[PROBLEM] No EQ after upgrade to 4.3

[michaeleve]

My search-fu isn't turning up anything so here'goes:
I finally made the jump from 3.8.4 (the last one I paid for) to 4.3. Yes I'm slow.
One of the things I really wanted was the parametric EQ. The old version had EQ that worked, but the options were limited and being able to tame a couple of the speaker/room oddities would be awesome. Well, not as awesome as being able to import FIR filter files, but a step in the right direction (and I digress)

RPI 3B, Allo Boss DAC 1.0 'slave Disabled'
I've tried two different installs on two different uSD cards.

Only changes from 'stock boot' is setting the Allo Boss DAC and turning off BT

The problem is that even if I turn on the parametric eq, Configure, 'Apply'  and 'set'
and restart MPD and or reboot the box I get no change as a result of the PEQ
settings changes. I check results with pink noise and a calibrated mic/spectrum
analyzer app. Even -12db 'holes' in the 1000hz center Q=1 that should be clearly
audible produce no audible or visible (analyzer) change.
Tried roughly a dozen different PEQ settings along the way here. The settings
survive reboot. As far as I can tell the 'regular' EQ isn't working either.
The non-eq'd sound comes out just fine, except the lack of EQ

From System Information: no errors

ALSA card number (0)
...
Audio dev (Allo Boss DAC)
ALSA mixer name (digital)
MPD volume control (software)
...
MPD output 3 ALSA parametric eq (on)

The only clue I can find is that the  PEQ config screen 'i' information dot says:
"APPLY: updates the curve table only
 PLAY: updates the curve config. EQ must be turned on in Audio config to enable Play"

which implies there should be a 'Play' button just below the 'Settings [APPLY]' button, and I don't see one.
Regardless the MPD section of the boot log shows it's on...

I'm EQonfused ...in my first post on the new forum.

M

[Tim Curtis]

Woah, there is a bug in both EQ's regarding the missing Play icon :-0 Will fix that asap :-)

I just did a simple test w/PEQ and set it to +12dB master gain and its definitely working on my end.

The fact that the GEQ also does not seem to be working in your case suggests something upstream thats broken.

Are there any errors in MPD log?

cat /var/log/mpd/log

-Tim

[michaeleve]

Are there any errors in MPD log?
cat /var/log/mpd/log
-Tim

cat /var/log/mpd/log:  Nope, just the last couple pink noise test files I tried.
Not even a notice of the MPD restarts, which is probably in moode.log
I tried turning off the PEQ | Set | EQ Lo Boost | Set | mpd Restart
and still nothing there.

moode.log had:
Job eqfa4p
Job alsaequal
Job mpdrestart      
                           as expected
                             ...no errors

nothing error-ish in boot.log either.

I'm stumped. 
I already pulled down another copy of 4.3 and reflashed to a different sd.
same 'result'

I recall some issues with the allo boss in it's early days but that (eq) was working back in 3.xx

Thanks!
Michael

[Tim Curtis]

What is the output of the command

mpc outputs

[Tim Curtis]

Another file to examine is
/use.share/alsa/alsa.conf.d/eqfa4p.conf

It should reflect your settings in the EQ config

Code:

#
# 2018-01-26 TC moOde 4.0
#

#
# Four Mitra-Regalia peaking equaliser filters in series; a vector arithmetic
# re-implementation of Fons Adriaensens "Parametric1" equaliser[fafil] with
# minor differences. Parallelisation of the serial filter organisation causes
# the output to lag by three samples. The bandwidth control sets the bandwidth
# of a single filter, lower values corresponding to increasing resonance (Q).
#
# Second order filters are capable of resonance (or anti-resonance) around a
# particular frequency. The response of a second order filter is specified not
# only by its frequency but its Q; a higher Q corresponds to a sharper response
# (narrower bandwidth) around a particular center frequency.
#
# There are four sets of four numbers (Enable/Disable, Frequency, Bandwidth, Gain). The final number is overall gain.
# - Enable/disable:    1/0
# - Frequency:        20 - 14000 Hz (Center Frequency)
# - Bandwidth:        0.12 - 8 (Q factor) must have leading 0 if < 1
# - Gain:            -24 - 24 dB
# - Master Gain        -24 - 24 dB
#

pcm.eqfa4p {
   type plug
   slave.pcm "plug_eqfa4p"
}

pcm.plug_eqfa4p {
   type ladspa
   slave.pcm "plughw:0,0";
   path "/usr/lib/ladspa";
   plugins [ {
        id 2609
        label EqFA4p
        input {
            controls [ 1 20 1 0  1 180 1 0  1 2000 1 0  1 11700 1 0  0 ]
        }
   } ]
}

[michaeleve]

What is the output of  the command

mpc outputs

Output 1 (ALSA default) is disabled
Output 2 (ALSA crossfeed) is disabled
Output 3 (ALSA parametric eq) is enabled
Output 4 (ALSA graphic eq) is disabled
Output 5 (ALSA bluetooth) is disabled


as expected.

I'm assuming you meant usr/share for eqfa4p.conf
yours and mine diff=0 except the controls line where I have:  1 1000 1 -20
in the second slot (my current test)

Tim: Thanks for staying on top of this

M

[Tim Curtis]

Really odd since your config is essentially same as mine. I even tested using my All Boss.

\o/

[michaeleve]

Really odd since your config is essentially same as mine. I even tested using my All Boss.

\o/

> I even tested using my All Boss.
...and if I remember correctly you got yours just a -little- before I got mine.
Still my fave.

I'm giving it up for tonight, nothing is coming to my (alleged) mind.
I'll try to dig out my 3.8.4 or whatever it was that last worked and
try to confirm that eq was working.
Michael

[michaeleve]

Solved, sorta...

Couldn't leave it alone.
Started over again, Same image, new uSD card.
Booted, set Allo Boss
Had to move it so powered down.
Powered up and ran a test track. Sounds fine except EQ
...just like before.
Tried EQ first and still no "LoBoost+" Bummer
Shut it down.
Came back a little later because it occurred to me that
the EQ change had not triggered MPD Restart (putting the audio in 'pause')
The eg setting showed the same but still wasn't working
Set  'regular' eq to Off. This time the MPD reset happened.
Named, Configured and Apply and Set Parametric EQ and this time it worked!

What was different?
Sequence of boots. Which EQ was tried first. MP3 instead of OGG test file. Different SD card (the third)
Which of these, if any fixed the problem? Beats me. Insert quasi-religious speculation here.

Supposedly doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result
is an indication of insanity. It's more like a required activity with computers.

Tim; is there some documentation on how to edit the  eqfa4p.conf to
produce a 'shelf' type result? It would be very useful to emulate baffle step correction (BSC) circuits.
Yes I understand it's not supported.

Thanks
Michael

[Tim Curtis]

Very odd however this symptom "the EQ change had not triggered MPD Restart (putting the audio in 'pause" would suggest that something upstream is preventing MPD from restarting.

If the issue occurs again run the command below and see if there are any errors

Code:

systemctl status mpd

The only other way I can think of to troubleshoot this would be to add some debug logging to worker.php which traces the code that starts the eq's. Have a look in /var/www/command/worker.php at the cases below

Code:

case 'eqfa4p':
case 'alsaequal':

 
Add debug logging by inserting the statement below at various points in the code blocks then viewing the moode log /var/log/moode.log to verify whats going on.

Code:

workerLog('message text');

Here is the link to the CAPS plugins. They are included in Raspbian.
http://quitte.de/dsp/caps.html
apt-cache show caps

-Tim