Volume control

[spikey1973]

Hey guys,

so as i'm getting things slowly to deal, i started to fiddle a bit with some of the settings. one of the is the volume controle, of which the software should be the least desirable. but.. although i can se disabled and hardware as i have volume controle on the logitech z10 speakers which i use.

the sound quality with both disabled and hardware is horrable. while the software is actually rather good.
so i hear you think, so what is the issue than use software. oek you might be right but it there is something wrong with any setting somewhere that would make the controle via the speakers so bad i would rather have that fixed so i can enjoy the even slightly better controle when disabled.

anyone any idea what it could be? if needed i could record the difference with my phone (yeah it is that bad)

debug info:
http://pastebin.com/YWuwXHs4
RPI 2 b+,
Audiophonics I-Sabre DAC ES9023 V2 TCXO Raspberry Pi 2.0 A+ B+ / I2S
logitech z10 speakers, connected via RCA to jack
1 TB damsung evo SSD, via USB.
1 USB wifi dongle.

[hondagx35]

[spikey1973]

Hey Frank, yeah i kinda figured that about the hardware controle.. thing is it really makes no difference. seems to set software to full 100 anyway, which is logical as from there on that dac should be able to decrease the volume from max.. when there would be audio controle, which there isn't.

anyway.

as you said. i should go to full 100% on software before i disabled, which does a bit the same.. it starts to cracle. and a lot to.. which it doesn't do when i put my z10 at max and regulate with volume. just doesn't seem right though.

what did you mean with..

You also can try to play with the volume settings on the console
CODE: SELECT ALL
alsamixer

thanks Matt

.... 10 min later,

just figured what you might mean with the alsamixer part.
ssh into the pi. -> alsamixer and than i saw this

Screenshot from 2016-02-06 15-23-03.png (150.36 KiB) Viewed 3350 times

figure changing the card would be an option.. so

Screenshot from 2016-02-06 15-27-28.png (160.38 KiB) Viewed 3350 times

selected the hifiberry:

Screenshot from 2016-02-06 15-23-30.png (151.24 KiB) Viewed 3350 times

which would be oke, because the intend is to regulated via the z10

but once i exit. and enter again it is back into the alsamixer.

is this the problem? a problem, but not the problem, or is that no issue?

greetz Matt

[hondagx35]

Hi Matt,

sorry the Hifiberry DAC does not have any volume controls in alsamixer (i forgot about that).

Your problem is strange, because software volume control at 100% should be the same as disabled volume control.

Frank

[PeteB]

I think the problem may be with the input to the speakers, but Frank would have to confirm that, so not take my word for it.

The Z10 is a powered speaker, main input is USB. If this is the speaker I am thinking of, the auxiliary input is not a standard Line-in. It is useful to connect to MP3 players, smart phones and such, where the signal is already reduced at the player.

The output of the dac on that board is fixed, and I think it may be over 2V rms. If the OP is using the Aux input w. volume control at 100 or disabled, good chance the input is being overdriven.

edit:

I believe there are comments about this dac not sounding good on "another forum", when used at 100 by some people, while others have better luck. You can easily see how this can be so, depending on the input stage of the amplifier, the linearity of the input at max, etc.

[spikey1973]

No worries about that frank..

Pete.. So for now it seems to be a z10 issue ,meaning that when used with a normale amp.. There shouldn't be an issue.
As that is my only wordt there really isn't. But how can i confirm this?

2e, you dat in the editie thatbi could easily see.. Somewhere i don't really see it. Can you explain to me what you meant?

Greatz Matt

[PeteB]

If my guess about the input to your powered speakers is correct (it is only a guess), then all you have to do is connect the output of your DAC to any conventional amplifier with a conventional line input. If it sounds different, then I was correct.

What I meant in my edit was really aimed at Frank. But to explain, some amplifiers can handle a high input signal better than others. But most people like you or me do not have several on hand to compare.

So if a person uses an amplifier with a limited input range he may say that the DAC does not sound good. But another person may have an amplifier with a more generous input range, and the same DAC sounds perfect, even at 100% output.

[spikey1973]

Hey pete,

Indeed you are right. I don't have any conventional amp. Available, well I do. But no speakers so..
A mate of mine has though. And he wants to hear a nd compare the pi + DAC to his high end system.

About your idea / educated guess.. I personally have a strong believe in it. Because either of reasoning and also because of the sound signature. It just fits.

So as soon as I can take this to him.. I'll have an answer and I will let you know.. This will take about though..

Thanks for picking your thoughts

Greatz Matt

[Dombo71]

Is there a Volume api control?

[hondagx35]