Another thing to note, is that for clicking/skipping noise, users have noted that setting the RESYNC and BUFFER to 0.2 or higher seems to help a lot. (I think I have mine at 0.5 each for good measure, but would have to check when I get home)
1 Like
Thank you for all of your replies, which I’ve read with interest.
Simon, no “D’oh!” necessary – although Slim had made the suggestion, it never hurts to hear it twice – and you included some useful details. In the past when I’ve updated the sms200ultra (which I’ve done many times), I’ve always done through the device’s interface accessed through a web browser. I’ve never removed the SD card and re-flashed it. So, if it starts to look like the sms200ultra is a likely culprit, that might be the next step to try.
I’m running tests today, and will report back. Currently, I’ve removed both the SOtM and PoE equipment entirely. I moved my NUC upstairs and connected it to my router via the 150 ft ethernet cable. NUC is connected directly to the Kii Control via USB. Early, preliminary result: it’s currently playing music normally.
More to follow…
Weekend tests (all without PoE - direct ethernet / USB only)
1) NUC - Kii Control [SOtM products removed]
Router --> 150ft ethernet cable --> NUC --> USB --> Kii Control
Roon identified “Kii Control” as playback device. Played music for hours. No errors during test.
2) SOtM sms200ultra in system
NUC --> short ethernet cable --> Router --> 150ft ethernet cable --> SOtM SMS200ultra --> USB --> Kii Control
Roon identified “SOtM” as playback device. Music, but with skipping. I increased the buffer and resync to 0.5 as several people suggested, and skipping stopped. (No skipping in any subsequent tests.) Music played overnight. Changed USB cable between SOtM and Kii Control, and it still worked. Music played successfully during test period.
3) SOtM sms200ultra and tx-USBultra in system
NUC --> short ethernet cable --> Router --> 150ft ethernet cable --> SOtM SMS200ultra --> USB --> txUSBultra --> USB --> Kii Control
Initially played normally. But problem occurred within 15 minutes: Roon still recognized the SOtM and showed the track continuing to play, but suddenly there was no sound.
Removed txUSB and connected sms200ultra --> USB --> Kii Control. No change: Roon would “play” the track, but no sound from speakers.
Rebooted sms200ultra and tried again: no change. Again, Roon “played” track, but no sound.
Turned off and completely unplugged Kii system (Kii Control and speakers) for five minutes. Left sms200ultra on. Reconnected Kii --> worked normally. Heard music again. Music continued to play normally for an hour or so.
Then I reconnected txUSBultra. Music played normally for about 2.5 - 3 hrs. After that, music went silent again. Roon Control said: “Roon lost control of the audio device.” I restarted Roon Control. It did show the SOtM as a playback device, but when I tried to play music, it said, “Failed to open the audio device.”
Eunhasu DACINFO at this time:
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices **** card 0: Control [Kii Control], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio] Subdevices: 1/1 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 004 Device 036: ID 20b1:0401 XMOS Ltd Bus 004 Device 059: ID 20b1:30a2 XMOS Ltd Bus 004 Device 034: ID 0424:2512 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub Bus 004 Device 008: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. 4-port hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 002: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. 4-port hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
0 [Control ]: USB-Audio - Kii Control Kii Audio Kii Control at usb-1c1c000.usb-1.3.1, high speed
Kii Audio Kii Control at usb-1c1c000.usb-1.3.1, high speed : USB Audio Playback: Status: Stop Interface 1 Altset 1 Format: S32_LE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 1 OUT (ASYNC) Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000, 705600, 768000 Data packet interval: 125 us Interface 1 Altset 2 Format: S16_LE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 1 OUT (ASYNC) Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000, 705600, 768000 Data packet interval: 125 us
(So, although the system is not playing music, it looks to me like the sms200ultra is still identifying the Kii Control / DAC.)
Unplugged Kii system 10 minutes. Re-connected: wouldn’t play music. Roon “Failed to open audio device.” Rebooted sms200ultra: Roon “played” but without sound. However, at this point the system was like a toddler in meltdown – nothing worked to get music playing again. I rebooted everything in the system including the router without success. Finally, I completely unplugged all of the SOtM and Kii components and left them unplugged for several hours.
Then, before bed, I turned the system back on, with the sms200ultra connected to the Kii Control. Now music played again. I left it on overnight, and music was still playing normally in the morning.
