PCM files (24/192, etc.) are streaming fine via WiFi to my Samsung Galaxy View for remote listening around the house. Unfortunately, my .dsf files of DSD content are stuttering. Is this normal? If not, what can I do to play these file types better. I have a lot of DSD content I’d like to be able to stream. I tried setting the DSD options via the Galaxy View to the various “convert to PCM” options, and it still stuttered. I am running the latest version of Roon, downloaded just days ago. My main computer is a Gigabyte motherboard, i7 630 processor, 16 GB RAM.
What kind of wi-fi are you running ? N and AC are fine with DSD, not sure about G and prior. What sort of signal strength do you have where you are receiving ? You might try changing your wi-fi to a different channel or giving your View a fixed IP address.
When listening via a private zone, all conversions currently take place on the remote. Your remote device must be fast enough to perform the DSD->PCM conversion.
Your WIFI network must be fast enough to move the raw DSD stream.
We will be re-arranging some pieces of architecture so that DSD->PCM conversion can happen in the server in the future. This will remove some performance pressure from the situation.
To give yourself the best chance, make sure your devices + wireless router all support 802.11ac and are configured to take advantage of it. Hard-wire the server to the router using ethernet if it isn’t already–this will halve the demand on the WiFi network. And try out both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz settings on your router–in many situations one performs better than the other.
Thanks for the prompt responses. My WiFi is 802.11N at 5 GHz. I flipped channels with no success. The WiFi signal is strong, as I am nearby the WiFi router, and measured the signal. I also detect little/no interference from any nearby signals on my WiFi channel. I’ve tried both 2.4 and 5 GHz settings. Both stutter.
What is ‘ac’ WiFi? I don’t see that as an option on my WiFi router. Am I behind the times?
What about audio settings? I believe I only have the output for my Wyred 4 Sound DAC enabled.
How can I tell if my tablet (Samsung Galaxy View) is just not powerful enough to process the DSD?
What is ‘ac’ WiFi? I don’t see that as an option on my WiFi router. Am I behind the times?
802.11ac is the successor to 802.11n and the current consumer WiFi standard. If your router is more than 3 years old, it definitely does not support it. It’s still possible to buy “N-only” gear today (but I wouldn’t recommend it).
What about audio settings? I believe I only have the output for my Wyred 4 Sound DAC enabled.
Audio settings on the server probably aren’t impacting this situation.
How can I tell if my tablet (Samsung Galaxy View) is just not powerful enough to process the DSD?
Look at a CPU meter on the tablet when you are/aren’t playing DSD.
If DSD playback causes one of your processor cores to sit at/near 100% usage when you’re hearing audio, there’s a good chance that the tablet isn’t keeping up.
Thank you unreservedly for your prompt support. Running the android app, “Core Stats,” I see eight cores during DSD playback, none of which are maxed out on the Samsung Galaxy View. Occasionally, I see one core in the 60-70% range Possibly, as you suggest, an upgrade to an ac WiFi router will help – I’ll pick one up tomorrow and let you know if it does the trick.
I hope it helps. If it doesn’t, you’ll be in a better situation once we do some work on private zones. I am hoping that this fits in as part of the other RoonSpeakers/RAAT work in progress now.
It’s not great that we require a mobile device to perform an expensive DSD->PCM conversion when there’s a much more powerful server that could do it without breaking a sweat. The software ended up working this way because of evolutionary accident, and we’re in the process of making it better.