Apple USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack on Moode with softvol

[zamiere]

MoOde Release: 8.3.9 2024-02-23
RaspiOS: 11.9 Bullseye 32-bit

cat /proc/asound/cards
 1 [A              ]: USB-Audio - USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack A
                      Apple, Inc. USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack A at usb-3f980000.usb-1.5, full speed

.env:

MQA_PASSTHROUGH=true
FRIENDLY_NAME=Tidal Connect
ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no
CARD_NAME=DAC
CARD_FORMAT=S24_3LE
ENABLE_SOFTVOL=yes
ASOUND_FILE_PREFIX=applejack

userconfig/applejack.asound.conf:

pcm.softvol {
    type            softvol
    slave {
        pcm         "hw:CARD=A,DEV=0"
    }
    control {
        name        "SoftMaster"
        card        "A"
    }
}

pcm.!default {
    type             plug
    slave {
        pcm         "softvol"
    }
}

ctl.!default {
    type hw
    card "A"
}

[GioF71]

Hello try

CARD_NAME=A

alone... Then we see if CARD_FORMAT is needed!

[zamiere]

Thanks, it seems only the .asound.conf is necessary and defining it in .env file of course.
It's turning on softvolume, so it's resample unavailable formats (96/24) to card compatible with ALSA resample, because I enabled default ALSA mode in moOde:
Default: Use ALSA "plughw" plugin which performs format conversions if needed to match audio device requirements.
Direct: Use ALSA "hw" plugin which does not preform any format conversions. The audio device must accept the given format.

I think that explicit format and freq limiting to hw capabilities helps in direct mode, I didn't tried it yet. It's possible that softvol only works with plughw mode.

[GioF71]

Hello again, sorry for my previous reply, I was away for the weekend and I didn't actually understand your post. I see now that you are already using a custom asound.conf with "A" as the device. Forgive the wrong suggestion, but when you define your asound.conf, the variables CARD_NAME, CARD_INDEX, CARD_DEVICE and CARD_FORMAT become irrelevant.
Anyway, since you are using moode, we might want to check the device capabilities with their utility. Can you run:

moodeutl -F

and post the output.

I was thinking of buying one device like this, actually the fact that it does not support hires kind of made me change idea. Not because I would notice the difference but because I would need, like you, to avoid conversions when possible.

[zamiere]

Thanks for clarifying that asound.conf make unnecessary those variables.
Now I reinstalled the latest 64 bit version of moode, moodeutl -F output is

Error opening sound device for card 1, device 0: Unknown error 524.  Skipping.
*** Scanning for playback devices ***
Card 0, ID `A', name `USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack A'
  Device 0, ID `USB Audio', name `USB Audio', 1 subdevices (1 available)
    2 channels, sampling rate 48000..48000 Hz
    Sample formats: S16_LE, S24_3LE
    Buffer size range from 96 to 96000
    Period size range from 48 to 48000

      Subdevice 0, name `subdevice #0'
Card 1, ID `vc4hdmi', name `vc4-hdmi'
  Device 0, ID `MAI PCM i2s-hifi-0', name `MAI PCM i2s-hifi-0', 1 subdevices (1 available)

It's not as bad as cheap, you can see measurements and review on head-fi. It's a little bit light and not as analoguish like r2r DACs but not bad for the price.
For high-res tracks I've dropped a line into asound.conf for better quality resample:
defaults.pcm.rate_converter "speexrate_best"

The samplerate_best is too slow for resampling 88200 tracks.
For these alsa plugins install libasound2-plugins:
docker exec -i tidal-connect bash -c "echo 'deb http://legacy.raspbian.org/raspbian/ stretch main contrib non-free rpi firmware' > /etc/apt/sources.list && apt update && apt install libasound2-plugins -y"

I have collected some scripts from here and put into a fork of your repo here

Thank you for your work and giving information about the details!

[GioF71]

Hello, thank you. That output provide some good information.
Let me ask you a question: did you had to set ENABLE_SOFTVOL=yes because the generated tone would not play, preventing the container to start, didn't you?
If this is confirmed, considering that from the moodeutl output, it seems that only 48000 is supported, it starts to make sense that plughw works and hw doesn't. "hw" would work only when the source sampling rate is 48000 I suppose.
I was about to suggest you to configure the tidal app to "High" and not "Max" so Tidal would always use 44.1kHz, so you would avoid resampling.
Anyway for your case, even if the device only supports 48kHz, I believe this configuration would still make sense, because you would avoid resampling down from 88.2 and 96kHz. It is probably better to let tidal select the 44.1kHz stream (which should be always available) and let alsa resample to 48kHz. Maybe you will be able to use the higher quality sample rate converter.

In the end, if you want to contribute the asound.conf, I will gladly accept the pull request. Or if you prefer, I will add it using the information in this issue.

