Which amplifier for multiroom client (comparable to Hifiberry Miniamp)?

[solarpunk]

Hello,

unfortunately I cannot use my Hifiberry Miniamp for a Multiroom client. Is there a comparable amplifier that can be used for this?

Will future Version of moode audio support Hifiberry Miniamp in Multiroom setups?

[Tim Curtis]

Why can't you use it?

[solarpunk]

Why can't you use it?

The multiroom configuration page states "The Receiver requires an audio device that supports Hardware volume.". AFAIK Miniamp does not support hardware volume control. At least in my setup the set-button on trx-config.php to start the receiver is deactivated.

Am I doing something wrong?

[Tim Curtis]

Thats correct. The device must support Hardware volume and apparently that particular HifiBerry board does not.

IIRC the IQaudIO Pi-DigiAMP+ supports Hardware volume.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/iqa...iamp-plus/

There are prolly many other Amp boards based on same chip family that also support Hardware volume.

[solarpunk]

Thats correct. The device must support Hardware volume and apparently that particular HifiBerry board does not.

IIRC the IQaudIO Pi-DigiAMP+ supports Hardware volume.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/iqa...iamp-plus/

There are prolly many other Amp boards based on same chip family that also support Hardware volume.

Out of interest: Why is hardware volume control needed?

Are there any plans to support software volume control in multiroom setups?

[Tim Curtis]

Hardware volume is needed because the Receiver daemon does not provide any volume control. It's only job is to decode and play audio frames received from the Sender.

There are no plans at least in the moOde project to implement software volume in the Receiver daemon because these days most audio devices including Pi integrated HDMI and Headphone out support hardware volume. It's typically only the very low end or feature limited boards that still don't do hardware volume.

[solarpunk]

Hardware volume is needed because the Receiver daemon does not provide any volume control. It's only job is to decode and play audio frames received from the Sender.

There are no plans at least in the moOde project to implement software volume in the Receiver daemon because these days most audio devices including Pi integrated HDMI and Headphone out support hardware volume. It's typically only the very low end or feature limited boards that still don't do hardware volume.

Would it be complicated to implement this in the server, before sending the stream to the client?

[Tim Curtis]

In a Multiroom audio system there is no system wide absolute volume. Receivers must be allowed to have their own volume level to accommodate any differences in Receiver audio hardware, speaker placement and room acoustics. The Sender only transmits its change in volume level (up/down N) to the Receivers and not an absolute volume level.

For example consider two Receivers where one is connected to your desktop speakers in the Library and the other connected to small speakers located on top of your Kitchen cabinets. Volume level 15 might be fine for the desktop speakers but the Kitchen speakers might need to be at level 35 to create an appropriate sound level for that room. When you increase Sender volume by 5 the Library Receiver level becomes 20 and the Kitchen level becomes 40. Thats how the moOde implementation works.

[solarpunk]

Hardware volume is needed because the Receiver daemon does not provide any volume control. It's only job is to decode and play audio frames received from the Sender.

There are no plans at least in the moOde project to implement software volume in the Receiver daemon because these days most audio devices including Pi integrated HDMI and Headphone out support hardware volume. It's typically only the very low end or feature limited boards that still don't do hardware volume.

Would it be possible for me to emulate hardware volume?

[Tim Curtis]

I don't know how that could be done.