Allo Vana Player

With the new Volumio image for Sparky SBC from Allo, it’s time to test the Allo Vana player.
Vana player is a all in one solution to play music using Volumio with quality DAC, reclocker and PSU !
Vana Player is composed by :
A Sparky SBC
A Kali reclocker
A Piano 2.1 DAC
A Volt amplifier
A CM board

  • psu and transparent plexi board.

I flashed Volumio 2.029 for Sparky.
First boot with only wifi dongle (base on rt8188) gives nothing… This usb dongle is very difficult to use…
Reboot with a ethernet cable : ok)
Configuration
My music : NAS not detected (but I have the same problem with RPI version). Manual config seems ok but scan stops with 30 tracks, only mp3…Clic on rescan, nothing better. After restarting, rescan update…it is ok…
In Playback Allo Piano 2.1 is proposed
And miscellaneous DSP options ! I have to discover it!
A subwoofer allows to select 2.0 or 2.1 or 2.2 ! For me it will be 2.0.
To continue the test I have to make the wifi working :confused: because my test room does not provide ethernet connection.
I 'll give more details when it will work.
To be follow…
IMG_6167.JPG
IMG_6163.JPG

Hi ,

How are things working now ? I know that a new image for Sparky will be released real soon… I think by Monday

News
I udpate Volumio to version 2.032 .
Now wifi is working properly with edimax.
So soon I’m going to test the audio part ! :smiley:
It will be in 2.0 test.
Next post maybe tonight (in France)

On attend des nouvelles . :slight_smile: waiting for your update

Can you try the 2.1 or 2.2 ?

Also the new driver for Sparky will be released soon (Monday or Tuesday)… with SCK going to TI DAC.

Today, for the first time, I made a “true” audio test with the all in one Allo Vana player.
For that, I used Volumio 2.032 and a edimax wifi dongle.
Installation ok, wifi ok.
Configuration in 2.0 mode ( no sub).
Loudspeakers are old 3 ways 3A 420 ( a old French manufacturer ) http://jmhauchard.free.fr/perso/3a/420.jpg
PSU for Kali from Allo
PSU for Volt (through the CM board) : 19V laptop psu

Power !
First thing, a “cloung” or “klang” I mean something is send to loudspeakers when powering the system. Volt doesn’t seem to be software unmute/mute. Don’t know if it implemented in hardware, but missing in volumio) or not exists at all.

Playing !
After selecting some Flac 44/16 tracks, I start to play. A “click” occurs when pressing “play” or when changing track. The music starts and stop and restart. Something is wrong. First of all, I thaught of wifi problem. But the signal is very good.
Opening a console, sudo journalctl -f gave me some information. Each time I hear a click or the music stop a very short time and restart, and error is shown, and a other error is displayed every second.

Dec 03 20:41:33 volumio-sparky kernel: ------gslX680 test_i2c error------
Dec 03 20:41:34 volumio-sparky kernel: temp:48
Dec 03 20:41:34 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:34 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: owl_i2c: owl_i2c_fifo_irq(): [i2c1] no ACK, fifostat 0x10013
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: gsl_ts_read set data address fail!
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: ======read 0xb0: 0 0 0 0 ======
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: owl_i2c: owl_i2c_fifo_irq(): [i2c1] no ACK, fifostat 0x10013
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: gsl_ts_read set data address fail!
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: owl_i2c: owl_i2c_fifo_irq(): [i2c1] no ACK, fifostat 0x20013
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: owl_i2c: owl_i2c_fifo_irq(): [i2c1] no ACK, fifostat 0x10013
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: gsl_ts_read set data address fail!
Dec 03 20:41:35 volumio-sparky kernel: ------gslX680 test_i2c error------
Dec 03 20:41:36 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:36 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select
Dec 03 20:41:36 volumio-sparky kernel: snd_pcm_playback_ioctl1,2688,result:-32
Dec 03 20:41:36 volumio-sparky kernel: pcm512x 2-004c: PLL input is on Auto Clock select

It is not possible to listen more than 10 seconds without sound problem. Something seems wrong with the kernel /driver ?

