Increase USB current output

[FraMoode]

Dear All,

Please could you tell me if it is possible to increase USB mA output as for example showed in The thread below?

https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/qu...a-bad-idea

I have a E1DA powerDAC 2.1 and the volume out with my old laptop is a lot more loud than my raspberry pi4 + moode player.

I think the issue is the amperage out, otherwise I cannot explain the reason.

Thanks.

[Tim Curtis]

The "usb_max_current" setting which only applied to Pi-1A/A+, Pi-1B/B+, Pi-2B models has been dropped by the Raspberry Pi Foundation because the firmware in RaspiOS now has the flag set by default.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentatio...xt/misc.md

The symptom you describe "volume out with my old laptop is a lot more loud than my raspberry pi4" suggests something external to moOde software for example some sort of electrical issue?

Feel free to reboot and post the Moode startup log.

Code:

moodeutl -l

[FraMoode]

The "usb_max_current" setting which only applied to Pi-1A/A+, Pi-1B/B+, Pi-2B models has been dropped by the Raspberry Pi Foundation because the firmware in RaspiOS now has the flag set by default.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentatio...xt/misc.md

The symptom you describe "volume out with my old laptop is a lot more loud than my raspberry pi4" suggests something external to moOde software for example some sort of electrical issue?

Feel free to reboot and post the Moode startup log.

Code:

moodeutl -l

Hi Tim,

Thanks to help me. Th electronic part is fine from my point of view. I am using "Hardware" to control the volume.

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ moodeutl -l
20210624 082035 worker: -- Start
20210624 082035 worker: Successfully daemonized
20210624 082035 worker: Integrity check (passed)
20210624 082036 worker: File check (OK)
20210624 082037 worker: Session vacuumed
20210624 082037 worker: Session loaded
20210624 082037 worker: Debug logging (OFF)
20210624 082037 worker: -- Audio debug
20210624 082037 worker: ALSA cards: (0:b1 | 1:Headphones | 2:PCM24192 | 3:empty
20210624 082037 worker: MPD config: (2:E1DA PowerDAC V2.1 PCM24/192 | mixer:(PCM) | card:2)
20210624 082037 worker: ALSA mixer actual (PCM)
20210624 082037 worker: ALSA PCM volume set to (0%)
20210624 082037 worker: -- System
20210624 082039 worker: Host     (moode)
20210624 082039 worker: moOde    (7.2.1 2021-05-06)
20210624 082039 worker: RaspiOS  (10.6)
20210624 082039 worker: Kernel   (5.4.77-v7l+ #1371)
20210624 082039 worker: Platform (Pi-4B 1.1 2GB)
20210624 082039 worker: ARM arch (armv7l, 32-bit kernel)
20210624 082039 worker: MPD ver  (0.22.6_p0x3)
20210624 082039 worker: CPU gov  (ondemand)
20210624 082039 worker: USB boot not available
20210624 082039 worker: File system not expanded yet
20210624 082040 worker: HDMI port off
20210624 082040 worker: -- Network
20210624 082040 worker: eth0 exists
20210624 082040 worker: eth0 wait 0 for IP address
20210624 082043 worker: eth0 wait 1 for IP address
20210624 082046 worker: eth0 wait 2 for IP address
20210624 082049 worker: eth0 wait 3 for IP address
20210624 082108 worker: eth0 wait 4 for IP address
20210624 082111 worker: eth0 address not assigned
20210624 082111 worker: wlan0 exists
20210624 082111 worker: wifi country (IT)
20210624 082111 worker: wlan0 trying SSID (Picchiola)
20210624 082111 worker: IP addr (192.168.2.203)
20210624 082111 worker: Netmask (255.255.255.0)
20210624 082111 worker: Gateway (192.168.2.1)
20210624 082111 worker: Pri DNS (1.0.0.1)
20210624 082111 worker: Domain  (1.1.1.1)
20210624 082111 worker: Pi integrated wlan0 power save disabled
20210624 082111 worker: -- Audio config
20210624 082111 worker: ALSA card number (2)
20210624 082111 worker: MPD audio output (E1DA PowerDAC V2.1 PCM24/192)
20210624 082111 worker: Audio formats (S16_LE, S32_LE, SPECIAL, S24_3LE)
20210624 082111 worker: ALSA mixer name (PCM)
20210624 082111 worker: MPD volume control (hardware)
20210624 082111 worker: Hdwr volume controller exists
20210624 082111 worker: Max ALSA volume (100%)
20210624 082111 worker: ALSA loopback (Off)
20210624 082111 worker: Reset renderer active flags
20210624 082111 worker: CamillaDSP (off)
20210624 082111 worker: -- MPD startup
20210624 082112 worker: MPD started
20210624 082112 worker: MPD accepting connections
20210624 082112 worker: MPD output 1 ALSA Default (on)
20210624 082112 worker: MPD output 2 ALSA Bluetooth (off)
20210624 082112 worker: MPD output 3 HTTP Server (off)
20210624 082112 worker: MPD crossfade (off)
20210624 082112 worker: MPD ignore CUE files (yes)
20210624 082112 worker: -- Feature availability
20210624 082112 worker: Source select (available)
20210624 082112 worker: Source select (source: MPD)
20210624 082112 worker: Source select (output: E1DA PowerDAC V2.1 PCM24/192)
20210624 082112 worker: Bluetooth (available)
20210624 082112 worker: Airplay renderer (available)
20210624 082112 worker: Spotify renderer (available)
20210624 082112 worker: Squeezelite (available)
20210624 082112 worker: RoonBridge renderer (not installed)
20210624 082112 worker: UPnP renderer (available)
20210624 082112 worker: DLNA server (available)
20210624 082112 worker: UPnP browser (available)
20210624 082112 worker: GPIO button handler (available)
20210624 082112 worker: Stream recorder (n/a)
20210624 082112 worker: -- Music sources
20210624 082112 worker: USB sources (none attached)
20210624 082116 worker: NAS and UPnP sources (mountall initiated)
20210624 082116 worker: -- Other
20210624 082116 worker: USB volume knob (On)
20210624 082116 worker: Shellinabox SSH started
20210624 082116 worker: USB auto-mounter (udisks-glue)
20210624 082116 worker: LED0 (On)
20210624 082116 worker: LED1 (On)
20210624 082116 worker: Saved MPD vol level (0)
20210624 082116 worker: Preamp volume level (0)
20210624 082116 worker: MPD volume level (100) restored
20210624 082116 worker: ALSA PCM volume (100%)
20210624 082116 worker: Auto-play (Off)
20210624 082116 worker: Maintenance interval (3 hours)
20210624 082116 worker: Screen saver activation (Never)
20210624 082116 worker: Session permissions (OK)
20210624 082116 worker: Watchdog started
20210624 082116 worker: Ready

