Problem setting up Raspberry Pi 3 with DAC

[nnila]

Hi,
I am trying to setup Mo0de on a Raspberry Pi 3 with a DAC going to powered (JBL 305p) speakers. 
I have got it to boot into Mo0de but I cannot get output to my speakers. 

End state, I am trying to set it up as a streamer and want it to receive Spotify. I even tested with local file though and no output. When I try stream from Spotify it can see it and connect to it, just 'play' will not start on Spotify and no sound comes out. 

The DAC is: Lusya Dual ES9023

I have followed the instructions found on that page for setting it up:

Code:

- nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
- find the line " # Dtparam=i2s=on" and delete the #
- Next find and delete the line "dtparam=audio=on" and replace with dtoverlay=hifiberry-dac
- Find the line dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d and add ,noaudio (note the comma - no spaces)
- Reboot

I then went into the audio settings page on mo0de and can see that it is set to hifiberry DAC. 
I also note that this is set (and cannot be changed):  ALSA: iec958. 

Overall I just cannot seem to get any sound out of it. 
Appreciate any help or tips to get it working. 

I have tried:
1. 3.5mm audio out on the Raspberry Pi
2. 3.5mm audio out on the DAC
3. RCA out on the DAC

None are giving me any sound output.  

[TheOldPresbyope]

The instructions from the vendor seem bogus to me. (Don't know why one would set ".noaudio"

If the DAC uses the HiFiBerry DAC overlay, then I would do this on a fresh install of moOde:

1. Boot the moOde player
2. In the webUI, go to m > Configure > Audio
Select HiFiBerry DAC from the pulldown menu for the named I2S device.
3. Reboot


At this point, moOde will have modified /boot/config.txt file appropriately.


4. Go back to m > Configure > Audio
Select the HiFiBerry DAC from the pulldown menu for Output device.

5. Play music.

That should do it. If not, let us know.

Regards,
Kent

[nnila]

Hi,
Good callout and great directions.
Working perfectly now.

For Output Mode do you recommend Default or Direct?

[the_bertrum]

As with most things default is usually the one you want and only go with not default if you have reason to.

[DRONE7]

As with most things default is usually the one you want

Lol... we opted for a -no child- -no television- -no keeping up with the Jones' lifestyle- and find it infinitely preferable to our peers 'default' 

Ymmv. :-)

[nnila]

1. Default or Direct output?

Also, I'm having another issue now - seem to be randomly getting sound only from left speaker and have to restart the Pi to get back through both.

[Tim Curtis]

1. Default or Direct output?

Also, I'm having another issue now - seem to be randomly getting sound only from left speaker and have to restart the Pi to get back through both.

The symptom "randomly getting sound only from left speaker and have to restart the Pi to get back through both" suggests a hardware, cable, etc type of issue.

Spray a bit of contact cleaner on the connections for the DAC board and other cables.

[nnila]

Thanks.
Suddenly got a new problem too - yesterday it was completely smooth sounding (Lusya Power Filter purification board into a Lusya DAC into a Raspberry Pi 3b). No hissing, really clean sounding.

Today by accident, another (powered) micro USB cable touched the board - now I get hissing from it non stop.
I've tried:
1. Changing from RCA output to the 3.5mm output
2. Changing to the 3.5mm output of the Pi itself
3. Powering through the Power Filter Purification Board
4. Powering through the Pi directly
5. Removing the Power filter purification board (no change to hissing) - when plugged into RCA or 3.5mm
6. Removing the DAC and plugging directly into Pi 3.5mm - hissing reduces but still a static/wind like noise.

All options are giving me a non stop hissing sound coming.

Any suggestions?
Hoping I didn't cause perm damage - want to go back to the high quality, clean & clear sound I had yesterday.

[Nutul]

The fact that you mention a live USB cable has touched your board, and from that moment you hear hiss, IMO there is little to nothing we can do...
What I suggest, though, is:
1. power it off
2. remove the DAC
3. plug it in an ordinary power socket (leave all those purificators / cleaners / bla bla bla out, at least for now, uh?)
4. connect something to the 3.5mm jack, and play a local file
do you hear hiss?
If yes... sorry, the damage has reached the Pi board.
If no, try now connecting the DAC and listen through it
is there hiss...?
if yes: problem is in your DAC
if not, now add all the powerline cleaners etc. etc, and test again
is there hiss?
if no you are OK
if yes, the cleaners are f***ed up.

It's as simple as that, troubleshooting one thing at a time, to be able to have one, and only one thing to check at any given moment.

[nnila]

Ok. did all the above and could not fix it.
Finally, purely by accident, used a different power supply and it fixed it.

Basically the USB touching had created a problem/noise with the USB charger not the Pi.
Changing charge is back to 100% 'normal' / clean / good quality sound.

Good and bad news given the charger cost more than a Pi 3.