Moode Audio Player for Raspberry Pi

I just read this post about a change to the analog audio on the Pi: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=136445

Great for testing before committing to a HAT or USB DAC.

To answer my earlier question to Zootalaws about this new analog audio driver, yes, it works with current MoOde Player. I tested with r37 on an RPi2B.

Adding audio_pwm_mode=2 to /boot/config.txt and rebooting gets me tolerable audio using an old set of powered speakers I had in the closet (L-R+subwoofer) which uses a 3.5mm stereo plug compatible with the RPi2B.

These aren't audiophile-quality speakers so it's hard for me to talk about improved fidelity. I've only been listening for an hour or so. I think it sounds cleaner and definitely the annoying background hiss so evident with the default setting is gone (audio_pwm_mode defaults to 1 if none is specified). The driver author claims the noise floor approximates that of a CD-quality DAC and I can't say it isn't so. So far, I haven't experienced any stoppages as were discussed over a year ago in the Raspberry Pi Forum thread when the driver was first announced.

Most definitely useful for testing.

Thanks again, Zootalaws
Regards,
Kent
 
Request for future version:
In the library, under the Tracks, please add the tag for the MP3 rating...
I have over 3000 albums and I tagged every single track with a rating. So when I view the library I want to be able to select "my favs" immediately.

Thx,
JST

I don't think MPD supports this tag.
https://www.musicpd.org/doc/protocol/tags.html

-Tim
 
To answer my earlier question to Zootalaws about this new analog audio driver, yes, it works with current MoOde Player. I tested with r37 on an RPi2B.

Adding audio_pwm_mode=2 to /boot/config.txt and rebooting gets me tolerable audio using an old set of powered speakers I had in the closet (L-R+subwoofer) which uses a 3.5mm stereo plug compatible with the RPi2B.

These aren't audiophile-quality speakers so it's hard for me to talk about improved fidelity. I've only been listening for an hour or so. I think it sounds cleaner and definitely the annoying background hiss so evident with the default setting is gone (audio_pwm_mode defaults to 1 if none is specified). The driver author claims the noise floor approximates that of a CD-quality DAC and I can't say it isn't so. So far, I haven't experienced any stoppages as were discussed over a year ago in the Raspberry Pi Forum thread when the driver was first announced.

Most definitely useful for testing.

Thanks again, Zootalaws
Regards,
Kent

You're welcome. For me it brings cheap multi room for my teacher wife, a source of quick and dirty electronic toys for xmas, etc.

Now if only I could buy 10x Pi Zero W in one go... shipping rates are more than the cost of the unit, and when you can only buy one... I might move to a compatible.
 
I don't think MPD supports this tag.

Hmmm...good point.... How 'bout "Comment"?
I can transfer the rating tag to the comment tag. If left's say the first 5 chars of the comment tag are visible, then I can show 5 asterisks (it doesn't have to be limited to 5 chars but you can't of course make the complete tag visible...who knows what people put in there :rolleyes:

JST
 
Hi all,

something is still not clear for me: why should it be an advantage to bypass the internal oversampling filter on a Boss DAC (SoX 32bit 384 kHz)? Is it a good idea to bypass internal FIR-filter? Do you think the PCM5122 chip designer don't know what they are doing?

Btw: the very expensive Chord DACs are well-known for their extreme complex FIR-filters. That's why people spend 2000+ for such DACs ...

Another point: is it a good idea to let the MPD do the upsampling stuff to 384 kHz. Maybe an easy job for 96 kHz files (*4), but not so easy for 88.2 kHz files (*4.354...) ?

Another question: SoX quality. Is there any use case not to use "Very high quality"? I see no difference in CPU load or something else ... so what?

Regards Tom

Some people claims, that it sounds better, when sox will do the upsampling and dac is not doing this. At the begining with Pi and Dac + pro i was prefering hardware volume control and no sox upsampling, now when i upgraded with three good power supplies i did more tests and i settled with software volume control and very high quality upsampling. Differences are very small.
Maybe it is my illusion, maybe not ... :D It costs nothing (only time) to check it yourself and make your own opinion.
 
Hi All,

New user to Moode 3.7, Pi3 with a HifiBerry DAC+ Pro, but plenty of experience with amp building/repair, DAC's, digital audio, and Linux servers.

I'm having a VERY bad pop problem when changing tracks between 24/96 FLAC files.

Current setup - Pi3 with HifiBerry DAC+ Pro in HifiBerry metal case. Cheap Vilros 2.5A power supply, but will build a better linear power supply later. WiFi/BT tuned off, using Ethernet hardwire with a static IP. 32GB Lexar USB stick for test music library loaded with 16/44.1 and 24/96 FLAC files. Fresh download of Moode 3.7 on Samsung 32 EVO+ SD. Basic minimum Moode setup with DAC driver set, etc.

Symptoms - I can load the playlist with 16/44.1 FLAC files and easily switch between them using a Win10 or iPad browser with only a faint crackle. I downloaded the HDTracks sampler, which is all 24/96 FLAC files. If I manually switch between 24/96 tracks I get a very loud (almost speaker blowing) pop! And this happens everytime, not just sporadically. If I mix 16/44.1 files with 24/96 files in the playlist, I can switch between the 16/44.1 files with only a faint crackle, but if I switch from 16/44.1 to 24/96 I get the huge POP, and the same pop switching between random 24/96 files. If I let the playlist just play in order it never pops between 16/44.1 FLAC files, but I still get the occasional big pop when it goes from 16/44.1 to 24/96.

