Before investing in a $k device I decided to try the free Volumio install on a rpi and well, I created the boot disk, picked a rpi lying around, boot it up and tried http://volumio.local from another PC on the network.
No show, the rpi was not reachable, after looking around a bit, I then connected the PC to the same switch that the rpi is connected to and I could reach the setup page.
During setup, audio devices presented were HDMI and speakers even though I have a USB DAC connected to the rpi, and when I got to the part where Volumio should connect to the NAS for music, Volumio page just remained empty, in other words, it could not reach my NAS as the NAS is in the basement.
My question is this - Is the free version intentionally crippled so badly that it is as good as useless, or is there additional configuration that needs to be done?
I am not a network noob, in fact, I am a network specialist by profession.
If the free version is not usable, I am not really convinced the thousand dollar streamer equipment will work reliably.
Just my opinion, and I hope to get some real answers.
Hello,
The free version is the same than the paid version, but without extra features (streaming services, multiroom…).
So, not a a cut-price system!
What you have to know:
the first boot takes several minutes because partition on SD card is expanded. It won’t be reachable until this step is finished
Yes you need to be on the same network
You have to go in sources menu to configure your NAS before you use it!
An USB dac supported by the linux kernel should appears as output device.
You can send your logs to help to understand
have a look here : Volumio Help Center
Primo /Rivo/Integro work out of the box, with all premium features included!
Thanks a lot… I love it when I get a prompt and correct answer.
I powered the rpi and left it alone for some 20 minutes, and after that the setup page was available from any part of the network.
The device was able to see my NAS, great! and the database is being built as I write this reply.
The USB DAC was still not discovered, but as I have the Raspberry Digi DAC pro in the rpi, I chose that one and I will test as soon as the database is completely built.
The only thing left that I would really like to have is the replaygain settings.
I’m guessing I will have to update the mpd.conf file for that, but I don’t have the login details.
My plan is to first test for stability and after this, I can consider putting more money to into buying one of your devices to get the premium services.
I have downloaded the app on the google play store and wasn’t asked to pay anything, is this normal?
I don’t mind paying something in support while I am testing the solution, please let me know how to do this.
Hi Balky and welcome to Volumio, I agree with your approach to try before buy, and I am glad that we are able to offer it.
Yes, the app is free.
Question: which USB DAC do you have? As of now we support almost ALL USB DACs (which have a proper UAC2 implementation), so this makes me curious.
As for replaygain settings, we did not expose this setting in playback options menu (because there has been extremely low demand for it, and we want to keep the options to the bare minimum to make the system as user friendly as possible). Beware that if you change mpd.conf file, it will be always overwritten by Volumio (and if you change any Volumio related files, your system will not be able to receive updates).
The DAC is a SMSL M500, and it is strange to me that it is not detected.
I also tried the DAC on my Rotel RC 1590 preamplifier which was also not detected, so I am guessing it might be something on the rpi board itself because it is an old one… an rpi 2 I think.
The replay gain not being available is a real shame because it is the main reason why I have been searching for an alternative to my current streaming system.
I currently have a Marantz streamer that has it all… Spotify, TuneIn, Deezer, Soundcloud, Tidal, name it… it connects to my NAS and works fine, but my two main problems are the app GUI interface not really good, and no replaygain, so I have keep the remote control next to me all the time to adjust volume.
This is why I am searching for a replacement…
The Volumio interface is quite better than the HEOS interface used by the Marantz, but no replaygain is a drawback for me.
I am okay with not receiving update files if I can get replaygain working.
Will really appreciate knowing what to do.
Go to playback options, click on the audio output menu, take a screenshot and paste it here.
Some possible causes for your issue:
Try another USB cables, we’ve seen many times that some cables simply don’t work
Upgrade your PI PSU (this is a critical component, and if it does not have enough juice, it might not be able to power up your DAC). Or, use a powered USB hub
Go to playback page only after connecting your dac
Let us know
As for replay gain, please be aware that it only works with files (and only if properly tagged), so this won’t solve your issue when you use different services like you mention
I replaced the rpi 2 board with a rpi3 board (reason why it took so long to reply)
The SMSL DAC has its own power supply, but was recognized with the rpi3 board, so no issue there anymore.
For replaygain, my entire library of 45,000 tracks are all tagged correctly with replaygain info, and not being able to use it is the thing driving me away from the Marantz.
Investing $1k+ in a Volumio device will not make any difference to my current situation if I cannot use the replaygain info.
Updates are not really important for me in my opinion as long as I have a system that works the way I want it to.
to make the change permanent in Volumio.
WARNING : This will prevent from updating. Update may fix issues, improve he system and add new features. @volumio discourages doing this, especially on official devices!
As with all things I will worry about updates when the time is there…
Worst case, I will restore original file from backup, update system and put back the replaygain settings again.
At the moment, I cannot SSH to the rpi, I’m guessing I will need to attach a monitor and keyboard… which command do I need to use to enable SSH login?
Which login ID should I use?
Thanks a lot for the flexibility, you cannot imagine the feeling of satisfaction that comes with getting what you want.
You guys ROCK big time… I’m all set for now… I’ll be back in few weeks to compare your physical devices for pros / cons / cost before making a final decision.
