Fix For Pops and Cracks USBridge Signature?

[HelioCentricWorlds]

Running a USBridge Signature powered by Shanti.  OS is Max2Play v. 2.52, running Squeezelite.  Hooked via USB to Chord 2Qute.  I'm hearing pops and cracks in the audio that I've seen reported by others, but searches haven't turned up a solution.  Is there a fix for this?  When I first configured the unit, I was immediately prompted to update Max2Play, which I did.  

[Audio_Allo]

5 hours ago, HelioCentricWorlds said:

Running a USBridge Signature powered by Shanti.  OS is Max2Play v. 2.52, running Squeezelite.  Hooked via USB to Chord 2Qute.  I'm hearing pops and cracks in the audio that I've seen reported by others, but searches haven't turned up a solution.  Is there a fix for this?  When I first configured the unit, I was immediately prompted to update Max2Play, which I did.  

Forwarded PM please check

[ambre]

17 hours ago, HelioCentricWorlds said:

Running a USBridge Signature powered by Shanti.  OS is Max2Play v. 2.52, running Squeezelite.  Hooked via USB to Chord 2Qute.  I'm hearing pops and cracks in the audio that I've seen reported by others, but searches haven't turned up a solution.  Is there a fix for this?  When I first configured the unit, I was immediately prompted to update Max2Play, which I did.  

Hi HelioCentricWorlds,

 

Can you share the information of Allo concerning this issue. 

Many thanks in advance, Andreas

 

[HelioCentricWorlds]

Allo have had me change the ethernet driver via ssh in Mac OS terminal.  I've done that but continue to experience pops and cracks in my audio

[Olesno]

I got my USBridge few days ago with Shanti LPS.  I am using it to stream from Tidal via Roon to my Oppo 205 DAC.  I am experiencing the same problems with cracks and pops.  Any help would be appreciated.

[Audio_Allo]

On 5/16/2020 at 5:26 PM, Olesno said:

I got my USBridge few days ago with Shanti LPS.  I am using it to stream from Tidal via Roon to my Oppo 205 DAC.  I am experiencing the same problems with cracks and pops.  Any help would be appreciated.

Forwarded PM please check

[HelioCentricWorlds]

Unfortunately my USBridge Signature has unresolvable problems with Chord 2Qute DACs.  Even though I own no DSD files, this combination of streamer/DAC still results in pops and clicks during audio playback and therefore I have no alternative but to return it to Allo for a refund.  The strange part is, I own an Allo DigiOne Signature that suffers no issues in the exact same setup.  

[Richard Dale]

10 minutes ago, HelioCentricWorlds said:

Unfortunately my USBridge Signature has unresolvable problems with Chord 2Qute DACs.  Even though I own no DSD files, this combination of streamer/DAC still results in pops and clicks during audio playback and therefore I have no alternative but to return it to Allo for a refund.  

My Allo USB Signature works fine with MoOde into my 2Qute. It sounds like a problem with the MaxPlay software rather than anything wrong with the streamer itself.

[HelioCentricWorlds]

After multiple changes/reflashes of the USBridge microSD card, it appears that the pops/clicks issue is resolved.  I don't understand why Allo has only a 10 day return policy window on a product that pretty much requires more than a weeks worth of back and forth with a tech support technician based in a location/time zone more than 12 hours ahead of most buyers.  NO OTHER audio product I've EVER purchased requires this much effort to "configure" it so that it ACTUALLY does what it's marketing says it does. Also, the "manual" pdf on the Allo website renders as a blurry unreadable mess if accessed, yet another RED FLAG.  I won't be buying another Allo product.  

[ambre]

Hi, indeed the learning curve of DIETPI is really steep.
What was in detail the solution to resolve the Pops and clicks issue?

Very best regards,Andreas

[HelioCentricWorlds]

My example of the USBridge shipped with Max2Play since I use these streamers for both Logitech Media Server and as Squeezelite players and Max2Play is MUCH easier for me to deal with than DietPI since you don't have to hook the PI up to a monitor for an initial configuration.  You can do it all remotely via web browser.  In my case, the ultimate answer proved to be both the usual ethernet driver change that everyone else is asked to do and also a change over to the Moode OS, and even then I had to try a couple of versions of Moode before the pops and clicks seemed to subside.  Moode OS is also easier to configure than Diet PI since it can be configured via web browser on your LAN from another computer.    