[FraMoode]

Just for test, to check if the hardware is ok and not electronic issue, I tried to use another player (piCore) and the volume is loud as for my laptop. Any idea about where the issue is in moode audio? Please feel free to ask for any further tests. Thanks.

[Tim Curtis]

Not obvious to me but maybe another member has some ideas.

If you are going to always output 100% volume then try changing MPD volume to Fixed (0dB). Also look at alsamixer and verify that a ALSA is outputting 0dB gain for the devices mixer control named PCM.

Code:

alsamixer -c 2

[FraMoode]

Not obvious to me but maybe another member has some ideas.

If you are going to always output 100% volume then try changing MPD volume to Fixed (0dB). Also look at alsamixer and verify that a ALSA is outputting 0dB gain for the devices mixer control named PCM.

Code:

alsamixer -c

Bingo!!!! Thank you so much, indeed it was ALSA outputting not at MAX. Problem solved!!!
Please may I ask you another doubt. I have the volume control set to HARDWARE. Is it preferable to set to SOFTWARE? Any difference in sound performance between HARDWARE and SOFTWARE?
Thanks again

[Tim Curtis]

I don't see how it's possible for alsamixer to show < 100 since the Moode startup log entries show otherwise. The line ALSA PCM volume (100%) is the alsamixer volume.

20210624 082111 worker: Max ALSA volume (100%)
20210624 082116 worker: ALSA PCM volume (100%)

[FraMoode]

It was as showed in the pictured. As soon as I increase to the max the volume in the PCM1, it stared to be loud as in my laptop.

Any difference in sound quality between HARDWARE and SOFTWARE?

Thank yo.

[Tim Curtis]

Software uses MPD's volume algorithm and Hardware uses the device's USB or DAC chip volume controller and it's algorithm. it may use a different curve and may or may not apply dither.

I see this device has 2 ALSA volume controls PCM and PCM 1 with no obvious way to determine which one (or both) are used for volume control.

Whats the output from the command below?

Code:

amixer -c2

[FraMoode]

Software uses MPD's volume algorithm and Hardware uses the device's USB or DAC chip volume controller and it's algorithm. it may use a different curve and may or may not apply dither.

I see this device has 2 ALSA volume controls PCM and PCM 1 with no obvious way to determine which one (or both) are used for volume control.

Whats the output from the command below?

Code:

amixer -c2

It has two volumes.

pi@moode:~ $ amixer -c2
Invalid card number.
Usage: amixer <options> [command]

Available options:
  -h,--help       this help
  -c,--card N     select the card
  -D,--device N   select the device, default 'default'
  -d,--debug      debug mode
  -n,--nocheck    do not perform range checking
  -v,--version    print version of this program
  -q,--quiet      be quiet
  -i,--inactive   show also inactive controls
  -a,--abstract L select abstraction level (none or basic)
  -s,--stdin      Read and execute commands from stdin sequentially
  -R,--raw-volume Use the raw value (default)
  -M,--mapped-volume Use the mapped volume

Available commands:
  scontrols       show all mixer simple controls
  scontents       show contents of all mixer simple controls (default command)
  sset sID P      set contents for one mixer simple control
  sget sID        get contents for one mixer simple control
  controls        show all controls for given card
  contents        show contents of all controls for given card
  cset cID P      set control contents for one control
  cget cID        get control contents for one control