[Mr BubbaHyde]

^^^^

Interesting you should mention network connection, the Optibox, and HQP.

In the last 3 or 4 days using HQP with Roon I have had quite a few dropouts and I also use the Optibox. I should also note that I am on the latest Beta update that was supposed to fix dropouts. I am running Roon from a recently acquired NUC which obviously has nothing else except Roon installed on it. My HQP is running on a powerful PC that is mainly used by gamers (I am not a gamer! lol) and I do not use this PC for anything else although there will obviously be background tasks running. So my setup for streaming is fairly optimum for what I want to do as far as I can see.
The other thing that has started happening since updating to Beta is that the colour of the network signal changes from White to Green on the front of the Neo, and when that happens the music stops playing. Which is strange because Green is still supposed to signify a fairly strong signal if I recall the manual correctly, but it means I get nada music playing until I reboot the Neo. I should add the Neo is literally a couple of feet from my Router so should be getting a fantastic signal.

I'm still hopefully waiting for a poster more technical than me who can tell me if it's possible to revert back from the current Beta version to the latest live Production software to see if it can resolve this for me - also calling Mr @iFi audio again!

Yes, you can revert, using the app or ifi.local, whichever is easier for you just do a soft factory reset, then update the firmware to the current version, it's under the settings tab next to where you update the firmware. I have done it already a few times and takes about 5 minutes.

Now keep in mind this is going to take you all the way back to the very first firmware of the NS, this is not a problem, but perhaps while you are there you can check the issues you are having on the initial, and current firmware, and possibly see where something has gone wrong!

Interesting that these issues are popping up for you guys, now keep this in mind but I am in not using HQPlayer and I am not seeing these issues, color changes/stuttering so I think we should keep mental notes to try to help find the cause of this.

Can you use HQplayer in AIO mode as a test? I ask because I do not know, but it would be interesting to see if the results are the same.

Cheers!!

 

[gryffe]

Ok, bit of an adventure. After doing soft reset to Factory settings the Neo came back and looked ok on the surface of it. I went to iFi.local and thought I'd test out the internal DAC which was one of the reasons I wanted to revert back from the Beta update as I'd lost the ability to play anything on internal DAC since that update. However before I could play anything I noticed it was constantly doing wireless resets and then I lost connection even though I am hardwired to the network. Got back on the menu on my computer and just went straight to the latest firmware to ensure no further issues. As hoped for I can now use internal DAC because I am no longer on the Beta version. Software/firmware can be temperamental and things that look black and white aren't always, so I'm not saying the Beta update caused my issue, but all I can say for sure is the internal DAC is back working again. Lets see how the network and dropouts fare now. If I get either or both I might miss out the Optibox and go normal ethernet and see if that makes any difference.

ps - the other thing I noted from my post a few days ago was that while on the Beta upgrade any time I was on iFi.local I could see the Neo was constantly doing wireless resets, now that I am back on the "live" firmware this is no longer happening.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I am the exact opposite from you, I have had no issues with the "Beta" in fact in terms of the dropouts I would occasionally get, now I am not.

It is indeed so difficult to get a handle on these issues as we are in different places with different internet, routers,modems, switches and the lot, but we will get there.

I remember a friend of mine was having network issues, we have the same service, same area, came down to her was running a VPN on his Router but never told me, lol. Anyway that seemed to be causing most of the issues he was having, networks are a strange beast to me!

Cheers!!

 

[gryffe]

And now I have lost playback from the internal DAC, while using HQP with Roon. I changed absolutely nothing from what was working for a couple of hours playback time earlier. I'd just been away for an hour. and sat down to listen to some music again. I changed to my external DAC while still using HQP with Roon and got about a minute into the song and I got a dropout which caused the song to stop and despite several attempts i could not get a song to play. So still using Roon I changed the setting on Neo away from HQP to the Roon setting and now I can use the internal DAC again. There's so many variables at play here it's hard to know where the faulty link(s) in the chain is.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

And now I have lost playback from the internal DAC, while using HQP with Roon. I changed absolutely nothing from what was working for a couple of hours playback time earlier. I'd just been away for an hour. and sat down to listen to some music again. I changed to my external DAC while still using HQP with Roon and got about a minute into the song and I got a dropout which caused the song to stop and despite several attempts i could not get a song to play. So still using Roon I changed the setting on Neo away from HQP to the Roon setting and now I can use the internal DAC again. There's so many variables at play here it's hard to know where the faulty link(s) in the chain is.

For me if I get "no sound" after being away for a bit, it's usually quickly fixed by using the gear icon on the front off the unit (Hold until Digital/Analiog shows on the screen), and selecting digital, ones itt switches, you should see this on the Roon screen (being unavailable zone) then go back to Analog.

I have no idea why the unit would be switching itself, but I again hope for some form of Last Setting Fix.

Cheers!!

