SOtM smS-200 unveiled at Munich Hi-End

[audiobomber]

Updating to 4.8 went smoothly here, no issues at all. Something must have gone wrong .I would force a repeat, @ClothEars.

 

I started to have trouble with 4.7 last week and forcing a repeat of the update fixed the problem.

[audiobomber]

7 hours ago, ClothEars said:

 

Can you please confirm whether you are using MPD with an attached USB drive?

Sorry, I should have read your post more clearly. No USB drive. MPD yes, but files are on a NAS, via Wi-Fi to an extender, ethernet cable to sms-200. Nevertheless, I would recommend to repeat the 4.8 update.

[audiobomber]

On 3/30/2020 at 3:43 PM, tedwoods said:

A new firmware version is out...

To these ears, it sounds clearer and more dynamic. 😃

There's no indication of improved SQ in the 4.8 change log, but for the first time ever, streaming from my NAS has surpassed the internal CD drive in my CD/DAC/Preamp.

THANK YOU SOTM!

[audiobomber]

19 minutes ago, 5-pot-fan said:

Glad I waited before jumping in on this new upgrade!

SOTM have pulled upgrades before, as you may know, but it usually comes back in good order.

A further SQ improvement is always welcome, if true.

I would also like to say publicly what good customer service SOTM provides, even in these times - thank you!

 

I've noticed there's often another update or two right immediately after the initial.

 

I agree though, I'm thrilled with the firmware updates providing upgraded features and sonic improvements on my sms-200, even 3-1/2 years in.

[audiobomber]

3 hours ago, Tommd64 said:

Did you guys release a Kernel Cheq. First or after a v4.81 upgrade??

Kernel Check appears above the update link, so I always do it first. 

[audiobomber]

2 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

I do not find any change in SQ ... and according to change log I shouldn’t...

 

I do hear a difference, but only because I have a stable reference. My DAC/Preamp has a CD tray, my sms-200, with outboard LPS, is connected to the DAC via USB. Streamer and CD digits go through the same DAC, preamp and PSU. Before the last firmware update, there was a slight difference in transparency in favour of CD, bass was a bit more controlled via the streamer. Since the update, I can hear no difference in transparency. The very slight fog has lifted.

 

In the description above, I've tried to emphasize that the difference is very subtle. I doubt I could reliably tell which device was playing before the update, and even less chance now. However, for the first time ever, I consider streaming from my NAS to be my best source. 

[audiobomber]

The latest update was sorely needed; 4.81 sounded great but MPD/DLNA was a mess in my system. Play a song or two, then stop, hard to restart, play another song, stop, hard to restart...

4.9 is much more stable.

[audiobomber]

1 hour ago, dgilz said:

I had the same issue, a bit less annoying because it occurred more rarely.

 

After the OS upgrade, try a kernel upgrade. The last kernel version seems to be 4.18.19-215.fc27.armv7hl 

I always do a Kernel update before updating the firmware.

[audiobomber]

50 minutes ago, dgilz said:

Before ? Is it better ? As far as I picture linux modules work the system might be less stable if you do it before ?

Perhaps I don't really get how it works...

I don't know what is better. I do the Kernel first because it appears above the firmware update on the Eunhasu page. This topic has been discussed before with no clear resolution, so I've emailed May Park for input.

[audiobomber]

I asked May Park when the Kernel update should be done. Turns out it doesn't matter:

 

"Thanks for your request, actually it doesn’t matter when it has to be done, the kernel update is about to update the capable DAC information for the native dsd playback."
Best regards, May

[audiobomber]

Firmware 4.91 now available

[audiobomber]

7 hours ago, 5-pot-fan said:

I also decided to read the change log and saw that I needed to uninstall and reinstall both MPD and LMS/Squeezelite to update these, which I did without problems.

According to the update log, you don't need uninstall/install the individual programs yourself. It is done automatically as part of the update.

 

System config page
– Upgraded below apps by uninstalling and installing in Eunhasu
-> Logitech Media Server to the version 7.9.3
-> MPD to the version 0.21.21
-> Upmpdcli(DLNA renderer) to the version 1.4.7
-> HQplayer NAA to the version 4.1.1
-> Shairport to the version 3.3.5
-> LibreSpot to the version 1.1.0
-> BubbleUPnP Server to the version 0.9.update37

[audiobomber]

58 minutes ago, stefano_mbp said:

After the update to 4.91 I checked the MPD version that was still 0.21.15

Uninstalled manually MPD and reinstalled and then the MPD version was 0.21.21

Therefore it seems the services upgrade must be done manually

Sorry, you and 5-pot-fan are correct, MPD has not been updated. I assume we can expect 4.92 shortly.

