Hi!My streamer stack rebuilt with HDMIPro transport board and connected to my recently built DAC stack via ReceiverPiPro II via HDMI input. MonitorPi on streamer and MonitorPiPro on DAC. DAC output to powered professional studio monitors speakers via OPA861 I/V analogue board. Both stacks powered by PurePi II. Linear Pi Duo for the DAC output board. Irreverent DSI screen and SSD FLAC drive on the RPi4 streamer. IFi X 3 amp supply for streamer. IFi 2.5 amp for DAC. Dual 12v DC bricks for the linear duo.
May separate screen and music one day to a separate box but for now I’m loving it.
Thank you @iancanada for all the advice and guidance and newbie questions.
Now to figure out how I want to package them up but for now enjoying the bliss with a 🍷!
There is a lot of capability and power and sublime sound 🎶!
View attachment 1212928
Why did you not build everything into one stack? You can stack ReveiverPiPro II + FIFOPI Q7 + DAC hat + MonitorPiPro + I/V board.
I do not understand why you separated them.
There are youtubers saying Pi3 boards sounds slightly better than the Pi 4 boards with Ian's FifoPi and other HATs, is there a general concenses here?
I'm currently running Pi4, should I bother to try a Pi3?
I'm currently running Pi4, should I bother to try a Pi3?
I am also using the Teradak filter board.@WladimirMXP
Could you please provide Teradak shielding/filtering board link and more details on that? how is this supported in between?
After having ShieldPi Pro, do we still need shielding plate? will that be additional support?
Thanks
I am mostly using it as a GPIO extension due to the use of a RPi and Amanero USB on the station pi pro. In this configuration the HDMI port of the RPi is not accessible. The Teradak lifts the RPi up a board.
I removed four capacitors at the teradak board so it could fit the StationPi pro.
Bought here:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtAAFzG




My streamer stack rebuilt with HDMIPro transport board and connected to my recently built DAC stack via ReceiverPiPro II via HDMI input. MonitorPi on streamer and MonitorPiPro on DAC. DAC output to powered professional studio monitors speakers via OPA861 I/V analogue board. Both stacks powered by PurePi II. Linear Pi Duo for the DAC output board. Irreverent DSI screen and SSD FLAC drive on the RPi4 streamer. IFi X 3 amp supply for streamer. IFi 2.5 amp for DAC. Dual 12v DC bricks for the linear duo.
May separate screen and music one day to a separate box but for now I’m loving it.
Thank you @iancanada for all the advice and guidance and newbie questions.
Now to figure out how I want to package them up but for now enjoying the bliss with a 🍷!
There is a lot of capability and power and sublime sound 🎶!
View attachment 1212928
I don’t want stuff on the streamer stack to interfere with other inputs going straight into the DAC only stack. No RPi on DAC stack. Ie turntable or other S/PIDIF into DAC.Hi!
Why did you not build everything into one stack? You can stack ReveiverPiPro II + FIFOPI Q7 + DAC hat + MonitorPiPro + I/V board.
I do not understand why you separated them.
Going old school. Component system of analogue and digital components. Plus I wanted to learn how i2S works.
I built the DAC as a replacement for a Cambridge DACMagic200M. To see if I could beat it. And if I need to I can plug the streamer into another DAC.
Completely blows it out of the water. It’s now a doorstop if my stacks go up in flames 🔥 from turning them up too loud. It just kicks - probably would blow out a match if I had bigger speakers.
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I have both and have tried both. I don’t really hear a difference although maybe it can be measured. Apparently something different with USB and gigabit ether on the 4.There are youtubers saying Pi3 boards sounds slightly better than the Pi 4 boards with Ian's FifoPi and other HATs, is there a general concenses here?
I'm currently running Pi4, should I bother to try a Pi3?
@fusion360guy
Perhaps you can tell me if I am using JRiver to play my music files from my Windows 10 base OS, connected straight from back of PC using a USB cable to my GrandPre DAC, if I would still need this RasberryPi? My thoughts were waiting until Ian releases the ReceiverPi DDC to use as with USB/Coaxial cables to the input side of the ReceiverPi DCC?
