[SOLVED] Volume Settings

[alex.ba]

alex.ba

26. Mai 2016 at 10:53 #20301

Hi,

I’m using a PI2 B with a Dac+. I installed the latest HifiBerry release. Now I noticed that I have 3 audio Volume options on the webinterface:

Settings for Digital Volume (Optimum 100%)
Settings for Analogue Playback Boost (Optimum Off)
Settings for Analogue Boost (Optimum 100%)

So I set all to optimum as recommended and also set fixed output in my Ipeng Control (I heard that this should be the best setting. Unfortunatelly now the level is much too high. It seems any of these setting adds additional voulme (I assume more than +10db) to the system. I just wat +0db. No influence from the software but only to set the volume on my amplifier.

What would you recommend? Thanks

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

26. Mai 2016 at 17:56 #20329

Hi alex,

according to this: https://www.hifiberry.com/guides/mixer-settings/ you should keep the playback boost off and reduce the Digital Volume slightly to about 96%.

Anyway I would recommend to directly connect the squeezelite volume control to the hardware control of your DAC. With the standard setting you have a software volume control and a fixed hardware volume on your DAC – but this doesn’t improve audioquality.
You can connect the volume control for squeezelite to your DAC by adding
-o hw:0 -V Digital
to the command line options of Squeezelite in the advanced settings of the audioplay tab.

[alex.ba]

alex.ba

15. Juni 2016 at 9:46 #20676

Hi,

thanks a lot for this information and your support. I did

1) Set the Digital Volume to 96%
2) Turned off the „Analogue Playback Boost“ and
3) Left the „Analogue Boost“ as is (100). See screenshot 1 attached

Secondly I now start squeezelite with this options: „-o hw:0 -V Digital“ (Screenshot 2)

I am not 100% sure what happened now because I still can control the loudness with my mobile device (if I do not set to fixed output) and it’s still very loud. Can you please have a look at the screenshots if there’s anything wrong or is that the behaviour I should expect?

Thanks a lot

Alex

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by alex.ba.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by alex.ba.

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

15. Juni 2016 at 16:04 #20696

Hi alex,
All your configurations are correct. If you find the default output volume to be too loud with your setup, you can of course lower the default configuration to your liking. However, we would recommend to adjust the volume on your Audioplayer and leave the recommended volume of HiFiBerry to receive the full output without clipping.

[bruemmer premium]

bruemmer premium

20. Juni 2016 at 9:01 #20742

Hi,

I installed a RPi2 with a HifiBerry DAC+ Pro (and a 7″ touchscreen).

According to the Max2Play support I configured the HifiBerry:
– Set the Digital Volume to 96%
– Turn off the “Analogue Playback Boost” and
– Leave the “Analogue Boost” as is (100).

So far everything is fine, audio output is OK.

If I configure squeezelite with the options: “-o hw:0 -V Digital” (according to your proposal) I get no longer any audio output. Erasing the options leads to normal audio output again.
What am I doing wrong after having added the options “-o hw:0 -V Digital”?

Rainer

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

20. Juni 2016 at 11:12 #20743

Hi Rainer,

are there any errors when starting squeezelite? If squeezelite is shown as running in the Max2Play web interface and the audio stream seems to play fine you might try „-o hw:1 -V Digital“ as your HifiBerry Card might be the second audiocard, depending on the status of the InBuild-Audiocard of the RPi. If you deactivate the InBuild-Audiocard on Raspberry Pi Settings in Max2Play web interface, the „-o hw:0 -V Digital“ command will work.

All the Best,
Stefan

[bruemmer premium]

bruemmer premium

20. Juni 2016 at 11:47 #20745

Hi Stefan,

thanks for your support, “-o hw:1 -V Digital” did the job.
By the way: how do I deactivate the inbuild audiocard on the RPi?

Rainer

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

20. Juni 2016 at 12:06 #20747

Hi Rainer,

If you deactivate the InBuild-Audiocard on Raspberry Pi Settings in Max2Play web interface…

-> can be enabled / disabled in the first block of settings on „Raspberry Pi Settings“ tab.

[bruemmer premium]

bruemmer premium

20. Juni 2016 at 20:01 #20772

Hi Stefan,

not sure which setting you mean under „Raspberry Pi Settings“/“Raspberry Einstellungen“.

