Sound dropping out on wireless speaker

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)
Windows 10 based PC [hard wired to LAN]
[Roon Remote on iPhone 10.]

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
BT Router.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
[Libratone wireless speaker.]

Description Of Issue
Sound drops out regularly for a second or two.

Problem doesn’t occur when using the same hardware set up and just Tidal.

Can you complete the Audio Devices section about.

Where are your music files stored?

As a test try hard wiring your Roon Core to the LAN, WiFi is not recommended.

This happens when I’m using Roon Remote on my iPhone 10 and streaming to a Libratone wireless speaker

My music files are stored on my PC

The problem doesn’t occur when I’m using Roon direct from the PC via a DAc into powered and wired speakers.

We like to listen to music in the garden though - thus the wi-fi

Hello Peter, I can’t tell from the information provided if the PC running Roon is wired or wireless to your router. Wireless to endpoints should be good within range of the router signal but as noted above the Roon core machine should be using Ethernet to router.

I use my Note 9 phone as an endpoint with a Bluetooth speaker out in the shop and garden and it works fine 60 feet from the hosue but the core machine is wired to the router.

Thanks Mike

The Roon core on the PC runs on wired connection and then I use my iPhone and Roon remote to connect to the wireless speaker in the garden.

But I keep getting these fairly constant momentary drop outs.

The wireless speaker is connected via wi-fi

Hello @Peter_Atkinson,

Could you describe the nature of the “dropouts” you are seeing? Are the “dropouts” simply the audio output going silent for the period of a few seconds and then coming back, or are there other issues that also occur in tandem? Are there any error messages shown in Roon when this occurs?

Also, if you move the speaker inside temporarily are you seeing any difference?

Hello Nuwriy

The dropout is just the audio going silent for a few seconds.

No other issues occur.

There are no error messages

It still happens with the speaker inside right next to the router

Regards

Peter

Hello @Peter_Atkinson, could you please test this speaker with iTunes using airplay and see if you still experience dropouts? I’d like to see if this is a network issue. Thanks, and please let me know if you’re able to maintain a connection via iTunes!

Hello Nuwriy

I’ve now had a chance to try the wireless speaker inside with Roon Remote and there’s very few dropouts.

In the garden though when extending the wireless range using Roon Remote the problem persists to the extent that Roon becomes unusable.

When I switched to just Tidal though and bypassed Roon Remote completely there were no dropouts on the wireless set up in the garden.

This is a great shame, obviously, as Roon improves the sound quality.

Regards

Peter

Perhaps it’s the strength of the router and the wireless signal. Roon is a heavy network user. If I understand it correctly the router would be communicating with the core, the remote and the endpoint at the same time. Other wireless apps like Tidal would not be using as much bandwidth.

Does your phone indicate the Mbps at that location? Assuming you have multiple wireless bands do you have the same issue with both? Or possibly have the remote on one band and the speaker on the other. Just tossing out ideas.

Blimey Mike - sorry, i don’t understand a lot of what you’re asking?
I’ve never had a problem with the wireless connection in the garden before though?

I’ve not heard back from anyone?

Hello @Peter_Atkinson, please accept my apologies for the late reply. It was my clerical error that caused the lack of response here. Does this speaker have the ability to connect to the router via Ethernet? I’d like to do this as a test since your environment has that speaker on Wi-Fi currently, and you noted that performance was better once you brought the speaker inside. Since Roon can utilize a lot of your networking capability to deliver the performance you want, we generally recommend against using Wi-Fi in our networking best practices guide.

Thanks you Nuwriy
I looked at the best practice guide and the language/advice is way beyond my technical capability.
It’s also designed for the US market, understandably, and the routers mentioned don’t include my BT (British Telecom) model.
I’m not sure what connecting the wireless speaker directly to the router would achieve as it would definitely not drop out then i assume.
The wireless setup is fairly straightforward - just the one main router.
The wireless speaker if often just a few metres away from the router but the drop outs are frequent and substantial.

Hi Peter. I’ve had endless networking problems since the latest update. Roon support don’t seem to be acknowledging any issues. All they do is ask you to send a ton of technical info which, in effect, is a way of shutting us down. I’ve never had any issues until the recent update.
I’ll bet this reply gets removed or “moved to its own thread”, too. I’m on the point of cancelling and demanding a refund on my latest year’s subscription. They should acknowledge that the new update is causing network issues.

Hello @Peter_Atkinson, I spoke to the QA team again about this thread and we found this trace in your diagnostic report where it looks like you’re dropping packets.

07/18 11:33:03 Trace: [zipp] [HighQuality, 16/44 WAV => 16/44] [100% buf] [PLAYING @ 0:14/4:46] Problem Solution - The White Buffalo
07/18 11:33:03 Trace: [airplay/client] server lost 1 packets starting at seq 12063
07/18 11:33:03 Trace: [airplay/client] resent packet to 192.168.1.180:57443 with seq 12063
07/18 11:33:07 Trace: [airplay/client] server lost 1 packets starting at seq 12565
07/18 11:33:07 Trace: [airplay/client] resent packet to 192.168.1.180:57443 with seq 12565
07/18 11:33:08 Trace: [airplay/client] server lost 1 packets starting at seq 12625
07/18 11:33:08 Trace: [airplay/client] resent packet to 192.168.1.180:57443 with seq 12625
07/18 11:33:08 Trace: [airplay/client] server lost 1 packets starting at seq 12669
07/18 11:33:08 Trace: [airplay/client] resent packet to 192.168.1.180:57443 with seq 12669

If you could please install iTunes and see if you get these same dropouts in the garden that would be a good data point to bring to the team!

Another good idea would be to switch to a different Wi-Fi band for this device and see if this issue is consistent. So if you’re on 2.4 GHz, switch to 5GHz for example.

Hello Nuwriy

Sorry, I would have no idea how to get iTunes to link up with a wireless speaker. It’s not a programme I’ve even used.

I’ll try and look up switching bandwidth for the speaker but I’m afraid this may be beyond my technical know-how.- just looked at admin page for the wireless router and can’t see the wireless speaker listed at all?

Regards

Peter

This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.