Things tried - Set Pi3 CPU governor to Performance to see if it's power issue, but no change. Tried different computers with different browsers, but no change. Tried turning off everything not used like BT/WiFi, etc, ,but no change. Kind of wondering if it has anything to do with the dual clock chips on DAC+ Pro, since it has to change between clocks, but that wouldn't explain the pop between 24/96 tracks unless the clocks reset each time.

The only work around so far is to turn the volume to 0, change tracks, and reset the volume.

Thoughts?
 
Sadly I cannot keep the NAS on 24x7 since ambient temperatures are well over 40 deg. Celcius.

I might have to consider a small USB hard disk, but then getting new media onto it will require more efforts.

My ambient temps at the equator are about the same, with 85%+ humidity, to boot. Never had a problem with any NAS, pc or device at those temps.

I added heatsinks to my Pi2, but don't bother any more as I never hit the upper end of operating temps and never experienced a heat-related glitch..

HDD also, can take a wide temp range too - ever handled a 10,000RPM drive fresh from the raid array? Ouch! Certainly 40c isn't going to faze a standard 2.5" or 3.5" drive. It gets hotter than that inside laptop and drive cases.
 
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Hi @Tweekster,

Very odd but I'd like to investigate.

Email me link to the tracks you referenced and I'll try and repro on one of my systems.

What is Hifiberry DAC+ Pro connected to?

When u say switching between tracks do you mean clicking directly on Playlist item or pressing next/prev?

-TIm

Hi Tim,

I'll just emailed the link.

I've connected the DAC+ to a different receiver throught the CD jacks, and directly to my trusty Adcom GFA-545 power amp and speakers, same issue.

It pops on both clicking on the playlist or using the arrows. I left it running while I just typed this, and it ran through the playlist, when it changed from a 16/44.1 to 24/96 automatically it popped and me and the cat just jumped a foot.......LOL
 
Hi Tim,

I'll just emailed the link.

I've connected the DAC+ to a different receiver throught the CD jacks, and directly to my trusty Adcom GFA-545 power amp and speakers, same issue.

It pops on both clicking on the playlist or using the arrows. I left it running while I just typed this, and it ran through the playlist, when it changed from a 16/44.1 to 24/96 automatically it popped and me and the cat just jumped a foot.......LOL

Do you have something other than the HDTracks sample 24/96 tracks?
 
Multichannel Flac

Hi all,
I'm new to Moode and I have a question concerning multichannel flac. I have a RPi 3 with a HiFi Digi+ board. The Coax output of the board is connected to my Onkyo TX-NR 414 Receiver. This way I wanted to use the Onkyo as the decoder, but the Digi+ will always output 32bit/96kHz stereo to the Onkyo. Am I missing something? I've read that mpd and Digi+ will send the digital signal untouched to the digital out. That way I would expect that multichannel flacs play with all channels, but all files are resampled to 32/96 stereo as stated above. Any help, explanation or hint would be great.
Regards
Klaus
 
Hi All,

New user to Moode 3.7, Pi3 with a HifiBerry DAC+ Pro, but plenty of experience with amp building/repair, DAC's, digital audio, and Linux servers.

I'm having a VERY bad pop problem when changing tracks between 24/96 FLAC files.

Current setup - Pi3 with HifiBerry DAC+ Pro in HifiBerry metal case. Cheap Vilros 2.5A power supply, but will build a better linear power supply later. WiFi/BT tuned off, using Ethernet hardwire with a static IP. 32GB Lexar USB stick for test music library loaded with 16/44.1 and 24/96 FLAC files. Fresh download of Moode 3.7 on Samsung 32 EVO+ SD. Basic minimum Moode setup with DAC driver set, etc.

Symptoms - I can load the playlist with 16/44.1 FLAC files and easily switch between them using a Win10 or iPad browser with only a faint crackle. I downloaded the HDTracks sampler, which is all 24/96 FLAC files. If I manually switch between 24/96 tracks I get a very loud (almost speaker blowing) pop! And this happens everytime, not just sporadically. If I mix 16/44.1 files with 24/96 files in the playlist, I can switch between the 16/44.1 files with only a faint crackle, but if I switch from 16/44.1 to 24/96 I get the huge POP, and the same pop switching between random 24/96 files. If I let the playlist just play in order it never pops between 16/44.1 FLAC files, but I still get the occasional big pop when it goes from 16/44.1 to 24/96.

Things tried - Set Pi3 CPU governor to Performance to see if it's power issue, but no change. Tried different computers with different browsers, but no change. Tried turning off everything not used like BT/WiFi, etc, ,but no change. Kind of wondering if it has anything to do with the dual clock chips on DAC+ Pro, since it has to change between clocks, but that wouldn't explain the pop between 24/96 tracks unless the clocks reset each time.

The only work around so far is to turn the volume to 0, change tracks, and reset the volume.

Thoughts?

@Tweekster

FYI, I found a post to the Rune Forum which reported a similar issue with one interesting difference. He claimed he's getting pops with Digi+ but not DAC+ (no mention of DAC+ Pro; it might not have been available yet).

http://http://www.runeaudio.com/forum/mpd-lock-sample-rate-bit-depth-for-hifiberry-digi-t3972.html.

Note his closing comment that he hears the same pops with Volumio and MoOde Player. The common factor in these three different systems is the interplay between mpd and the DAC driver.

The solution he was pursuing within the context of Rune was, as has already been proposed, setting a fixed bit depth/sampling rate.

Regards,
Kent