ALSA: aplay underruns on an Arcam rDac

I've come to try an USB audiophile DAC: Arcam rDac. It is an async usb DAC to be able to lower jitter.

But I encounter some issue.

Here is the output from alsa-info.sh:

!!################################
!!ALSA Information Script v 0.4.60
!!################################

!!Script ran on: Fri Mar  4 13:49:58 UTC 2011


!!Linux Distribution
!!------------------

Debian GNU/Linux 6.0 \n \l


!!DMI Information
!!---------------

Manufacturer:      
Product Name:      
Product Version:   


!!Kernel Information
!!------------------

Kernel release:    2.6.37-dockstar
Operating System:  GNU/Linux
Architecture:      armv5tel
Processor:         unknown
SMP Enabled:       No


!!ALSA Version
!!------------

Driver version:     1.0.23
Library version:    1.0.23
Utilities version:  1.0.23


!!Loaded ALSA modules
!!-------------------

snd_usb_audio


!!Sound Servers on this system
!!----------------------------

No sound servers found.


!!Soundcards recognised by ALSA
!!-----------------------------

 1 [DAC            ]: USB-Audio - ARCAM DAC
                      ARCAM ARCAM DAC at usb-orion-ehci.0-1.4, full speed


!!PCI Soundcards installed in the system
!!--------------------------------------



!!Advanced information - PCI Vendor/Device/Subsystem ID's
!!--------------------------------------------------------



!!Modprobe options (Sound related)
!!--------------------------------

snd-atiixp-modem: index=-2
snd-intel8x0m: index=-2
snd-via82xx-modem: index=-2
snd-pcsp: index=-2
snd-usb-audio: index=-2


!!Loaded sound module options
!!--------------------------

!!Module: snd_usb_audio
        async_unlink : Y
        device_setup : 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
        enable : Y,Y,Y,Y,Y,Y,Y,Y
        id : (null),(null),(null),(null),(null),(null),(null),(null)
        ignore_ctl_error : N
        index : -2,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1
        nrpacks : 8
        pid : -1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1
        vid : -1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1


!!USB Mixer information
!!---------------------------
--startcollapse--

USB Mixer: usb_id=0x0c560002, ctrlif=0, ctlerr=0
Card: ARCAM ARCAM DAC at usb-orion-ehci.0-1.4, full speed
--endcollapse--


!!ALSA Device nodes
!!-----------------

crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116, 32 Mar  4 11:28 /dev/snd/controlC1
crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116, 48 Mar  4 13:22 /dev/snd/pcmC1D0p
crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116,  1 Mar  4 11:28 /dev/snd/seq
crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116, 33 Mar  4 11:28 /dev/snd/timer

/dev/snd/by-id:
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  60 Mar  4 11:28 .
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 160 Mar  4 11:28 ..
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  12 Mar  4 11:28 usb-ARCAM_ARCAM_DAC-00 -> ../controlC1

/dev/snd/by-path:
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  60 Mar  4 11:28 .
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 160 Mar  4 11:28 ..
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  12 Mar  4 11:28 platform-orion-ehci.0-usb-0:1.4:1.0 -> ../controlC1


!!ALSA configuration files
!!------------------------

!!System wide config file (/etc/asound.conf)

pcm.!default {
    type hw
    card 1
    }

ctl.!default {
    type hw
    card 1
    }

!!Aplay/Arecord output
!!------------

APLAY

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 1: DAC [ARCAM DAC], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

ARECORD

**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****

!!Amixer output
!!-------------

!!-------Mixer controls for card 1 [DAC]

Card hw:1 'DAC'/'ARCAM ARCAM DAC at usb-orion-ehci.0-1.4, full speed'
  Mixer name    : 'USB Mixer'
  Components    : 'USB0c56:0002'
  Controls      : 0
  Simple ctrls  : 0


!!Alsactl output
!!-------------

--startcollapse--
state.DAC {
        control {
        }
}
--endcollapse--


!!All Loaded Modules
!!------------------

Module
snd_usb_audio
snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc
snd_hwdep
snd_usbmidi_lib
snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event
snd_rawmidi
snd_seq
snd_timer
snd_seq_device
snd
ipv6


!!ALSA/HDA dmesg
!!------------------

The issue: aplay underruns.

aplay -D plughw:1,0  "02-The Logical Song-Supertramp.wav"
Playing WAVE '02-The Logical Song-Supertramp.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Stereo
underrun!!! (at least 57,894 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,005 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,004 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,004 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,004 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,005 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 4,001 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,005 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,004 ms long)
underrun!!! (at least 0,004 ms long)
^CAborted by signal Interrompre...

and so: $ cat /proc/asound/DAC/stream0 gives:

ARCAM ARCAM DAC at usb-orion-ehci.0-1.4, full speed : USB Audio

Playback:
  Status: Stop
  Interface 1
    Altset 1
    Format: S24_3LE
    Channels: 2
    Endpoint: 1 OUT (ASYNC)
    Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000

If I try # aplay -D hw:1,0 "02-The Logical Song-Supertramp.wav" then:

Playing WAVE '02-The Logical Song-Supertramp.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Stereo
aplay: set_params:1053: Sample format non available
Available formats:
- S24_3LE

I've tried several parameters with aplay (man aplay) without success.
I do not know what to do for this DAC does work on an x86 linux system.
:-(

So if someone has an idea.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2011 08:21AM by Sagittarius.

I've sent back today the Arcam rDac.