The sound !
Wih the previous problem, it is difficult to have a advice. It seems to sound good, even if I found medium a little bit to present and bass missing a bit. I could be due to my speakers. But as I said, previous problem needs to be solved to really emit a advice.

Question :
In 2.0 mode, what is the effect of the different dsp settings Could you explain the difference between different setting ? What is the default value ?

Conclusion :
I know that a new version, with a new driver is coming. Really hope it will solve problems I met.
To be follow !

Today I spent more time testing the system.
I didn’t power it off since yesterday, but today it was unreachable because my router was restarted and Volumio doesn’t reconnect in this case.
So I reboot.
After reboot everything seems ok except one : no sound. Only a click when pressing play / pause. Reboot, nothing better. The only way I found is to change dsp setting and save. The strange thing is that it can play several tracks, and then suddenly stop. I can still see all lights on the kali turning blue when playing, but no sound.

The sound now
between two problems, I made some audio test, and what I can say it that it sound rather very good. With some live track you can hear plenty of details, the breathe of the singer. All is very clear. I need to do more listening but each time I’m listening, I find the sound better.

Hope the bug of no sound will be solved in the next release.

Hi ,

we are working on it. …tommorow I should have some news.

Hi balbuze,
can you tell me what Sparky version you are on?
With the current image here I do not experience any of your problems, we can discuss on gitter tomorrow,
As it is a day off, I’m there most of the time (french time :wink: )

-Gé-

Hi ,

in the last couple of days we have been testing the Vana image…we have found a bug…(after 15-30 min there is a problem in ALSA)

We are checking and trying to solve as fast as possible. Hopefully this will be the last bug .

Our testing showed that we fixed the latest bug. We are now checking on 3 systems around the clock .

Tonight we will make the new driver available in github and to Volumio to build a new image :slight_smile:
This new image is also using SCK instead of BCK…

Taps fingers, patiently waiting…

I know…

Myself I am waiting for this image to test on the Vana player. Last I heard, this new driver improved the sound.

I think this is the first time that a clean MCLK drives a TI DAC ic, Everyone else is using BCLK to feed the PLL of the DAC, that it turn feeds the DAC SCK.
Problem is that any PLL has (50-200ps) of jitter. By using a clean MCLK (3-4ps of jitter) direct to the DAC ( and programing the proper registry) you are bypassing the PLL/Jitter.

My piano 2.1 sounds pretty good…cannot wait to see what kind of improvement it will bring.

@allo: yes, the Sparky, Kali and Piano DAC is a wonderful combo. I use it daily when I’m not testing with it, it is one of the best.

You “think” it is the first DAC, so unfortunately you’re wrong :slight_smile:
To avoid the DACs internal PLL, Hardkernel has been using a clean MCLK signal for both their Odroid HiFi shields (pcm5102a and pcm5242) from the beginning. They have MCLK on all their latest sbc’s (C1+/C2 and XU4).

-Gé-

Hi ,

the question is not only if you bring the MCLK phisically …but also how are the registry programed. We also have MCLK to the Piano, but driver did not take advantage of it, any driver that its based on existing drivers wont take advantage of the MCLK…

On the new image of Sparky , MCLK is taken to DAC SCK (right registers are programed). From what I know its the first one to do so…but I will check the driver from Odroid and will confirm.

Will this become available for the RPi as well?

The driver will be available on our github for RPI…I think it will take longer to be accepted (if) in rpi git

Allo, can you tell me how to get the ir-receiver working? I tried this instructions, but that seems rpi only.
how-installed-lirc-with-receiver-and-remote-volumio-t360.html

I sent the request to our tech team and asked for a document explaining the functionality.

Pardon the ignorance - is there a link where to obtain the Sparky image?

Thnx!

v

It is still a work in progress, so don’t expect stable operations…
updates.volumio.org/sparky/volum … ky.img.zip