Jump to content
IGNORED

AudioLinux and NUC Troubleshooting and Tuning


rickca
Message added by austinpop

Summary of useful findings and recommendations

 

This section will be a living repository of useful info from this thread. It's very similar to a wiki and will be maintained by a small group of thread moderators.

 

Before you get started please refer to the Audio-Linux website to ensure you have the latest info and the proper versions of the OS. Audio-Linux.com  

 

**** Updated for AL 1.30 menu 118 or later.

 

  "First Run" setup for headless.  

 

Setup your NUC with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the NUC BIOS settings.  From the menu note the IP address of the machine to SSH into.  From a MAC the macOS terminal program supports SSH:

324537708_ScreenShot2019-01-28at3_02_19PM.thumb.png.739dc7f9cdb05e04da806c7c66877332.png

 

Then it is simpler to cut and paste into the terminal session. After entering the password for the audiolinuxuser you will be presented with the AL headless menu:

 

1518375894_ScreenShot2019-01-28at3_04_18PM.thumb.png.a7b2867a163f8f014e56e52ff69f94b4.png

 

Option 8 takes you to the command line for the following basic setup.  You will need to be the Root user for this setup and the su command first:

 

su

 

Fix the time zone:  (this is my timezone - look in directory /usr/share/zoneinfo)

 

timedatectl set-timezone America/Chicago
 

Setup and Start NTP daemon (to keep the system time in sync)

 

*** the config file is now properly filled in.

 

Now Start the daemon

 

timedatectl set-ntp true

 

 

NOTE: Sometimes the system takes a little while to get synced up.
 

Set hostname  (this provides a unique name for the machine on your network.  Replace <NAME> with your chosen name)

 

hostnamectl set-hostname <NAME> 
 

Once the above items are set up your machine is ready to be configured for say a Roon bridge/endpoint. That is done using the AL menu.  To return to the menu do the following commands.

 

exit

menu

 

----------------------------------

 

For most of us, the following basic settings are key.

From the configuration menu:

6. START and enable Roonbridge

15. SET Realtime Priority to extreme

16. ENABLE ramroot (reboot after)

 

Return to the main menu and reboot the NUC using 

 

11 Reboot

 

------------------

Roon Server setup is a bit more complex and we will cover it completely a bit later.  The key is where you are booting from and where the Roon database is stored.  In general; say a 32gb OPTANE "SSD".

 

  • You have to partition the SSD into a boot drive and a storage drive.  
  • The transfer the USB stick install to the boot partition.  
  • Reboot from the boot partition.  
  • Do the basic setup. Timezone and name
  • Transfer the Roon Database to the storage drive
  • Start the Roon Server
  • .....

 

----------------- 

The machine will reboot and from the display attached to the NUC you can watch it boot up and load into RAM.  Once the AudioLinux menu is showing the endpoint should be available in Roon.    This completes the basic startup sequence.  The system is ready to start testing.    

 

 

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, BigAlMc said:

 

It's the NUC7CJYH

 

Interesting. I tried powerimg it with the LPS1.2 at 12v but the LPS1.2 light kept flashing red whenever connected to the NUC (even tho the NUC was off). I wondered if even in standby the NUC draws too much power?

 

Haven't disabled as much as you in the BIOS so might try that.

 

Cheers,

Alan

Alan,

 

What did you have connected to the NUC when the lps1.2 blinked red? How much memory do you have?

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
9 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

 

Hey Larry,

 

The NUC was off but I'm wondering if that's really standby?

 

Was connected to a USB that connected to my DAC and a LAN cable to my switch. 8 GB of memory.

 

I've disabled Bluetooth and WLAN and SD card in the BIOS but that's it.

 

Am wondering about disabling the other USB ports too but don't want to go fully headless until I bed it down and get SSH working etc.

 

Any immediate thoughts?

 

Cards on the table I'm delighted I got this far! ?

The nuc will power anything plugged into an USB port while it is powered off.

 

I'd go into bios and disable everything you don't need. Also disconnect any monitor or keyboard. All but the boot device. 4gb of ram should be all you need. That should do it.

 

Don't touch the video settings!

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
10 minutes ago, John769 said:

 If in the bios you have power/primary power settings, then enabling 'low power mode' (if you have it) might reduce it to 10w?  Just a guess but probably wrong..?

Yes, that's right. Also run 4gb of ram, disable every circuit you can and it may boot on the lps1.2. It's inconsistent at best here, so I'm not recommending this.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
7 hours ago, davide256 said:

After playing with it every which way I could for PS/BIOS config/ AL config, I'm not finding that the NUC7PJYH  can be my final destination for a Roon endpoint.

 

While its detailed and clean with AL, even better so than microRendu, its not matching up to overclocked RPI3B+/AL for midrange bloom and for reach/impact with low bass.

As a tuba player, I'm sensitive to muddy bass, the RPI3B+ doesn't suffer at all here, just has issues with cymbals and other complex high frequencies. The NUC7PJYH

in contrast makes me grit my teeth when low bass percussion is happening.

 

What really hit me hard was playing a random track, Elvis Presley's "Suspicious minds", the  NUC/AL  made it sound lifeless/AM radio fodder, whereas the RPI/AL  brought it to life, showed nuance and expression.

 

Hi David,

 

We can help but need a bunch of details first. As you know there are a lot of knobs to set. Do you want to keep exploring options or are you done with the NUC?

