Playback configuration (lost/wrong usb dac config)

Hello, I have USB dacs connected to both my Tinkerboards, running volumio.
One DAC is the Yulong D200, the other is the M2Tech HiFace2 (actually a DDC, not a DAC).
Despite everything I tried, I have not been able to configure Volumio to work correctly with both those devices if those devices are connected (and powered on, but this only applies to the Yulong).
The only strategy which has worked for me is the following:

1 - First Configuration
Start Volumio with the dac disconnected.
Wait for Volumio to be loaded (gui available)
Connect the DAC
Setup playback
Enjoy music…
Eventually shutdown Volumio

2 - subsequent use
Start volumio with the dac disconnected
Wait for volumio to be loaded (gui available)
Enjoy music.
Eventually shutdown Volumio

Repeat step 2 obviously.

Everything else just fails, or at least does not work reliably every time. Any suggestion is welcome of course.

I would like to mention that, looking at the displayed error messages (containing something like hw:2.0 playback error) it seems to me that the problem is related to the fact that the “number” assigned to the DAC is not always the same and depends from the fact (e.g.) that the dac is on or off when Volumio starts up.
Maybe storing the DAC name instead of the number could help. Am I right? Or, is there a way to manually set the alsa config using the name of the DAC, for greater reliability?

I am telling you this because I have a third tinkerboard box, with diet-pi, MPD and upmpdcli. MPD is configured using the DAC name instead of the DAC number. Needless to say, this configuration always works regardless of the fact that the DAC is on or off when diet-pi boots.

Hope this helps. I stay at your disposal for any further information.
Thank you for the great work!

Hello, I would like to report that the problem with the latest setup (with the m2tech hiface2) seems now to be solved!
The issue with the Yulong remains. In this case, the ability to play music as soon as volumio start depends on the fact that the dac is on or off at boot time, in such ways I could not find a reliable, repeatable operativity.
Currently worked around with the intermediation of a schiit wyrd (I keep it off until boot, so I know volumio never sees the dac during boot).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Regards

Sent from my Le X829 using Tapatalk

Hello, after a few more test, I can safely communicate that the issue with the M2Tech HiFace 2 are power-related. Volumio has nothing to do with this problem.
The problem however, is independent from the power supply used for the sbc (a tinkerboard as mentioned in the first post).
Infact, it seems that the m2tech occasionally draws more power than the nominal maximum value of 0.5A.
Once I found that volumio was always recognizing the device on startup, I started listening to various tracks, in different sample rates.
When switching from one track to another, especially when the sample rate was different, a playback could occasionally happen. I have only been able to ‘fix’ the problem by disconnecting and reconnecting the m2tech device hitself.

So, I tried two workarounds.
First, I used a “Y” usb cable and connected the “power” end to a power supply capable of delivering 2.4A. No issues! No disconnects, event when switching tracks as fast as I could possibly do.

This setup is quite cluttered (I will post a photo if someone requests it) so I tried with a AQVox power supply: aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html
In the link, the hiface2 is specifically mentioned. I was expecting this would solve the problem as the setup would be similar to the previous.
Surprisingly, the issues presented again. This psu delivers only 0.5A…

I would like to mention that the power supply I use for the tinkerboard is a Audiophonics, which should be capable to deliver 2.0A sustained and peaks up to 3.5A for 5 minutes. This should be plenty as I do not use any external usb drive. Also, the fact that the aqvox would not solve the problem seems to indicate to a different problem.

In any case, my Hiface could be defective or expose a different behaviour compare to what another user has reported. See:
greetings-from-trondheim-norway-t11583.html
I also remember similar problems with this device also when used on regular computers. Now the pattern seems clearer to me.

Volumio fully acquitted :slight_smile:
Regards!