Perhaps you can tell me if I am using JRiver to play my music files from my Windows 10 base OS, connected straight from back of PC using a USB cable to my GrandPre DAC, if I would still need this RasberryPi? My thoughts were waiting until Ian releases the ReceiverPi DDC to use as with USB/Coaxial cables to the input side of the ReceiverPi DCC?
As I understand it, wait for the RPiDDC. Unless you want a player ON the RPi you won’t need one.
This is what I used to go ´PiLess’ under ReceiverPiPro to mount directly to PurePi II to reach the spring power pins.@fusion360guy
Perhaps you can tell me if I am using JRiver to play my music files from my Windows 10 base OS, connected straight from back of PC using a USB cable to my GrandPre DAC, if I would still need this RasberryPi? My thoughts were waiting until Ian releases the ReceiverPi DDC to use as with USB/Coaxial cables to the input side of the ReceiverPi DCC?
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Are you trying to replace the GrandPre? Or go into it ?@fusion360guy
Perhaps you can tell me if I am using JRiver to play my music files from my Windows 10 base OS, connected straight from back of PC using a USB cable to my GrandPre DAC, if I would still need this RasberryPi? My thoughts were waiting until Ian releases the ReceiverPi DDC to use as with USB/Coaxial cables to the input side of the ReceiverPi DCC?
I see. I am thinking of building a DAC replacing my Denafrips Ares 12th with Ian's components. But to exclude any wires between DAC and Streamer I am planning to make an All In One stack.I don’t want stuff on the streamer stack to interfere with other inputs going straight into the DAC only stack. No RPi on DAC stack. Ie turntable or other S/PIDIF into DAC.
Going old school. Component system of analogue and digital components. Plus I wanted to learn how i2S works.
I built the DAC as a replacement for a Cambridge DACMagic200M. To see if I could beat it. And if I need to I can plug the streamer into another DAC.
Completely blows it out of the water. It’s now a doorstop if my stacks go up in flames 🔥 from turning them up too loud. It just kicks - probably would blow out a match if I had bigger speakers.
Do you think it is worth to build a DDC with Ian Canada boards and send the I2S via HDMI to the Denafrips DAC? Would it be any better than purely use Denafrips Spdif input directly fed by a media player/CD transport?
Would be nice and much simplier if I could sell Denafrips and do everything with Ian stack.
I was wanting to build a DAC that would allow me to use the GrandPre only for it's preamp. I am not saying that it doesn't sound good, just thought that the latest tech with Ian's components could make the SQ better. How much better I really don't know? I have heard good things about the ProtoDAC but also good things about Ian's DACs. I figured for around $60 for the ProtoDAC I could change between a couple to see what sounds the best to me. I just wanted bare minimum components that would allow me to use either USB Type-B male connector and also coaxial cable. USB for my music files playing from JRiver, and the coaxial cable coming from my cd player to the DAC hat setup that would allow me to bypass the DAC built into my cd player. Eventually I will try and purchase a decent Transport. What are your thoughts? Thanks!Are you trying to replace the GrandPre? Or go into it ?
This is my conclusion as well after years of testing this and just listening for me shows how critical a pre amp is in the audio chainAnalog pre-amp with both XLR and SE inputs is something must to have for an audiophile. No matter how good is the digital volume control, it's still kind of non-bit-perfect.
Hi, sorry, was very busy this week.@WladimirMXP
Could you please provide Teradak shielding/filtering board link and more details on that? how is this supported in between?
After having ShieldPi Pro, do we still need shielding plate? will that be additional support?
Thanks
Thanks to @miklau for answering most of the questions. I'll just add that I don't see much reason to add this Teradak on top of ShieldPi or the cooling copper plate, but the Teradak might fit between those boards where ShieldPi doesn't. The biggest difference is that Teradak has capacitors on the top side of PCB, so it's not obstructing anything below it.