Rainer

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

21. Juni 2016 at 12:09 #20791

Hi Rainer,
It’s in the „Overclocking and GPU-Memory“ box of options, between „Disable Bluetooth“ and „Disable IPv6“.

[bjarne premium]

bjarne premium

28. September 2016 at 7:10 #23234

Hi

Is it possible to use both the rotary encoder in IQaudio dac+ and volumen control on my phone at the same time?

If I do as described (options: “-o hw:0 -V Digital”) it’s only the rotary encoder that works.
If i don’t use the option, volume on my phone works from 0-100% volume, but rotary encoder only works from 0 to x% where X = the volume settings on my phone!

With option ON, it would be nice if the volume control on the phone would work on HW volume too:)

Thanks in advance

Bjarne

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by bjarne.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by bjarne.

[bjarne premium]

bjarne premium

8. Oktober 2016 at 22:50 #23321

stange??? It didn´t work last week….now it´s working:)

Sorry for disturbing.

Bjarne

[bjarne premium]

bjarne premium

9. Oktober 2016 at 17:40 #23324

Hi again

When I switch between using rotary encoder and volume slider i LMS I find that the synchronization is missing.
If I set LSM volume to 50% and then turn the encoder the volume will be set to what it was the last time the encoder was used ±1 step.

How can I change that?

Thanks in advance.
Bjarne

[bjarne premium]

bjarne premium

9. Oktober 2016 at 17:40 #23325

Hi again

When I switch between using rotary encoder and volume slider i LMS I find that the synchronization is missing.
If I set LSM volume to 50% and then turn the encoder the volume will be set to what it was the last time the encoder was used ±1 step.
LMS volume setting also override encoder setting in that way that if you go to next number or jump in the same number or pause the number and start it again, the volume will change to the LMS setting.
How can I change that?

Thanks in advance.
Bjarne

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by bjarne.

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

10. Oktober 2016 at 11:45 #23333

Hi,

to get the Rotary Encoder on IQAudio-Cards working with Synchronisation of volume with Squeezebox Server (control with App / webinterface / rotary encoder) you need to add following to the command line options of Squeezelite (not dependend of build-in audio active /not active):

-o hw:CARD=IQaudIODAC -V Digital -Q

I also added this to the description of the Rotary Encoder now (in Beta).

Description of Parameters:
– The Parameter „-Q“ starts the synchronisation with the Squeezebox Server
– The Parameter „-V“ makes sure to use the correct alsamixer control
– The Parameter „-o“ uses the dircet hardware as audio output (needed to use volume control on alsa level)

Important: This will only work with the Squeezelite in Max2Play and not in other distributions!

[bjarne premium]

bjarne premium

11. Oktober 2016 at 7:07 #23365

Thanks, it works:)

Another question. Is it possible to reduce the volume change/step on the encoder?
The standard step change is too much, I think!

thanks in advance
Bjarne

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

11. Oktober 2016 at 17:31 #23374

Hi Bjardne,

very good so far 🙂

If you really like to change the volume steps, this is a little more difficult, as we just use the file from IQAudIO. If you know how to compile a file and log in with SSH on the Pi, you can do it this way:

1. get the file from https://github.com/iqaudio/tools/blob/master/IQ_rot.c and edit lines
currentVolume = currentVolume + 10;
and
currentVolume = currentVolume - 10;
to the step you like – e.g. „5“ or „2“ to use smaller steps.

2. complile the file with
gcc IQ_rot.c -oIQ_rot -lwiringPi -lasound

3. change the existing file in /opt/IQ_rot with the one you just compiled

4. set file permissions with chmod 777 /opt/IQ_rot

This should do the trick…

All the Best,
Stefan

[hnaylor premium]

hnaylor premium

16. Oktober 2016 at 1:27 #23425

Hi,
I am new to this forum and Max2Play.
I put this image on my RP2 <<m2p_rpi3_default_234_wps>> and added a HiFiBerry DAC+ Light.
Followed set-up instructions for Starter on the HiFiBerry page.
On the Music Player (MPD) Setup page, I selected YMPD and chose some random radio stations. Plugged in my speakers. Can hear the music very faintly, and the volume control on YMPD says „problems setting volume“.
What should I do?
thanks in advance,
Hilary

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

17. Oktober 2016 at 16:28 #23432

Hi Hilary,
Could check your Music Player Sound Card Settings in the MPD menu and tell us what the parameters are?