[ambre]

Ok thx

[FYL]

On 5/16/2020 at 7:56 AM, Olesno said:

I got my USBridge few days ago with Shanti LPS.  I am using it to stream from Tidal via Roon to my Oppo 205 DAC.  I am experiencing the same problems with cracks and pops.  Any help would be appreciated.

Same problem here, cracks and pops. 

Please advise. Thanks !!

[Zauurx]

After looking for the solution under DietPi, I signed up for GentooPlayer.
And my Allo works .. my RME ADI-2 can play PCM 705/768 and especially DSD 256 without worry (unless my nuc does not follow).

 

#Profile2
 Profile:     Profile2
 RamSystem:   Ramsystem not enabled
 Free memory: 910MB of total 971MB

 Kernel:   4.14.114-GentooPlayer-MIN+
 ───────────────────────────────────────
 GentooPlayer   | 15:44 | sab 30/05/2020 
 ───────────────────────────────────────
 v2.13      | Raspberry Pi 3B/3B+ (aarch64)

 

[FYL]

13 minutes ago, Zauurx said:

After looking for the solution under DietPi, I signed up for GentooPlayer.
And my Allo works .. my RME ADI-2 can play PCM 705/768 and especially DSD 256 without worry (unless my nuc does not follow).

 

#Profile2
 Profile:     Profile2
 RamSystem:   Ramsystem not enabled
 Free memory: 910MB of total 971MB

 Kernel:   4.14.114-GentooPlayer-MIN+
 ───────────────────────────────────────
 GentooPlayer   | 15:44 | sab 30/05/2020 
 ───────────────────────────────────────
 v2.13      | Raspberry Pi 3B/3B+ (aarch64)

 

Thanks for your input. How does the sound quality compared to Moode ?

 

[Zauurx]

I can't say anything .. I haven't used Moode and it depends on the final software: Squeezelite, HQP or Roon ?

Try it.. is very good and versatile.

[FYL]

26 minutes ago, Zauurx said:

I can't say anything .. I haven't used Moode and it depends on the final software: Squeezelite, HQP or Roon ?

Try it.. is very good and versatile.

 

Thanks. 

[Alux]

Hello, 

 

I have just purchased a USBridge Signature as a bundle with a Dietpi.

It was an upgrade from my standard raspberry pi, straight to my mytek brooklyn dac+. 

As soon as I plugged it in (upgraded to the latest version and finished setting DietPi up) I noticed cracked and saturation, sometimes drops in the music.

It made me think of a very dirty record with a sensitive cartridge.

I tried it with my former moode audio, latest version. Same problem.

I plugged my raspberry back, with my moode audio and the dietpi. Sounded better, no cracks, no drop.

 

Is it a defect from my unit ? Thanks in advance for any help, currently I cannot use this product.

 

Regards,

--

Alux

[ambre]

Go back to an older  DietPi you can vind that on Allo site incl latest driver. Version 6.26

 

Do no update to latest version 6.20->>>30 etc.

Regards, Andreas

[FYL]

On 6/3/2020 at 1:54 PM, Alux said:

Hello, 

 

I have just purchased a USBridge Signature as a bundle with a Dietpi.

It was an upgrade from my standard raspberry pi, straight to my mytek brooklyn dac+. 

As soon as I plugged it in (upgraded to the latest version and finished setting DietPi up) I noticed cracked and saturation, sometimes drops in the music.

It made me think of a very dirty record with a sensitive cartridge.

I tried it with my former moode audio, latest version. Same problem.

I plugged my raspberry back, with my moode audio and the dietpi. Sounded better, no cracks, no drop.

 

Is it a defect from my unit ? Thanks in advance for any help, currently I cannot use this product.

 

Regards,

--

Alux

 

Download and re-flash your SD card with older driver from Allo website. Choose moode-r531" version. This will solve your problem.

 

[Mark Dirac]

Me too.   With my USBridge Sig I am hearing clicks when playing tracks faster than 48kHz. Every 10 to 20 seconds or so.

