Does PSA have any plans to come out with a DAC only option of the PMG 512?
For the last couple of days I had been streaming from Roon to the PMG streamer using the PS Audio Extended Res USB output device. After applying a DSM update on my Synology NAS, that is used as my Roon sever, after the NAS rebooted, the screen on the DAC was completely a noise hash.
I power cycled the DAC and when the Streamer came back on line, I resumed streaming my multi resolution playlist that has every resolution from 44.1k to DSD256. The DAC is currently showing the correct resolution for each track. Here is a screen grab from Roon from the DSD256 track showing that there is no down sampling. I just clicked on the colored dot to the left of the Previous Track icon.
I am still using v 1f3db7 of the Streamer firmware. Based on the comments above, I will not be upgrading to the latest Streamer firmware (56b567) as I don’t want to break what is currently working.
Have you tried the Streamer Out of the Zenith to the DAC Streamer In? I have a Melco with its Player Port and it sounds better than USB.
Faults update (on streamer FW 2.4.56b567)
Streamer:
I get quiet clicks on stopping and forwarding in the track for DSF 128 and 256.
Frequently tracks display (in the playing now window) a shorter duration than the full track and that duration is all that plays.
Dropouts are common. Sounds stops sometimes mid track, but the progress bar keeps creeping forwards (BubbleUPNP controller).
I2S input (from PC Jplay play) via USB and Matrix SpdifX3:
Louder clicks on stopping and forwarding in the track for DSF 128 and 256. Maybe quieter than previously?
Either source: no clicks when starting an individual DFS track.
It’d be really helpful to know what each FW update is meant to add/fix.
There’s no doubt the Jplay USB-I2S sounds much better than the streamer pc (JRiver on upgraded PC via ethernet). I don’t use Qobuz/Tidal.
One little niggle: Please move the AI assistant somewhere else. I use my tablet in landscape orientation and I’m forever hitting it by mistake, eg the top banner.
I mused about this in another post. I would love to see PS Audio seriously consider this suggestion. From what I’ve read so far I have concluded that they need better software talent acquisition.
What is this? I usually do not use the ALSA section in roon. But it does say RAAT and purple * means lossless. So it’s working. Just do not know what that means when using internal streamer
I am not sure what the PS Audio Extended Res USB (ALSA) means. It just showed up in Roon under Settings > Audio as a choice for an output device.
Further down under Other network devices, I see
If I choose this as the output device, then everything gets down sampled to 44.1k. 
Now the bad news. I just checked the DAC display and saw this. Just 4 hours after the last power cycle.
Music was still playing. It required a power recycle to fix this. BTW: I am waiting 15-20 seconds after power off before I turn the power back on. I had to wait a bit for the Streamer to restart and the light to turn Green. During startup, the light started as White, then Red, then Green. I did not have to manually restart the Streamer after the reboot like I previously thought. After the light turned Green, I was able to see and select the PS Audio Extended Res USB output device and resume streaming. The display is showing the correct resolution for each track.
I have had display issues 4 or 5 times now and I am getting concerned as to whether this is a hardware or software issue. If it is software, then I suspect something like a memory leak this is overwriting the display memory with garbage.
FYI: I did a Google search on ALSA in Roon. Here is the AI result.
AI Overview
In Roon, ALSA stands for
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
, which is a framework and a set of drivers in the Linux kernel that provides direct, low-level access to audio hardware. When using Roon on a Linux-based system, ALSA is the technology Roon uses to communicate with and control your DAC or audio output device, enabling high-quality, exclusive audio playback.
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What it is: ALSA is a core part of the Linux operating system that handles device drivers and basic audio functionality for sound cards.
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How Roon uses it: Roon uses ALSA to get direct and exclusive control over your audio hardware, bypassing other sound servers and layers to ensure an uncompromised audio signal.
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Why it’s important: By using ALSA, Roon can provide a pure bitstream to your DAC, ensuring a high-fidelity listening experience, as it bypasses potential processing by other software layers.
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Example in Roon: When configuring an audio device in Roon on a Linux endpoint, you will often see it as a “hw:X,X” device, which is an ALSA reference to the physical hardware.
I’ll be announcing new firmware for the 512 later today that fixes the clicks and much more. Stay tuned.
**
SUMMARY**
Apple AirPlay is a wireless protocol for sharing music, video, photos, and screen mirroring between smart devices on the same network.
AirPlay is one of several standards for wirelessly sharing audio, video, and other media to smart TVs and streaming devices like the Apple TV and Roku. It’s an incredibly handy feature, but it has some quirks that come with being a proprietary Apple technology.
What Is AirPlay?
In short, AirPlay is a proprietary wireless protocol made by Apple for sharing audio, video, photos, and screen mirroring between devices on the same network. A common example of AirPlay’s functionality is sharing content from an iPhone to a TV screen.
Thanks for posting this! I just started using ALSA with my PMG: not hard to hear the difference, quite an improvement.
Thanks for the new firmware. Please put a blurb on the website that reminds us how to install the firmware update. When I installed the update the ready button flashed green but the rotating icon in the display kept rotating. I shut off the DAC and when it restarted and everything is working well, Nice upgrade over the MKII sonically, and I have just started to break it in.
As part of the fw download there are instructions listed. Yes, a power switch reboot is required to set the update, and remains so for all PSA fw updates to my knowledge.
Also for those of you who inserted the PMG 512 in place of another DAC and streamer have you tried completely shutting down your network all the way back to and including the modem. Doing this and rebooting things back up might clear some of your gremlin. Always a good bet when you swap streamers in an existing and running network.
I just installed the new firmware. Easy. Then I did the latest streamer firmware. The fix to make that easier and no reboot needed worked great too. No skips pops tics (not that I had any earlier). Working flawlessly tonight on tons of different formats and rates.
The instructions are now included in the download. But I can help. Basically, place the BIN file on a clean USB stick, with the PMG unplugged from the wall or its rear panel power switch in the off position, insert in the rear of the PMG, in the USB slot labeled FW, and once inserted, power on the PMG DAC until it is finished (about 5 minutes). Go get a cup of coffee. Remove the stick, power cycle with the rear panel power switch, and enjoy.
Were you able to break the DSD512 sound barrier?
Oh good test. I did not try.
Edit: just tried. No go for 512. Skips.
1st and foremost the fact PSAudio is so responsive in a short time period with fixes is a great thing. Hats Off!
at the same time could have all this been avoided with a delayed release etc.?
all these bugs. Is it due to a rushed release? Is it possible that PSAudio did not experience any of these glitches in beta testing etc?
Some have suggested that the PMG 512 quality is misrepresented by the reports on this forum being mostly negative. The fact that a large number of the reported defects are similar in nature makes that argument less compelling. I agree with you about a potential rushed release - that has not turned out well for PS Audio IMO. I own a full stack of PS Audio gear including Aspen speakers and have had no trouble with any of the components! I had hoped that the PMG line would have had a better start, but am still rooting for PS Audio to get this all sorted out. They have been very responsive to the problems reported in general. Just wish the 512 would have been great right out of the gate!