[hnaylor premium]

hnaylor premium

17. Oktober 2016 at 19:58 #23435

Hi Heiner,
Here they are
sound card Settings:
Sound device default snd_rpi_hifiberry_dac, -Default Audio Device, CARD=sndrpihifiberry
Audioformat 192000:24:2
Mixer device hw:1
Mixer control Digital

Hilary

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

18. Oktober 2016 at 13:30 #23436

Those parameters are all correct. The DAC+ light does not have a volume control mixer. Once the selection of the DAC+ light has been set, it is automatically activated to a 100 %. You might want to try a different end device and turn up the volume there.

[hnaylor premium]

hnaylor premium

18. Oktober 2016 at 20:15 #23441

Heiner,
I think you are saying I need a preamplifier, is that correct? Any particular recommendation.
thanks
Hilary

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

19. Oktober 2016 at 13:18 #23449

You do not necessarily need one, usually a HiFi system (stereo) on its own is enough to amplify the signal of a DAC. What end device are you currently connecting your DAC to?

[hnaylor premium]

hnaylor premium

20. Oktober 2016 at 7:06 #23461

I’m not using a HiFi system (it stopped working). I think I should replace the DAC+ Light with the Amp+ — do you agree? (my speakers are 6-8 ohms).
thanks
Hilary

[Heiner premium]

Heiner premium

20. Oktober 2016 at 15:28 #23479

If you do not have an amplifying unit, the Amp+ would make a lot of sense since it does not require any additional amplification. You can just connect your passive speakers directly. According to HiFiBerry, the Amp+ works best with speakers of 4-8 ohms, so perfect for yours.

[RHCP-NG]

RHCP-NG

16. Februar 2017 at 10:40 #26950

Hi,

I tried the -Q option, but then I get the error the it is not a parameter. Can you help me?

My problem is that after setting the hardware volume parameter I can’t adjust the volume within LMS anymore.

[rens premium]

rens premium

23. Februar 2017 at 10:00 #27163

Hi,

it seems i have similar problems like Bjarne regarding the syncronization of volume between slider and encoder, but i`m using the Justboom Amp Hat.

When turning the rotary at first the volume steps (i think to volume form settings) and then in- or decreases. But i want the it in- or decreases the actual Volume.

[RHCP-NG]

RHCP-NG

16. März 2017 at 18:08 #27768

Hi,

I tried the -Q option, but then I get the error the it is not a parameter. Can you help me?

My problem is that after setting the hardware volume parameter I can’t adjust the volume within LMS anymore.

Can somebody help me out with this? It is really bugging me.

[flysurfer Moderator]

flysurfer Moderator

16. März 2017 at 18:26 #27769

@rens: the encoder is changing the Volume on Alsa level. To connect the Alsa volume control to Squeezelite just use the Max2Play settings on the Justboom Plugin page: first set up the Amp Hat as soundcard and then follow the description on the same page for the rotary encoder installer. The Squeezelite audioplayer must have the commandline options set to use „hardware volume control“ and „alsasync“. Both are explained on the page.

@RHCP-NG: The Option „-Q“ (synchronize Alsa-volume changes e.g. from rotary encoder with Squeezebox Server) might not be available if you have an older version of Squeezelite. You should try to update Squeezelite on the Audioplayer-Page (advanced settings Squeezelite) to get the latest version. If it still does not work, please post the „command line parameter“ field of Squeezelite Advanced Options and more details on your setup.
The „-Q“ option does only work for soundcards that offer volume control and you need to specify this volume control element! In case of Justboom cards the complete command line parameter for Squeezelite looks like „-o hw:CARD=sndrpijustboomd -V Digital -Q“.

[RHCP-NG]

RHCP-NG

16. März 2017 at 19:35 #27770

@flysurfer
I tried the update, but with no luck. The value in command line field is: -o hw:0 -V Digital

I have a raspberry pi 2 with a hifi berry amp on top.