I'm new(ish) to using digital streaming. I had been successfully using Ropieee through a Raspberry Pi over the last 3 years or so. I used various DAC hats or USB outputs to various DACs.
I've now expanded my horizons, and I'm trying out some new things that I desperately do not wish to screw up.
After assembling some of the Ian Canada parts into a very basic setup, I have the Gentoo Player on the Raspberry Pi configured for USB output to a DAC. I set it up as a Roon Bridge, and it seems to be working quite well.
Now, I want to try out the other "fancy" Ian Canada parts to output the signal to the DAC properly over the various interface options.
A few (okay a lot of) questions:
First the I2S
In the manual for the Topping, it shows the following for phase:
It would seem that I would need to reverse the phase with the D90 (or just remember to do it in Roon, I think) - no big deal.
What's odd (to me) is that it shows the following for DSD:
If I'm interpreting this correctly (highly suspect) the two (Ian's board and the D90 with DSD) cannot match. I can either have the phase reversed or the channels reversed, correct? I don't play a lot of DSD, but I'd like to have it set up properly.
It seems like it may be easiest to change the DSD to DSDR Data to get the channels correct. I can leave the phase alone. It would be inverted for both types. Then, I can just leave the phase inverted in Roon, if I actually care at all about absolute phase... which... I don't really, but...
OR
Are those settings independent of each other? i.e. if I swap the phase in the preceding step, it ALSO applies to the DSD?
I can test all of this, but it would be nice to not need to fool with testing phase.
So, if anyone knows, I'd be grateful.
-------------------------------------------
Next the AES
Onto the one that I really don't have a clue about... Gentoo Player with the TransportPiAES.
Do I still leave the "DAC" in Gentoo Player as generic I2S when I swap over to that?
Also, does anyone know how to use the Ian Canada I2S and the AES boards in a stacked configuration? I'd love to have both options permanently mounted, so I don't have to swap back and forth. However, the Masterclock from the Fifopi can only go to one thing, I think. Any advice is appreciated.
Just getting the Gentoo Player set up and running was a monumental task. In hindsight, it's easy as Pi
It just had a steep learning curve for me. It's playing now, and it hasn't glitched, so... I'm leaving it alone... until I may need to change it for the AES board...
Edited to insert thumbnails vs. have the massive pics.
I've now expanded my horizons, and I'm trying out some new things that I desperately do not wish to screw up.
After assembling some of the Ian Canada parts into a very basic setup, I have the Gentoo Player on the Raspberry Pi configured for USB output to a DAC. I set it up as a Roon Bridge, and it seems to be working quite well.
Now, I want to try out the other "fancy" Ian Canada parts to output the signal to the DAC properly over the various interface options.
A few (okay a lot of) questions:
First the I2S
- I assume in Gentoo player one would select the "DAC" as Generic I2S, correct?
- Then, as but one example, I have a few DACs. One is a Topping D90. I noticed that the pinout for the Ian Canada board is:
In the manual for the Topping, it shows the following for phase:
It would seem that I would need to reverse the phase with the D90 (or just remember to do it in Roon, I think) - no big deal.
What's odd (to me) is that it shows the following for DSD:
If I'm interpreting this correctly (highly suspect) the two (Ian's board and the D90 with DSD) cannot match. I can either have the phase reversed or the channels reversed, correct? I don't play a lot of DSD, but I'd like to have it set up properly.
It seems like it may be easiest to change the DSD to DSDR Data to get the channels correct. I can leave the phase alone. It would be inverted for both types. Then, I can just leave the phase inverted in Roon, if I actually care at all about absolute phase... which... I don't really, but...
OR
Are those settings independent of each other? i.e. if I swap the phase in the preceding step, it ALSO applies to the DSD?
I can test all of this, but it would be nice to not need to fool with testing phase.
So, if anyone knows, I'd be grateful.
-------------------------------------------
Next the AES
Onto the one that I really don't have a clue about... Gentoo Player with the TransportPiAES.
Do I still leave the "DAC" in Gentoo Player as generic I2S when I swap over to that?
Also, does anyone know how to use the Ian Canada I2S and the AES boards in a stacked configuration? I'd love to have both options permanently mounted, so I don't have to swap back and forth. However, the Masterclock from the Fifopi can only go to one thing, I think. Any advice is appreciated.
Just getting the Gentoo Player set up and running was a monumental task. In hindsight, it's easy as Pi
It just had a steep learning curve for me. It's playing now, and it hasn't glitched, so... I'm leaving it alone... until I may need to change it for the AES board...Edited to insert thumbnails vs. have the massive pics.
^ I like what you've done! I recall it sounding incredible before. Can't wait to hear it again. Yours is what inspired me to give it a try. I'll have to chat with you about how to house mine and/or some more creative ways to stack everything.
Do you have the FifoPi Q7 or Q7MKII? Asking b/c I don't see J14 and J15 (for the MKII) on the bottom of the board, and I see you've got what looks to be J14 connected to your PurePi for sync. I didn't think that function worked with the Q7. If it does, that's fantastic! I have an MKII that I'm going to hook up instead of the Q7 for this system just in case b/c I was not sure.
On my end, I am waiting on one more set of the caps for the UcConditioner 5V side, and the batteries for the PurePower should be here today. At the moment, I am still running it digital out through USB from the RPi until I get the 3V3 side going with the batteries.
Do you have the FifoPi Q7 or Q7MKII? Asking b/c I don't see J14 and J15 (for the MKII) on the bottom of the board, and I see you've got what looks to be J14 connected to your PurePi for sync. I didn't think that function worked with the Q7. If it does, that's fantastic! I have an MKII that I'm going to hook up instead of the Q7 for this system just in case b/c I was not sure.
On my end, I am waiting on one more set of the caps for the UcConditioner 5V side, and the batteries for the PurePower should be here today. At the moment, I am still running it digital out through USB from the RPi until I get the 3V3 side going with the batteries.
I am reading and re-reading the manuals for all of this...
It seems I can have my cake and eat it too...
From the Transport AES manual (attached), it shows in example 3 (page 9):
3. Flagship AES/EBU, S/PDIF and I2S/DSD over HDMI transport
This seems really close to what I have / want, and I found the additional MCLK connection (J11) on the bottom of the FifoPi.
Now all I should need to do is figure out the proper phase / channels for I2S over HDMI and get the rest of the PSU built when the parts come.