[Connect + Heos Denon/ Marantz amp] End of songs randomly getting cut off

[wsnydes]

It doesn't happen on every song and it's seemingly random. It happens on my Android mobile app. I happens on my laptop desktop app. My playback settings on the mobile app are greyed out and I can't change them but gapless playback, crossfade and automix are on. I have turned off all three on the desktop app. I have tried turning crossfade to 0 seconds. The issue still occurs. It started a few weeks ago all of a sudden.

[LisaCD]

Did you happen to do anything that may have inadvertently fixed the problem as I am still having cut out issues and my set up sounds very similar to yours.  Would so like to get a fix on this!!

[wsnydes]

Not that I'm aware of.  

It's really annoying, I know.  I'm just hoping it is fixed and stays fixed!  

[LisaCD]

Unfortunately my frequency is as suggested and I am not comfortable changing DNS based on the warning on the link you provided- "Caution: We recommend that only users who are proficient with configuring operating system settings make these changes".  I really can't see how my local settings have caused this to start happening just over a week ago - I haven't changed anything on my end that would cause this to happen???

[wsnydes]

The issue has popped up again today.  And it came back with a vengeance, cutting off nearly every song played.  I started listening from one of my laptops to one of my Denon receivers.  The issue was so consistent that I actually started to stream from my phone hoping that would take care of it.  It did not initially, but I started the Heos app on my phone and closed Spotify on my laptop and then closed Heos on my phone.  After doing that, I haven't had a song cut off.  I listened to the same song 4 or 5 times before doing this and it cut off the end every time.  Afterwards, I was able to listen to the song completely and each song (so far) without issue.

Edit: spoke too soon.  Just had a song cut off.  However, the issue hasn't been nearly as frequent.  

[LisaCD]

I might jinx myself here but I managed to resolve my problem by doing a complete shutdown of everything internet and device based. This included powering off our fibre connection, modem, all computers all receivers etc etc. So far so good!!!

[wsnydes]

Ha!  That's insane!  I've likely done all of that for other reasons, but not all at once.

I have noticed, hopefully not jinxing myself, that playing through my laptop speakers (technically Bluetooth speakers) that I am not having the issue at all.  Given the frequency that I was having it through my receiver and now not at all through my Bluetooth speakers via my laptop, Connect or Heos would seem to be the culprit.

[wsnydes]

Update:  Multiple days streaming only from my laptop via my Bluetooth speakers and no songs have been cut off.  In addition, on Tuesday I listened all day without issue this way and when I switched over to streaming from my phone to one of my receivers at night, songs immediately started to get cut off.  Connect and/or Heos definitely seems to be the culprit for me.  Both receivers firmware is up to date and they're identical Denon models.  I have tried resetting the receivers, but it didn't make a difference.  And I don't have any issues while streaming other apps like SiriusXM.

[Vasil]

Hey folks! 

Thank you all for the shared information 🙂
We've relayed your input to out tech folks backstage and this is getting looked into.
We'll keep you posted!

P.S.
For anyone who is experiencing this and hasn't shared these details already, please let us know the following:

• The affected devices and your amp's make & model
• The OS version of the devices your start the playback from
• Their respective Spotify app versions 

Many thanks!

[Novy]

Hey folks, 

Thanks for your patience.

Our internal teams are now aware of the situation. However, we'd suggest reporting this to Denon directly as well so they can log this on their end. While we can't commit to a specific timeline for a fix, this could help in the resolution of the issue.

We'd also recommend giving it a try using another network connection to see if it makes any difference.

Keep us posted.

[TomsTrees]

I have exactly the same problem described in the initial post....

Last 5-10 seconds of a song randomly cut off. Not the song or playlist - it works other times.

Streaming to a Denon-HEOS AVR. Firmware is up to date.

Problem started Sept/Oct 2024.

Info...

I only use the web app, no phone. Automix is 0 and off.

It seems like the drop-outs become more frequent with longer (1 hour+) music play time.

My Denon AVR is connected with an Ethernet cable (not wifi). Music keeps playing for 15 seconds when I unplug the cable.

