iFi Zen DAC with Audirvana - Software Volume Control Not Responding Windows 10

Legacy versions Windows
1

Hello,

I am testing out the trial version on Windows 10. I have a Ifi Zen DAC connected to the system and things seem to be working ok except I am not able to control the volume in the Audirvana App. The volume is enabled and moving it up or down or mute has no effect. I can only control the volume via the Zen DAC volume control knob and not via Windows Sound mixer either. Below is the debug: thanks

Audirvana 3.5.43

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: ON
Effects plugins NOT ACTIVE

UPSAMPLING:
SoX not in use
SoX filter parameters
Bandwidth at 0dB = 99.5
Filter max length = 30000
Anti-aliasing = 100
Phase = 66

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: by album
SW volume control: ON

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 0 folders
Library database path: C:\Users\paulmez\AppData\Local\Audirvana\AudirvanaPlus\AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

Max. memory for audio buffers: 3546MB

Local Audio Engine:WASAPI

Preferred device:
Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio)
Model UID:Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio)
UID:\?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{96c57609-8640-423d-a39d-474a540dfd33}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}

Currently playing in Integer Mode:
Device: 2ch 32bits Integer, 8 bytes per frame 96kHz

Active Sample Rate: 96kHz

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: none
Sample rate switching latency: none
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: OFF
Mute during sample rate change: OFF

Selected device:
Local audio device
Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio) Manufacturer:
Model UID:Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio) UID:\?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{96c57609-8640-423d-a39d-474a540dfd33}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}

8 available sample rates up to 384000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: No
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
MQA Renderer device
DSD capability: DSD via PCM 1.0
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:0 R:1
Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:
Channel 0 mapped to 0
Channel 1 mapped to 1

Audio channels in use
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No
Simple stereo device: No

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)
Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0
Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 44.1kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 48kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 88.2kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 96kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 176.4kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 192kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 352.8kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 384kHz

Local devices found : 4
Device #0: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio(SST)) Manufacturer: Model UID: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio(SST)) UID: \?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{a2688ef0-03c4-4ed1-83e3-dcfa3f97c737}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}
Device #1: Headset (Sennheiser MB Pro 2 Hands-Free AG Audio) Manufacturer: Model UID: Headset (Sennheiser MB Pro 2 Hands-Free AG Audio) UID: \?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{e45479d1-8f23-4c9b-a484-44c05ffbf53c}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}
Device #2: Telephone (Plantronics P540-M) Manufacturer: Model UID: Telephone (Plantronics P540-M) UID: \?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{2462a83f-2d07-4410-9b0e-fe9d46abe3fe}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}
Device #3: Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio) Manufacturer: Model UID: Speakers (iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio) UID: \?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{96c57609-8640-423d-a39d-474a540dfd33}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}

UPnP devices found : 1
Device #0Denon AVR-X3300W UID: uuid:5f9ec1b3-ff59-19bb-8530-0005cda453a6 Location: http://192.168.7.236:8080/description.xml

2

Hello @paulmezzetti, Your DAC do not have software column control, your only choice is to change the volume from your DAC knob.

3

Thanks, looks like I will need to make a request to Ifi for that feature.

4

I forgot to add; I am able to control the Zen DAC volume with Windows volume and that is software controlled.

5

I don’t have any specific issue in changing the volume of the music coming out of my ZEN DAC. I’m not changing the output of the ZEN DAC but the output of Audirvana. For this, I enabled the “software volume control” switch in Audirvana’s audio settings (I think it’s the very last setting on the page, only accessible when it’s not playing).

Because the volume knob of the ZEN DAC is analogic and I believe the advanced volume control of Audirvana to be more reliable (especially in low volume, analogic knob can show inconsistencies in L/R distribution), I use the fixed volume output on the ZEN DAC (there’s a switch on the back of the DAC), and lower the volume on Audirvana (capping the max output in Audirvana’s settings help to do that, especially if you want to drive headphones).
But I just checked, no matter the physical fixed volume switch is on or off, it doesn’t change my ability to use software volume control, it works as it should (and overlaps when the fixed volume is disabled).
Debug Info also shows no volume control, physicial or virtual, but it works.

Note that I’m using the macOS version of Audirvana and the last firmware (5.3c) of the ZEN DAC (it was shipped with a previous version), the one enabling GTO filter. I can use front or back outputs — in my case it’s the balanced 4.4 on both sides — and they both behave the same way. I can’t test the cinch or 6.35 outputs right now unfortunately. And I’m not playing MQA files (I don’t know if it changes anything though, haha)

6

Yohmi

I do have software volume control enabled in Audirvarna per the previous dump file I pasted (see below) show the software volume control for Nirvarna on and the device does not have software volume control capability.

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: by album
SW volume control: ON

Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: No

7

Do you play MQA files?