DACs only visible for 5 seconds in Roon Audio configuration (ref#W0YE77)

Dirk_De_Taey · September 20, 2025, 12:20pm

What’s happening?

· I'm having trouble connecting to Roon

What type of connection issue?

· Something else

How can we help?

· None of the above

Other options

· Other

Describe the issue

Dac('s) connected to USB show for 5 sec only in Audio configuration

Describe your network setup

Let me first describe give examples of what is working, and then describe the problem.

The combo GMKtec Mini PC N97 (running Audiolinux as OS) and Audirvana Origin plays fine with the RME ADI-2 PRO dac, as well as T+A 200 dac.
I played Roon on the GMKtec Mini PC N97 to different Roon endpoints on the local network, all working fine.
I connected the RME ADI-2 PRO dac to my main Roon server (also Audiolinux) via USB, and it became immediately available as audio output, and played nice.
**Now the problem I am facing:**
Connecting the RME ADI-2 PRO dac to the GMKtec Mini PC N97 via usb, the dac does ONLY show as available audio zone in Roon for about 5 seconds and then dissappears (same happens with the T+A 200 dac). In the logfiles (Roonserver & Raatserver) I do see the detection of the ADI-2 PRO dac, but I cannot figure out what is happening next. Would you please be so kind to provide me a link to upload the logfiles and have a quick look into these to have an idea what is actually going on. Thanks in advance

Mr.Flibble · September 20, 2025, 1:29pm

Audirvana could have priority over these devices. Stop Audirvana.

Usually

sudo systemctl stop audirvanaOrigin

You may need to change to the Audirvana directory though

Usually

cd /opt/audirvana/origin

Dirk_De_Taey · September 20, 2025, 2:57pm

Audirvana is installed bur disabled.
It is just Roon running nothing else in this case.
When I use Audirvana for testing, it is only Audirvana.

Mr.Flibble · September 20, 2025, 3:10pm

I’m not familiar with Audiolinux, but with Roon Server enabled you should not need to have Roon Bridge enabled.

However, If you enable Roon Bridge does this help the situation?

vadim · September 22, 2025, 12:37pm

Hello @Dirk_De_Taey

Can you try clearing your endpoint cache? You can do so using the following steps:

Create a fresh backup
Stop Roon (or RoonServer)
Find and open your Roon or RoonServer folder
Navigate to /Roon/Database/Registry/Core/
Delete all files in this directory.
Restart Roon
Please let us know if this helps

Note: Deleting these files will

Log you out of Tidal/Qobuz
Delete your endpoint names.
Delete saved DSP configs.

If this doesn’t help, please restore the backup you made before trying these steps.

Dirk_De_Taey · September 22, 2025, 6:11pm

Hi

Unfortunately, this does not help. The dac remained visible a couple of seconds longer, but that was it.

As this is not my main system, I am going to take a last effort, and start completely anew, i.e completely removing Roon, making sure no traces left, and do a fresh install.

Dirk_De_Taey · September 22, 2025, 8:56pm

After complete Roon unibstall/re-install, DAC is visible as long as I do not try to enable it

Trying to enable it, the dac disappears after about 5-10 seconds

noris · September 22, 2025, 9:39pm

Hello @Dirk_De_Taey ,

You can upload RoonServer logs to the below link:

https://workdrive.zohoexternal.com/collection/8i5239cc05950ac07456889838d9319545a82/external

Can you please also let us know the exact local time + date when you reproduced the issue so that we can focus on that specific log area? Thanks!

Dirk_De_Taey · September 23, 2025, 11:29am

Logfiles have been uploaded. Issue reproduced today September 23 at 13:44 .
Thanks for your support

Dirk

vadim · September 23, 2025, 11:53am

Hello @Dirk_De_Taey

Thank you for uploading the files.

For some reason, the log information ends at 09/23 13:21:03 and does not include the timestamp you mentioned. Could you please double-check and send us the complete logs so we can review the correct timeframe?

From the logs you provided, we can confirm that the devices are being detected correctly. For example, your RME ADI-2 Pro shows up in Roon with the following details:

09/23 13:19:45 Trace: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] GOT NONFINAL {"status": "Success", "devices": [{"name": "ADI-2 Pro (57760489)", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0", "vendor": "RME", "usb_id": "2a39:3fd2", "config": {"external_config": {}, "volume": {"type": "alsa", "device": "hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0"}, "unique_id": "acb8f3e2-5b61-f4c5-3eb6-c0968bc52001", "output": {"type": "alsa", "name": "ADI-2 Pro (57760489)", "device": "hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0", "dsd_mode": "none"}}}, {"name": "USB Audio and HID", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=HID,DEV=0", "vendor": "CSCTEK", "usb_id": "0573:1573"}, {"name": "HDA Intel PCH HDMI 0", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=3"}, {"name": "HDA Intel PCH HDMI 1", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=7"}, {"name": "HDA Intel PCH HDMI 2", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=8"}, {"name": "HDA Intel PCH HDMI 3", "type": "alsa", "device_id": "hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=9"}]}
09/23 13:19:45 Trace: [devicedb] [autodetect] No Match for DeviceAutodetectData[Type=Local Vendor=RME Model=ADI-2 Pro (57760489) UsbId=2a39:3fd2]
09/23 13:19:45 Info: [raatserver] GOT DEVICE 88ada3ca-40bc-444e-a20f-88a7c2d4226c::hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0 Type=alsa Name=ADI-2 Pro (57760489) Vendor=RMEUsbId=2a39:3fd2

