Is the affected network Zone connected with Ethernet or WiFi?
· WiFi
Does the issue affect all file formats?
· The issue affects *multiple/all* file formats.
Which network audio protocol is the Zone using with Roon?
· RoonReady
Does the device show up at all in Roon Settings -> Audio?
· Yes, it shows up there, but it isn't Enabled
Does the "Enable" button unlock the Zone?
· I pressed Enable, but the Zone remains disabled
Does the device play audio from another source when using the same connection?
· The device has no problems with another audio source
Have you checked that Roon is whitelisted in any firewalls?
· I've checked the firewall and the issue remains
Is the device using the latest firmware as per the manufacturer?
· Firmware is up-to-date but the issue remains
What are the make and model of the affected audio device(s) and the connection type?
· A&K Kann Alpha
Describe the issue
Using A&K Kann Alpha Roon will occasionally stop playing or skip entire tracks with an error that media is loading slowly. It does not present this problem on other endpoints
Describe your network setup
Connected wirelessly to Xfinity wifi that includes Xfinity pods (extenders)
Hello! To clarify, the AK does show up and is enabled (I don’t know why the AI asks me those questions). It’ll play fine for hours at a time and then suddenly will starting pausing and skipping tracks. It impacts both locally stored files and Tidal/Qobuz files.
I have a KANN alpha - the wiFi is terrible on that device - I can only use mine as a USB DAC wired to my laptop - it will be visible in Roon in either mode but the WiFi on the Alpha is just very weak even when you are right by the access point.
Hi @Scott_Seiler,
Thanks for reaching out to us about this issue. 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 error occurs. Then respond here with that time, and I’ll make sure we review the diagnostics related to that timestamp.
Thanks. I appreciate the help. I can’t reproduce it on demand as it happens sporadically. I can tell you it happened at 2:10 and 2:11pm ET today if that helps. Otherwise I’ll keep an eye on it and reply back once it happens again.
Thanks. I have heard the KANN is notoriously fussy with wifi. What I can’t understand is why it’ll work for days with no issue and then, through a day it will happen 10-15 times. I have the KANN sitting in the same place all the time. Perhaps it’s just the nature of the wifi and the tech … I do also seem to notice that a reset of the Core resolves it for some time, so I’ll explore further. Nothing like an intermittent issue…
I checked the specs on the A&K website - the Alpha supports 802.11n at 2.4Ghz only - so you are probably getting 100Mbps max when it is stable but dropping to much lower bit rates sometimes. WiFi can be sporadic as I discovered with another streamer here with the same specification but from a different manufacturer - ended up going wired and issue resolved. Wish I had more positive info for you. Maybe Roon can help reduce the frequency. Good luck.
Thanks. There’s really no wored connection possible with the DAP unless I’m only using it as a DAC which defeats the purpose of what I need it for. I’ll continue to monitor. Are you able to tell from you diagnostics if the AK is losing connection to the Room Core?
You are experiencing dropouts and tracks stopping due to poor network connection, here’s a diagnostic snippet:
Warn: [zone Kann Alpha] Track Stopped Due to Slow Media
Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer -> stream] All streams were disposed
Info: [audio/env] [zoneplayer] All streams were disposed
Info: [zone Kann Alpha] OnPlayFeedback StoppedEndOfMediaUnnatural
More specifically, we’re seeing a potential issue with your network being constrained in some way, potentially throttling the bandwidth or facing latency issues when retrieving audio data.
We see several entries with accessTimeOut:True which can indicate that the connection isn’t retrieving data as expected within the given timeframe, which could be due to an unstable or slow network.
This is unfortunate - you could try moving the device closer to your primary router?
Thanks for the follow up. I’ll try to move the device closer to the router when it happens again.
So I’m clear, you aren’t seeing any issues with the network being slow, just the network connection/speed between the endpoint (A&K) and the router. Is that right?