[zamiere]

I just wanted to use the volume control in android app, and hw volume doesn't change with default settings. So I set the softvol parameter and found a working asound.conf.
The device supports 44.1 and 48k, it's a good idea to use professionally downsampled streams.
I will happy if you find it useful and include the config in your repo, I've made too much changes in the fork, I don't want to pull over your code.

[GioF71]

Thank you, but about this:

The device supports 44.1 and 48k

are you sure? Moodeutl says otherwise.
But OTOH if I look at the windows image here in yuriv's, it seems 44.1kHz is supported.
Can you try this from the repository?

aplay -D hw:A assets/audio/short-low-tone.wav

and maybe:

aplay -D plughw:A assets/audio/short-low-tone.wav

I am preparing a 48kHz version of the tones :-)

[GioF71]

The tone will be unaudible unless you crank up the volume, I have attenuated it as much as I can. The purpose is to verify it does not fail to play.

[zamiere]

If I remove the "ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no" line from the .env, the tidal-connect doesn't load.

Another strange thing is strong clipping distortion in this track: https://tidal.com/browse/track/89414123?u
Doesn't help if I change the quality to HiFi. Maybe it's a softvol resample bug, not enough headroom to convert overdriven waveforms, I don't know how can I decrease the volume to prevent clipping.

[GioF71]

Hello, you can maybe try alsamixer and lower down the volume a bit. That would be hardware volume, and softvolume won't raise over that limit hopefully!

[GioF71]

If I remove the "ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no" line from the .env, the tidal-connect doesn't load.

This should not happen anymore with the latest revision, I have added a 48kHz tone, so now the condition is that just of the tones don't fail to play. Would you try with the latest updates?

[zamiere]

Lowering the volume with alsamixer doesn't change the issue.

[zamiere]

Now merged the changes from upstream, removed the "ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no" line from my .env and... no luck.

tidal-connect | Trying a short tone @ 48kHz ...
tidal-connect | ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM custom
tidal-connect | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such file or directory
tidal-connect | Failed with 48 kHz tone, trying 44.1 kHz ...
tidal-connect | ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM custom
tidal-connect | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such file or directory
tidal-connect | tone_played=[0]
tidal-connect | Device locked/invalid, won't start the application ...
tidal-connect | Sleeping 10 seconds before restarting ...

[zamiere]

The clipping problem is an issue with speex. It's resolved when I disabled the resample so it's not affect your code.
(Just for fun, with "samplerate_best" the sound is stuttering because Pi 3B+ too weak for converting 88200/24 sources, it's require more CPU computing power than "samplerate_medium", the latter is works.)

[GioF71]

Now merged the changes from upstream, removed the "ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no" line from my .env and... no luck.

tidal-connect | Trying a short tone @ 48kHz ... tidal-connect | ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM custom tidal-connect | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such file or directory tidal-connect | Failed with 48 kHz tone, trying 44.1 kHz ... tidal-connect | ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM custom tidal-connect | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such file or directory tidal-connect | tone_played=[0] tidal-connect | Device locked/invalid, won't start the application ... tidal-connect | Sleeping 10 seconds before restarting ...

maybe I made some mistake writing the file applejack.asound.conf... can you verify it?
Looks like the "custom" audio card is somehow invalid! Maybe we should set "custom" instead of "!default", or give a different name and then set FORCE_PLAYBACK_DEVICE accordingly.
In any case I might find a moment to try your file (with a alsa device as the target of course) as soon as possible.

[GioF71]

I pushed a changed setting "custom" but it's done in the dark as I cannot test in the dark.
But anyway I believe that a simple change allowing to use plughw instead of hw might work, without the need for a custom asound.conf. I will try that when possible.

[GioF71]

Maybe try this as applejack.asound.conf:

pcm.tidal-audio-device {
  type plug
  slave.pcm {
    type plughw
    card A
    device 0
  }
}

pcm.custom {
    type            softvol
    slave {
        pcm         "tidal-audio-device"
    }
    control {
        name        "Master"
        card        0
    }
}

If this works, it would confirm the hypothesis...

[zamiere]

Maybe we should set "custom" instead of "!default"...

Yes, it's load with changed asound.conf. I didn't tried the last config yet.

[zamiere]

tidal-connect    | Sleeping 10 seconds before restarting ...
tidal-connect    | Trying a short tone @ 48kHz ...
tidal-connect    | ALSA lib dlmisc.c:254:(snd1_dlobj_cache_get) Cannot open shared library /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_plughw.so
tidal-connect    | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such device or address
tidal-connect    | Failed with 48 kHz tone, trying 44.1 kHz ...
tidal-connect    | ALSA lib dlmisc.c:254:(snd1_dlobj_cache_get) Cannot open shared library /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_plughw.so
tidal-connect    | aplay: main:788: audio open error: No such device or address
tidal-connect    | tone_played=[0]
tidal-connect    | Device locked/invalid, won't start the application ...
tidal-connect    | Sleeping 10 seconds before restarting ...