Nothing changed at my end when the problem started. All automatic updating was disabled. So it seems that something changed at Spotify's end in Sept/Oct 2024.

I have tried connecting the Denon to a different internet gateway and provider. Also, put the Denon on a dedicated internet connection with no other devices.

I'm trying to monitor the TCPIP connection when the dropout occurs. I have seen the Denon connected to Google (104.154.126.0/23), Amazon (34.192.0.0/12) and Tritan Development (23.142.248.0/24).

[TomsTrees]

I'm now suspecting problem is due to a Denon HEOS firmware bug.  The HEOS firmware was updated 25-Sep-2024 to version 3.34.410 (firmware from 25.09.2024 - U34.2).   I first noticed random end-of-song cutoffs around that time.

I had a chat with Denon today, asking how to go back to a previous firmware and was told it's not possible (I suspect Denon just does not want end-users to do that).   I then asked how to communicate the problem to Denon firmware developers.  Once again, told not possible.  So I'd like to recruit someone at Spotify to communicate with Denon since it seem impossible to get anything done by an end-user.   My AVR is model AVRS750H.

[TomsTrees]

With Spotify web app and phone app closed, the problem still occurs.   So don't ask what versions the apps are.   AVR is connected with Ethernet cable, so don't blame wifi.  AVR has been reset, so that's not a fix either.  Software/firmware bug!

[AlienViking]

Same issue. Seems to only apply when using Connect through a Denon AVR X2600H. (I can listen for hours on my Bluetooth headset to the same music without this happening). It will end the song early and start the next. Playlist and albums both affected. Seems to happen on longer pieces more frequently, almost 100% of pieces longer than 10 minutes or so are affected. No discernable specific feature - happens in quiet sections or loud sections, at no particular time. In a particular song it will happen at different times each time it's played.

Android 14. Spotify says it's on its current version, as does the AVR. 

[TomsTrees]

The Media Delivery API described here...

https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/commercial-hardware/implementation/guides/media-delivery

shows StreamEnd(id=1) followed by StreamStart(id=2).   The behavior on end-of-song dropouts suggests that the StreamEnd(id=1) is occurring prematurely or that the StreamStart(id=2) is arriving first.  Pass this idea to developers please. 

[JP-IoT]

I’m glad a Googled and found this thread! So I’m not going crazy…

Marantz PM7000N. The device says it’s up to date. This only happens when playing Spotify on this device - some songs (maybe 1 out of 5???) end prematurely and the next song starts. Some days it never happens. Some days it happens more often. Never happens on my computer through my studio monitors or when playing through BT in the truck. Must be HEOS related?

I’ve only owned it for a couple of weeks, so don’t have a reference point of when it would have started. This has been happening since I’ve owned it.

[RyanBlakley]

it has been happening to me since the last update. I have had 5 or 6 live chats with Denon over the past month. Yesterday was the first time a rep admitted there was an issue, He said they were working on an update to fix the issue, and that it should be released soon. Time will tell. 

[hmmMark]

Hi, i also have the problem where random songs are being cut off. About every second/third song i play gets cut off, very annoying. I have a Marantz SR7015 and I use Spotify Connect with HEOS. The problem doesn’t occur when i’m listening on my AirPods directly from my phone. Both the receiver firmware, heos app, Spotify app and my iPhone are all up to date.

[Shampinger]

Also having this issue. There's supposed to be a fix out for this but I haven't received anything, yet.

[AlienViking]

That's great, thanks.

That links to an update of the Heos app. My Heos app has updated itself but does that then flow  through to the Sootify app on my phone? Does the spotify app use a Heos service in the background? Or will there also be an update to the Spotify app and/or the AVR firmware?

[Shampinger]

I don't think the HEOS app for Android/iOS has anything to do with the problem as I've never used it before and Spotify connect works just fine without it. I assume that the Spotify connect functionality of Denon AVRs uses the HEOS firmware under the hood and this is what's been fixed with this update. Check your AVR for a firmware update.

I just received a firmware update for my x1500h unit but haven't been able to test it, yet.