Audiolinux Server configurations, Software, Hardware, and Listening Impressions

[asiufy]

On 9/2/2020 at 5:59 PM, hifi25nl said:

Just updated!

 

@cat6man If I ever have a Ferrari I would not lower the power to pay less taxes...

A good system (from electronic point of view) does not have limitations if power supply is of high quality. There is no evil in high power...

I guess that some people are forced to lower power lowering CPU frequency because of absolutely inadequate linear power supply. 

Those power supply would have high ripple if used near maximum capability, much more than powerful SMPS. People should read the CPU documentation to see the minimum power requested.

Moreover on Audiolinux, if you want a very good latency, a good power is necessary.

Audiolinux configuration should follow the hardware capability. Do you have a PC with weak CPU? Don't ever think to extreme configurations, the sound will be congested, aggressive and sterile. On the other hand if you have an AMD Ryzen Threadripper feel free to go up to the most demanding settings.

 

Hi,

 

Just want to make sure I understood this... So you're saying that for a Raspberry Pi setup, only running squeezelite, it's best to avoid the "extreme" configuration options in Audiolinux, like Realtime Priority and Boot mode?
 

Thanks,

Alex

 

[jcn3]

@hifi25nl -- i did a fresh install of 2.8 but was unable to install hqplayer embedded.  i know that hqplayer was recently updated -- could that have been the problem?

[hifi25nl]

Please update to menu 259.

After you can install hqplayer 4.21.0

[jcn3]

On 1/25/2021 at 2:46 PM, hifi25nl said:

Please update to menu 259.

After you can install hqplayer 4.21.0

Including @Miska

 

After a fresh install of Audiolinux 2.8 and upgrading the menu to 259, I installed Roon Server and HQPlayer embedded (4.21) on a NUC8i7 machine.  I have a separate Win10 computer running NAA.

 

* I was able to start Roon and HQPe

* I was able to access Roon via the app and configured the HQPe zone.

* I was able to access HQPe via the web page, but was only able to access the Configuration and the Restore thru Log tabs (i.e. not Main, Input, Library, etc.)

* HQPe is able to see the NAA

 

When I play something in Roon to another zone, everything works fine. When I try to play something to the HQPe zone, I get an error message saying "Playback failed because Roon couldn't connect to HQPlayer"

 

I've been using previous versions of AL and HQPe for months, so am familiar with the configuration and been using it successfully.

 

I don't think this is a Roon problem -- I think it has something to do with HQPe and/or AL.  Any thoughts?

 

SCREEN SHOTS

 

Roon and HQPlayer running . .  .

 

Settings in HQPlayer Embedded . . . 

 

Roon playing to another zone . . . 

 

Roon not communicating with HQPe . . . .

 

 

[hifi25nl]

New menu 260:

Added the option 4 HQPLAYER copy default configuration to AUDIO menu
Archlinux package for HQPlayer embedded is now based on signalyst buster package
If you want a package with rocm libraries for AMD GPU acceleration, please contact support, but be aware that  a lot of libraries must be installed

For people who have already installed the package with rocm libraries is possible to clean the system this way:
 

yay -R llvm-amdgpu rocm-cmake rocminfo rocclr rocm-device-libs comgr hip-rocclr hsa-rocr hsakmt-roct rocfft hqplayer-embedded --noconfirm

yay -Scc --noconfirm

(if you are receiving some error about package missing, delete it from the list)
and reinstall hqplayer-embedded (before you must update to menu version 260)

[hifi25nl]

Just re-tested here the new 4.21.0 package (see previous post)

No problem to access all tabs, streaming from Qobuz working, all fine.

 

I would test first hqplayer alone. I suggest to stop all audio applications and start only hqplayer.

When Hqplayer is well configured and working, you can start roonserver.

 

[elan120]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:43 PM, hifi25nl said:

Just re-tested here the new 4.21.0 package (see previous post)

No problem to access all tabs, streaming from Qobuz working, all fine.

 

I would test first hqplayer alone. I suggest to stop all audio applications and start only hqplayer.

When Hqplayer is well configured and working, you can start roonserver.

 

Hi Piero,

 

Is HQPe 4.21.1 available for download?

 

Thank you

[hifi25nl]

Yes, you can update from UPDATE menu.

