DAC and streamer handshake

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matthewpartrick

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DAC and streamer handshake
« on: 9 Jun 2020, 01:06 pm »
This isn't exactly related to VR specifically, but I wanted to post it here with Vinnie's permission because he and I worked through an issue a few days ago that has been plaguing me for a while.

When I first bought the LIO when it came out, maybe 2014-ish, I started with a MicroRendu streamer, which had a GUI interface.  It worked intermittently, and was a bit of a source of frustration for me, I'm assuming primarily because I didn't know how to work it properly.  It also had a bit of a tendency to overheat.  Anyhoo, I upgraded to the Bryston BDP3 streamer maybe two years ago. 

Both of these devices have GUI, but the Bryston has a face panel that one can control the device.  The MR and the Bryston had something in common, in that they both intermittently refused to handshake with the VR DAC.  The DAC was working fine through the optical port during this time, and if I plugged a source directly into the USB, it worked fine as well. 

But I got bitten hard by the Roon bug, and ended up getting a Roon Nucleus to run the core, as well as putting all my music on a 4TB NAS.  So, I really wanted to stream to the Bryston through Cat6 Ethernet that I had run to every room in my house when we were gutting it. 

We knew that the issue lay with the DAC and the streamer handshaking after troubleshooting it, and I figured the GUI settings for the streamer were incorrect.  For the life of me I could not find the settings in the GUI to select the LIO DAC as the output.  Even when I did find it eventually, I would select this and nothing would happen.  After much gnashing of teeth of which I will spare you the details, I found out a back door into the Bryston GUI that fixed the issue instantly, and if any of you have run into this issue I thought I would share with you the solution. 

Go to Roon Settings--Audio.  Under the device with the GUI (Bryston BDP3 in my case) select device info.  In that pop up menu, select configure device.  This takes you to the backdoor GUI and the correct audio output page is instantly booted up.  There you can select LIO DAC, hit save, and that's it. 

Importantly, when I would accidentally get this to work through other means in the past, the handshake would drop when either unit was turned off, and I would have to reinvent the wheel.  Vinnie and I thought leaving the streamer on would prevent this, but since I found this fix, it has borne out that whenever I turn either device off, or specifically turn the L2 off and leave the streamer on, I will still have to go to configure device to get the handshake to occur. 

If this issue is plaguing anyone else I thought I would share this super simple fix.

Does anyone use a streamer that will automatically initiate the handshake when the streamer is booted up first and DAC second, without needing to adjust a GUI setting?

Thanks everyone!

jtwrace

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #1 on: 9 Jun 2020, 01:20 pm »
Does anyone use a streamer that will automatically initiate the handshake when the streamer is booted up first and DAC second, without needing to adjust a GUI setting?
It's a long story but the answer is yes.  My Allo will connect most of the time in that manor.  However, I no longer use a separate streamer and dac though.  Having an all in one unit is so nice with less cables and the issues you describe.  Simple Ethernet in and that's it.  I'm surprised Vinnie hasn't taken the L2 to the next level with a built in streamer as then it would really would be a "one box unit". 

matthewpartrick

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #2 on: 10 Jun 2020, 03:07 pm »
He certainly ruminated about an integrated streamer at one point, and I think decided against it due to proximity of the two devices and resultant noise, or something like that.  His post about this is in one of the topics here.  Perhaps he will chime in. 

So you are using a separate DAC right now and the VR as a preamp? 

The Bryston is becoming a little obsolescent, so I am looking ahead to something that works instantly when booting up.  I would love to get everyone's impression of the most effective streamer when it comes to this. 

jtwrace

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #3 on: 10 Jun 2020, 03:26 pm »
So you are using a separate DAC right now and the VR as a preamp? 
I don't use the VR LIO anymore.  I use the Mola Mola Tambaqui which is a dac, streamer and pre all in unit. 


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/mola-mola-tambaqui-dac-and-streamer-review.10770/

Vinnie R.

Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #4 on: 10 Jun 2020, 05:55 pm »
Hi MP,

Thank you for posting this - it may very well help other Bryston BDP3 users!

Quote
His post about this is in one of the topics here.  Perhaps he will chime in. 


I am not looking to get into the streamer business.  I have more than enough on my plate at this time  :green:

Thanks again,

Vinnie

tme110

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #5 on: 10 Jun 2020, 09:14 pm »
I use a microredu with the LIO and have never once had to use a GUI to connect.  Sometimes things dont work but power cycling the rendu always fixes the issue.

matthewpartrick

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #6 on: 14 Jun 2020, 05:38 pm »
Hi MP,

Thank you for posting this - it may very well help other Bryston BDP3 users!

I am not looking to get into the streamer business.  I have more than enough on my plate at this time  :green:

Thanks again,

Vinnie

I don't blame you!  I can barely get out of bed in the morning sometimes.  Coffee, N95 mask, work, shower, sleep, rinse, repeat.  I hope you know I wasn't disparaging the separation of the streamer and dac, frankly I think it's a good idea because both of those components can become obsolescent way before any other component in the L2, and so I'm happy to upgrade the dac when the time comes and have the option to get whatever streamer I want.  That said, I think I've got the preamp/amp component set until the kids are in college at the very least! :) :banana piano: :banana piano: :banana piano:

matthewpartrick

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Re: DAC and streamer handshake
« Reply #7 on: 23 Jun 2020, 12:43 am »
OK, so the next logical question is: what streamers are you using with LIO/L2 DAC?

TIA :beer: