Raspberry Pi DAC Help!

[pamantea]

After some initial experiments with volumio I now have a squeezebox implementation (SqueezePlug) running on my Pi. It gives much more control over the music library, better playlist capabilities and there are some apps out there (I use iPeng) that are provide remote control on par (or better) than some of the high-end stuff from Linn and Naim.

My current hardware setup:
RPi2 > Hifiberry DiGi+ > dCS Puccini

This setup comes frightingly close to the Auralic Aries LE I tried as renderer.

Experiments with USB and SPDIF rto various DACs (Audio GD NFB-2, Cambridge Dacmagic+) showed a significant difference. SPDIF via the Digi+ sounded much better than USB. So much better that I sincerly doubt the USB audio implementation on the Pi....

I now plan to take it one step further:
RPi > I2S FiFo (from Ian) > dCS Puccini

Let's see if this can beat the superb Auralic Aries with femto clock that still sounds significantly better than the Pi/Digi+.

But mind you, the Pi solution is only 1/18 of the cost....

Thank you for the help everyone!

The IQ audio DAC has arrived and I am still waiting on the power supply, case, and wifi adapter. I would like to also consider adding a subwoofer to the setup I have. What would be the best way to do this?

Currently: Rasberry Pi With IQ AUDIO DAC (connected USB for music files) -> RCA -> LM3875 Amp -> Speaker wires -> DIY Karma Indignia Speakers

Thanks!

 

[pamantea]

OK, that's good. You have obviously done some thinking, and made the decision to go with a music server/renderer.
There are several options now available to you in terms of how the RPi will access a music library, but it's clear you already have an iTunes music collection, presumably on a desktop/laptop computer, so the choice is rather straightforward to have iTunes act as the music library and Airplay server - as has been mentioned.
What hasn't been fully discussed is how you now control playback -

i) you can directly use the iTunes interface on your desktop/laptop computer.
or
ii) you can use your iPhone as a controller, by installing the "Remote" app -
Apps - Remote - Apple (AU)
This latter option is somewhat ironic, since your iPhone will be remotely controlling the same music collection which the iPhone already contains internally!

Alternatively you could buy a different (Apple) controller device, such as an iPad, thus freeing your iPhone for what it was primarily designed to do - make and receive phone calls!

Of course an iPad is a rather expensive device to use purely as a music controller, but it's also possible to do the same thing with an Android phone or tablet, with a suitable Android app installed, such as "Retune" -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.squallydoc.retune&hl=en
or "Remote for iTunes" -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hyperfine.hftunes&hl=en

Thanks!

I mentioned in the above post with what I have purchased. I am looking to add a subwoofer to the mix and came across this as a potential solution!

https://www.minidsp.com/products/minidspkits/2-x-in-4-x-out

Raspberry pi DAC -> miniDSP-> amp for speakers and amp for sub

Thoughts? Anyone have experience with this?

Peter

 

[LinuxGeek]

The Naim players (every last one of them that I have heard and I've heard a few...) sound great. If the Pi DAC/Raspberry Pi sounds anywhere near as good then quite a complement.

No, the Pi does not sound anywhere near as good. It is not the same league. Its not even the same game quality wise. People that compare crappy i2s dacs to naim players, never heard a real naim.

 

[LinuxGeek]

After some initial experiments with volumio I now have a squeezebox implementation (SqueezePlug) running on my Pi. It gives much more control over the music library, better playlist capabilities and there are some apps out there (I use iPeng) that are provide remote control on par (or better) than some of the high-end stuff from Linn and Naim.

My current hardware setup:
RPi2 > Hifiberry DiGi+ > dCS Puccini

This setup comes frightingly close to the Auralic Aries LE I tried as renderer.

Experiments with USB and SPDIF rto various DACs (Audio GD NFB-2, Cambridge Dacmagic+) showed a significant difference. SPDIF via the Digi+ sounded much better than USB. So much better that I sincerly doubt the USB audio implementation on the Pi....

I now plan to take it one step further:
RPi > I2S FiFo (from Ian) > dCS Puccini

Let's see if this can beat the superb Auralic Aries with femto clock that still sounds significantly better than the Pi/Digi+.

But mind you, the Pi solution is only 1/18 of the cost....

You are right, USB sucks on the Pi. The Signal is very disturbed and of very low quality. It gets better, if you do not use the buildin lan and switch to wlan adapters. Usb isolators can also help, but there will still remain some jitter.
The only way for high quality sound is isolation and reclock. Ians fifo is the way to go, all other ways are only dreams.

 

[pamantea]

You are right, USB sucks on the Pi. The Signal is very disturbed and of very low quality. It gets better, if you do not use the buildin lan and switch to wlan adapters. Usb isolators can also help, but there will still remain some jitter.
The only way for high quality sound is isolation and reclock. Ians fifo is the way to go, all other ways are only dreams.