 

[ra990]

I noticed the issue with HQP and analog out not working in NAA mode, but going into AIO mode and making sure the output device on the web UI's playback settings was set to Analog did the trick. The Neo was showing me that Analog was selected on the front display in NAA mode, but when I changed to AIO, it showed Digital in the web UI playback settings. Once I changed that to Analog, saved, then switched back to NAA, it started to work as it should.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I noticed the issue with HQP and analog out not working in NAA mode, but going into AIO mode and making sure the output device on the web UI's playback settings was set to Analog did the trick. The Neo was showing me that Analog was selected on the front display in NAA mode, but when I changed to AIO, it showed Digital in the web UI playback settings. Once I changed that to Analog, saved, then switched back to NAA, it started to work as it should.

Yes, it seems to me with some of the recent issues for lack of a better way of putting it, the "app" and the selection of settings on the actual device are not communicating changes to one another.

As an example, I have had this happen in Roon Exclusive mode where I select something from the Roon device settings and it doesn't communicate it properly to the "app" or "UI" portion of the device.

For me, the actual Stream-iFi app would be almost useless with the NS as compared to the ZS. In other words, the ability of the NS and its selection dial would be all I need as a Roon user, and would mostly be used to switch between Roon exclusive mode and AIO, but until we get some software issues out of the way I still need both.

Cheers!!

 

[gryffe]

Getting quite frustrated with the inability to use internal DAC at times. Sometimes a reboot of the Neo is enough to fix, at other times a reboot of my amp fixes it, other times its a reboot of both. Today none of that was working and I hit on the idea of removing the USB cable from the back of my Neo not expecting it to make any difference but it did.
Another issue is dropouts which appear worse with Optibox rather than just good old fashioned ethernet. I know this is not an exact science due to lots of variables but I think I'll stick with ethernet for a bit.

Edit. Quite a few hours later and the Neo has barely missed a beat. No dropouts using Roon/HQP, the internal DAC is working perfectly without having to reboot anything, and the network is as steady as a rock without Optibox.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Getting quite frustrated with the inability to use internal DAC at times. Sometimes a reboot of the Neo is enough to fix, at other times a reboot of my amp fixes it, other times its a reboot of both. Today none of that was working and I hit on the idea of removing the USB cable from the back of my Neo not expecting it to make any difference but it did.
Another issue is dropouts which appear worse with Optibox rather than just good old fashioned ethernet. I know this is not an exact science due to lots of variables but I think I'll stick with ethernet for a bit.

Edit. Quite a few hours later and the Neo has barely missed a beat. No dropouts using Roon/HQP, the internal DAC is working perfectly without having to reboot anything, and the network is as steady as a rock without Optibox.

I am in total favor of (if possible) the removal of the "auto" USB setting, or better yet possibly being allowed to turn it off in the settings menu. I have maybe only had one issue with "losing" the internal DAC since I removed all connections on the back of the NEO, it's there for me every time, and if it isn't I have been using the "long press" on the gear icon of the front of the NEO ( it then shows analog/digital settings) and a quick cycle between both brings it back to where it needs to be!

Keep in mind that I am not using HQPlayer mode so perhaps there are some differences there as well.

Cheers!!

 

[gryffe]

A review, he seems to like it but then he is selling it lol

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

A review, he seems to like it but then he is selling it lol

And an interesting use of the Vertical stand as well!!

 

[ctrlm]

Gotta love the way the Poms say rooter instead of router.

I'm borderline cynical of a lot of reviews but there's no border when it comes to a dealer reviewing a product they sell.

BTW - day 5 of using my NS via WiFi and not a single hiccup

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Gotta love the way the Poms say rooter instead of router.

I'm borderline cynical of a lot of reviews but there's no border when it comes to a dealer reviewing a product they sell.

BTW - day 5 of using my NS via WiFi and not a single hiccup

I am still baffled by the "wired" issue you are having, very odd...

Cheers!!

 

[ChrisOc]

Gotta love the way the Poms say rooter instead of router.

I'm borderline cynical of a lot of reviews but there's no border when it comes to a dealer reviewing a product they sell.

BTW - day 5 of using my NS via WiFi and not a single hiccup

Correction:

the Poms say, "rooter", as in the language from which the word is borrowed, French.

Our American cousins say, "ra-ou-ter". I have to say, I have met Aussies who say, "rooter", so I had no idea that you use the same pronunciation as the 'Mericans in Oz.

All said in jest, just a bit of fun, no offence intended.

 

[ctrlm]

Correction:

the Poms say, "rooter", as in the language from which the word is borrowed, French.

Our American cousins say, "ra-ou-ter". I have to say, I have met Aussies who say, "rooter", so I had no idea that you use the same pronunciation as the 'Mericans in Oz.

All said in jest, just a bit of fun, no offence intended.

No offence taken - I was born in Essex but took the convict route (root) at an early age

It's just that the word rooter has dirty schoolyard connotations in this part of the world, so it brings out a childish giggle.

Yep the septic tanks are taking over the culture here, I cannot believe how big Halloween has become. We'll all be eating turkey in November before long