My summary: Problems occurred when both the sms200ultra and tx-USBultra were in use (3) above. I don’t know what’s happening exactly, but some “break” in the audio chain seems to occur. Of note, once this happened, simply removing the tx-USBultra was not enough to solve the problem, as described in (3) above. In the first instance, unplugging the Kii components for 5 minutes solved the problem, but in the second instance, I had to unplug the entire system for hours.
At least during the test period, errors did not begin when the NUC was connected directly to the Kii control [no SOtM at all] or when the the sms200ultra was being used without the tx-USBultra.
What would people do as next step? Try to update tx-USB and/or sms200ultra firmware? Something else?
@Charles_Wells just to avoid confusion PoE & EoP are different animals…you are using EoP - Ethernet over Power 
When you say that you bought 200ultra, USBultra and dual power supply together, i.e. as a package, was this directly from SOtM or a HiFI site. Apologies for beating this horse, but I can’t see where that is an option on the SOtM web site.
I’m wondering whether this would be a SOtM sanctioned setup.
It could be a question of the power supply feeding these devices.
Did you tell SOtM about this chain?
You can`t update anything in the tX-USBultra so not much to do there.
What firmware are you using with the sMS-200ultra? I run the latest 4.59 with Roon and zero problems.
There seems to be something happening with the USB chain when the tX is in use have you tried both of the USB outputs on the tX?
Interestingly, the difference between your chain (which works) and the OP’s chain (which doesn’t work) is the power supply.
This is often refered as a SOtM “trifecta” package and the tX-USBultra is recommended by SOtM to use with their sMS products so this is not something that is any strange combination as the three products (streamer, re-cklocker and PSU) has been sold togheter by many places.
Thank you for the clarification. Regardless though, it (EoP) wasn’t used in any of the above tests.
I’ve described my setup to May at SOtM many times, and she’s never raised any concern about the sms200ultra and tx-USBultra being used together. My understanding was that they were designed to be.
However, I’ve now asked her explicitly whether this setup is officially sanctioned, and will let you know her response.
I’m running v4.59 as well.
I have not tried the second USB output on the txUSB. That’s something I could try, though I’ll admit I’m not hopeful…
Thank you. This was my understanding as well.
At this point, I would question the power supply that’s feeding both devices.
A sPS-500 is limited at 5A at 7, 9, 12Vdc and I have measured my SOtM products and they draw around 0,5-0,6A at 9Vdc so the sPS-500 have plenty of power to power both the products and SOtM sells a Y-cable for this so it is a common way of powering the devices.
1 Like
OK, then. Throwing something else against the wall, something’s bound to stick.
After re-reading the results of weekend tests, it seems that the USBultra loses connection to the Kii control.
Get the tx-USB replaced, it could very well have a hardware issue.
As Slim suggested, try having a different and separate power supply for both it and 200. Uneven power can cause a ton of issues. And could damage things.
Stop using the tx altogether. (The last being what I would do as I prefer as simple a chain as possible)
Thank you for all the suggestions.
I did some listening test when I originally bought the equipment, and if I remember correctly, the txUSB made a pretty noticeable improvement in sound quality, which is why I kept it.
I’ve also emailed SOtM, and am awaiting a response from them.
1 Like
I agree about the txUSB ultra making a big difference. I have a very similar SOtM setup (sps500 powering an sms200ultra and txUSB ultra with a home made y-cable) and there are no problems whatsoever with my Lampizator DAC. The connection between your txUSB ultra and Kii control seems to be in question.
It would seem so…
May from SOtM responded, and she asked me to do a test I hadn’t yet done: NUC --> txUSBultra --> Kii (leaving sms200 out). This struck me as an interesting and worthwhile test.
For completeness, I decided to start my next round of tests with the “full system” (NUC --> sms200 --> txUSB), which has been so unreliable. Then, when it eventually failed, I’d take the sms200 out as May suggested. Then I might test the second USB port on the txUSB, etc.
Well, I haven’t gotten far with that, because the full system (including txUSB) has now been playing for 24 straight hours, without any errors.
No idea what’s going on here. If it keeps working, I guess I’ll eventually just switch and test NUC --> txUSB as May suggested.
1 Like
I’m at the New Orleans Jazzfest right now, but I’ll follow your progress. I’m glad that everything is working now.