It depend on your player software configuration. Try Moode http://moodeaudio.org , http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pc-based/271811-moode-audio-player-raspberry-pi.html
No - I use Volume with Raspberry Pi and a couple of different I2S DACs, and mpd seems happy to pass through the data unmodified. I think the HDMI output may be limited to 16 bit, but I don't believe there's any reason why the I2S output should be so limited.
The problem of those boards is the quality of the I2S is not good enough : you need a MCLK to reclock the I2S output of the board not to waste the quality of those sources (bit perfect source).
But a MCLK, it seems easier and at least better for the sound to use a USB (with embeded MCLK) to I2S pcb between the nano PC board and the I2S DAC ! The asynchrone clock of the USB to I2S pcb saves you from the bad nano pc board clock !
There also some solutions to save the buy of a USB to I2S board, but it's not cheaper (e.g. a MCLK + buffered clock between the RasberryPi and the I2S DAC)
But a MCLK, it seems easier and at least better for the sound to use a USB (with embeded MCLK) to I2S pcb between the nano PC board and the I2S DAC ! The asynchrone clock of the USB to I2S pcb saves you from the bad nano pc board clock !
There also some solutions to save the buy of a USB to I2S board, but it's not cheaper (e.g. a MCLK + buffered clock between the RasberryPi and the I2S DAC)
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Hi,
According to NOTE #1 (below) in this HiFiDuino article, most i2s DAC's for Pi incorporate their own MCLK.
https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/raspberry-pi-version-b/
"1. Notice that the DAC chips used are the ones that can cope without a Master Clock. RPi I2S does not Master Clock, so the DACs synch on bitclock and generate their own master clock."
Virtually all user feedback I get indicates excellent SQ from any of the i2s DAC's on the list in the article.
Regards,
moodeaudio.org
https://twitter.com/MoodeAudio
Tim Curtis
Hi,
Not true when Linux and MPD are configured for bit-perfect audio i.e., source sample rate passes through the the audio pipeline without any sample rate conversion. Moode and many other MPD based players are configured in this way.
On the hardware side, the Pi HDMI, USB and I2S interfaces support up to 24/192 and I believe up to 32/384 over USB and I2S but I would have to look back in my notes to confirm this.
Can you provide the link(s) where this information came from?
"but i have read and some say that 24bit are downscaled to 16 bit, when played through RPi."
Regards,
moodeaudio.org
https://twitter.com/MoodeAudio
Tim Curtis
To swap a SqueezeBox, those cheapy dac boards for Rasberry are good enough ! I talked in the spirit of something better than those plug& play boards ! Certainly a good SQ/P. In my mind a nano board is just a commodity, what ever its outputs : I will use async reclock and better : fifo buffer with its own Crystal signal and isolator !
Hi,
I'm not sure whats going on in that blog but I could not find a reference link in the posts made by user "ralf" claiming that there is some sort of i2s truncation issue. That seems very odd.
I did a bit of searching on Github and was unable to find a bug report about "i2s 24 16 bit truncation". For further investigation, maybe ask question on one of the Github threads that the Linux i2s guy (Florian Meier aka "koalo") is on.
Regards,
Tim
I have not tried with i2s and the considerations above should be taken into account, but I have used it with a USB DAC (MusicStreamer Pro) with excellent results. It is my main music source in my setup for months now.
I have used Volumio but preferred Runeaudio (better performance). I plan to try Moode soon as it looks promising.
I have used Volumio but preferred Runeaudio (better performance). I plan to try Moode soon as it looks promising.
Hi,
I'm also looking for the most efficient way to turn Rpi 2 into a HiFi streamer.
From what i read an asynchronous USB DAC is the way to go? can anyone recommend such a DAC?
In that case you still have a conversion to USB. What is the absolute cleanest way to attach an external high-quality DAC (e.g. Benchmark or Box designs) to a RPi2?
I'm also looking for the most efficient way to turn Rpi 2 into a HiFi streamer.
From what i read an asynchronous USB DAC is the way to go? can anyone recommend such a DAC?
