• Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Topic: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

A few days ago I became a new user of the ADI-2 DAC FS.
The preliminary results are disappointing.
I'm connecting ADI-2 DAC FS to Synology DS 214 NAS with a stock USB cable. I run the file "441_16_adi2pro_bittest 4s" on the NAS and I don't see the message "Bit test passed".
When connected to a PC on which Foobar2000 with ASIO is installed, everything is OK.
I have read that the ADI-2 DAC FS with its unique clock can handle almost any digital signal.
What is the reason why ADI-2 DAC FS fails Bit test with Synology NAS?

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Check that playback volume is at 100%.
What client software does the Synology use and what audio driver does it use?
Maybe the audio transmission is not lossless.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

3 Reply by conquest66 (edited by conquest66 2022-10-19 15:52:08)

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

Check that playback volume is at 100%.
What client software does the Synology use and what audio driver does it use?
Maybe the audio transmission is not lossless.

ramses, these are general guidelines that are obvious.
Synology client software and audio driver? Synology is a NAS. The client in Synology is Audio Station. Driver - stock Linux.
Today, a user replied in this thread that he is undergoing a bit test on Synology and Raspberry. But after I asked him a few questions, he deleted his post. What is strange.

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

conquest66 wrote:
ramses wrote:

Check that playback volume is at 100%.
What client software does the Synology use and what audio driver does it use?
Maybe the audio transmission is not lossless.

ramses, these are general guidelines that are obvious.
Synology client software and audio driver? Synology is a NAS. The client in Synology is Audio Station. Driver - stock Linux.
Today, a user replied in this thread that he is undergoing a bit test on Synology and Raspberry. But after I asked him a few questions, he deleted his post. What is strange.

Obvious … well, you are asking for help.
I think that the player is causing issues or the Linux audio driver is causing the issue.
Furthermore, Linux has something like an internal mixer, and it might be that the default volume is not at 100%.
I expect the issue there. USB transport errors I regard as unlikely if you do not have audible audio issues during playback.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5 Reply by conquest66 (edited by conquest66 2022-10-19 16:41:45)

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:
conquest66 wrote:
ramses wrote:

Check that playback volume is at 100%.
What client software does the Synology use and what audio driver does it use?
Maybe the audio transmission is not lossless.

ramses, these are general guidelines that are obvious.
Synology client software and audio driver? Synology is a NAS. The client in Synology is Audio Station. Driver - stock Linux.
Today, a user replied in this thread that he is undergoing a bit test on Synology and Raspberry. But after I asked him a few questions, he deleted his post. What is strange.

Obvious … well, you are asking for help.
I think that the player is causing issues or the Linux audio driver is causing the issue.
Furthermore, Linux has something like an internal mixer, and it might be that the default volume is not at 100%.
I expect the issue there. USB transport errors I regard as unlikely if you do not have audible audio issues during playback.

It's not about Linux per se.
The software that outputs audio to Synology via USB is Audio Station. There is a lot of information on the Internet that people use Synology NAS as a high-quality digital transport. There is no evidence that the Synology NAS passes the bit test, because not every Synology user has an ADI-2 DAC FS.
We need information from people who will confirm this. Unfortunately, the person who wrote that his Synology is passing the test has merged.

Or the Synology NAS is not suitable for the ADI-2 DAC FS.

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

All that the NAS has to do is to transport the digital data unchanged to the ADI-2 DAC FS.
And this doesn't seem to happen.
It can be the player, it can be the Linux audio driver in the kernel, it can be the USB transport.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

As the Bittest succeeded with the PC, it's unlikely that USB cable or ADI-2 DAC FS have a fault.
So, the issue is there somewhere at the NAS … Either the player or the something in the Linux audio driver.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • vinark
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,657

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Passing the bit test only indicates that there is no audio processing going on in the player. If the processing is volume only and done right that is harmless. Same as volume control in the ADI. USB transport errors cause clicks and are easily detected. I would not worry per se about the bit test.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632

9 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2022-10-19 17:43:40)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

I had similar thoughts, Vinark. Audio quality is not automatically bad just because it is not “bit-perfect”.

To be honest … I use replay gain tags here to 98% when listening to music to have it at about the same volume level. The quality is still outstanding.

So if he is really that concerned about everything being bit-perfect (without even having a concrete audio problem), then it would be better to build a “best practice” / proven solution which you can control a lot better.

I don't see this as a given with such a NAS solution, which consists of a proprietary player and a Linux solution that is only slightly standardized. You do not know what Synology deployed exactly and what changes or customizations have been done for this NAS solution, where the focus is … storage.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

I had similar thoughts, Vinark. Audio quality is not automatically bad just because it is not “bit-perfect”.

