used (controlled by IPhone) but in this case it's even louder?

Thanks for any response

tschinz

tschinz

ok, i found a solution to enable hardware Volume on HiFiBerry Amp+

here my solution
1. Enable devicetree overlay for HifiBerry Amp+. Add the following line to /boot/config.txt

device_tree_overlay=hifiberry-amp

2. Find the Sound card

 
[root@runeaudio ~]# 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: sndrpihifiberry [snd_rpi_hifiberry_amp], device 0: HifiBerry AMP HiFi tas5713-hifi-0 []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Choose your device, in my case it was => card 1 Subdivice #0 => hw:1,0 and hw:1
3. Change the following part in /etc/mpd.conf

audio_output {
        name            "snd_rpi_hifiberry_amp"
        type            "alsa"
        device          "hw:1,0"
        mixer_type      "hardware"
        mixer_control   "Master"
        mixer_device    "hw:1"
        mixer_index     "0"
        auto_resample   "no"
        auto_format     "no"
        enabled         "yes"
}

4. Restart and the Volume should work

It even solved my second problem. The volume works from 0 - 100 but it is very quite the first 20%. That way I can use it in my bedroom

For the third problem that Airplay was too loud, this has changed drastically, Airplay is now too quite @ 100% Volume it's not 100% power more like 30%.

Any solution for Airplay being to quite?

Cheers tschinz

pmoorhead

should this work with the Pi 2?
i made the changed, rebooted and was then able to select hardware volume control in the MPD settings (previously doing this would cause a horrible noise and kill the output). Now I get audio but it's stuck at full volume - i.e. doesn't respond to the control

tschinz

in my case it works with the Pi2 yes.

when its stuck at full volume that means the Master channel does not respond. I had the same issue but with the above mods it works for me now.

Did you also enter mixer_control "Master" ? Is it the right hw:x,y for you? Are you on the latest version of Runeaudio?

Cheers

pmoorhead

I was originally using the custom Pi 2, Hifiberry AMP build posted on another thread but I switched to the latest runeaudio build and your method above. But the same result - volume on maximum and not controllable.
and here's a weird thing. I edit the mpd.conf file as you describe above but after a reboot it has reverted to the previous file without the mixer settings. tried it three times. same thing every time. Am I hallucinating?

pmoorhead

should have asked this in the first place. having edited the conf file directly, what should I change the runeaudio mpd settings for audio output and volume control to? or should i be leaving them untouched?

tschinz

In my case, once I'm manually editing the mpd.conf file. In RuneAudio MPD Settings page I can't change anything it just displays that the config file was manually changed.
There are no drop boxes etc.

Well when the settings aren't stored then it's clear for me that it doesn't work. Who and why overrides the file?

I'lll investigate a bit.

pmoorhead

arch linux is a mystery to me - I can find my way around Debian and it's children but not arch.
the brute force solution in this case is to edit the file then make it immutable chattr +i /etc/mpd.conf

solves the problem but makes me feel slightly guilty. it's like using a goto.
as observed by others on this post, the volume range isn't linear and the first 30% or so of the range is very quiet but that's not a big deal.

BorGreiner

Running into the same problem... Erm... Why is Hifiberry amp+ not in drop down menus anyway? Too new?
If I change mpd file using VI command it resets to output for amp+ that has no mixer_control "Master" line anymore. Help?

hondagx35

Hi BorGreiner,

a bit more info would make it lot easier to help:
- device (RP or RP2)
- updates installed?

@all
If you are on a PI2 then do this:
- get a fresh image
- get access to the console
- enable Hifiberry AMP+ in /boot/config.txt

nano /boot/config.txt

# Uncomment one of these lines to enable an audio interface
#device_tree_overlay=hifiberry-dac
#device_tree_overlay=hifiberry-dacplus
#device_tree_overlay=hifiberry-digi
device_tree_overlay=hifiberry-amp
#device_tree_overlay=iqaudio-dac
#device_tree_overlay=iqaudio-dacplus

- enter these commands

cd /srv/http
git stash
git pull

- reboot your device
- select "HifiBerry AMP+" from MENU->MPD
- select "enabled-hardware"
Now your HifiBerry AMP+ should work with hardware volume control.
No need to edit mpd.conf or other tweaks.

If you are on an older PI then do this:
Sorry, but you have to wait for 0.4.
I have a version running that supports HifiBerry AMP, but it's not easy to update.

- Get access to the console::
There are two ways to get access to the console:

1.) plug in a monitor and a keyboard
2.) use SSH from your PC
- If you are not familiar with SSH read this for Windows or this for Linux/MacOS
  The default login for RuneAudio is "root" with the password "rune" (without quotes).

Frank

BorGreiner

Oh... I am very sorry I did not provide enough information. :/
I am using 2 rpi-2s. One with hifiberry DAC+ and other with hifiberry AMP+.
I used latest image for rpi2 and edited (SSH, VI commnad through Putty) the I2S as instructed.
But... When using Hardware volume control, the knob is stuck on 100%.
Software control is working as it should.

hondagx35

Hi BorGreiner,

and what about this:

- get access to the console
- enter these commands
cd /srv/http
git stash
git pull
- reboot your device
- select "HifiBerry AMP+" from MENU->MPD
- select "enabled-hardware"
Now your HifiBerry AMP+ should work with hardware volume control.
No need to edit mpd.conf or other tweaks.

?

Frank

BorGreiner

I updated.
On with rpi2 with Hifiberry AMP+ works flawlessly now. Thank you!