'Analog Dinosaur' succumbs to the joys of FBA : enter Raspberry Pi 2/IQ-Audio DAC+!!

[MikeyFresh]

As an aside, I'd always recommend that folks fit a proper case to the RPi as it improves the looks of the unit and also adds weight, helping to increase stability, especially when cables are connected.

Oh, and another thumbs-up for Moode, especially the latest version with improved sound-quality kernels

Marco.

+1 on the advanced audio kernel in Moode 3.1!

Tim's MoodeCase also aids with the issue described above, it's a nice enclosure which adds the weight/stability you mentioned, and he's got the DC power, USB, and Ethernet jacks all exiting out the backside of the unit, so it can be arranged more like a regular piece on a stereo rack, with all of the cables hidden directly behind the unit (assuming running headless with no need for the side mounted HDMI port).

I just built an endpoint/renderer using MoodeCase and the Collybia MamboBerry LS DAC+. Superb sound from that board using Moode 3.1, easily besting my HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro build, at a very reasonable cost:

[loonytunes]

Marco - I haven't read all of this thread because it's huge - however I am intrigued by the fact you have found a streaming solution that sounds equally as good as your favourite CD player. I too am in the position to know that a good CD player sounds better than streaming, but would prefer to stream for convenience - however sound quality comes first and a good CDP beats a good streamer so far! Until I read this post!!

I strikes me as amazing the a little Pi would sound as good as the best audiophile streamers out there, let alone the best CD Players, in your experience! So - at this juncture Marco - now that time has moved on a bit and perhaps you excitement of owning a giant killing solution for peanuts has now waned (much like when they first raved on about a lowly Tripath amp was at least as good as a multi-thousand pound valve amplifier) - are you still confirming that the sound quality is still "that" good? And it's not just one of those 'the wind was blowing right at the time' situations?

In addition Marco, I own a Croft pre/power amp which I am really chuffed with - and the thought of bypassing that lovely Croft pre by using Volumino and instead plumbing directly into the Croft power amp (for best results as you have experienced) concerns me that I am bypassing the best of Croft - but hey - you've got the experience of this for the better.

[eksiil]

with a setup not a million miles from yours I'd recommend giving it a try. I listen to Tidal Hifi via an RPB3 & IQ Dac+ alternately via my Croft valve-heavy pre & without it. with the pre, the sound is more analogue, the speakers behave like good standmounts. without the pre, the midrange is not as good, but anything with a bit of bottom end to it becomes truly visceral, for want of a better word. either setup outperforms my CDT+DAC & resolves better than the TT -- though when push comes to shove I still prefer the TT.

[r100]

When considering the price of a PI + DAC, I would say: just try it and see if it fits your needs. The cost of a Pi streamer/DAC is way lower to what Audio-geeks would spend plenty of money on and which in most cases wouldn't add a fraction of the convenience and SQ to the mix. It doesn't look like much in terms of hardware but it has the potential to become a major source for music, especially when considering the use of a streaming service which permits the unlimited discovery of new music.
Of course, there are streamers out there in fancy boxes that will cost hundreds of % more than a humble PIDAC. IMHO they will only outperform the PIDAC at a fraction of that ratio, if at all.

Down to specifics. I'm currently using a Pi3 + Piano 2.1 + Kali reclocker + Linear PSU and for me it seems to be one of the best combinations I have heard so far (although contrary to many an opinion, I don't think the PSU actually makes that much of a difference in this configuration)

[Qwin]

Hi Ken,

Answer: operate it wirelessly from the router. If both the RPi and router are within close proximity, then it's not an issue. I think it sounds better too, used wirelessly, minus any ethernet cable.

That's how I've been using mine recently, and I've had no problems. The only cables visible are the interconnects and (in this case very thin) connecting power cable, as happens with any other hi-fi components

In fact, in my current set up (used in conjunction with home-cinema system), the RPi is hidden on the rack behind my Sony AV amp, and connected to that with a 0.3m pair of interconnects (always use the shortest cables you can with the RPi, for best sound), so you can see hee-haw!

As an aside, I'd always recommend that folks fit a proper case to the RPi (I use the Pi-Case+, see here: http://iqaudio.co.uk/search?controll...submit_search= ) as it improves the looks of the unit and also adds weight, helping to increase stability, especially when cables are connected.

Oh, and another thumbs-up for Moode, especially the latest version with improved sound-quality kernels

Marco.

