After being bed-ridden for ten days , had another play with Volumio after finding the latest 1.2 image available again at sourceforge . Initially tried this in the main system with XMOS DAC and found the performance to be disappointing and unlistenable due to random dropouts . Out in the workshop with the Pi fitted with Hifiberry DAC a lot more encouraging Have tried various formats and find the playback is clean with no dropouts or clicks/pops . I have 97dB/1W 15" co-ax speakers out there with a gutsy 10W per channel cathode follower valve amp and was nearly pinned to the back wall when the music came on , the volume control seems a lot more sensitive . I’m running around the 45% mark for normal listening instead of 86% with USB DAC . Currently using software mixer control . Anyway , to the Volumio and Hifiberry developers I think you have done a good job Will give this a more thorough test-drive later this evening
Nic