[GioF71]

ok so it's a wrong config. I cannot test now with an actual container... I will try asap.
I hope you can revert to a working config!

[zamiere]

Yes, the latest committed config works without any glitch! Thank you!

[GioF71]

Yes, the latest committed config works without any glitch! Thank you!

Good!
But just to be clear, what are the contents of the working .env and applejack.asound.conf ?

[zamiere]

My .env is:

FRIENDLY_NAME=Tidal Connect
ASOUND_FILE_PREFIX=applejack

applejack.asound.conf:

pcm.softvol {
    type            softvol
    slave {
        pcm         "hw:CARD=A,DEV=0"
    }
    control {
        name        "SoftMaster"
        card        "A"
    }
}

pcm.custom {
    type             plug
    slave {
        pcm         "softvol"
    }
}

ctl.custom {
    type hw
    card "A"
}

I think we can close this issue. :)

[GioF71]

glad it works. Keep the working config safe... but can you try this now:

.env

FRIENDLY_NAME=Tidal Connect
CARD_NAME=A

and recreate? With the changes in the tone test, it might go through.
The generated file should not be very different. The missing part is the "ctl.custom" and the slave is defined in a different way but it should be equivalent. I'd like to see what can be done in order to avoid the need of a custom asound.conf.

Thank you in advance!

[GioF71]

Can you also execute this:

amixer -c A controls | grep \'Master\'

and post the output?

[zamiere]

I decided to testing it with clean environment with removing everything.

docker rm -vf $(docker ps -aq)
docker rmi -f $(docker images -aq)

And now the volume control on Windows change the volume on Master device, not the Headphone channel that really change the output level.

[zamiere]

#amixer -c A controls
numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Master'
numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Switch'
numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Volume'
numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='SoftMaster'
numid=1,iface=PCM,name='Playback Channel Map'

[zamiere]

I entered the CARD_NAME=A line in the env, after I ran alsactl clean and now I have a Master volume and it works! Maybe it will work with my other DAC without hardware volume control too. I beginning to see the light!

[GioF71]

Good... did you have to change the custom asound.conf?

[zamiere]

Sometimes it works, sometimes not, I leave it as is, works with hw volume, I will be careful when changing it.

[GioF71]

Sometimes it works, sometimes not, I leave it as is, works with hw volume, I will be careful when changing it.

So if I understand correctly, with your custom asound.conf, the tidal app move an additional slider for Software volume, while without that asound.conf, the tidal app ends up moving the master volume, is that right?

[zamiere]

Without asound.conf, after alsactl clean with rebuilt config only one slider appear in alsamixer, with "Headphone" label. That's a hardware volume slider I think.

[GioF71]

Ok good to know. The interesting thing is that your asound.conf can make softvol work even with your device, which already has a "Master" device defined. So there is hope for those other users who could not enable softvol. I will have a look at the old issues and maybe implement the changes in an experimental branch

[zamiere]

I have an another usb/toslink adapter (and DAC) with optical output which drive a cheap R2R DAC.
I want a softvol on that to control the volume, because the adapter builtin hw volume change the onboard dac volume, the coaxial output level is constant. If we can put the softvol before the hardware card/device, Tidal will change that. I don't know if it's possible, only angry neighbours can tell about loud test results until now... 😅

[GioF71]

doesn't a variant of your applejack.asound.conf (with the other card name other than "A") work?

[zamiere]

Not tried yet. But when I tried the committed conf with current (apple) card, it doesn't work with audio file check enabled.
Now I reinstalled the TonyTromp repo and it's generated an .env file with:
PLAYBACK_DEVICE=USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack A: Audio (hw:0,0)

I will try it with a clean install.

[zamiere]

I think I wrongly concluded that it works, I was wrong all along.

[GioF71]

I just tried over a pi4 "Headphones", which has an existing "Master" control so generally softvol doesn't work with this repository.
However if I use your asound.conf (just adapted with Headphones instead of A), softvol works, but the Master slider goes up and down.

So, this confirms the behavior of your apple usb c device I believe.

I suppose your other setup (the R2R dac with usb to spdif adapter) should behave similarly.
EDIT:
It probably won't because with this config the tidal app volume operates on the hardware volume unfortunately.

[GioF71]

I think I wrongly concluded that it works, I was wrong all along.

what do you mean? :-o

[zamiere]

I'm just not sure how long it worked this way because after that only the hardware one worked and I didn't watch the sliders...
I hope the other dac will show what is the correct way for a working config.