To be honest … I use replay gain tags here to 98% when listening to music to have it at about the same volume level. The quality is still outstanding.

So if he is really that concerned about everything being bit-perfect (without even having a concrete audio problem), then it would be better to build a “best practice” / proven solution which you can control a lot better.

I don't see this as a given with such a NAS solution, which consists of a proprietary player and a Linux solution that is only slightly standardized. You do not know what Synology deployed exactly and what changes or customizations have been done for this NAS solution, where the focus is … storage.

I wanted to talk about it. About sound. The bit test is secondary. The sound is what prompted me to write the first post. There is no stage, no dynamics. I listened to this sound from my Note9.
Many choose NAS as a transport precisely because of its proprietary nature. Pure figure without processing. Where are the distortions? Storage on a NAS as transport is very secondary. The theme of storage takes place on large volumes.
I don't know why my NAS with ADI-2 DAC FS sounds so bad.

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

> The bit test is secondary

An indication that something is not like it should be.

> Many choose NAS as a transport precisely because of its proprietary nature

Who is “many”?! I would choose something which is known to work and I repeat myself telling that the main application for a NAS is to be a NAS.

> Pure figure without processing.

This is something that you wish for, but reality seems to look different.

> Storage on a NAS as transport is very secondary.

You seem to have misunderstood me … I only wanted to tell you that the main purpose of NAS is to act as NAS.
Not to be the (bit-) perfect music player.

> I don't know why my NAS with ADI-2 DAC FS sounds so bad.

I would contact Synology support.

Meanwhile, you should consider getting a better solution than that. Get something better and more controllable for playing music … which can access music content on the NAS through network.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Muffin
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2021-12-26
  • Posts: 143

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

conquest66 wrote:
ramses wrote:

I had similar thoughts, Vinark. Audio quality is not automatically bad just because it is not “bit-perfect”.

To be honest … I use replay gain tags here to 98% when listening to music to have it at about the same volume level. The quality is still outstanding.

So if he is really that concerned about everything being bit-perfect (without even having a concrete audio problem), then it would be better to build a “best practice” / proven solution which you can control a lot better.

I don't see this as a given with such a NAS solution, which consists of a proprietary player and a Linux solution that is only slightly standardized. You do not know what Synology deployed exactly and what changes or customizations have been done for this NAS solution, where the focus is … storage.

I wanted to talk about it. About sound. The bit test is secondary. The sound is what prompted me to write the first post. There is no stage, no dynamics. I listened to this sound from my Note9.
Many choose NAS as a transport precisely because of its proprietary nature. Pure figure without processing. Where are the distortions? Storage on a NAS as transport is very secondary. The theme of storage takes place on large volumes.
I don't know why my NAS with ADI-2 DAC FS sounds so bad.

The purpose of the bit test is to show that the chain of playing has no changed bits, that it's bit-perfect on the arrival to the ADI-2 DAC/Pro using USB. That's it, really.

After the bits arrive on the ADI-2 there may be DSP changes, as configured by the user. Perhaps turn it all off for testing? A reset might be helpful here.

Perhaps you don't like an uncoloured sound as opposed to a transparent ADI-2 one (with all DSP disabled, of course) -

13 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2022-10-19 18:41:02)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

> Perhaps you don't like an uncoloured sound as opposed to a transparent ADI-2 one (with all DSP disabled, of course) -

He said in the 1st posting, that he checked on PC and there it was ok … So … no issues with “transparent sound”.

”When connected to a PC on which Foobar2000 with ASIO is installed, everything is OK.”

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Muffin
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2021-12-26
  • Posts: 143

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

> Perhaps you don't like an uncoloured sound as opposed to a transparent ADI-2 one (with all DSP disabled, of course) -

He said in the 1st posting, that he checked on PC and there it was ok … So … no issues with “transparent sound”.

”When connected to a PC on which Foobar2000 with ASIO is installed, everything is OK.”

Yet this thread is still alive.

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Muffin wrote:
ramses wrote:

> Perhaps you don't like an uncoloured sound as opposed to a transparent ADI-2 one (with all DSP disabled, of course) -

He said in the 1st posting, that he checked on PC and there it was ok … So … no issues with “transparent sound”.

”When connected to a PC on which Foobar2000 with ASIO is installed, everything is OK.”

Yet this thread is still alive.

And she is alive because I am waiting for a response from people who both have and use Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS.

  • Muffin
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2021-12-26
  • Posts: 143

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

conquest66 wrote:
Muffin wrote:
ramses wrote:

> Perhaps you don't like an uncoloured sound as opposed to a transparent ADI-2 one (with all DSP disabled, of course) -

He said in the 1st posting, that he checked on PC and there it was ok … So … no issues with “transparent sound”.

