Laptop vs R-Pi

[Bourneendboy]

I'm currently using a laptop with JRiver (and Fidelizer) solely for streaming music to my HRT Musicstremer 11+ USB DAC. I listen to files stored on an external hard drive and also Spotify Premium.

I have used a R-Pi in the past and like the fact that I can use my phone to select music. What I have not done is a comparison between the two.

Are there any sq benefits to be had by using the R-Pi with the HRT DAC over the dedicated laptop?

Cheers,

Bill.

[AlfaGTV]

What kind of playback system were you considering for the Pi?
And i would say it betters a lappy if the files are grabbed over the LAN rather than over USB. (Even with fidelizer..)

[Bourneendboy]

Not sure yet, but have used Rune previously.

A possible problem I see is being able to change the settings on the DAC which are done via a PC.

[struth]

Could also use a chromecast audio dongle. Simple to use from chrome browser or from foobar 2000 via the bubble upnp addon. Gives 16/44 quality. Its very plug n play, and cheap.
Just an option

[AlfaGTV]

Not sure yet, but have used Rune previously.

A possible problem I see is being able to change the settings on the DAC which are done via a PC.

Hm, i have had both the HRT Musicstreamer Plus and the Musicstreamer II but neither of them had any configurable settings?

The Rune still need to be controlled from an smartphone/tablet/pc so you would need any one of those handy...

Cheers
/Mike

[Bourneendboy]

Hm, i have had both the HRT Musicstreamer Plus and the Musicstreamer II but neither of them had any configurable settings?

The Rune still need to be controlled from an smartphone/tablet/pc so you would need any one of those handy...

Cheers
/Mike

Mike,

The configurable setting are the ones where you right click on the speaker icon in the bottom right of the screen, playback devices, etc. As far as I know, you can't select these with the Pi, but maybe these are windows settings and therefore not required with the Pi?

[AlfaGTV]

Ah, now i see what you mean!
With Rune and a Pi all possible/necessary config can be done from the settings page.
Cheers
Mike
Edit:
All config and control functions are accessible via any web browser on the local network!

[MikeyFresh]

I had already been using an RPi3 with the excellent Moode 3.1 as a UPnP Renderer with USB DAC to great effect in my living room.

I recently decided to offload the server function from my Mac mini/JRiver, to another RPi3, this one built using AssetUPnP running on Raspbian Jessie. This is to allow me to power down the Mac mini more frequently, or retain music streaming during times the Mac Mini is undergoing a software update, or using any CPU intensive application.

Although the AssetUPnP install on RPi involved just a bit more Linux terminal session command line stuff than I'm entirely comfortable with, I decided I was up to the task.

It's all worked out very well, with the late 2016 R5.1 update to AssetUPnP now offering full-on DSD compatibility including .dsf file types, flawless rendering of album art work on various control point apps such as BubbleUPNP or VLC on Android, and mConnect or 8Player on iOS.

The RPi3 server doesn't break a sweat streaming all PCM sample rates up to 352.8kHz (I don't have any 384kHz files to test), and also DSD64 (I don't have any DSD128 files). So far after about 3 weeks time, zero glitches or drop outs, the unit runs cool to the touch, and has no problem directing the streams to either my living room RPi3 Moode Player with Resonessence Labs Herus DAC, or to a Sonore microRendu and iFi iDAC2 combination located in my HiFi room.

I can recommend this arrangement to anyone looking for an inexpensive, small form-factor, "green" power miser type of set-up, the RPi3 board is well powerful enough for either network server or renderer duties, and my buss powered USB DAC works glitch-free with the RPi3 running off an iFi iPower 5v.

Here is a photo of the PRi3 AssetUPnP server next to my ceiling mounted router. The red/silver case/enclosure is a PiKrust SE: