View Full Version : Anyone else find that MoOde 'sounds' better than Volumio?
Duncan visited me today, because my NAS drive had developed a temporary fault, and so I couldn't play the music contained on it, via the RPi, with Volumio. Anyway, the problem was easily fixed by Dunc (you'd have to ask him what it was, as I was too busy making tea and preparing some choccy biscuits).
However, as he was coming round to visit, I asked him to install the latest version of MoOde for me, on the RPi, while he was here. I prefer the layout to that of Volumio, which for me now looks rather dated, although I suspect that the new version will address that issue.
I also like, with MoOde, how you get the album art shown on the main user template, which if you click, takes you to a Google page containing all the info you need about the album and artist. Anyway, after we'd updated the library with all the relevant music, and configured all the settings, when i heard the first track played, I though to myself: 'Am I imagining it, or does this sound better?' :hmm:
On this occasion, I probably was imagining it, but to my ears (and those of Duncan, as it also happens in his set-up) the installation of MoOde has made vocals sound crisper and clearer, improved detail retrieval, and the whole sound just more 'cohesive' and musically enjoyable. If the effect was real, then it was a nice free upgrade! :)
However, I just wondered if there was any genuine mechanism at work, which could've caused that effect, and whether any of you guys have heard a similar thing, going from Volumio to MoOde, using an RPi? :cool:
Marco.
The Black Adder
01-12-2015, 18:03
I have found this to be true. But again, could I be imagining it too? lol
I've been using Moode for quite a while now and it's superb.
A lot better, as I told you b4;) as you say it looks better too.. Volumio 2 is apparently in Beta now so may be out in a few months, but moode 2.5 will beat it I think:eyebrows:
Yeah, it's a funny one! Certainly couldn't have been expectation bias, as it wasn't in my mind in the slightest that there would be any form of sonic improvement gained from the switch over....
Marco.
A lot better, as I told you b4;)
Thing is, WHY does it sound better? :scratch:
Perhaps one of the resident 'techies' will be along shortly to explain all, or tell us we're just talking pish! :D
Marco.
Perhaps some of the settings in moode were different? Sample rates for example or dsp setting in alsamixer.
Thing is, WHY does it sound better? :scratch:
Perhaps one of the resident 'techies' will be along shortly to explain all, or tell us we're just talking pish! :D
Marco.
Oh... im not talking unmeasured pish again am I doh[emoji3]
Hi Barry,
Could be the former, but defo not the latter, as I've selected the same DSP setting as I did with Volumio.
Marco.
Oh... im not talking unmeasured pish again am I doh[emoji3]
Some folk have measurements/science on the brain... It should be named as some form of disease! Certainly isn't normal ;)
Marco.
The Black Adder
01-12-2015, 18:43
Maybe Tim (of Moode) will pop in to explain the technical side of the software, maybe?
It does seem to have a slightly different gain structure than Volumio.
There are some nice updates coming in the new year with moode like hotplugging.
Rothchild
01-12-2015, 19:06
Thing is, WHY does it sound better? :scratch:
Marco.
You've already identified why, it's because the interface is nicer.
Lol - ok... Thing is, when I first heard the 'improvement', I wasn't anywhere near the screen! ;)
Marco.
pitadavespa
01-12-2015, 19:17
Lol - ok... Thing is, when I first heard the 'improvement', I wasn't anywhere near the screen! ;)
Marco.
:lol:
Rothchild
01-12-2015, 19:55
Lol - ok... Thing is, when I first heard the 'improvement', I wasn't anywhere near the screen! ;)
Marco.
Didn't need to be, the fact that it looks better improves the sound.
There are a lot of settings including the digital filters in these players, you'll need to make 100% sure they are exactly the same. I found tweaking the filters on max2play makes a large difference to the sound.
How would I know that it looked better, if I couldn't see the screen?
I had no idea how it looked until I saw the template later, as Duncan was 'at the helm', as it were, sat on another chair with the laptop, whilst I was in between the speakers on the sofa listening to music, and couldn't see the screen from where I was.
All I was judging was the sound, and no other variables had changed in the system, other than moving from Volumio to MoOde :)
Marco.