The minimum height / spacers for this board is 11mm. Happy listening @VMRKarnati
Well as always, it strongly depends on the rest of your chain. When someone states it makes a difference, then it probably does. But general "consensus" means nothing, you have to try and decide for yourself, if you can perceive the difference (and most importantly like it).There are youtubers saying Pi3 boards sounds slightly better than the Pi 4 boards with Ian's FifoPi and other HATs, is there a general concenses here?
I'm currently running Pi4, should I bother to try a Pi3?
My experience is the same as those youtuber's, specifically I can perceive with RPi 3b v1.2 much better stereo separation (roughly 20%) and blacker background/better SNR (~10%). Personally, I would rank the importance of RPi model below power, audio protocol / OS and vibration control.. I don't know what you're using, but there are far greater gains with protocol like Diretta/Jplay or OS like Gentoo with the right kernel and tweaking (like closing unused outputs). Careful vibration control (also for PSU's) is topic on its own, but nothing less than critical as well.
An advise about a go to analog pré-amp with both xlr and rca?
Something like topping pre90?
Other advise/ technologie to favor?
On ian’s To-Do list?
Something like topping pre90?
Other advise/ technologie to favor?
On ian’s To-Do list?
Ok, sorry if the question is stupid, but in a piless configuration, can it still be identifyed as a target with the diretta protocol? Or is it only possible with a rpi hosting the os/software player?
I am not sure. See if denafrips uses same hdmi pins as Ian. I think it’s possible to do everything on one stack of you want. Either way you have the i2S wires in the stack (ie gpio pins are big wires) or going between components (hdmi wires).I see. I am thinking of building a DAC replacing my Denafrips Ares 12th with Ian's components. But to exclude any wires between DAC and Streamer I am planning to make an All In One stack.
Do you think it is worth to build a DDC with Ian Canada boards and send the I2S via HDMI to the Denafrips DAC? Would it be any better than purely use Denafrips Spdif input directly fed by a media player/CD transport?
Would be nice and much simplier if I could sell Denafrips and do everything with Ian stack.
If you send to denafrips DAC you are getting the sound of that DAC if you are sending analogue signal out of the denafrips. If you use Ian stack with DAC and analogue board out you are getting a different sound right? There are so many possibilities with Ian’s gear or other gear in how to connect things. I had decided I wanted an Ian DAC based on others assessments of it being a great system so I went down the path of first building a streamer transport into my CDM200M and then just building a dedicated DAC because I liked the sound. And now it’s even better with the custom DAC. No going back.
Check out @Gabster 2000 videos. He reviews both the protodac and Ian’s DACs I believe. And has some streamer and DAC build videos.I was wanting to build a DAC that would allow me to use the GrandPre only for it's preamp. I am not saying that it doesn't sound good, just thought that the latest tech with Ian's components could make the SQ better. How much better I really don't know? I have heard good things about the ProtoDAC but also good things about Ian's DACs. I figured for around $60 for the ProtoDAC I could change between a couple to see what sounds the best to me. I just wanted bare minimum components that would allow me to use either USB Type-B male connector and also coaxial cable. USB for my music files playing from JRiver, and the coaxial cable coming from my cd player to the DAC hat setup that would allow me to bypass the DAC built into my cd player. Eventually I will try and purchase a decent Transport. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
You can download the HdmiPiPro user's manual for the Denafrips DAC settings.
I have also noticed that the driver is important. For instance with Moode Denafrips R2R and Audiophonics 9038 drivers reverse DSD/PCM channels. Also in combination with Roon applying any kind of EQ/Convolution (including volume leveling) also messes up/reverses phase or channel mapping (opposed to non EQ - so A/B is simple). I think there is some way to go to clarify HW and software i2s formats.
Moreover there are at least 2 published PS Audio formats. Ian clarified in the documentation the one that the HDMI Pro uses. Do not know how feasible would have been but I feel HDMI Pro should have also allowed i2s format change rather than depending on this feature on the DAC side.
Moreover there are at least 2 published PS Audio formats. Ian clarified in the documentation the one that the HDMI Pro uses. Do not know how feasible would have been but I feel HDMI Pro should have also allowed i2s format change rather than depending on this feature on the DAC side.
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