HELP Please - Touch Re-buffers constantly playing 24/96 or 24/88.2 FLAC

[Stocky1963]

Hi, This is my first post and I would appreciate some help. I have a Touch connected to a ReadyNas and feeding a Cyrus 8xpd-QX via Coax digital output. Almost everything functions perfectly (including Spotify) and I absolutely love the device. However I cannot get the Touch to play hi resolution files without constantly rebuffering. I have tried 24/96 and 24/88.2 FLAC files from different providers. I only use hard wired Ethernet. The time taken to start re-buffering is not consistent but always starts to occur within 30 seconds of the music starting and repeats regularly thereafter.

I have tried the following :

- rebooting all hardware ( including the Netgear router)
- ensuring the ReadyNas and the Touch are running the latest software ( as of today - 30 April 2012)
- stripping out all cabling other than that to the ReadyNas and Touch and rebooting ( power off/on) the Netgear router (Note I used Squeezepad via wifi) . I have also tried CAT 6 cables in place of CAT 5E.
- I have installed the Soundcheck Touch Toolbox 3.0 and changed the buffer size from 4000 up to 50000 with no significant difference. I have changed the server settings as per the Touch Toolbox recommendations.
- I have also restored to factory settings ( ensuring latest software) and started again. Still the same problem (24/96 is worse then 24/88.2)

I have looked through the forums and have ran out of ideas. Any help would be much appreciated, hopefully I have missed something obvious.

Cheers

[garym]

Hi, This is my first post and I would appreciate some help. I have a Touch connected to a ReadyNas and feeding a Cyrus 8xpd-QX via Coax digital output. Almost everything functions perfectly (including Spotify) and I absolutely love the device. However I cannot get the Touch to play hi resolution files without constantly rebuffering. I have tried 24/96 and 24/88.2 FLAC files from different providers. I only use hard wired Ethernet. The time taken to start re-buffering is not consistent but always starts to occur within 30 seconds of the music starting and repeats regularly thereafter.

I have tried the following :

- rebooting all hardware ( including the Netgear router)
- ensuring the ReadyNas and the Touch are running the latest software ( as of today - 30 April 2012)
- stripping out all cabling other than that to the ReadyNas and Touch and rebooting ( power off/on) the Netgear router (Note I used Squeezepad via wifi) . I have also tried CAT 6 cables in place of CAT 5E.
- I have installed the Soundcheck Touch Toolbox 3.0 and changed the buffer size from 4000 up to 50000 with no significant difference. I have changed the server settings as per the Touch Toolbox recommendations.
- I have also restored to factory settings ( ensuring latest software) and started again. Still the same problem (24/96 is worse then 24/88.2)

I have looked through the forums and have ran out of ideas. Any help would be much appreciated, hopefully I have missed something obvious.

Cheers

which readynas. Is it one of the older (more than 6months) readynas duo units. These are woefully underpowered....

[Stocky1963]

which readynas. Is it one of the older (more than 6months) readynas duo units. These are woefully underpowered....

Yes , it is the ReadyNas Duo (about 18 months ago).

[garym]

Yes , it is the ReadyNas Duo (about 18 months ago).

I suspect that is the problem rather than the network. As I assume you are having zero issues with regular 16/44.1 FLAC files. When you say you've done a factory reset of the TOUCH to remove the TT3.0 stuff, I assume you've also gone back to "factory" on the LMS install on your ReadyNas (that is, you're not doing things like converting the FLAC files to PCM on the readynas before streaming to the TOUCH (as recommended by Soundcheck). That is, are the filetype handling under LMS > Settings back to default? You need to get everything back to normal to debug before returning to TT3.0 (if you choose to use TT3.0...I wouldn't bother, but that's another story).

I have a readynas duo, but quit using it for SB stuff long ago because it is simply too underpowered (browsing my 65,000+ library was painfully slow). Maybe some others with the original duo can chime in about their ability to play 24/96 files.

[aubuti]

Yes , it is the ReadyNas Duo (about 18 months ago).

Then the ReadyNAS is probably the culprit, but to confirm, you could try temporarily running LMS on a decent computer and see if you get dropouts with hi-res files in that configuration.

[Stocky1963]

Then the ReadyNAS is probably the culprit, but to confirm, you could try temporarily running LMS on a decent computer and see if you get dropouts with hi-res files in that configuration.

Many thanks guys, problems solved .

Installed the server on a decent PC and all files are streaming perfectly.

Also, as a final go at the ReadyNas I changed the server settings from the Soundcheck ToolBox 3 settings and under the FLAC file type set FLAC to "Native" and AIFF, MP3 and PCM to "Disabled" and that cleared the problem as well. Everything is now streaming perfectly on the ReadyNas.

I would appreciate if someone could explain what the server settings actually mean. I assume that "Native" means that the FLAC files are sent to the Touch and decoded as FLAC files ( rather than converted and then sent) . ?? Can someone explain the various options and how they could impact on sound quality.

