Intermittently skips songs / Pauses playback / Out of sync interface / Possible Sonos issue?

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Roon Core Machine

• Ubuntu Server 22.04.1 LTS on an Intel NUC11TNHi3
• The OS, applications and all my CD rips are stored on a Kingston NV2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe 2TB SSD
• RAM memoy in use is 1x Kingston ValueRAM 8GB at 3200MHz

Networking Gear & Setup Details

• Netgate 6100 pfSense router
• 1x Ubiquiti UniFi 6 Pro Wi-Fi

Connected Audio Devices

• 3x Sonos One SL

Number of Tracks in Library

• 17883

Description of Issue

I basically only listen to albums and I play them start to finnish. For some reason Roon sometimes skips a song or only plays the first split second and then moves on to the next song. Sometimes it even skips two or the interface is out of sync with the actual playback.

It is really frustrating, also because it messes up the number of plays of a song.

The latest Roon version did not resolve the problem.

Help?

[Traian_Boldea]

Hi Eric
Sorry that you have problems

Just out of curiosity as I was thinking of Sonos. All 3 of them over wifi? And if using something ethernet connected you also have the same skipping?

Great to see you posting but not so great that you have a problem. Hope the other guys with Sonos experience are going to help

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

I just realized I think I’ve been seeing the issue with other audio devices as well I’m afraid.

A MacBook Pro with heaphones had the same issue if I recall correctly.

Everthing is wireless. The only LAN cable in my tiny appartment is the one from the router to the wireless access point. Can’t say I have wireless connectivity issues. The server also seems pretty much idle all the time.

-update-

It’s only been happening when listening via Sonos.

[Traian_Boldea]

@ericafterdark

tiny appartment

then no wifi problems, maybe if you are in a wifi super crowded area

I hate cables but still I’m afraid of wifi more than I hate cables

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Yes. I think it is a server side issue.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

So, how do I get to speak to someone from Roon?

[Carl]

Hello @ericafterdark,

Roon do not offer phone support but they will assist you right here on the Community website in the #support section.

Unfortunately due high demand and a small team it may take a little while till your report reaches the head of their queue.

Hang tight.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Ok.

I have log files from the server application I can share. They might clear things up.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Still no sign of support?

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Possible same issue reported by someone else:

Interface out of sync

[image] Roon ROCK running on a Dell OptiPlex 3060 MFF PC with an i7, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Humax WiFi Router Firewalla Gold Firewall (in bridge mode) Dell N Series switches Using Roon remote with Sonos speaker system environment from local PC and phone. --------------------------------- Playbar: Bedroom Serial Number: 48-A6-B8-90-9D-E9:4 Sonos OS: S2 Version: 14.20.1 (build 70436090) Hardware Version: 1.9.1.11-1.2 Series ID: A101 IP Address: 172.16.0.132 **Audio In: ** WM: 0 *…

The out of sync part is what I am seeing as well. Next to the skipping.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Another report:

Stop playing randomly

Roon Core Machine Macbook late 2016, i5, 8GB, exclusively running Room Core Networking Gear & Setup Details Airport, WiFi, no VPN. Connected Audio Devices Several HomePods and HomePods Mini in Airplay 2 Mode Number of Tracks in Library 42757 tracks Description of Issue Hi everyone, Music stops playing randomly. I don’t know why, but after pressing play in a playlist, the first music starts playing, but it stops when it is to play the second one. I need to press play again, an…

This is the same issue or related. I notice everyone reporting this is using Sonos.

At first I suspected it to be something bigger but I only experienced the issue with Sonos.

It sometimes happens to me as well that I need to force start playing music again. It just halts.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Another older report, same issue:

Roon playback status skipping ahead when using Sonos Streaming

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number) Windows 10 Roon Core v 1.7 (build 537) stable It’s a relatively old machine i’m using (Intel i5-750, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) while i’m still trialing this service. Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet) Core is connected using Ethernet to my Ubiquiti Unifi USG. Sonos is connected using Wi-Fi to a Ubiquiti Unifi AP. Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection typ…

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

This might be of interest:

Sonos vs Airplay – does it matter?

