Intermittent Audio Dropout on One Speaker of Google Home Stereo Pair via AirPlay

[m4r1k]

Audio playback sometimes fails on one speaker within a Google Home stereo pair when streaming via AirPlay using AirConnect. This issue occurs intermittently and affects both direct streaming to the stereo pair and streaming to a speaker group containing the pair.

Environment

• AirConnect Version: 1.8.3 (via 1activegeek/airconnect:1.8.3 Docker image)
• OS: Rocky Linux 9.5 - 5.14.0-503.38.1.el9_5.x86_64
• Docker CE: 28.1.1
• Audio Source Devices: iPhones (mix of models 15 & 16)
• iOS Version: 18.4.1
• Streaming App: Apple Music
• Audio Output Devices:
  • Google Nest Mini x2 (configured as a stereo pair named Kitchen pair in Google Home).
  • UBL Link Music x1 (Bathroom speaker in Google Home)
  • Google Home Speaker Group (All Speakers in Google Home, containing Kitchen pair and Bathroom speaker)
• Network Setup: Standard home network (details can be provided if necessary)

Expected Behavior Both physical speakers within the Kitchen pair consistently play audio in sync when streaming to either Kitchen pair+ or All Speakers+ via AirPlay.

Actual Behavior Intermittently, one of the two physical speakers in the Kitchen pair becomes silent, while the other continues playing.

• This occurs randomly. Sometimes playback is perfect, other times one speaker drops out.
• It has been observed when targeting the Kitchen pair+ directly via AirPlay.
• It has also been observed when targeting the All Speakers+ group via AirPlay (in this case, the Bathroom speaker continues playing normally, but one of the Kitchen pair speakers goes silent).
• It is always the same physical speaker within the pair that drops out.

docker-compose

    airconnect:
      network_mode: host
      image: 1activegeek/airconnect:1.8.3
      container_name: airconnect
      volumes:
        - /opt/airconnect:/config
      environment:
        - AIRCAST_VAR=-x /config/config.xml
        - AIRUPNP_VAR=kill
      restart: unless-stopped

XML config

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<aircast>
    <common>
        <enabled>1</enabled>
        <stop_receiver>0</stop_receiver>
        <media_volume>0.5000</media_volume>
        <latency></latency>
        <drift>0</drift>
        <codec>flac</codec>
        <metadata>1</metadata>
        <flush>1</flush>
        <artwork></artwork>
    </common>
    <main_log>info</main_log>
    <cast_log>info</cast_log>
    <util_log>warn</util_log>
    <log_limit>-1</log_limit>
    <max_players>32</max_players>
    <ports>0:0</ports>
    <binding>?</binding>
    <device>
        <udn>e36ca5817678f48f34802a989e2b183f</udn>
        <name>Kitchen speaker dx+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:70:85:8b:f3</mac>
        <enabled>0</enabled>
    </device>
    <device>
        <udn>280010f7cdce4f802059065a3e1e9c47</udn>
        <name>Kitchen speaker sx+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:df:3d:27:15</mac>
        <enabled>0</enabled>
    </device>
    <device>
        <udn>ae26a52b-f319-45e1-9df4-197e1e4c47cc</udn>
        <name>Kitchen pair+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:ce:6f:01:f6</mac>
        <enabled>1</enabled>
    </device>
    <device>
        <udn>80cb389cf2b9deaeb72031ebe5bdc1ed</udn>
        <name>Bathroom speaker+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:fe:2b:68:12</mac>
        <enabled>0</enabled>
    </device>
    <device>
        <udn>C2A9E580-6DB0-484C-9B20-802FDA0E9B53</udn>
        <name>All Speakers+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:93:e7:2e:7d</mac>
        <enabled>1</enabled>
    </device>
    <device>
        <udn>5087383303206054b48cec51755b4385</udn>
        <name>[AV] Soundbar+</name>
        <mac>cc:cc:f4:a4:4f:2f</mac>
        <enabled>0</enabled>
    </device>
</aircast>