Dropouts streaming Qobuz to multiple zones

Matt_Anderson · September 1, 2021, 5:22pm

Roon Core Machine

Intel NUC NUC8i5 running ROCK Version 1.0 (build 227) stable, 16GB RAM

Networking Gear & Setup Details

RT-AC1900P (x2), all hardwired Ethernet

Connected Audio Devices

NAD C658
Raspberry Pi 4 running RoPieee

Number of Tracks in Library

~17k tracks, mostly from Qobuz

Description of Issue

I’m experiencing sporadic dropouts, usually when streaming higher bitrate files to multiple zones.

I’m trying to determine whether the issue is actually with my Internet/Qobuz streaming connection, or if it’s somewhere on my local network.

I found the following in the server log when the last dropout occurred:

09/01 16:58:53 Trace: [Office] [Enhanced, 24/96 QOBUZ FLAC => 32/96] [100% buf] [PLAYING @ 0:51/2:21] Benny the Bouncer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
09/01 16:58:53 Trace: [Xtreamer658] [Enhanced, 24/96 QOBUZ FLAC => 24/96] [100% buf] [PLAYING @ 0:51/2:21] Benny the Bouncer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
09/01 16:58:54 Trace: [roonapi] [apiclient 192.168.1.139:47512] CONNECTION TIMEOUT
09/01 16:58:54 Info: [roonapi] [apiclient 192.168.1.139:47512] disconnected
09/01 16:58:54 Trace: [roonapi/registry] removing [apiclient 192.168.1.139:47512] => [org.ropieee.remote, RoPieee Remote Control V2 [ropieee] v3.113 by Spockfish <htenberge+ropieee@gmail.com>]
09/01 16:58:54 Info: [roonapi/transport] deactivating zone subscriptions
09/01 16:58:54 Trace: [push] restarting connection (Unable to read data from the transport connection: Software caused connection abort.)
09/01 16:58:54 Trace: [push] retrying connection in 41018ms
09/01 16:58:54 Info: [stats] 28668mb Virtual, 4413mb Physical, 1795mb Managed, 328 Handles, 93 Threads
09/01 16:58:55 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [800] {"status":"Dropout","samples":37094}
09/01 16:58:56 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [800] {"status":"Dropout","samples":47999}
09/01 16:58:56 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [800] {"status":"Dropout","samples":47999}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":25822,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":48158,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":47916,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":48158,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":47916,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [800] {"status":"Dropout","samples":1920}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":48158,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] sync D10 -> NAD C658 result: Success
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] sync D10 -> NAD C658 result: Success
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] sync D10 -> NAD C658 result: Success
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] sync D10 -> NAD C658 result: Success
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"samples":47916,"status":"Dropout"}
09/01 16:58:57 Warn: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] Too many dropouts (>3s dropped out in the last 30s). Killing stream
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] too many dropouts. stopping stream
09/01 16:58:57 Warn: [zone D10 + Xtreamer658] Track Stopped Due to Slow Media
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] Endpoint D10 State Changed: Playing => Prepared
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] SENT [1242]{"request":"end_stream"}
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer -> stream] All streams were disposed
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [library] recorded play for profile 0c8201f1-090d-453b-bc29-9e129d152646: mediaid=50:1:9c3de3bd-8fc7-422c-b48b-7095ac64edda metadataid= contentid=202:0:34543464 libraryid=50:1:9c3de3bd-8fc7-422c-b48b-7095ac64edda isfromswim=False
09/01 16:58:57 Info: 
--[ SignalPath ]---------------------------------------------
SignalPath Quality = Inactive
Elements:
------------------------------------------------------------
09/01 16:58:57 Warn: inactive signal path :(
09/01 16:58:57 Info: 
--[ SignalPath ]---------------------------------------------
SignalPath Quality = Inactive
Elements:
------------------------------------------------------------
09/01 16:58:57 Warn: inactive signal path :(
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [zone D10 + Xtreamer658] OnPlayFeedback StoppedEndOfMediaUnnatural
09/01 16:58:57 Debug: [zone D10 + Xtreamer658] _Advance
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [800] {"status":"Ended"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [D10] [raatclient] GOT [1242] {"status":"Success"}
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer] All streams were disposed
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer -> stream -> endpoint] All streams were disposed
09/01 16:58:57 Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer -> stream -> endpoint] All streams were disposed
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [library] finished with 51 dirty tracks 6 dirty albums 10 dirty performers 29 dirty works 39 dirty performances 0 clumping tracks, 0 clumping auxfiles 0 compute tracks, 0 deleted tracks, 0 tracks to (re)load, 0 tracks to retain, 0 auxfiles to (re)load, 0 auxfiles to retain, and 85 changed objects
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office] [Enhanced, 24/96 QOBUZ FLAC => 32/96] [100% buf] [LOADING @ 0:00] Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Pt. 1 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Xtreamer658] [Enhanced, 24/96 QOBUZ FLAC => 24/96] [100% buf] [LOADING @ 0:00] Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Pt. 1 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
09/01 16:58:57 Debug: [raat/tcpaudiosource] disconnecting
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] Endpoint NAD C658 State Changed: Playing => Prepared
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] SENT [13208]{"request":"end_stream"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [12372] {"status":"Ended"}
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [NAD C658 @ 192.168.1.226:36651] [raatclient] GOT [13208] {"status":"Success"}
09/01 16:58:58 Debug: [music/profilestats] Computed stats in 28ms, got 50 top albums, 50 top performers, 28 genres
09/01 16:58:58 Debug: [raat/tcpaudiosource] disconnecting
09/01 16:58:58 Warn: [raat/tcpaudiosource] send failed: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
09/01 16:58:58 Warn: [raat/tcpaudiosource] disconnecting + retrying
09/01 16:58:58 Trace: [dbperf] flush 0 bytes, 0 ops in 31 ms (cumulative 1399465717 bytes, 938480 ops in 243408 ms)
09/01 16:58:58 Trace: [library] endmutation in 264ms
09/01 16:58:58 Info: sleep 200ms after flush

