Random Playback Termination - UPnP To KEF Speakers

Connection with external Audio Devices
1

I have had a good run, 2 years of faultless playback on Studio over UPnP to KEF speakers ever since upgrading my network to WiFi 6 and then 7. Unfortunately this all came to an end after recently returning from a trip.

For the last 5 days playback randomly stops several times per day. Obviously away for two weeks the daughters and their friends have been hammering the network with all manner of unsecured devices so immediately suspected network degradation. Started therefore to work through the system as follows;

  1. Rebooted network, endpoints and computer. No change.
  2. Reset network to factory defaults and reset up. No change.
  3. Tested network, KEF.s seeing 85 mbps throughput (network card in KEF.s is 10/100 mbps so basically no issue). No change.
  4. Checked KEF firmware, no updates installed recently so not the issue. All settings for KEF.s using “plays with” settings so not an issue.
  5. I had updated on my return to AS 2.8.3 so reverted to 2.8.2. No change still random playback termination.
  6. Have recently been running Developer Beta 6 of macOS 15 so downgraded back to 14.6 using an M series IPSW file which resets firmware as well to original 14.6 associated firmware- no change. Still playback stops.
  7. Checked playback over airplay -ok, but lower network load with airplay so no surprise. Even took some travel sickness pills and installed Roon, was even worse, rather than playback interruptions the server would lose the ability to find any endpoints other than the system output requiring several reboots to get them back.
  8. Dug through wifi manufactures firmware release notes and found that the TPlink Deco BE85.’s had installed an update whilst I was away……bingo, sent logs to TPlink in the hope they can resolve, quite a few transmission errors in the logs.

Conclusion

Can’t help feeling that computer based digital audio streaming has so many variables in the mix that I must be a masochist for attempting this. Whilst waiting for the wind to change direction will just have to listen with headphones via USB Chord DAC’s…………

2

Issue resolved. Firmware update resulted in performance regression when using the fibre backhaul capability between the main and satellite router that the speakers were connected to.

Disconnected the fibre backhauls and ran wireless rather than cable connection between routers. No more dropouts. One of the few times a wireless connection is preferable to a wired connection! Will wait for a fix from TPLink before running cable again.

3

What a hassle… Glad you sorted it out… :thinking: … I stopped living on the bleeding-edge many years ago… Keep it simple, and enjoy life without complication…Too many variables (gremlins) lurking in the details of complicated systems…:sunglasses:

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4

I think it’s pretty amazing that Audirvana works so well in so many, and often very individual, configurations, and with so much diverse equipment and technologies… I often think some people just want to test the limits because, well, they can!

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5

Agree with both your points, keeping your playback chain as simple as possible is the best way to ensure a trouble free experience. In my experience of using AS since day one the majority of the problems I have come across have had a root cause outside of the Audirvana software itself. When you look at the staggering diversity in configurations/setups/network environments it is remarkable that the software functions as well as it does.

Often the problem in the computer/IT/netorking domain is the rush to innovate and add new features is not matched by robust enough QA/QC. But then I might just be turning into a grumpy old man…

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