A fix for whiny audible noise artifact with Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC and RPi 4? (resolves with S/PDIF HAT)

Volumio Information

Volumio Version: 2.882
Hardware: RPi 4 with HifiBerry Digi2 Pro
DAC: Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt via USB or Yamaha s501 internal DAC via coaxial SPDIF

I intended to use the streamer (streaming Spotify) mostly for SPDIF output to an external DAC. However, I also wanted to play around and compare those external DACs to my Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC. This DAC works just fine with headphones, and when used with an RCA-Y cable connected and my laptop output (good audio quality, no artifact).

However, when going to settings and changing output to my Cobalt, a very loud electronic high pitched whine is clearly heard. This is not subtle! I am wondering if anyone has experienced this? I thought the improvements in RPi 4 vs the 3 were supposed to minimize this issue?

All audible whine etc. is completely gone when turning on I2S and using the SPDIF output with the Hifiberry Digi2 Pro.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to remove this horrible whine artifact when using my Cobalt as an external DAC? This happens regardless of using Spotify connect or playing within the Volumio app.

Thanks!

@dknk i have same set up rpi4 to cobalt and no issues but run the 3.xx

Hello.

Have you updated the Volumio to version 3, and if so, does your Digi2 Pro hat still work well…?

I just bought one, and no matter what source select I choose, there is no audio out…!

and a short anwser no it doesn’t work for your dac you could use 2.xx but 3.xx doesn’t work.

best regards,
dvo