SonicTransporter V2.7/Roon Version 1.7 build 528 (controlled via Samsung Galaxy Tab A/Roon 1.7 build 528 over wifi)
Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
Asus AC1900/Ethernet CAT 6A (Blue Jeans Cables)
Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
UltraRendu v2.7/Roon Ready Version 1.1.36/USB/M2Tech Hiface EVO II/M2Tech Hiface Clock II/Esoteric D-70 (modded audio outputs)
Description Of Issue
Hi
I consistently experience a gap for the first several notes of tracks when I manually select a new track. The problem does not manifest when Roon queues up songs automagically. Having read through the FAQs, I wasn’t able to find a setting to introduce a delay for the cache to load prior to a track beginning play. Is there a way to eliminate this gap?
As for this issue, can you please be a bit more specific? Does this only occur when playing to the HiFace Evo or does it occur on other zones as well?
Are there any patterns to this behavior (such as it only occurs when playing higher-resolution content/only when switching between sample rates for tracks)?
I only play through the HiFace Evo II, I do not have any other zones. It seems to be the same regardless of resolution, but I will pay more attention to experimenting with different file types and report back. Thank you.
Is @Hyendaudio you alternate account? Does the same issue occur if you try to play native 96/24 tracks?
I would try increasing the “Resync delay” in the “Device Setup” screen. This will add some digital silence between tracks when Roon detects that the sample rate is changing.
For tracks of the same sample rate, it appears that your device is adding this gap on its own. Thus, you will have to reach out to M2Tech to resolve this issue.
I have incrementally increased the Resync Delay and I am still having the problem. It’s now up to 1500ms.
As I am now paying closer attention to the issue, I have experienced the problem on 96k tracks as well. I upsample anything lower than 88k to 96k and anything lower than 176k to 192k. 176k and 192k are played at native resolution.
When Roon starts playback of a new track it opens up a new “stream” to the audio device. Playback of the 2nd track in the queue does not result in a new “stream” to the device, it’s a continuation of the original stream because in a gapless fashion.
It appears that one of your audio devices is cutting off audio at the beginning of a new stream which is causing this “gap”.
Roon does not support adding arbitrary delays to the start of playback.
Since this appears to be “working as designed” I would recommend also posting your suggestion in the 'feature request" section of the site.
Our product team and developers keep a close eye on that category, so that’s definitely the best place to propose a change like this and get feedback from the Community.
Sorry, I’m a bit confused. I increased the delay setting based on a recommendation from one of your engineers to address an intermittent problem which manifests as the first few notes being skipped - only when I manually select a track. Is this really how your software is supposed to work? Why am I being asked to submit an enhancement request?
To clarify what John mentioned above, Resync Delay only helps when tracks are switching between different sample rates and playback has already been started. Resync delay inserts a short moment of “silence” between tracks when they switch sample rates so that the DAC has time to make the transition.
What you seem to experience here is playback issues when the track is first started, on any sample rate except for the native one, and it sounds like it could be due to the DAC itself is taking a few seconds/milliseconds to start the playback. Resync Delay wouldn’t necessarily help in this case since the sample rate is not being switched between tracks, it’s the start of playback itself that is causing the delay.
The feature request refers to this cache capability you mentioned:
Got it. So what seems to be happening is Roon thinks it has a receptive end point and starts to play, but (I’m guessing it’s) my external clock taking a second or 2 to handshake with my USB to SPDIF converter.
So what enhancement request should I be raising / how do you recommend I frame my request?