Ethernet tp-link 8 port gigabit desktop switch model TL-SG108, no VPN.
Connected Audio Devices
Nucleus => ethernet cable => TP-Link switch => ethernet cable => Ropieee running on Rpi4B => USB cable => Topping D10S DAC => RCA cable => integrated Kenwood etc.
Number of Tracks in Library
Description of Issue
Was listening to a web radio through a specific zone when sound suddenly stopped coming through.
Unsuccessfully tried:
• Playing various local Nucleus tracks, Qobuz streaming or even web radios.
• Removing volume limiter.
• Setting Roon volume to its maximum (through remote).
• Checked that all DSP filters are disabled.
• Unplugging and plugging Rpi4B back on.
• Tightening the ethernet cables everywhere.
• Changing USB port on the Rpi4B.
• Rebooting Ropieee.
• Rebooting Nucleus.
• Grouping that zone with a functional one.
• Topping D10S DAC works fine feeding it through its USB cable with local files from my PC (hence the integrated amp works fine as well as the USB and RCA cables and my ears - had this been the issue).
Despite the absence of sound, Roon remote still displays the playing zone progression. The Topping D10S DAC also displays the correct sampling rate and audio format (like its simple screen is supposed to), and even turns off when the zone is stopped (like it’s supposed to). But no sound comes through.
Out of my four zones, this is the only one not working. I have tried to find similar topics in the Roonlab community but failed and have no idea where to look at from now. Very many thanks in advance for any help!
Sounds like a hardware related issue. Question is where (Topping or Kenwood)? Can you connect another device at the end of the RCA connection (instead of the Kenwood)?
Topping DAC and Kenwood amp both work fine (sound comes through), when fed a local PC music file through USB (when the USB cable is unplugged from the Ropieee ran Rpi4B and plugged in any of my USB PC port instead, and not using Roon but the local PC Windows player instead).
Does it still look like a hardware problem to you?
Sounds all weird but if the DAC shows the correct sampling frequency (and also changes when expected) then the signal is clearly passing. This would imply that signal level is very low or silence. As you already checked settings in Roon, you may have to take a closer look at the RPi and settings next?
The “device setup” (Settings => Audio => Device setup) conforms to the Topping DAC specs (max PCM sample rate up to 384 kHz, max PCM bits per sample 32, max DSD sample rate up to DSD256), if that’s what is refered to as “zone settings” (apologies if I’m looking in the wrong place at the wrong settings). Thinking I was following your advice, that was changed to 24/192 unsuccessfully (so I turned everything back to the original settings).
Meanwhile, further down in those device settings, I noticed the “Force max volume at playback start” option, which only very recently were turned off (hoping it would help preventing Roon from unstoppably pushing the volume to its maximum randomly - an unpleasant experience I’ve been trying to put an end to for some time - which did not work). Anyway, just turned that option back on and there was the sound again!
BlackJack was right in that the signal was passing through but probably close to silent. Putting that “Force max volume at playback start” option back on again did it.
Turning it off in the first place possibly has taken some time to come into force for some reason, which could explain why sound was audible still, for a little while, my bad! Music’s back on. It feels so much better of course.
Many thanks for your combined suggestions dear BlackJack and wizardofoz, which both helped understanding what was probably going on and looking in the right place. Best to you you both!
I have a lot of zones…even a few Topping ones so I know there are ways to break a zone that can get you into trouble while yet things look perfectly normal.
just takes another head or 2 sometimes to wrangle with the symptoms to see whats possibly happened…all good now for you anyway.