 

How did you know you needed to do this? Did you check the version? It's never been required before and should have been done with 4.91. Roon Ready updated properly, MPD & DLNA did not.

[audiobomber]

24 minutes ago, 5-pot-fan said:

Does anyone else have experience on this, or could SoTM advise which approach is correct?

I have owned the sms-200 for several years through numerous FW updates. Never have I seen an update that required me to finish it by myself. I did have to uninstall and install MPD/DLNA as you posted, but IMO this is an error in the firmware and will be corrected shortly. It is fairly common that a second and even third update almost immediately follows the first. That's what I expect will happen now. MPD/DLNA should have been automatically updated in 4.91. 

 

@may.park hasn't been active on this site for awhile. I will email to ensure they know about the firmware omission.

 

[audiobomber]

My sms-200 is unstable and unusable at this point. Plays a song or two, stops, sometimes I can play another song, sometimes the queue disappears. Firmware and MPD/DLNA are current versions.

 

My other streamers, Chromecast Audio and Raspberry Pi3B+ are working fine; same wi-fi system, same music controllers. I am in correspondence with May.

[audiobomber]

1 minute ago, stefano_mbp said:

Which control point are you using?

I've been using QNAP Music Station and QMusic exclusively for over three years, the entire time I've owned the sms-200.

[audiobomber]

17 minutes ago, stefano_mbp said:

Have you tried to burn from start a new micro sd card? 
 

If you need to burn a new card there is no 4.91 download available, afaik, but from here (chapter 1.3)

https://www.docs.sotm-audio.com/doku.php?id=en:eunhasu:burn_sdcard_image

you can download the 4.70 version then you can update to 4.91

Yes, good idea. I have done this successfully in the past when I experienced a similar issue. Will start again with 4.70. Frustrating that you have to do the updates successively, can take awhile.

 

I always keep a spare card with a previous stable version on it. I believe it has 4.86 now. I don't want to update the spare card before I have another stable firmware.

[audiobomber]

1 hour ago, stefano_mbp said:

With 4.7 installed you’ll jump to 4.91 with just one update

Good, haven't seen that before.

 

The card I had in storage was actually 4.6. I upgraded to 4.7, which surprisingly also updated MPD/DLNA to current versions. Now 4.7 is unstable, and I don't have a working sms-200.

[audiobomber]

4 hours ago, audiobomber said:

Good, haven't seen that before.

 

The card I had in storage was actually 4.6. I upgraded to 4.7, which surprisingly also updated MPD/DLNA to current versions. Now 4.7 is unstable, and I don't have a working sms-200.

Upgrading from 4.7 to 4.91 did the trick! All good now. 

[audiobomber]

I just discovered that the 16GB SD card I was using in the sMS is defective. That accounts for a lot my troubles. FW 4.91 is rock solid with the other card.

[audiobomber]

I never turn MPD/DLNA off. Why do that? My other streamers are on all the time too, Raspberry Pi and Chromecast.

[audiobomber]

I rarely open the Eunhasa page. It is not necessary to have the web page open for streaming.

[audiobomber]

2 hours ago, michaeltay5871 said:

Just for clarification.  Do you need to use a brand new card or just reflash the existing one?

The card should be fine to reflash, it's most likely just a software glitch. Use the same imaging software and procedure that you would with a new card.

 

I keep a backup card with V4.91 on it, because it sounds great and is more stable than any previous version in my system. If we never see another FW update, I won't care. 4.91 works for me.

[audiobomber]

2 hours ago, tedwoods said:

Sometimes the old card can suffer irreparable damage (like on my case) and cannot be re-flashed, so you have to use a new one.

I had this happen once and assumed the SD card was trashed but I found a solution. I believe the partitions were disrupted. I couldn't use the card with the sMS-200, nor with BalenaEtcher and a Raspberry Pi/Volumio. I tried another program called SD Card Formatter and managed to rescue the card. It is in my sMS right now and doing fine.

[audiobomber]

59 minutes ago, Mahler and Bach on Computer said:

Hi, I am currently using Sotm sMS 200, which is connected to MUTEC USB 3+ clock.  How much improvement I will see if I upgrade to sMS 200 Ultra Neo?

I have heard SOtM state that an sMS-200 with tX-USBUltra beats an sMS-200 Ultra. You may want to consider that instead.

The Neo upgrade doesn't make a big difference, but easily implemented on your sMS-200.