 

I see you use a DDC for USB to spdif conversion. Do you know if the schitt eitr uses a XMOS USB chipset?

 

It would also be good to know how you are powering your NUC.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
14 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Willing to play around, still experimenting. Loaded 3.0 version of LXQT last nite, seeing what a NUC can do as a direct connect Roon server with USB3 attached SDXC storage,

easy to flip back to headless configuration

 

1) power supplies; HDPlex  19V or LPS 1.2 12V

2) Eitr is Schiits DDC, same Gen 5 board as used in Yggdrasil, not XMOS based

3) current config is SATA/sound/microphone disabled, fan speed set to 55C before cut in, Intel speed step disabled, sustained/burst power at 10/15, secure boot disabled.

  I haven't played with HDMI or video memory, didn't want to risk monitor issues with BIOS access

4) BIOS version when received 31, updated to 46

5) Running latest AL headless version

 

Disabling hardware/setting fan kick in speed higher so far has solved boot issues with LPS 1.2

Extreme mode?

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment

What's playing here:

 

 initrd=\intel-ucode.img initrd=\initramfs-linux-rt-bfq.img root=PARTUUID=166ad16d-098d-4453-ab07-7c5255b4d451 rw quiet intel_idle.max_cstate=0 processor.max_cstate=1 idle=poll intel_pstate=enable efi=runtime

 

SQ is outstanding across the spectrum. Bass is tight, in a punch in the gut way.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
16 minutes ago, austinpop said:
What is the proper way to update my system to 0.6 while preserving all customizations? I did this - downloaded the 3 files below:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 70295236 Dec  6 17:32 linux-rt-bfq-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 16020220 Dec  6 17:33 linux-rt-bfq-docs-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 18297092 Dec  6 17:33 linux-rt-bfq-headers-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

 
I then ran 
 
pacman -U linux-rt-bfq-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz linux-rt-bfq-headers-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz linux-rt-bfq-docs-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz 
 
I rebooted, but when I login, I still see 0.5 on the login screen. And, if I type alconf I still get the old menu. 
 
Finally, what is the command for the new monitor menu?
 
All of this is on headless.

Download a new image and reapply your settings. There is no persistence for the alconf settings although some will be correctly set by default. You may need to re-add any custom scripts as well. I built a checklist. No big deal if you know what you are doing. It gets easier with every release.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
3 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

 

The DNBE doesn't have a WiFi card or Bluetooth on the board and is in theory the better of the two as a result.

 

Cheers,

Alan

Isn't the DNBE a bare bones card without a case? 

 

In the US the DNKE is the same card in a short case with a removable m.2 WiFi card and antenna connections in place.

 

In the US the DNHE is the same card in a tall case with a removable m.2 WiFi card and antenna connections in place.

 

The 2.4 and 5ghz WiFi card is held in place with one screw and is easily removable. At 5 GHz it works well here as a substitute for an isolated switch, at least until the EtherRegen arrives.

 

In high power mode this machine makes a great server, and in low power mode makes a great endpoint that can with some effort be powered by an lps1.2.

 

Anyway the best NUC sound quality I have heard comes from this machine, but it is expensive and the most difficult to configure.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
30 minutes ago, Bricki said:

Ok I have now got toslink working with Roys trick of using an hdmi audio extractor... I am powering it via a usb port on my NUC... The sound is still very good as Roy said... it has lost a bit of resolution but it has gained a bit of low end weight and extension and is sounding a lot less thin.

 

With on board audio turned on in the bios there is now an Intel pch ALC233 digital device located.... Surely this is the NUC toslink output?? I don't have a toslink 3.5mm adapter to try it but does anyone know if that is what the ALC233 definitely is?? 

 

If I can get that working I can return my hdmi extractor and have one less device in the chain 

IMAG0553.thumb.jpg.db82021edc75b02bd4f82c47659b2300.jpg

It is highly likely that the ALC233 digital is the Toshlink. I'll give this a go tomorrow with a 3.5mm adapter and my dac.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
19 hours ago, HeeBroG said:

 

Hi Larry,

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge here.

 

As an endpoint, do you use the DNBE with 4GB RAM?

 

Is more/maximum RAM preferable for DNBE as a server?

 

Please excuse me if this is a silly question but with only a single LAN port on a NUC, how do you connect the server NUC to the router and the NUC endpoint?

 

Regards,

 

Geoff

 

 

Geoff, 4gb works just fine with ram booted AL and Roonbridge. It also sounds better to my ears than two 4gb boards.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, Bricki said:

Yeah I did try with a dodgy adapter that wasn't well suited to my audioquest cable... So I am wondering weather to try again with the proper audioquest adapter... I did have toslink working through an hdmi audio extractor, however after a few days I felt the sound wasn't as good as usb.. Despite the extra bass extension and more meaty sound it lacked the immediacy, attack, bass tautness and resolution of usb... Toslink straight out of the nuc should be better than using the hdmi port first and adding another device, so it may level the playing field a bit or it may simply not work at all ?

Ok cool. I'll look in the morning to check that all the necessary kit is on hand.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment
8 hours ago, hifi25nl said:

Yes. If you are in ram mode, if possible reboot to normal mode answering N to boot prompt (recommended)

Or use the save option after updating if you cannot connect a keyboard and screen.

 

Now I am working on the mount scripts for local and remote drives!

Nice job on 0.7 Piero! Many thanks.

 

Larry

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...