The decision now is whether re-install the Soundcheck Toolbox without the recommended server settings. I did not hear a significant improvement with the TT3 settings in the first place but to be fair I did not spend much time on it.

One final question - Is it worth upgrading to a decent power supply?

Thanks Again.

[Mnyb]

Many thanks guys, problems solved .

Installed the server on a decent PC and all files are streaming perfectly.

Also, as a final go at the ReadyNas I changed the server settings from the Soundcheck ToolBox 3 settings and under the FLAC file type set FLAC to "Native" and AIFF, MP3 and PCM to "Disabled" and that cleared the problem as well. Everything is now streaming perfectly on the ReadyNas.

I would appreciate if someone could explain what the server settings actually mean. I assume that "Native" means that the FLAC files are sent to the Touch and decoded as FLAC files ( rather than converted and then sent) . ?? Can someone explain the various options and how they could impact on sound quality.

The decision now is whether re-install the Soundcheck Toolbox without the recommended server settings. I did not hear a significant improvement with the TT3 settings in the first place but to be fair I did not spend much time on it.

One final question - Is it worth upgrading to a decent power supply?

Thanks Again.

FLAC native means the the files are sent as they are if they are flac files no work done by the server.
If you disable native that makes the server transcode the files to WAV on the fly this uses some cpu and the old DUO cpu can't cope with this .

Imo there is little values in this mods, you noticed how usable your own system got

There is a lot of theories but there is actually (imo) no plausible explanation for any real SQ differences, but a lot of evidence for other much more likely explanations to why people experience differences (just as it is with most dingbat audiophile stuff ) .
Especially if you use the Touch as digital transport to a DAC , then just chill out enjoy the music and have the UI and usability and features the device is designed with .

Power supply can be system dependent, the Touch itself has some internal switchmode ps's that acording to others more or less makes a better external ps of super quality pointless.
But there is also suggestions that the included PS migth polute the electrical and thus influence you hifi from the other way so maybe worthwhile anyway .
I have an after market psu myself but I have never really figured if made or did not made any difference .
it was originally for my SB3 who originally for 230V countries had a much worse psu than Touch (in the slimdevices days ) .

Alos good vs bad psu might not be switchmode vs linear ,that is an oversimplification. It is true that most cheap and nasty psu are switchmode ,but a linear can just as bad in some respects .
A wellmade switcher could in fact be better ? (imo).

[garym]

FLAC native means the the files are sent as they are if they are flac files no work done by the server.
If you disable native that makes the server transcode the files to WAV on the fly this uses some cpu and the old DUO cpu can't cope with this .

Imo there is little values in this mods, you noticed how usable your own system got

There is a lot of theories but there is actually (imo) no plausible explanation for any real SQ differences, but a lot of evidence for other much more likely explanations to why people experience differences (just as it is with most dingbat audiophile stuff ) .
Especially if you use the Touch as digital transport to a DAC , then just chill out enjoy the music and have the UI and usability and features the device is designed with .

Power supply can be system dependent, the Touch itself has some internal switchmode ps's that acording to others more or less makes a better external ps of super quality pointless.
But there is also suggestions that the included PS migth polute the electrical and thus influence you hifi from the other way so maybe worthwhile anyway .
I have an after market psu myself but I have never really figured if made or did not made any difference .
it was originally for my SB3 who originally for 230V countries had a much worse psu than Touch (in the slimdevices days ) .

Alos good vs bad psu might not be switchmode vs linear ,that is an oversimplification. It is true that most cheap and nasty psu are switchmode ,but a linear can just as bad in some respects .
A wellmade switcher could in fact be better ? (imo).

Well said. Agree 100%.

[tubarao]

I have a Ready NAS Ultra + without TT3 and streaming FLACs (compression 5) 16/44.1 and I have the same problem: re-buffers constantly or the Touch just stop playing after the Touch has been used for some 10 to 20 minutes. SBS is 7.7.2. These problems started suddenly last week without any reasons after having used the Touch without having this problem before now for a long time (had many other issues unrelated in the past). My router is some 10 feet away from the Touch. I am frustrated for a long time now with the Touch and thinking seriously switching to a Sonos system...

[garym]

I have a Ready NAS Ultra + without TT3 and streaming FLACs (compression 5) 16/44.1 and I have the same problem: re-buffers constantly or the Touch just stop playing after the Touch has been used for some 10 to 20 minutes. SBS is 7.7.2. These problems started suddenly last week without any reasons after having used the Touch without having this problem before now for a long time (had many other issues unrelated in the past). My router is some 10 feet away from the Touch. I am frustrated for a long time now with the Touch and thinking seriously switching to a Sonos system...

Maybe interference from a new nearby network, baby moniter, etc . Use something like inSSIDer to look at nearby wifi networks. What channels are they using. Change your wifi channel in router to unused channel, preferably 1, 6, or 11.

You may want to move to powerplugs to get Ethernet over power lines to your touch. Can work very well.