[jcn3]

On 1/27/2021 at 4:35 PM, hifi25nl said:

New menu 260:

Added the option 4 HQPLAYER copy default configuration to AUDIO menu
Archlinux package for HQPlayer embedded is now based on signalyst buster package
If you want a package with rocm libraries for AMD GPU acceleration, please contact support, but be aware that  a lot of libraries must be installed

For people who have already installed the package with rocm libraries is possible to clean the system this way:
 

yay -R llvm-amdgpu rocm-cmake rocminfo rocclr rocm-device-libs comgr hip-rocclr hsa-rocr hsakmt-roct rocfft hqplayer-embedded --noconfirm

yay -Scc --noconfirm

(if you are receiving some error about package missing, delete it from the list)
and reinstall hqplayer-embedded (before you must update to menu version 260)

 

I'm not clear on Option 4.  Is this something that must be done?

[hifi25nl]

No, but if you want re-configure hqplayer from scratch, it is advisable to restore original configuration  

[hifi25nl]

NEWS:

 

13/02/2021

New fully updated Audiolinux versions headless 2.9.0 and lxqt 4.9.0 released (see release notes)
https://www.audio-linux.com/html/headless.html

https://www.audio-linux.com/html/lxqt.html

 

Menu 261 with fix to spotify installation script in Update menu. spotifyd-slim now substituted by spotifyd

[luisma]

Already posted on the HQPe thread but just in case here too.

 

Just wanted to provide an update on an issue I had before with HQPe fingerprint changes. After testing both Audiolinux and Ubuntu Focal it turned out something in an Ubuntu update apparently (as I never figured what it was) changed temporarily the license fingerprint, going back to Audiolinux and after updating Ubuntu again the fingerprint was rock steady, even changing and renaming of the network adapters the fingerprint was consistent.

 

I suspect the issue I experienced initially might have been related to the custom wired Realtek new chipset driver (not supported on kernels 4.9 and such) , I looked for an Intel on board network card on every manufacturer board B550 and X570 but my Hdplex H5 won't allow tall VRM heatsinks on the left side of the board as these will block the copper pipes setup. So the few boards that fit have the Realtek which for me at least for now a necessary evil. If you can, avoid the Realtek like the plague and go with Intel.

Let me add that IMO keeping consistency with the driver and fingerprint Audiolinux in my case worked better.

Just wanted to provide an update as my previous comment might have pointed Audiolinux as the cause of my problem and it really wasn't.

 

 

[lmitche]

18 hours ago, luisma said:

Already posted on the HQPe thread but just in case here too.

 

Just wanted to provide an update on an issue I had before with HQPe fingerprint changes. After testing both Audiolinux and Ubuntu Focal it turned out something in an Ubuntu update apparently (as I never figured what it was) changed temporarily the license fingerprint, going back to Audiolinux and after updating Ubuntu again the fingerprint was rock steady, even changing and renaming of the network adapters the fingerprint was consistent.

 

I suspect the issue I experienced initially might have been related to the custom wired Realtek new chipset driver (not supported on kernels 4.9 and such) , I looked for an Intel on board network card on every manufacturer board B550 and X570 but my Hdplex H5 won't allow tall VRM heatsinks on the left side of the board as these will block the copper pipes setup. So the few boards that fit have the Realtek which for me at least for now a necessary evil. If you can, avoid the Realtek like the plague and go with Intel.

Let me add that IMO keeping consistency with the driver and fingerprint Audiolinux in my case worked better.

Just wanted to provide an update as my previous comment might have pointed Audiolinux as the cause of my problem and it really wasn't.

 

 

Disable the motherboard NIC and stick a USB NIC like a TPlink UE300 ($12) into one of the direct to CPU usb 3 ports. You will enjoy the SQ improvement.

[luisma]

4 hours ago, lmitche said:

Disable the motherboard NIC and stick a USB NIC like a TPlink UE300 ($12) into one of the direct to CPU usb 3 ports.

Thanks Larry, I bought it per your former recommendation but haven't used it yet.

[luisma]

@hifi25nl Hi Piero is it normal the download is so slowwwww?

[hifi25nl]

The server is in US and there should be no limitations. It could be a temporary problem.

 

[pranabindu]

Hey all!  I think this is my first time posting here.  I've been using audio-linux for a little over a year now, and these forums and the audio-linux website have been enough for me to figure it out and troubleshoot problems.  Until now.