Thanks for any help!
Matt

dylan · September 1, 2021, 5:41pm

Hi @Matt_Anderson

09/01 16:58:57 Warn: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] Too many dropouts (>3s dropped out in the last 30s). Killing stream
09/01 16:58:57 Trace: [Office + Xtreamer658] [zoneplayer/raat] too many dropouts. stopping stream
09/01 16:58:57 Warn: [zone D10 + Xtreamer658] Track Stopped Due to Slow Media

This looks like the problem here. The media isn’t able to get to the endpoints fast enough. Since this is with streaming high bitrate files to multiple zones, it likely means somewhere along the line there isn’t enough bandwidth to do this.

When you’re playing high bitrate content to multiple zones what does the signal path look like? What is the processing speed? It could be that the Core isn’t able to keep up. If the Core is processing okay, then it likely means the network isn’t able to handle the bandwidth.

Matt_Anderson · September 1, 2021, 5:47pm

Thanks for the quick response.

Processing speed seems fine:

My network is all 1Gbps hardwired Ethernet. Does that imply that my router isn’t keeping up? Or perhaps I have a bad Ethernet cable?

Thanks!

CrystalGipsy · September 1, 2021, 5:52pm

Are these synced play of one stream from Qobuz or two separate streams from Qobuz?

Matt_Anderson · September 1, 2021, 5:58pm

@CrystalGipsy One stream, playing the same music to multiple zones.

dylan · September 1, 2021, 6:50pm

Hi @Matt_Anderson, yeah, processing speed looks fine there.

Are you using a wired backhaul here or are these routers connected wirelessly?

Just as a test, could you connect your Core and devices to just the main router via Ethernet? Any change with that configuration?

Matt_Anderson · September 1, 2021, 8:24pm

@dylan It is a wired backhaul, and the second device is just functioning as an access point. The ROCK is wired to the second one, though. I’ll try what you suggest.

dylan · September 2, 2021, 7:10pm

Thanks, @Matt_Anderson. Definitely let us know if there is any change after that! We’ve seen access points cause issues in the past, though mesh with wired backhaul tend to work pretty well. Still good to confirm if things work in a simpler configuration so we can rule out that possibility!

system · September 7, 2021, 5:20pm

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