There are a lot of settings including the digital filters in these players, you'll need to make 100% sure they are exactly the same. I found tweaking the filters on max2play makes a large difference to the sound.
Yes, it's got to be something like that, Neal. However, Dunc said that the settings were the same. Anyway, who cares? It sounds bloody marvellous, and now I've gotten used to it, I love the new look! :cool:
This will undoubtedly further enhance my enjoyment of streaming.
Marco.
Oh, one other thing I've noticed is that MoOde doesn't drop out, like Volumio did.
By that I mean, with the latter, I'd have to continually keep refreshing the page on my laptop, in order for the contents/user interface to remain visible (instead of going into a kind of 'sleep mode), whereas with MoOde, it stays up all the time!
No idea why that is either. Just reporting what's happening.
Marco.
never noticed any filter on mine tbh. Pretty much plug n play after the usual boxes are ticked.. There are settings you can try with bit levels but tbh the basic 44 16 is as good as any. Immediately I did mine after using Volumio it was evident to me that Moode was better in every way that I was going to use it.
Rothchild
01-12-2015, 20:55
How would I know that it looked better, if I couldn't see the screen?
Because it sounded better.
You've lost me, Marc... The fact that I thought it sounded better had absolutely ZERO to do with how it looked as, are you paying attention now..... at that stage I hadn't the slightest idea what MoOde looked like - it could've had a pink and white polka dot user interface, with purple elephants on it, for all I knew!!
I discovered what it looked like some time AFTER I noted the sonic improvement.
Marco.
Rothchild
01-12-2015, 21:10
You've lost me, Marc... The fact that I thought it sounded better had absolutely ZERO to do with how it looked
I don't think one should be closed minded about these things, it's just as likely as some boring technical reason and we can't discount that just because you didn't know it looked better at the time you heard it that wasn't possibly the reason that it does sound better.
Polka dots?! Yer daftee, everyone knows they lead to a more 'closed in' sound.
However, as he was coming round to visit, I asked him to install the latest version of MoOde for me, on the RPi, while he was here. I prefer the layout to that of Volumio, which for me now looks rather dated, although I suspect that the new version will address that issue.
I also like, with MoOde, how you get the album art shown on the main user template, which if you click, takes you to a Google page containing all the info you need about the album and artist.
Ok, having scrolled back, I can see how the above is somewhat misleading, and makes it seem like I already knew what MoOde looked like before today. However, I was in fact describing my experience after I'd seen it and used it today, once Duncan had installed it, not before.
Detecting the sonic 'improvement' happened as soon as the first track was played this afternoon, at which point I hadn't seen or used MoOde yet. My apologies. I hope that clears up the confusion! :)
Marco.
I don't think one should be closed minded about these things, it's just as likely as some boring technical reason and we can't discount that just because you didn't know it looked better at the time you heard it that wasn't possibly the reason that it does sound better.
Polka dots?! Yer daftee, everyone knows they lead to a more 'closed in' sound.
Lol.... Er, yes. Or I'm losing it - far more likely! :D
Anyway, this is bloody brilliant. So much so, I've just bought one of these Seagate NAS drives, from Maplins, to store music on (mainly for ripping more of my CD collection), as I'm running out of space on my current NAS:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/seagate-personal-cloud-5tb-nas-storage-drive-a39tc
That should keep me going for a while. 88,300 hours worth of music!! :eek:
When I fill that (eventually), then between the Seagate, and the NAS box I've already got, in total I'll have access to 8TB worth of music, for streaming...... :carrot:
Marco.
The Black Adder
01-12-2015, 21:56
ooh, that's good value....
By jove, isn't it just! :eyebrows:
Marco.
When I first installed Moode I thought it sounded better, later I switched back to Volumio and found the same :scratch:
As far as reliability goes I find them much of a muchness, never really had many problems with Volumio and nor did I have with Moode once it's set up. Only difference for me is Moode is a real PITA when using a USB drive whereas Volumio was painless. The only reason I've stuck with Moode is the radio list which includes the key BBC stations I listen to.