 

I was using audio-linux as a Roon server from my desktop, but that was too much of a hassle, because I had to dual boot.  So I connected my NUC to a monitor and keyboard, so I could configure it as a Roon server.  It already had audio-linux installed, and it was previously used only as a Roon endpoint (but not recently - it has just been gathering dust).  I updated the system and the kernel (my license ran out so I couldn't update the menu from version 252), updated the settings, removed Roon, reinstalled Roon, and started the Roon server.  I can see the Roon server on my remotes, and I can get into the web interfaces just fine. I mounted and formatted a USB drive connected to the NUC, and I want to copy all my music onto that USB drive.  However, I can't see the NUC or the connected USB drive on my network at all, so I have no way to instruct my sync software (SyncBackFree) to mirror my music folder to the NUC's USB.

 

Is there a way to accomplish this without having to disconnect the USB drive from the NUC?  I add music to my collection all the time, so I'd like to just use the syncing software to update that content over the network.

 

Thanks for any help you might be able to provide.

[lmitche]

13 hours ago, pranabindu said:

However, I can't see the NUC or the connected USB drive on my network

What do you mean by this? If you can see the RoonServer the machine must be on the network. 

[djn04]

I’m looking into building a headless audio server and looking at Audiolinux. I have an HQPlayer desktop license and use Roon to manage/serve my music. Hardware will be i7 9700k and 32GB of 3600mhz ram. I would be upsampling to DSD256 ASDM7EC. 

 

Can I use the headless version of Audiolinux or does the Desktop HQPlayer license require the lxqt version? Are there any advantages to the headless version of Audiolinux that I would be missing out on? 

 

Thanks!

[hifi25nl]

You can use HQPlayer Desktop only on lxqt version. 

Since lxqt is taking very few resources the difference with headless should be minimal

 

[pranabindu]

3 hours ago, lmitche said:

What do you mean by this? If you can see the RoonServer the machine must be on the network. 

Yeah, that's the weird thing.  It's not the network.  I know the IP address, and I can navigate its file system in the Roon settings (to look for a music folder, to locate backup files), including to the mounted drive.  However, it doesn't show up on my list of network devices in other Windows machines.  If I enter the location of the audio-linux mounted drive (\\audiolinux2\media\musiclibrary), neither Windows nor the syncing app can connect.  I've tried setting the network to DHCP, even though it was already set to that.  I've tried mapping a network drive, but neither the IP address nor the above-mentioned device name worked.  Everything is on ethernet, so it's not a wifi issue.  My network settings are basic (not modified from what the manufacturer set).

 

Thanks for the question.  I hope there might be some suggestions out there.

[luisma]

20 hours ago, hifi25nl said:

You can use HQPlayer Desktop only on lxqt version. 

You sure Piero? I was under the impression the Windows Desktop license was different than the Linux "Desktop". I could be wrong though

 

EDIT: Just checked the signalyst.com page, yeah it seems to be the same, don't know why I was thinking it was different (and I was not confused with HQPe)

[hifi25nl]

I was speaking about installation.

For license I see that there is not difference between Windows and Linux version, see webshop on signalyst website.

 

 

[hifi25nl]

22/02/2021 IMPORTANT: since the new mkinitcpio package is using a new compression format, installations with linux-rt-lts kernel will not boot  if you make a system update.
If you are using instead the last linux-rt or linux-rt-bfq-dev kernels the system should boot normally.
Because of this in the next days new Audiolinux versions 2.9.1 and lxqt 4.9.1 will be released with linux-rt kernel 5.10.x as default.

More information here:

https://archlinux.org/news/moving-to-zstandard-images-by-default-on-mkinitcpio/

 

"As linux-lts moved to the 5.10 version, all official kernels of Arch Linux now support zstd compressed initramfs images, so mkinitcpio is switching to zstd compressed images by default with version 30, which is currently on [testing].

If, for any reason, you are using a kernel version prior to 5.9, make sure to change mkinitcpio.conf COMPRESSION to use one of the compressors supported, like gzip, otherwise you will not be able to boot images generated by mkinitcpio."

[djn04]

I have Audiolinux 4.9.0 up and running on an i7 9700k with 32GB of 3600mhz RAM.

 

I have Roon and HqPlayer Desktop installed and running but I can't seem to get DSD256 ASDM7EC to stream to an NAA without stutters and dropouts. I can stream DSD256 ASDM7 no problem so It's not a network issue. I had the same hardware streaming DSD256 ASDM7EC in Windows 10 so I know the hardware can handle it.

 

Does anyone know if there are BIOS or settings in Audiolinux that I need to change to get this working?

 

Thanks!