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[jdindc]

When I play a track via one of my non-direct zones (a Sonos speaker), the Audio Path information does not update.  When I first open MC and play a track, the Audio Path information is correct.  For example, if I play a 24/96 track, the Audio Path will show the Input as 24/96 and the Output as 24/48 (after it is downsampled for Sonos).  But if I then play another track that is 16/44, the Audio Path will still show the Input as 24/96.  The Audio Path will also show the same Changes, such as volume adjustments for volume leveling (which I have turned on).  This information will stay the same no matter how many times I try playing new tracks with different bit rates/depths and volume levels.  It will stay this way until I close and reopen MC, after which the Audio Path for the first track I play will show correctly. . . until I play another track.

The Audio Path information for my zone with a direct connection (core audio) is always correct.

I don't know if the tracks are actually playing correctly (e.g., with the proper volume leveling), and it's just the Audio Path information that is showing incorrectly.  If it helps, I discovered the issue when I was listening to an album through one of my non-direct (Sonos) speakers.  It's a loudly mastered album, but I've always counted on MC's volume leveling (a great feature) to adjust the volume down.  Today, however, I immediately noticed that the album sounded much louder than the previous track, which was from another album.  So I checked the Audio Path (something I rarely do).  That's when I noticed that the information was not updating properly.

I would appreciate any assistance anyone could offer to fix this problem.

Josh

[bob]

When I play a track via one of my non-direct zones (a Sonos speaker), the Audio Path information does not update.  When I first open MC and play a track, the Audio Path information is correct.  For example, if I play a 24/96 track, the Audio Path will show the Input as 24/96 and the Output as 24/48 (after it is downsampled for Sonos).  But if I then play another track that is 16/44, the Audio Path will still show the Input as 24/96.  The Audio Path will also show the same Changes, such as volume adjustments for volume leveling (which I have turned on).  This information will stay the same no matter how many times I try playing new tracks with different bit rates/depths and volume levels.  It will stay this way until I close and reopen MC, after which the Audio Path for the first track I play will show correctly. . . until I play another track.

The Audio Path information for my zone with a direct connection (core audio) is always correct.

I don't know if the tracks are actually playing correctly (e.g., with the proper volume leveling), and it's just the Audio Path information that is showing incorrectly.  If it helps, I discovered the issue when I was listening to an album through one of my non-direct (Sonos) speakers.  It's a loudly mastered album, but I've always counted on MC's volume leveling (a great feature) to adjust the volume down.  Today, however, I immediately noticed that the album sounded much louder than the previous track, which was from another album.  So I checked the Audio Path (something I rarely do).  That's when I noticed that the information was not updating properly.

I would appreciate any assistance anyone could offer to fix this problem.

Josh

What are your DLNA server settings?

[jdindc]

Thanks for the reply, Bob.  I read everything I could find on the Wiki about DLNA setup, but I'm still not sure what information you're looking for.  So with that disclaimer, I hope this information helps.

Under Media Network, I have "Use Media Network to share this library and enable DLNA" checked.  I also have "Authentication" checked.

"Enable SSL" is unchecked.  "DNLA Server," DLNA Renderer," and "DLNA Controller" are all checked.

Under Audio Conversion, it says "Convert audio when necessary" and the Encoder says "16-bit."

Under Add or Configure DLNA Servers, it says "Generic DLNA."  (It used to say "Audiophile 24-bit DAC," and I hoped that switching it to "Generic DLNA" would fix my problem.  But it did not.)  Under Audio, it says "Specified output format only when necessary."   Under Format, it says "PCM 24-bit."

Hopefully this helps.  But please let me know if you're looking for other information (and where to find it).  Thanks so much.

EDIT: I just tried playing a track to a different zone (another Sonos speaker).  The track plays fine, but the Audio Path says "Not using JRiver audio engine."

[bob]

Thanks for the reply, Bob.  I read everything I could find on the Wiki about DLNA setup, but I'm still not sure what information you're looking for.  So with that disclaimer, I hope this information helps.