At this point I already purchased the IQ audio DAC and do not see myself tossing that aside to buy Ians FIFO. As for the music entering the Pi, it sounds like USB is a poor choice?

What other options are there?

 

[jochems]

Pamantea,

It is only a problem for audio out via USB. Using USB for audio file storage is not a problem at all. It would be possible to use a large SD card to store audio, but this is often more expensive. I use a large SSD that I have connected to USB. Low power consumption and completely silent.

The FIFO solution as developed by Ian is quite a different league. You would still need to add a decent dac board and power supplies to actually get audio out. This will easily cost you more than 10-fold of the IQ audio DAC

You are on the right track for a good quality streaming audio solution with your setup. You can always upgrade later!

 

[timbarnes]

Thanks!

I mentioned in the above post with what I have purchased. I am looking to add a subwoofer to the mix and came across this as a potential solution!

https://www.minidsp.com/products/minidspkits/2-x-in-4-x-out

Raspberry pi DAC -> miniDSP-> amp for speakers and amp for sub

Thoughts? Anyone have experience with this?

Peter

This is the approach that I use. Rpi with i2s dac, then diy preamp with minidsp 2x4 on the output doing room correction and subwoofer crossover. It works well, but you have to be careful with gain structure so you don't clip in the minidsp. The balanced version of the minidsp is easier because it allows for higher output voltage.

It works really well. Power amp for mains is a P101 designed by Rod Elliot, and the sub has a big class D amp using a module from EBay.

 

[pamantea]

This is the approach that I use. Rpi with i2s dac, then diy preamp with minidsp 2x4 on the output doing room correction and subwoofer crossover. It works well, but you have to be careful with gain structure so you don't clip in the minidsp. The balanced version of the minidsp is easier because it allows for higher output voltage.

It works really well. Power amp for mains is a P101 designed by Rod Elliot, and the sub has a big class D amp using a module from EBay.

I am revisiting this whole project after some time.

I want to build a new chassis that incorporates a raspberry pi, dac, 4" HDMI screen, and LM3875 amp i had previously built.

I can't seem to find a PSU for the raspberry pi that I can place in the chassis. Should I just buy a generic pi PSU, take it out of its case and place it in the amplifier?
Or, does anyone have ideas of what else to use? I was looking at the Audiowind a-210, but the seller (ebay) indicated this would not work for the pi.

Ideas?

Thank you

 

[NealJ]

I've used this to power a Pi and IQAudio DAC in a case:
RS-15-5 | Mean Well 15W Embedded Switch Mode Power Supply SMPS, 3A, 5V dc | RS Components

 

[pamantea]

I've used this to power a Pi and IQAudio DAC in a case:
RS-15-5 | Mean Well 15W Embedded Switch Mode Power Supply SMPS, 3A, 5V dc | RS Components

This is great, thank you! I will order that today.

I have had a difficult time finding a few other items as well. I want to build a wood chassis for the streaming amplifier with both LM3875 chips on one side. I cannot seem to find a good black anodized heatsink that will support both boards. I also do not want to purchase the board with a number of predrilled holes.

I plan on having a plexiglass top for the amp so visual appearance is important.

Thank you

Peter

 

[pamantea]

I've used this to power a Pi and IQAudio DAC in a case:
RS-15-5 | Mean Well 15W Embedded Switch Mode Power Supply SMPS, 3A, 5V dc | RS Components

Hello,

I will have two amplifier boards, rectifier, raspberry pi, pi DAC+, and 4" screen, transformer, and Meanwell PSU.
The front, back, side, side, and bottom will be made of wood and the top made of plexiglass.

For standoffs: should I be using Nylon to prevent inadvertent grounding of the different boards to the chassis?
I was considering adding a thin layer of metal UNDER the bottom. Should I attach the ground to the bottom layer?
I have the Schurter 6090 switch: should I bypass the Neutral line fuse? I read somewhere having a fuse on the neutral wire is a bad idea. is this switch not a good switch for 120V?

Thank you

 

[pamantea]

Hello,

I will have two amplifier boards, rectifier, raspberry pi, pi DAC+, and 4" screen, transformer, and Meanwell PSU.
The front, back, side, side, and bottom will be made of wood and the top made of plexiglass.

For standoffs: should I be using Nylon to prevent inadvertent grounding of the different boards to the chassis?
I was considering adding a thin layer of metal UNDER the bottom. Should I attach the ground to the bottom layer?
I have the Schurter 6090 switch: should I bypass the Neutral line fuse? I read somewhere having a fuse on the neutral wire is a bad idea. is this switch not a good switch for 120V?

Thank you

Bump