”When connected to a PC on which Foobar2000 with ASIO is installed, everything is OK.”

Yet this thread is still alive.

And she is alive because I am waiting for a response from people who both have and use Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS.

Why both?

The ADI-2 DAC FS with DSP disabled is transparent so the problem you have is the Synology NAS audio chain that apparently introduces some audio colouring that you like (nothing wrong with that, mind you).

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Muffin wrote:

Why both?

The ADI-2 DAC FS with DSP disabled is transparent so the problem you have is the Synology NAS audio chain that apparently introduces some audio colouring that you like (nothing wrong with that, mind you).

A priori, I have no complaints about the ADI-2 DAC FS.
I really DO NOT like how the Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS audio coupler sounds.
I'm counting on the experience of other people who have experience with Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS.
Not very good sound - is it my mistake in the settings or is it a problem with the Synology system player, which has a software level control?

  • Muffin
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2021-12-26
  • Posts: 143

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

conquest66 wrote:
Muffin wrote:

Why both?

The ADI-2 DAC FS with DSP disabled is transparent so the problem you have is the Synology NAS audio chain that apparently introduces some audio colouring that you like (nothing wrong with that, mind you).

A priori, I have no complaints about the ADI-2 DAC FS.
I really DO NOT like how the Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS audio coupler sounds.
I'm counting on the experience of other people who have experience with Synology NAS and ADI-2 DAC FS.
Not very good sound - is it my mistake in the settings or is it a problem with the Synology system player, which has a software level control?

The bit-test that you run said "pass" but as I wrote that's only for the input to the ADI-2 DAC FS, so you might have DSP enabled. Check the status screen on the ADI-2 (clicking the upper right button to cycle screens) to check that cross feed, EQ, Bass/Tone controls are not on. There is also emphasis, which I think will show as well if it is enabled. This is per output. All of this to ensure that the ADI-2 just transparently amplify an input signal.

Next is to try do similar for your Synology NAS audio chain, including any software.

The purpose of this is just to try determine what makes a contribution to the audio.

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

> Not very good sound - is it my mistake in the settings

Which concrete settings, what is configurable?

Did you activate music converter?
https://kb.synology.com/de-de/DSM/help/ … ?version=7

> or is it a problem with the Synology system player, which has a software level control?

What do you mean by "software level control"?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Did you ensure, that you really used the same playback settings and playback volumes on the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Did you store the settings into a profile and recalled it for every test to be 100% valid and exactly the same?

Check settings:

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Settings
Mono -> OFF
Width -> 1.0
M/S Proc -> OFF
Phase invert -> OFF
Crossfeed -> OFF
D/A Filter -> e.g. Slow
De-Emphasis -> Auto or OFF
DUAL EQ -> OFF

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Parametric EQ
EQ Enable -> OFF
B/T Enable -> ON (but check that they are both set at 0 dB)

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Loudness
Enable -> OFF

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,106

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

What does Synology support tell you? Did you ask in Synology forum?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

Muffin wrote:

Next is to try do similar for your Synology NAS audio chain, including any software.

I checked the status screen on the ADI-2 DAC FS. Everything O This is not strange, because ADI-2 DAC FS passes bit test with PC on the same input (USB).
How should I check this on my Synology NAS?

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

Which concrete settings, what is configurable?

Audio Station / DSM/.

ramses wrote:

Did you activate music converter?
https://kb.synology.com/de-de/DSM/help/ … ?version=7

In no case!
Especially since DSM 7 does not support USB DAC. I have DSM version 6.2.

ramses wrote:

What do you mean by "software level control"?

The Audio Station interface that controls music playback from Synology NAS has a Volume slider at the bottom right.

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

What does Synology support tell you? Did you ask in Synology forum?

Of course not. From Synology's point of view, everything works. And that's right. Synology offers different sound output methods, but we are satisfied with only bit-by-bit. I think it will be difficult for Synology to explain what a "test bit" is and what it is for.

  • Registered: 2019-01-17
  • Posts: 12

Re: ADI-2 DAC FS fails bit test with Synology NAS

ramses wrote:

Did you ensure, that you really used the same playback settings and playback volumes on the ADI-2 DAC FS?
Did you store the settings into a profile and recalled it for every test to be 100% valid and exactly the same?

Check settings:

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Settings
Mono -> OFF
Width -> 1.0
M/S Proc -> OFF
Phase invert -> OFF
Crossfeed -> OFF
D/A Filter -> e.g. Slow
De-Emphasis -> Auto or OFF
DUAL EQ -> OFF

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Parametric EQ
EQ Enable -> OFF
B/T Enable -> ON (but check that they are both set at 0 dB)

I/O -> Main Out 1/2 -> Loudness
Enable -> OFF

Yes. Everything is correct.