[GioF71]

I'm just not sure how long it worked this way because after that only the hardware one worked and I didn't watch the sliders... I hope the other dac will show what is the correct way for a working config.

the problem is that that custom asound.conf creates the SoftMaster control. But the tidal app will use the "Master" control anyway. On the other hand, without that SoftMaster control, the Tidal app volume doesn't work at all for reasons beyond my knowledge.
I suppose on your usb-to-spdif that if you should move that SoftMaster slider from alsamixer, the volume attenuation will be reflected on the dac coax output as well. But it would be very inconvenient because the app moves the "Master" slider, so the hw volume, while you would want the Softmaster volume to be moved

[GioF71]

Have you considered the other solutions? BubbleUPnP against mpd+upmpdcli would solve all those issues easily.

[zamiere]

The closest I came to a solution was here.

[zamiere]

I don't know, this little Apple DAC works well with default config. Now I know if it's hang up, I must clear the orphan devices with alsactl clean and rebuild image (when devices changing). We can close this issue, I will work on another DAC in the next days because it's really fun! :) Thanks for info and help!

[GioF71]

It has been fun for me as well. Give a try to the other solution... mpd and upmpdcli can be easily installed using docker, so very easy. Let me know if you need some help with that!

[zamiere]

Good news!

Idea is from here: https://alsa.opensrc.org/How_to_use_softvol_to_control_the_master_volume - "Common example with dmix"

working asound.conf:

pcm.softvol {
    type	softvol
    slave {
	pcm "dmix"
    }
    control {
	name	"Master"
	card	0
    }
}

pcm.!default {
    type	plug
    slave.pcm	"softvol"
}

But only works with this .env:

ASOUND_FILE_PREFIX=applejack
ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no

I tried with enable it and forcing FORCE_PLAYBACK_DEVICE=dmix but it's only freeze.

Without tone test we have two independent volume control, one existing hw with "Headphone" label and one softvol "Master" which can control by Tidal app volume slider.

[zamiere]

If this config will work with PCM2704 toslink adapter too, we can rename the config to "dmix-softvol.asound.conf".

I found your softvol configs, I will try to set the S24_3LE format we will see if it works, but in theory dmix automatically set the necessary conversion between formats?

[zamiere]

Work with PCM2704 but need to rename control name "Master" to "PCM" and running alsactl clean multiple times.
Some caveats: moOde need access and mode changes create clicking sounds, never know if it will be loud or normal volume level when switching between renderers (mpd/spotify/tidal). Be careful! Look always alsamixer for check level!

[GioF71]

Good news!

Idea is from here: https://alsa.opensrc.org/How_to_use_softvol_to_control_the_master_volume - "Common example with dmix"

working asound.conf:

pcm.softvol {
    type	softvol
    slave {
	pcm "dmix"
    }
    control {
	name	"Master"
	card	0
    }
}

pcm.!default {
    type	plug
    slave.pcm	"softvol"
}

But only works with this .env:

ASOUND_FILE_PREFIX=applejack
ENABLE_GENERATED_TONE=no

I tried with enable it and forcing FORCE_PLAYBACK_DEVICE=dmix but it's only freeze.

Without tone test we have two independent volume control, one existing hw with "Headphone" label and one softvol "Master" which can control by Tidal app volume slider.

Hello, thank you for the updates. But in this configuration, where is the DAC select? Isn't a part missing?
Maybe this, from the page you mention:

pcm.softvol {
    type            softvol
    slave {
        pcm         "<device name>"
    }
    control {
        name        "<control name>"
        card        0
    }
}

[zamiere]

I think the default is the fallback card and because there is no defined card, the sound file test fails. If I force valid card names it's freeze. If I leave out the sound test it works. Now I switched back to simplest solution, moode with hw volume with apple jack and no need to config anything in tidal-connect, it just works.

[GioF71]

That probably works well because both moode and tidal connect use the same master volume, not a bad solution I would say!

[GioF71]

Hello, in case you are interested, I bought a Fosi DS1 a few days ago. Today I tried it with tidal connect, it works ok with software volume. It has +/- buttons so one might prefer to disable software volume, I created both userconfigs (sample .env files)

[zamiere]

And how it sounds?

[GioF71]

not bad at all I would say. A dedicated desktop headphone amp is better of course but I can't complain. I also used it with mpd/upmpdcli and with squeezelite, works perfectly. I also bought a pair of IEM, KZ ZS10 PRO X, not too expensive. I also orderer the 4.4 mm balanced cable, this one will arrive tomorrow. Those things are for office usage, I just want to bring smaller items, I was using an old FiiO X5 which was falling into pieces after years of usage and a pair of Sennheiser Momentum on-ear. Way too bulky for a backpack with also a lapton an its psu inside