First one second of each track cut off if audio resolution changes

Electrofunkmeister · September 5, 2020, 5:11pm

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)

Roon ROCK with all the latest (as of August 28, 2020) Roon-recommended ROCK components: The Intel NUC10i3FNH along with the recommended RAM and SSD.

Roon Version - 1.7 (build 610) stable RoonOS Version - 1.0 (build 227) stable IP Address - 192.168.1.251 OS Version - Firmware 1.0 (build 227) stable. My Roon Remote is an iPad Pro 10.5 running iOS 13.6.1. The Roon Remote is version 1.7.00610.

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)

Synology RT2600AC on the latest firmware, Ethernet hardwired into the ROCK. The Internet connection is a symmetrical fiber 500Mbps download/upload.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

The ROCK is connected via USB to a FiiO K3 USB DAC, which then is connected via coaxial digital output to an Anthem MRX 720 receiver, which does the D/A conversion. I want the receiver doing the D/A conversion for its Anthem ARC room calibration, bass management, delays, etc.

Description Of Issue

When playing a playlist or the queue, Roon Player cuts off the first one second of each track. It only does this when changing bit depth or sampling frequency. It never does it when going from, for example, one 16-bit/44kHz track to another 16-bit/44kHz track.

This happens every time. Changing the resync delay in Device Setup slightly improves the track cutoff to roughly half a second, whether that delay is 1000ms or the maximum 10,000ms.

The issue manifests with the optical connection as well. It does not manifest when listening to headphones directly from the DAC.

The issue also manifests when using a laptop (in place of the ROCK) running the Roon Core through Windows 10 with the same DAC and receiver.

The issue happens with either Qobuz or Tidal, which is where I’m getting all my high-resolution music. So, that’s where I’m getting the audio resolution changes from track to track. It also doesn’t matter whether I create the playlist in Qobuz or Tidal, or in Roon.

Including both streaming services, there are 28,478 tracks in my library.

I realize that things seem to point toward the digital-to-analog conversion in the Anthem receiver or the receiver’s interaction with the DAC, as the DAC itself doesn’t have this issue when listening through headphones directly from the DAC. However, the DAC performs perfectly with direct playback from Tidal’s app, the Qobuz app, or Audirvana, using the same Windows 10 laptop and Anthem receiver mentioned above. The only app that manifests this problem with the identical setup is Roon.

My question is, can anything be done about this? Thanks so much in advance for any help. And take your time – it’s Labor Day weekend!

Rugby · September 5, 2020, 6:25pm

A quick work around might be to set Roon to output a single Resolution so that there are no resolution changes.

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 12:12pm

Thank you for the quick reply!

One Resolution To Rule Them All was one of the biggest reasons I no longer use Sonos. However, you are correct…that would work. In Roon, I only see (under Device Setup, Advanced) a way to limit the maximum resolution. I could “solve” my issue by limiting everything to 16/44. I’d rather upsample everything if I had to choose, but I don’t see a way to upsample everything to, for example, 24/192.

Of course, I’m ultimately looking for every track playing at its stated resolution with no truncating of the first few notes. The search continues…

Rugby · September 6, 2020, 1:52pm

Go under the DSP, for the device. Choose sample rate, under the drop down choose custom. There you can set a target sample rate for each and every source sample rate. So I can set 44.1 to uosamole to DSD 64, and 96 to uosamole to DSD 128, etc etc. Or everything to be r samples at 192.

JMP · September 6, 2020, 2:06pm

Go to device setup and add a second to the Resync Delay option.

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 2:31pm

Thank you! I see it now. As you know, it’s not the ultimate solution (each track playing at its native sample rate without cutting off the beginning of the track), but it’s much better than limiting things to 16/44. I appreciate the help!

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 2:33pm

Under “description of issue,” my second paragraph states: This happens every time. Changing the resync delay in Device Setup slightly improves the track cutoff to roughly half a second, whether that delay is 1000ms or the maximum 10,000ms.

I do appreciate the input, though. Seems like it would work, but unfortunately not this time.

Rugby · September 6, 2020, 3:34pm

Oh, I agree. I was just trying to offer a work around for the weekend. As it is a holiday weekend, official support might not be around.

AndyR · September 6, 2020, 3:38pm

Just to clarify please - is the FiiO in the chain when Tidal/etc works ‘directly’?

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 5:09pm

Excellent. Thank you so much again.

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 5:10pm

Indeed it is. The only thing that changes in the setup is replacing Tidal/etc with Roon Controller.

Rugby · September 6, 2020, 5:51pm

Just asking: the point of the FiiO is just for the USB to Coax conversion? If so, what if you took the FiiO out of the chain and just went ROCK to Anthem via HDMI?

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 8:42pm

I had already tried that but couldn’t get any audio from the ROCK. Roon didn’t see it as an Audio Device.

Smart suggestion, though. Thanks!

Electrofunkmeister · September 6, 2020, 9:00pm

Yes. Even if I could get HDMI to work, I’ve had a lot of success with the FiiO and I like the option to listen to music via coax while enjoying HDMI sources on the TV via the Anthem. (Purists, don’t laugh. I get my share of dedicated audio-only listening sessions as well.)

dylan · September 8, 2020, 7:23pm

Hi @Electrofunkmeister,

I think the next step here is to enable some diagnostics on your account so our technical staff can get some more insight into what’s going on here.

However, before I enable this feature, I’d like to ask for your help ensuring we gather the right information.

First, can you please reproduce the issue once more and note the time at which the problem occurs as well as the track that was playing? Then respond here with that time, and I’ll make sure we review the diagnostics related to that timestamp.

Electrofunkmeister · September 8, 2020, 10:30pm

Hi Dylan,

Thank you so much for getting back to me.

I reproduced the issue again today at 6:20pm Eastern Time in the USA. I purposely created a playlist last week where every song was a change in audio resolution. I’ve attached a screenshot of that short playlist. The issue happens with each track change, because of the change in audio resolution.

dylan · September 10, 2020, 2:15am

Thanks for the timestamp, @Electrofunkmeister! We’ve enabled diagnostics and once the report comes it we’ll have the QA team take a look. We’ll be in touch after we have their feedback on this.

Electrofunkmeister · September 10, 2020, 1:05pm

I appreciate the update, Dylan. Thank you!

nuwriy · September 11, 2020, 9:12pm

Hello @Electrofunkmeister, I’ve enabled diagnostics for your account but it looks like your Roon Server instance hasn’t connected to our servers for a few days, could you please verify that the server is active? Thanks!

Electrofunkmeister · September 11, 2020, 11:24pm

I just turned on the system and I will leave it on. Thank you.