[SOLVED] Variable USB output level with different DACs

[OscarH]

Using the 32bit snakeoil on two different machines (one gigabyte ga-3050n-d2p and one intel dn2800mt motherboard) I experience the following:

The volume output through an ESI gigaport HD+ DAC is very low. Using either machine though a Hegel H80 integrated DAC the level is normally loud. ALSA mixer is set to 100% in all cases. Have also tried different USB cables.

Plugging a Windows PC into the gigaport DAC the output is as loud as you’d expect, so the DAC CAN indeed output a ‘normal’ signal, but doesn’t with the snakeoil machines connected.

Is there anything in Snakeoil OS that could cause one DAC but not another to interpret the signal as being lower in volume?

The Gigaport DAC may off course be faulty in which case this is not a Snakeoil issue. Before I buy another one to test that option I thought I’d post a question here.

Edit: I should add that I do know of others people who successfully use this DAC with these motherboards and Snakeoil OS without experiencing similar issues. So it’s not a fundamental compatibility issue.

[agent_kith]

Is there anything in Snakeoil OS that could cause one DAC but not another to interpret the signal as being lower in volume?

What player are you using? LMS+Squeezelite and MPD all exhibit the same issue?

SSH into your machine, and run "sudo alsamixer", make sure all volume controls are set to max. Depending on audio cards, that could be > 1, e.g. one for digital one for analog, and another for both (usually called main).

[OscarH]

The Intel machine is running Spotify Connect and the Gigabyte upmpdicli (playing off separate Snakeoil minimserver), using the default MPD.

Same low level when playing through the Gigaport DAC but loud through the Hegel. As per above the Gigaport does play loud with a windows pc so the output stage at least isn’t defective.

I’ll try your suggestions. Thanks for input.

[OscarH]

Great! when running the sudo command as per above it turned out the alsamixer for the gigaport DAC was only at 41.

Now fixed - many thanks!

[agent_kith]

Great! when running the sudo command as per above it turned out the alsamixer for the gigaport DAC was only at 41.

Now fixed - many thanks!

If you're using the latest version of Snakeoil. This setting should be saved and restored when power up. So all should be good from here.