In that case you still have a conversion to USB. What is the absolute cleanest way to attach an external high-quality DAC (e.g. Benchmark or Box designs) to a RPi2?
Using this DAC with a PI as a Squeeze server running squeeze plug.
Amazon.com: Phantom YoYo PCM2704 USB DAC USB Power Fiber Optic Coaxial Analog Output sz-11 Raspberry Windows 7 Pi Need No Driver: Musical Instruments
Sounds way better than Native PI.
Sounds better than Bluetooth to same speaker/sub setup.
Getting ready for OB Biamped speakers with a true DIY build.
Dave
Amazon.com: Phantom YoYo PCM2704 USB DAC USB Power Fiber Optic Coaxial Analog Output sz-11 Raspberry Windows 7 Pi Need No Driver: Musical Instruments
Sounds way better than Native PI.
Sounds better than Bluetooth to same speaker/sub setup.
Getting ready for OB Biamped speakers with a true DIY build.
Dave
I've reseached this one to death two choices ...
Google Bob Rathbone .... big disadvantage no search for internet radio stations.
or
SqueezePlug for PI. big disadvantage, no physical UI.
Have also build a custom solution based on pianobar, but have not got it off the test bed as I had the squeezeplug solution working, and fell into the BiAmped rabbit hole. Next seems a tube solution, my get back to pianobar one day.
All these solutions to support a highend DAC, integrating this into a NewAge DIY receiver is cool. I'm thinking Pass B1 PI server!
Dave
it seems there is really no way around an extra conversion to USB and than sending it to the DAC?
Or is it safe to say that since the signal is digital until it is processed by my DAC, there will be no loss no mather how many conversions?
I need this to be audiophile-proof. so any view on this matter is most welcome.
Or is it safe to say that since the signal is digital until it is processed by my DAC, there will be no loss no mather how many conversions?
I need this to be audiophile-proof. so any view on this matter is most welcome.
Never heard about this or seen this, it could depend on your DAC maybe.
I have 2 identical set-up at home (basement + living room), each using the RPI 2 with Volumio 1.55 and IqAudio PI DAC+, couldn't be happier. I also like the headphone output from the PI DAC+, neat feature.
One thing you must know in order to get the best sound quality is the Raspberry Pi 2 power supply. The ones they sell ex 5Vdc, 3A, switching mode power supply (like the one to charge your smartphone) type will create some hissing sound. This is most noticeable when using a pair of headphone. You need to get an ultra low noise 5Vdc power supply (4-10uV), e-pay has some and also DIYINHK (no affiliation). Tonight I was fed-up with the hiss in 1 system so I tried a simple LM317, huge improvement the hiss is 90% gone
Good Luck.
Eric
The problem with the most RPi DAC's is that they work as slave to RPi, but RPi doesn't have any onboard audio frequency specific oscillator sources (12.2880 MHz*n for 48k or 11.2896MHz*n for 44.1 kHz derivates) available for generating the I2S (or PCM in general) clocks, so the work clock generated from the 19.2 MHz oscillator or the 500 MHz PLL are the only ones available. This means that there will be some jitter (unless you use sample rates like 50 kHz). Once someone starts making master mode codec boards the SQ problem will be solved. Until that the USB solution (but not all of them) will be a better one.
Also the PLL on a DAC syncing to incoming LRCK (as with most PCM51xx's) is not as good master/system clock generator as a conventional crystal oscillator (TI haven't released any numbers and maybe for a reason).
Also the PLL on a DAC syncing to incoming LRCK (as with most PCM51xx's) is not as good master/system clock generator as a conventional crystal oscillator (TI haven't released any numbers and maybe for a reason).
Interesting comment. I would like to know more....can you share any links that support this ?
I have to say this hasn't been my experience. I have two different Raspberry Pi I2S dacs, and one USB ODAC, and they all sound great. But I think I prefer the sound of the two I2S dacs overall.
And how do USB days extract data from the USB without suffering the same jitter problems?
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