For me there was a big difference: When using the Sonos protocol, I had a lot of skipping and drop-out problems with my Sonos Port. With AirPlay they are gone for good. Additionally, the Sonos App now shows title information and cover art instead of „roon-xyz.flac“. I cannot hear any difference between the two. The only „issue“ is a 1-2 seconds lag when starting to play.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Another possible related report:

Roon + Sonos Airplay issues

hey @bluhska, did you solve your problem? i face since a couple of days the same issue, when transmitting from Roon via Airplay to Sonos Speakers (I have several, and it does occur not only via one). For your information, I have connected one Sonos Speaker via Ethernet, so not using WIFI. Any help in case you or someone have found a solution? Thanks, Christian

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Also related:

Sonos stability issues ("Roon lost control...)

I experience similar symptoms with Roon and Sonos with no resolution. My system sounds somewhat similar: 100% Ubiquity UniFi gateway, switches, WiFi with multiple Sonos devices. WD gigabit NAS device serving music to Roon. Roon Server on Win10 headless. Sonos devices attached to same switch, but Roon server attached to different switch at the same STP priority level as the Sonos devices. Both Sonos switch and Roon switch uplink to a Core switch. I’ve experienced NO problems with Sonos app and …

I have seen this error as well.

Also from this thread, this is the case for me as well as I have a stereo-pair in the group:

Sonos stability issues ("Roon lost control...)

Hi, I’m also having terrible Sonos reliability when playing to grouped Sonos devices via Roon. No problems with playing from the Sonos app. I’d like to add an additional observation to what’s already been stated though: Most of my problems reliably occur when I group 3 or more Sonos devices (zones), and one of the ‘devices / zones’ is a pre-defined Sonos pair, in my case a Play5 + Sub. If I group 3 or more devices and none of those devices are ‘pre-paired’ devices such as a device+sub, or a …

[benjamin]

Hey @ericafterdark,

Thank you for your continued patience while we work through each thread.

If at all possible, are you able to test hardwiring your core / sonos endpoints?

I’d be curious to see your network bandwidth options from your router. Are you able to select 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz? Can you assign specific devices to specific bandwidths? If yes, you may know where I’m heading with this.

I would make sure your core and sonos endpoints are on the same bandwidth - ideally 5ghz, but it would be good to test both (again, if this is an option.)

Outside of this, could you please recreate the issue and share the specific date and time back here? That will help us pin down what might be going on. I’ll enable diagnostics on your account so we can take a closer look.

I’ll be on standby for your reply.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

Ok, first issue right now (February 24, 10:02 CET):

The interface is not in sync with what is actually playing. The timer is frozen at 3 seconds.

This started when I forced Roon to play another album from the start while another album was playing.

Then around 10:05 CET it totally messes up. Skips a song. Messes up play count. Is out of sync.

I think this happened when the initial song with the frozen interface was finished playing.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

@benjamin

If at all possible, are you able to test hardwiring your core / sonos endpoints?

I’d be curious to see your network bandwidth options from your router. Are you able to select 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz? Can you assign specific devices to specific bandwidths? If yes, you may know where I’m heading with this.

I would make sure your core and sonos endpoints are on the same bandwidth - ideally 5ghz, but it would be good to test both (again, if this is an option.)

I’ll need to purchase a switch and a networking cable for a hardwired configuration so would be a last resort.

The Sonos devices are on 5 GHz, WiFi 4 and the Roon server is on 5 GHz, WiFi 6 according to the UniFi Network software.

I also tested AirPlay instead of Sonos Streaming this morning and that worked fine with my first test.

[Johnny_Ooooops (Listener in Chief)]

The #1 suggestion that people facing this type of issue get is to wire their core. If it were me, I’d purchase a $20 dumb GB switch and be done with that.

There are a number of threads on this, but it’s a strong Roon suggestion to wire your core at a minimum. Id certainly wire one of your Sonos endpoints as well. I realize it’s not what you want to hear, but Roon is very very demanding network wise. Good luck.

Wired connection worth it

For the longest time I could not stream 192/24 bit, my streamer was networked via wifi. I finally took a day and ran ~100 feet of 6a network cable from the router to the streamer and wow, what a difference. No issues anymore. Epic as I had to route outside the house, but a few hardware store trips on and finally done.

[ericafterdark (dark and moody)]

The strange thing is, I don’t seem to be having the issue when using Sonos’ AirPlay. The issues arise when I choose Sonos’ Sonos Streaming.

Performance of the Roon server has been excellent.