Known 3.10.x firmware issues - clarity and solution please!

Answered
Henry Brulard
Tony / Sam/ anyone from Bluesound: I have reported issues with Node 2i hi-rez file playback and spent a lot of time troubleshooting them with support, while they are clearly due to firmware, and specifically to the Wifi / file playback component of it. Moreover, these are known issues, reported multiple times (dropouts, slow fast forwarding or rewinding, stopping playback when moving to the next track, etc.). To recap the full status of my troubleshooting: 1. No issues in previous Node 2i firmware 2. I can play the same files from my Bluos receiver dongle 3. I can play the same files from my Plex clients. 4. The issue is not dependent on a specific network drive, it happens when I play the same files from different drives over Wifi (NAS, computer HD). 5. The files play normally when I connect my Node 2is with a LAN cable. 6. No solutions proposed worked (reinstalling firmware, reconfiguring network, audio clock trim, settings reset, etc.). So I have a few questions: why are you not acknowledging and documenting 3.10.x firmware issues? Why are you letting people spend time on unnecessary troubleshooting? Why are there so many dead links to the discussion of these issues? What is the ETA for the firmware that works? Where is downgrade support while we wait for new firmware? Here is a link that describes some of the issues I am experiencing and wasting time troubleshooting (there are quite a few more): https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360049317394-Bluesound-Node-2i-stops-playing-music-after-software-upgraded-to-ver-3-10-0?mobile_site=true Here is the dead link from that discussion, that is supposed to lead to the "review of the issue": https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360049326734 Best practices would dictate that you document those issues, provide ETA / updates, and save people time troubleshooting; and add firmware downgrade options (which some people seem to have used successfully, but I am not sure how). As of now, I am without ability to play my library of hi-rez files for quite a long time, and what is worse, I seem to be nowhere near a resolution after all of the time spent troubleshooting. Support is suggesting the same solutions they did at the outset, which indicates that they run out of ideas. Can I downgrade and how? What is the ETA for reliable firmware? BTW, I have Sonos products almost from their inception (I was an early adopter) and have never experienced anything similar to this. I also tried HEOS and had no issues. So I do have a real-world comparison points. I bought into Bluesound because I Iiked the sound and the hi-rez capabilities, and the platform seemed mature. It seems I may be mistaken on the latter point. Please advise. Thank you.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Tony W.
    Product Support Manager
    • Edited

    Hi Henry

    We are investigating the deadlink you reference. This was an excellent thread discussing the issue you may be having. In summary; this was caused by an update in BluOS 3.10.0 where we improved DAC performance by more precisely measuring the Audio Clock for our friends down the hall with the Award Winning NAD C658. We did however find out if using an external DAC, not all DACs could handle this change so we added the ability to disable this measurement in BluOS 3.10.3. Please see https://support.bluos.net/hc/en-us/articles/360036429314 regarding your Players Audio Settings and disable Audio Clock Trim.

    The other issue we saw was in increasing Network Security to your Player we retired SMB 1.0 in that same release. Christian's solution is in fact our confirmed fix. (Why we made it the official comment for a while there)

    Hi Henry, the skipping issue was resolved once I changed the settings on my Synology NAS as proposed in the picture in this comment. Enabling SBM3 fixed the issue for me. You could give that a try. Solved the issue for me after a month of troubleshooting.

    https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360049542433-Node-2-Issues-with-skipping-ahead-within-songs-after-latest-Update?page=1#community_comment_360013210654


  • Christian Werkmeister
    • Edited

    Hi Henry, the skipping issue was resolved once I changed the settings on my Synology NAS as proposed in the picture in this comment. Enabling SBM3 fixed the issue for me. You could give that a try. Solved the issue for me after a month of troubleshooting.


    https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360049542433-Node-2-Issues-with-skipping-ahead-within-songs-after-latest-Update?page=1#community_comment_360013210654

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  • Steffan

    Christian - I occasionally have the same problem with fast forwarding and skipping song on Tidal using the bluos app. And this was introduced since update 3.10.xx. not in my 2 years of ownership has this ever been a problem. Now by going to the wifi settings in the bluos app and just typing in my password again solves the problem for some time and then it happens again! I am using the same router as I did 2 years ago and never had a problem until update 3.10.xx, so this is definitely a software problem which bluesound doesn't seem to be acknowledging! They keep saying the same thing about wifi problems, network bla bla bla...

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Hi Steffan

    We have spoken with TIDAL about the issue you are seeing as others saw this too. As mentioned - TIDAL has confirmed the issue is with their authentication servers and asks you to reach out to them to resolve.

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  • Steffan

    However I just don't see how this could be tidals fault since it was introduced with update 3.10.00 and now also on 3.10.03. This has NEVER been an issue before, and the same think happened to my friend with the same setup.

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  • Steffan

    Now it is almost a week since I wrote to the Tidal support team and I haven't heard a thing!! When is this going to be fixed? You started by saying it was a network related problem, now it is Tidals authentication server that is causing the issue. All I know is it started right after update 3.10.00 and I am quite frankly sick and tired of it!!!

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  • Henry Brulard

    My problems appear to be resolved after update to 13.12.2 (what happened to intermediate releases, I wonder?)., which just became available. So far no playback dropouts, navigation of hi-rez files (previous / next) does not lead to issues, and forwarding / rewinding is fairly fast. Heve been trying it for 30 minutes only, I hope it will stick. If it does, it proves the hypothesis of firmware being the cause of above, since I am playing the same files on the same network. So I am thankful. The process should be way better though. For instance, my unresolved tickets got closed as (quoting) "under a "Solved" status to prevent our system from sending you repeated emails". Strange. But again, thanks for what apears to be the solution, and in the hope that this experience does not repeat.

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  • Henry Brulard

    And Tony, this has nothing to do with Audio Clock Trim. Did you reinstate SMB 1.0 support?

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  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Glad o hear your issue is resolved - no changes were made between 3.10.3 and 3.12.2 regarding this. It looks like the first rule of IT worked here, which is a reboot. 3.12.x introduces 3 new features;

    • Support for the PULSE SUB+
    • Support for TIDAL connect
    • Increase of regions for The Neil Young Archive

    We have not reinstated SMB 1.0 and have no intention to given the reason it was removed as it is seen as legacy support and a possible security vulnerability.

     

    -1
  • Henry Brulard

    No, the reboot did not solve it as I have rebooted countless times per various instructions I got from Bluesound. I think you could have noticed that in my posts.

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  • Steffan

    When I switched on my M32 yesterday I once again had the extremely slow skip song and far forward thing in tidal. As I was just about to enter my wifi password once again, I saw there was a new firmware (3.12.2) so I updated and guess what... Tidal wasn't slow at skipping songs and fast forward anymore. However I will not conclude anything as per yet, this will need a weeks of testing as it could take days between each instance before aswell. But God I hope the problem is solved now!!! If not bluesound will probably tell me that it is my router or authentication problems at tidals servers! 🤦🏼‍♂️

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