Low volume with digital modded Touch

Turnandcough · « **on:** 16 Oct 2010, 12:47 am »

Just swapped my old SB3 for a new Touch with digital mods and while everything is up and running the volume level is unbelievably low. I need to crank my pre above 50% before it even starts to be listenable. I tried with two different DACs with both S-PDIF and optical outputs. I updated the software and I'm running 7.5.1 firmware.
Contrary to the SB3 there appears to be no variable/fixed volume setting in the player or Squeezebox Server configuration options and the slider is stuck at 39/100.
I also tried clearing/rescanning music collection.

Turnandcough · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 01:14 am »

I changed the file type settings and then put them back to the way they were and for some strange reason was finally able to get the volume slider to go to 100%. Volume is level is back to normal.

For now it's set as follows: FLAC = disabled
MP3 = disabled
PCM = FLAC

I'll check things out tomorrow with a rested brain.

Turnandcough · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 05:27 pm »

This morning I had no sound at all so I reset the file type to:
FLAC = native
MP3 = flac/lame
PCM = disabled
Turned off/on SB server. Sound is back but I can't figure out what is causing this behavior. I doubt very much it has anything to do with the mods. Would appreciate if someone could chime in with some suggestions.

BTW - I'm quite happy with the modded Touch. I never listened to a stock version but compared to my old SB3 there is much better separation of instruments and it's much easier on my ears at high volume.

Next step will be to drop the wireless and upgrade my DAC. Also wish I could find a way of replacing the S/PDIF RCA for a BNC. But apparently it's not that simple.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 05:59 pm »

Why is the slider stuck at 39/100? Would you not want to boost that up, or is that the question you are asking?

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 06:09 pm »

Mark, it sounds like 39 is "max" as far as the machine is concerned.

I don't see why changing file types would have anything to do with where the volume 'knob' maxes out though. As far as I can tell, the only hint I see is the PCM setting changing is what's messing it up. Quite possibly its requiring a restart of the system after changes, which would answer the part about when and why the changes being made are actually being carried out.

Bob

mfsoa · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 06:24 pm »

I suggest that the software is just flaking out, as I've seen the Touch do a few times. If it works now, maybe just move on and leave it at that.

-Mike

Turnandcough · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Oct 2010, 07:00 pm »

Thanks for your responses.

I kept clicking on it and trying to drag but I was unable to budge the slider - it was frozen at 39/100. But now it's at 100/100 so that's not the issue anymore.

With my old SB3 I could set the volume so that it was fixed at 100% in which case moving the slider had no impact on actual volume level. So far I haven't managed to do that with the Touch.

I have read that it is better to have the computer do the converting to FLAC then streaming the PCM signal to the Touch instead of having the Touch do the decoding. After some fiddling around I got it to work that way last night but this morning I needed to set it back to the way it was just to get ANY SOUND AT ALL.

It does appear that the software is buggy. I suppose the next step would be to uninstall/install SB server but for now I'll settle for the bugs until tomorrow as I'm happily listening to some good music right now and don't want to risk screwing things up for the evening. Things have a way of getting complicated at the worst of times.