Under Media Network, I have "Use Media Network to share this library and enable DLNA" checked.  I also have "Authentication" checked.

"Enable SSL" is unchecked.  "DNLA Server," DLNA Renderer," and "DLNA Controller" are all checked.

Under Audio Conversion, it says "Convert audio when necessary" and the Encoder says "16-bit."

Under Add or Configure DLNA Servers, it says "Generic DLNA."  (It used to say "Audiophile 24-bit DAC," and I hoped that switching it to "Generic DLNA" would fix my problem.  But it did not.)  Under Audio, it says "Specified output format only when necessary."   Under Format, it says "PCM 24-bit."

Hopefully this helps.  But please let me know if you're looking for other information (and where to find it).  Thanks so much.

EDIT: I just tried playing a track to a different zone (another Sonos speaker).  The track plays fine, but the Audio Path says "Not using JRiver audio engine."

The Add or Configure DLNA servers section is the area you want to work with.
The name of the server is just a preset base that we start with.
If you only have one server, it's fine if you leave it titled "Generic DLNA".
Depending on your setup with "Specified output format only when necessary", you will or will not be using the JRiver audio engine.
When a file is sent as-is it will not be using the JRiver audio engine. This is because DLNA network devices are file based, not stream based like local playback.
If you want to apply the JRiver audio engine to all of your tracks going to a networked device you must choose "Specified output format" and then select a format the device supports. The audiophile DAC preset uses 24 bit wave because it's not a conversion, it's just decoding and can then apply all DSP.

[jdindc]

Thanks for your latest reply, Bob.  I have selected "Specified output format" and then "PCM 24-bit."  All tracks play perfectly.  The Audio Path information is correct for the first track I play.  But it is still usually not updating properly when I switch tracks -- until I close and reopen MC, at which point the information will again be correct.  I say "usually" because, every once in awhile, the information will update correctly.  I haven't been able to figure out what, if anything, changed to cause the information to update.

In any event, tracks played through my non-direct (Sonos) zones are noticeably quieter when I play them using MC as the audio engine than if I play the same tracks using the Sonos app.  That leads me to believe that MC's volume leveling is working, which in turn leads me to assume that MC is properly resampling the tracks as well.  If this is the case, and MC is doing what it should be doing (with these server settings), I can live with the fact that the information about the changes (volume leveling and resampling) is not always displaying correctly under Audio Path.

Of course, it's possible that everything I wrote above is based an on erroneous understanding of how MC handles files over DLNA.  My apologies if that's the case.

Thanks again for your replies and attempts to figure this out.

[bob]

Thanks for your latest reply, Bob.  I have selected "Specified output format" and then "PCM 24-bit."  All tracks play perfectly.  The Audio Path information is correct for the first track I play.  But it is still usually not updating properly when I switch tracks -- until I close and reopen MC, at which point the information will again be correct.  I say "usually" because, every once in awhile, the information will update correctly.  I haven't been able to figure out what, if anything, changed to cause the information to update.

In any event, tracks played through my non-direct (Sonos) zones are noticeably quieter when I play them using MC as the audio engine than if I play the same tracks using the Sonos app.  That leads me to believe that MC's volume leveling is working, which in turn leads me to assume that MC is properly resampling the tracks as well.  If this is the case, and MC is doing what it should be doing (with these server settings), I can live with the fact that the information about the changes (volume leveling and resampling) is not always displaying correctly under Audio Path.

Of course, it's possible that everything I wrote above is based an on erroneous understanding of how MC handles files over DLNA.  My apologies if that's the case.

Thanks again for your replies and attempts to figure this out.

It sounds like everything is working properly with perhaps the exception of the audio path info.
That is retrieved when MC queries the server for the URL it's playing, a parameter that was part of the initial push describes the control to query (IIRC that's the first query only).
If you force switch tracks that may cause MC to skip that query.
It's also possible that the renderer is taking too long to report that info back and we time out.
Regardless you can be certain the DSP is being applied because of the volume leveling as you found.

[jdindc]

Great.  Thanks again for all your help.