RAAT

09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [info] initializing info dictionary
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [info] inserting raat_version -> 1.1.39
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [info] inserting protocol_version -> 3
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] initializing output uniqueid=hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] preferred buffer duration=0.040000s
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] force_max_volume=0
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] resync delay=0.100000s
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [ALSA] max pcm rate=1411200
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] max dsd rate=1024
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] enable_mqa_usb_device_support=1
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] dsd_mode=none
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] [output/alsa] getting hardware info
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card id Pro57760489
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card name ADI-2 Pro (57760489)
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card longname RME ADI-2 Pro (57760489) at usb-0000:00:14.0-1, high speed
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card mixername USB Mixer
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card components USB2a39:3fd2
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card driver USB-Audio
09/23 13:19:46 Trace: [RAAT::ADI-2 Pro (57760489)] pcm card usb id 2a39:3fd2

Dirk_De_Taey · September 23, 2025, 1:34pm

I have restarted Roon at 15:28 and re-uploaded all available logfiles after the complete re-install of yesterday. In principal the latest logfile without suffix should contain the latest information.

benjamin · September 25, 2025, 4:39pm

Hi @Dirk_De_Taey,

We unfortunately didn’t see anything pointing to the issue. Are you only seeing this on your current setup? I see you mention it isn’t your typical main system.

A few simple steps you may have already tried - using a different USB cable as well as USB port, if possible?

We’ll be on standby for your reply, thank you!

Dirk_De_Taey · September 25, 2025, 5:59pm

I have tried with different cables, dacs , power supplies.
Always the same issue.
I do believe it must be something hardware related, but I do not understand why it works with (sorry) Audirvana.
The only thing I could try is to install Windows and reinstall Roon, but I doubt it is worth the trouble.

vadim · September 30, 2025, 9:37am

Hello @Dirk_De_Taey,

Thank you for the update.

If possible, could you temporarily move the Roon Server to your Windows PC, then try activating the DAC there and let us know how it behaves?

Dirk_De_Taey · September 30, 2025, 10:03am

I just tested Roon in combination with the RME ADI-2 PRO dac on a Surface Pro 4 (i5-6300 CPU 2.40GHz) via USB, and this is working fine.

vadim · October 2, 2025, 12:17pm

Hello @Dirk_De_Taey,

Thank you for all the detailed testing you’ve done so far. Since the DACs work correctly with Roon on Windows and with Audirvana on Audiolinux, the evidence suggests that this issue is not caused by Roon itself but rather by how your Audiolinux system is handling the USB audio drivers.

What we suspect is happening is that something on the OS level is holding the DAC in exclusive mode, which prevents RAATServer from keeping control once you try to enable the device in Roon. Audirvana is able to grab the device directly, while Roon expects clean ALSA access and fails when the device is already locked.

Here are a few things you can check on your Audiolinux system:

Check which process is holding the audio device

fuser -v /dev/snd/*
lsof /dev/snd/*

If you see anything other than RoonServer or RAATServer, another process is already occupying the DAC.
2. Verify that PulseAudio or Pipewire is not running

systemctl --user status pulseaudio
systemctl --user status pipewire

If they are active, try disabling them:

systemctl --user stop pulseaudio
systemctl --user disable pulseaudio
systemctl --user stop pipewire
systemctl --user disable pipewire

Test direct ALSA playback

aplay -D hw:CARD=Pro57760489,DEV=0 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

If this fails, it confirms the issue is ALSA/driver-related rather than Roon.
4. Adjust the USB audio driver parameters
Sometimes Roon stability improves if you tweak ALSA’s USB driver settings. You can add the following line to /etc/modprobe.d/usb-audio.conf:

options snd-usb-audio index=0 nrpacks=1

(reducing nrpacks helps prevent the DAC from dropping off when accessed by RAAT).

In summary, the DAC detection in your logs shows that Roon is able to see the device correctly, but something on the Audiolinux side is preventing RAAT from maintaining control. This is unfortunately outside of what we can fix within Roon, but the steps above should help you narrow down the root cause.

Please let us know the results of these checks.

Dirk_De_Taey · October 6, 2025, 5:05pm

Hello

First of all, thank you for your continuous support.

I have been checking the different proposed commands

Your IP address is 192.168.0.180/24
[audiolinux@audiopino ~]$ fuser -v /dev/snd/*
[audiolinux@audiopino ~]$ lsof /dev/snd/*
-bash: lsof: command not found
Verify that PulseAudio or Pipewire is not running
Not enabled in Audiolinux (checked with developper)
1. Test direct ALSA playback
  Test is OK
Adjust the USB audio driver parameters
add the following line to /etc/modprobe.d/usb-audio.conf:

options snd-usb-audio index=0 nrpacks=1

Does not make a difference.

So, I am going to make a hard cut, and I am going to install Windows 11 on this PC, and test Roon on it to find out once and for all if this is a hardware or a software related problem.

This will take a couple of days, but I will report back for sure.

Dirk

benjamin · October 8, 2025, 11:19pm

Sounds good @Dirk_De_Taey let us know how the above goes