Hi Marco, my usage would be a bit different to yours, I would be looking at some local storage, maybe 1TB to cater for files I have stored on an old HDD, as well as additional streamed material, and using the Pi HDMI output for a big TV screen mounted above my hifi, which is just begging to be used. Also I wouldn't be using an internal top hat DAC on the RPi, good as the reports are. I'm looking at exporting digital from a Pi using SPIDIF or i2s straight into a miniDSP for some post processing and active filtering in the digital domain, before going through a multi channel DAC and on to a 6 channel power amp and three way speakers. The basics of how all this will work is rattling round in my head, I've drawn some of it up as a RPi/PSU/HDD in a single case and is part of a major system change I'm starting to go through. For the first time, I'm actually considering a file based system as part of my main set up, my previous file based music was just itunes on a PC.

[montesquieu]

Hi Marco, my usage would be a bit different to yours, I would be looking at some local storage, maybe 1TB to cater for files I have stored on an old HDD, as well as additional streamed material, and using the Pi HDMI output for a big TV screen mounted above my hifi, which is just begging to be used. Also I wouldn't be using an internal top hat DAC on the RPi, good as the reports are. I'm looking at exporting digital from a Pi using SPIDIF or i2s straight into a miniDSP for some post processing and active filtering in the digital domain, before going through a multi channel DAC and on to a 6 channel power amp and three way speakers. The basics of how all this will work is rattling round in my head, I've drawn some of it up as a RPi/PSU/HDD in a single case and is part of a major system change I'm starting to go through. For the first time, I'm actually considering a file based system as part of my main set up, my previous file based music was just itunes on a PC.

I use a RPi with a Hifi Berry Digi+ board to output SPDIF to a spare input on my Audio Note DAC. Source is a Buffalo Terrastation with 4x 1TB drives (I haven't been able to figure out how to get Tidal on it). Results have been pretty good though I have found wireless a bit flaky, hardwired connections are the way to go.

I would like to have a crack at runing the server software on the Pi, but output USB to an outboard USB interface, rather than via a SPDIF board, but I haven't really looked into whether that's possible.

The sound is decent - on the whole not far off the quality of £4k's worth of Audio Note CDT2/II transport - but personally I find the listening experience of streaming to be unsatisfactory - doing away with the physical act of playing something on the turntable or CD transport takes away some of the seriousness of intent from my perspective, the temptation to flick around the menu with digital sources, rather than settle to listening, is ever-present. I even have issues with CDs in this regard. Records still rule.

[loonytunes]

....... but personally I find the listening experience of streaming to be unsatisfactory - doing away with the physical act of playing something on the turntable or CD transport takes away some of the seriousness of intent from my perspective, the temptation to flick around the menu with digital sources, rather than settle to listening, is ever-present. I even have issues with CDs in this regard. Records still rule.

So my understanding is, the listening experience of streaming is unsatisfactory - but the actual sound quality from streaming is near enough the same as when using your Audio Note CDT2/II transport using CD's?

And back to Marco... are you still feeling it as per my question a few blocks up?

[Qwin]

I use a RPi with a Hifi Berry Digi+ board to output SPDIF to a spare input on my Audio Note DAC. Source is a Buffalo Terrastation with 4x 1TB drives (I haven't been able to figure out how to get Tidal on it). Results have been pretty good though I have found wireless a bit flaky, hardwired connections are the way to go.

I would like to have a crack at runing the server software on the Pi, but output USB to an outboard USB interface, rather than via a SPDIF board, but I haven't really looked into whether that's possible.

The sound is decent - on the whole not far off the quality of £4k's worth of Audio Note CDT2/II transport - but personally I find the listening experience of streaming to be unsatisfactory - doing away with the physical act of playing something on the turntable or CD transport takes away some of the seriousness of intent from my perspective, the temptation to flick around the menu with digital sources, rather than settle to listening, is ever-present. I even have issues with CDs in this regard. Records still rule.

The Hifi berry digi + Pro is what I was considering using to export digital, it has toslink plus coax and has the ability to add a BNC i2s output.

Folks on the minidsp forum are having success at importing i2s straight into the minidsp, but it comes down to the detail, i2s transfer between kit is not standardised. My CD transport exports i2s as a 5 pin mini XLR and not a single combined BNC for instance and there is the whole master clock, slave etc etc. Still reading/learning, but the straight forward digital coax is the reserve plan if I hit a snag.

[SantanaCorreia]

Hello guys,

I just ordered a pi3 and iqaudio dac pro for my debut.

The main objective is to use spotify and read Flacs. What kind of software should I consider?

[WAD62]

Hello guys,

I just ordered a pi3 and iqaudio dac pro for my debut.

The main objective is to use spotify and read Flacs. What kind of software should I consider?

piCorePlayer...!