Playback stutter (glitch) when playing mp3 from network DLNA server

M

mehturt

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2024
Messages
17
I'm experiencing playback stutter when playing mp3 files from my local network DLNA server. The DLNA server is Minidlna running on Debian 12.
The stutter always happens on the exact same place of the file, i.e. when I rewind back a few seconds the same audio glitch can be heard in the same place - as if the file itself is broken. However this is not the case when playing the same file through BubbleUPNP on my phone (from the same DLNA server), or when playing the file locally on my PC.
I'm pretty sure I've not had this issue before, so I think it's a recent (months?) regression.
I've reported this to Wiim already, just wondering if anyone else has the same issue.
I can share the mp3 file if anyone is interested to try out.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
That's a really interesting issue, and you have my curiosity now. Have you gotten to the bottom of it yet or gotten anyone else to test out the file? How's it going with the support team?

Do you have trouble with any other songs in that same setup?

My first guess is that it's something in that song which is getting ignored by BubbleUPNP and possibly other apps which we're registering and trying to do something with.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The response I have from the support over email is "we can reproduce the problem using your file". I guess that means they can hear the same glitch as I do. I provided 2 mp3 files to them.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Very interesting. I'll reach out to them and see if there's anything I can help with. Good to know it's something to do with the files, which was already pretty well narrowed down.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
mehturt said:
The response I have from the support over email is "we can reproduce the problem using your file". I guess that means they can hear the same glitch as I do. I provided 2 mp3 files to them.
Click to expand...
I have come across a similar issue before where a file doesn't play properly with one piece of software but does with another. The solution is often to re-encode the file i.e. open it in something like dbpoweramp and convert it to mp3. Yes convert it, even though it is already an mp3. This will re-encode a new file and hopefully fix the glitch.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
@d6jg Thanks for your suggestion. However I'd rather not re-encode the mp3 file again, since mp3 is a lossy compression I believe this would lead to loss of quality (probably not something that I could hear, but anyway).

My issue is that:
* I believe this issue was not there when I purchased the Wiim Pro+ device (end of 2023), so it's a regression with some of the firmware updates
* the issue is not there when the mp3 is played with different software

So I would expect that the Wiim team would analyze this issue and verify whether it's in fact a regression in the firmware, or maybe a problem in the mp3 encoder that I'm using (lame).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Then I would expect to hear the same glitch with the new file :)

EDIT: And then are you saying lame encoder is not producing correct mp3 files? That sounds hard to believe.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
mehturt said:
Then I would expect to hear the same glitch with the new file :)

EDIT: And then are you saying lame encoder is not producing correct mp3 files? That sounds hard to believe.
Click to expand...
Certainly with FLAC you can get this situation where a glitch doesn't surface in one piece of playback software but does in another. Often re-encoding fixes it.

Why don't you try it? Nothing to lose.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
So I have downloaded a classical music flac off of the internet and created 2 mp3 files (one 320kbs CBR, another one VBR) using Lame.
The files can be downloaded here: https://kac.duckdns.org/nc/index.php/s/JmHXNQMY7CRw6qo

With the 320kbs file I can clearly hear glitch in the left channel around 3:27. The glitch is not heard with the flac or the VBR mp3 file.
I also cannot hear it when I play the file locally on my laptop to headphones (Wiim not involved), or when I play it using BubbleUPNP on my phone and stream via bluetooth to the Wiim device.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I played back your CBR MP3 file on a Windows PC + Fiio K3 and Wiim Pro + SMSL SU6 using headphones and could not hear anything obvious at 3:27 so given your own experience using other playback combinations, it does point to something specific with your playback set-up where you are hearing the anomaly.
This is a screenshot of the track open in Audacity . Nothing immediately obvious

1728311359609.png
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I play from the Wiim Pro Plus directly to a power amp, so using Wiim's DAC.. could that be the difference in my setup?
My firmware version is 4.8.628343 (build date 20240904).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
d6jg said:
I have come across a similar issue before where a file doesn't play properly with one piece of software but does with another. The solution is often to re-encode the file i.e. open it in something like dbpoweramp and convert it to mp3. Yes convert it, even though it is already an mp3. This will re-encode a new file and hopefully fix the glitch.
Click to expand...
Hey @mehturt, I haven't heard anything new, but this suggestion from d6jg would be my solution personally. You could always make a copy, convert the mp3 again and listen to the two to see if you notice any difference in the two.

What connection are you using from your WiiM Pro Plus to the power amp? Would you be able to try a digital output from WiiM to something to see if that makes a difference?
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
No, I won't re-encode my entire mp3 collection :)

Hm, I cannot connect the Wiim to anything else atm. I only have Topping DX1 available but that does not have digital in. I'm just wondering if anyone else is able to reproduce the same problem with my files.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I downloaded and put the files on my Synology media server but couldn't find a glitch around 3:27. That doesn't necessarily mean anything because I don't have a WiiM Pro Plus, just tried it with my WiiM Amp. Different platform, different DAC.

Sorry for not being more helpful. It's not an issue related to the WiiM software in general, at least.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Wiim app quality vs casting from synfonium from DLNA server
Replies
3
Views
411
simbun
S
F
  • Question
Gapless playback of Jellyfin source via BubbleUPNP
2
Replies
32
Views
906
Flesh
F
D
  • Question
Pro Plus low volume in LMS
Replies
6
Views
429
deaste
D
M
  • Question
Clicks & pops playing 352.8 kHz files on WiiM Pro Plus
Replies
8
Views
1K
CrystalGipsy
CrystalGipsy
F
Setting repeat mode when using WiiM as DLNA renderer
Replies
15
Views
1K
Flesh
F
Back
Top