Periodic disconnect from DAC Message “failed to initialise an audio device”

It seems every time I play a new track I get an error message “failed to initialise an audio device”. I have to click on device setup, close the dialog box without doing anything and then it works.

I have a pretty basic setup with Roon 2.0 (1182) on a 24" iMac running os 13.1 connected via USB to a Schitt DAC and and an Arcam integrated amp. The iMac is connected via ethernet to a Starlink box.

It works about 50% of the time.

grrrr##

Hi Marc, and welcome
Weird and annoying. Do you have the dac set to exclusive mode in roon? do you use the dac for 13.1 system output?

Hi, The DAC is in exclusive mode for ROON and the mac system output is set to iMac speakers.

When the dac is lost from roon is lost also lost for os? Do you have another cable and another USB port to try?

The DAC is still in the System Settings Sound devices list. And the problem only comes up when starting to play a new track. Note that I don’t have to click or change any settings with this problem. I just have to open the dialog box that comes up (the DAC is shown there) and then close it. Then I can play music.

Screenshot of error message

Screenshot after clicking on DAC

Do you have another comp to test the dac? Or another dac to test the computer?

Annoying problem.

When I quit ROON and use the DAC to play music on Apple Music app, everything works without difficulty. Then when I switch back to using the DAC for ROON, ROON works properly (for a while). Then, after a while, the problem returns. The only common element to this problem is ROON.

I had bad shuttering with Roon/Mac/iFi, I bought a CA 200M hoping to be ok… same shuttering. Not with tidal app on my Mac, Not with roon over the network, not with roon on older Macs. Just the combination of Mac M1/Roon/USB
Do you have an old laptop/pc/pi that you can use ethernet connected to test?
I hope you will find a answer.

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Just to add a bit of detail - I’m not seeing this error message nor does the dac disconnect once it’s connected. It’s only making the initial connection that’s the problem for me.

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As far as I can tell, the DAC doesn’t disconnect. I only have to open and close the dialog box without doing anything. Then I can play a track and it keeps working until, one moment, when about to play a track, ROON gives me the error message.

I am also having this same issue.

I have Roon (Version 2.0 build 1182) running on an Apple Mac Mini M1 (macOS Ventura 13.1) outputting audio via USB (core audio in exclusive mode) to a pair of Yamaha NX-N500 speakers.

Difficult to remember if this started with the latest Roon or Ventura update.

Randomly, at the start of a track, Roon will display “failed to initialise an audio device” and then the message “select an audio zone” before (in a matter of seconds) the zone reappears. Pressing play then proceeds to play OK until sometime later the music stops on change of a track. :confused:

While shopping for a replacement DAC, I noticed that the Schiit Multibit is not a “ROON tested” DAC, but the simpler and less expensive Schiit MODI+ is approved. I went back to Settings | Audio and changed the DAC setting to “Modi”. And voila, the problem seems to have disappeared, or at least has not returned in two days. Note that I did not actually change the physical DAC - only the setting in ROON that tells ROON what DAC I am using. Go figure.

Update: No cigar I’m afraid. The problem has returned. Time for a new DAC it seems.

This may the last comment. No new DAC required. I discovered that if I just watch the screen and let the error messages go away on their own, the music will play. Roon: Please fix this nonsense. Thanks, Marc

looks like it fixed in this new version just released. had updated for like 5 hours now and no issues so far. Fingers crosses. My DAC is Chord Hugo TT2.

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1 day passed, only happened once. not all fixed but much better this version for me.
Macbook pro M1 Max + Hugo TT2

So far so good.