Linux xbmcbuntu-11.0 unable to play 24bit 96k audio

I currently have openelec installed and decided to give the new xbmcbuntu-11.0 a go. With a test run of xbmcbuntu from a bootable usb stick before I install it over my existing working openelec setup.

most audio plays fine, except when I play high resolution 24 biit/96kHz audio files such as flac It keeps reporting "failed to initialize audio hardware" when I try to play the audio files.

Yet I have no problem playing a dvd with a multi-channel 24bit/96kHz audio track, as I can see the 24/96 indicator light up on the amplifier display. And can also play 24bit-48kHz audio files without problem.

Audio hardware settings in XBMC are as follows:

Audio output: Optical
speaker configuration: 5.1
Audio output device: custom
Custom audio device: plughw:1,1
Passthrough output device: Custom
Custom passthrough device: plughw:1,1

Sound card installed in pc is:
SIIG DP SoundWave 5.1 PCIe
S/PDIF Optical Output
Supports 24-bit/96kHz digital audio out through S/PDIF (Toslink)

Amplifier is Marantz SR7500
Support 24bit/96k multicahnnel audio
Supports 24bit/92k stereo audio

Using PCIe sound card since my aplifier does not have/support HDMI.

any ideas why audio hardware is failing on some high resolution 24bit audio files? Any ideas on this?

Just a long shot, have you tried to change "plughw 1,1" to "plughw:1,1"? Looks like you are missing ":" (colon) for pass-through.
Not sure if you need to use plughw, is hw:1,1 maybe better for going strait to the sound hardware?.

(2012-05-02 17:48)Jan-Erik Wrote:  Just a long shot, have you tried to change "plughw 1,1" to "plughw:1,1"? Looks like you are missing ":" (colon) for pass-through.
Not sure if you need to use plughw, is hw:1,1 maybe better for going strait to the sound hardware?.

Already done that. That was just a typeo in my original post. Most audio gets passed through sound card s/pdif out to AMP fine except when I try to play 24bit/96kHz FLAC files I get "failed to initialize audio hardware" No idea why XBMC can't handle these types of audio files. Seems the only format I find XBMC can't handle at the moment.

I was wondering can XBMC actually handle 24bit 96kHz Flac files. Either 2 channel stereo or 5.1 multicahnnel?

(2012-05-03 03:29)G12345567 Wrote:  

(2012-05-02 17:48)Jan-Erik Wrote:  Just a long shot, have you tried to change "plughw 1,1" to "plughw:1,1"? Looks like you are missing ":" (colon) for pass-through.
Not sure if you need to use plughw, is hw:1,1 maybe better for going strait to the sound hardware?.

Already done that. That was just a typeo in my original post. Most audio gets passed through sound card s/pdif out to AMP fine except when I try to play 24bit/96kHz FLAC files I get "failed to initialize audio hardware" No idea why XBMC can't handle these types of audio files. Seems the only format I find XBMC can't handle at the moment.

I was wondering can XBMC actually handle 24bit 96kHz Flac files. Either 2 channel stereo or 5.1 multicahnnel?

Yes, but my filles come out as 16bit, 48kHz

Have you tried this sound autput settings?
Sound; Custom
Custom: "hdmi-remap"
Passthrough: HDMI (ALSA)

$ sudo nano ~/.asoundrc (and enter the code( (leave the file /etc/asound.conf empty)

You can check out if AudioEngine is for you, have to compile xbmc yourself to test it out

Haven't tried those settings. As I am using optical and not HDMI for audio playback. As my amp does not support HDMI.