 

Last week I was playing the same tracks from a DigiOne Sig with no issues.

 

OS is Moode, DAC is "S2 Digital" by Pro-ject, broadband is 70Mbps, connected by ethernet, from Qobuz. I have tried changing "audio buffer size" from default to 65,535KB with no improvement.

 

I too wondered if it was the dodgy ethernet driver that Allo instruct needs upgrading (in their set-up instructions). But I have asked Allo about this and they respond (in a PM) 

 

"In allo supplied images and almost all players included Asix latest Ethernet driver.

In latest volumio OS only it is not included.

We are providing  the steps to update the Ethernet driver also."

 

which is a little ambiguous and puzzling, but which I reckon means I do not need to mess about with ethernet drivers.

 

What configuration setting should I check to solve the clicks please?

[Audio_Allo]

18 hours ago, Mark Dirac said:

Me too.   With my USBridge Sig I am hearing clicks when playing tracks faster than 48kHz. Every 10 to 20 seconds or so.

 

Last week I was playing the same tracks from a DigiOne Sig with no issues.

 

OS is Moode, DAC is "S2 Digital" by Pro-ject, broadband is 70Mbps, connected by ethernet, from Qobuz. I have tried changing "audio buffer size" from default to 65,535KB with no improvement.

 

I too wondered if it was the dodgy ethernet driver that Allo instruct needs upgrading (in their set-up instructions). But I have asked Allo about this and they respond (in a PM) 

 

"In allo supplied images and almost all players included Asix latest Ethernet driver.

In latest volumio OS only it is not included.

We are providing  the steps to update the Ethernet driver also."

 

which is a little ambiguous and puzzling, but which I reckon means I do not need to mess about with ethernet drivers.

 

What configuration setting should I check to solve the clicks please?

Forwarded PM please check

[HelioCentricWorlds]

Your only real option to solve this issue is to do the software shuffle via Allo tech support.  It didn't stop for me until I moved from Max2Play to a bespoke version of Moode provided by Allo.  Had the same trouble with my first Allo purchase as well.  This is where the low price/high value proposition reveals its dark underbelly.  For the record though, once I FINALLY got my Allo products working as advertised, they stayed fixed and haven't been a problem since.  

[Mark Dirac]

Thanks HCW. I am shocked to discover that so many people are complaining of clicks etc.  In ten years of DACs, I have never come across an example of this before. And this - the USBridge Sig - is explicitly intended to create "healthy" USB.

 

I have been trying to speed up (avoid) the support shuffle by listing things to check out. It's staggering that Allo doesn't offer some FAQs which include this - because if ever I heard of a "frequent" question, this is it.

• OS flaw
• inadequate OS
• driver flaw
• mismatch between OS and driver versions (how easy it would be for someone intelligent to make this a non-issue via a Google spreadsheet!)
• non-Allo PSU
• mis-configuration of settings
• DAC incompatibility
• Any other additions to this list anyone?

Allo suspect it might be my Qobuz feed, though I doubt this. But before we can proceed, I have to find some hi-res downloads and learn how to play them from a USB flash drive, in order to exclude Qobuz from the culprits.

 

At least my OS - Moode - seems to be well capable of doing the job properly. So I remain hopeful.

[HelioCentricWorlds]

I'm afraid that this is the price to be paid once one goes down the Rasp Pi rabbit hole(the people making the hardware aren't the people making the software).  I have two Allo products, and in both instances, tech support was required to get them to function as advertised.  The tech support is coming from India I suspect, and in my case there's a twelve hour time difference as well so responses from the support team often come as short poorly worded instructions regarding entering terminal commands, something which I had no idea how to do.  Poor communication like this resulted in more than a week of time going by before my first Allo product worked well.  In the case of my USBridge Signature, more than two weeks went by(exceeding the time for returns specified by Allo).  In fact, in the case of the USBridge Signature, I had become so disgusted with the process, I was awaiting an RMA when a support solution finally worked.  Given that my purchases were a year apart, and in that time Allo has made NO changes to their online support documentation, this is simply how Allo works.  Allo support in a nutshell: on the Allo website, for the USBridge Signature player, attempt to view the PDF of the online "manual".  I get a blurry mess when I do this.  They've known about this for more than a year at least.