Volumio 3.378 USB DAC - Error opening ALSA Device

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1

Hi,

To being with, here’s a description of my setup.
Volumio 3.378 with Volumio Virtuoso (haven’t upgraded to Premium yet)
Allo USBridge Signature (Rpi compute module based) connected via USB to Job Integrated 225 amplifier with built-in DAC. Note that HW vol control is available on the AMP+DAC combo for USB source and this cannot be disabled. Allo USBridge is powered by Allo Shanti LPS.

After first powering on Allo USBridge Signature streamer and Job Amp+DAC and when I try to play any source file (Tidal, Radio Paradise, music off a USB drive), I get a message saying “Failed to open. Error opening ALSA device “hw:5,0”; snd_pcm_hw_params() failed: Input/output error”. Playback session starts but there is no audio. When this error pops up, Mixer Setting in Playback Options screen usually says ‘undefined’ instead of Hardware or Software or None. If I turn off USB and turn on I2S DAC in Volumio Playback Options screen and reboot the streamer and turn USB dac back in, it usually starts playing ok. Sometimes i need to reboot multiple times to get it working ok.

Link for error log file at http://logs.volumio.org/volumio/fiIEbGa.html.

I know this has something to do with Mixer setting as the error does not popup whenever mixer settings are correctly initialized on startup. What could be the reason for this error? Is it because my USB DAC has HW volume control and this setting is not always being detected by Volumio correctly? Is there a ALSA or USB DAC setting that I need to enter manually in the config file so that this works ok all times?

Please help. This is quite frustrating and I don’t want to give up on Volumio.
Thanks,
Shyam.

2

Any inputs on this issue? Thanks.

3

If I remember correctly, CM3 has some issues on the USB bus

besides that, what is the power supply of your USBridge signature? Can you try another one?

4

Thanks for your inputs. Yes, I did try with a both the 1A and 3A outputs of Allo Shanti, a regular 5V power supply that came with the Allo USBridge Signature and also an iFi power supply. The problem persists with all 3 power supplies.And if it is a power supply issue, shouldn’t it happen all the time? And why would the mixer settings get screwed up?

5

OK, the power supply is not the problem, the 3A output of Allo Shanti is more than enough.

As mentioned, the CM3 has some issues with the USB bus, it’s not 100% reliable.

To verify if the problem is not on Volumio side, could you please try with a standard RaspiOS image, trying to play something from different sources?

6

Job Dac+Integrated Amp works other USB sources such as phone and computer. And it also work ok with USBridge+Moode. And USBridge+Volumio works fine with another Marantz DAC which does not have HW vol control. It just the combination of USBridge, Volumio and the Job DAC+Amp that has this problem :slight_smile:

Let me try also with RaspiOS and report back. Thanks for your inputs.