That said, the Pi is now relegated to another room as a radio streamer, I get equally good SQ with my Mac now its set up properly - and far less hassle.
The Black Adder
02-12-2015, 06:51
the new version of Moode should solve the USB drive things I think. It will be release early in the new year.
The Black Adder
02-12-2015, 06:55
Bit of a techy question if I may, don't mean to drift.
I take it that I plug the NAS drive in to the router then plug direct from the router to the Pi, is that the case? Problem is I'd need about 7-8m each way, would that be alright?
It's ether that or buy an extra long DSL cable so my router can be closer to the system... does anyone know which option would be best?
Lol.... Er, yes. Or I'm losing it - far more likely! :D
Anyway, this is bloody brilliant. So much so, I've just bought one of these Seagate NAS drives, from Maplins, to store music on (mainly for ripping more of my CD collection), as I'm running out of space on my current NAS:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/seagate-personal-cloud-5tb-nas-storage-drive-a39tc
That should keep me going for a while. 88,300 hours worth of music!! :eek:
When I fill that (eventually), then between the Seagate, and the NAS box I've already got, in total I'll have access to 8TB worth of music, for streaming...... :carrot:
Marco.
Hey Marco !
I was using a QNAP nas feeding a Linn Majik DS and a Dunc DAC before you pointed out how good the Pi and IOadIO DAC is. I now have 2 and got £720 for the Linn on the bay, with better SQ to boot !!
I've already had to buy another 2 hard drives (3TB each) as I filled up the first TB quite easily.
Have you got back up drives by the way? Mine are in RAID configuration- God knows what it means, except that they are both replicated so that if one fails, you pop in another and that too is replicated.
The other brilliant thing about Nas is that you can use it as a cloud. So there I was in a hotel in Sweden last week listening to FLAC files via my phone from the nas at home! Also, I plugged another usb drive into the QNAP and I put ripped movies onto it (not bothered if this dies, and I don't want to clog up the main drives). Anyway... Now watch movies in the telly downstairs from it and on my phone or iPad when away.
Can't compare the sq of moode, it just sounds fantastic.
Cheers
Hi Jo,
I take it that I plug the NAS drive in to the router then plug direct from the router to the Pi, is that the case? Problem is I'd need about 7-8m each way, would that be alright?
Yup, that's exactly what you do.
Don't worry about the length. If you use decent Cat 6 cable, you will have no issues. Gaz recommended some to me a while back, which I bought on ebay. It was cheap and really good (nice chunky, shielded stuff with quality plugs on the end). Can't remember what it was now, but if you PM him, I'm sure he'll know :)
Marco.
Hi Steve,
How's it going, mate? Hope you are well :)
I was using a QNAP nas feeding a Linn Majik DS and a Dunc DAC before you pointed out how good the Pi and IOadIO DAC is. I now have 2 and got £720 for the Linn on the bay, with better SQ to boot !!
Nice one. That's what AoS is all about: shunning the use of overpriced 'badge-fi', and instead recommending and identifying equipment that delivers the highest SPPV! I can't take credit for the Pi, though, as it was around long before it entered my radar. I just 'put it out there', to the best of my ability, how stupidly good it was for the money.
I've already had to buy another 2 hard drives (3TB each) as I filled up the first TB quite easily.
Have you got back up drives by the way? Mine are in RAID configuration- God knows what it means, except that they are both replicated so that if one fails, you pop in another and that too is replicated.
Mine also use RAID. However, one of the best ways of backing up your files, is sharing them with friends! That way, if one of your drives goes tits up, and a mate has a back-up of it, you simply use his to restore things - and the more back ups of such there are, the safer your music collection is. Simples.
The other brilliant thing about Nas is that you can use it as a cloud. So there I was in a hotel in Sweden last week listening to FLAC files via my phone from the nas at home! Also, I plugged another usb drive into the QNAP and I put ripped movies onto it (not bothered if this dies, and I don't want to clog up the main drives). Anyway... Now watch movies in the telly downstairs from it and on my phone or iPad when away.
Yeah, that's one of the genuine and worthwhile benefits of modern technology. I've yet to utilise that facility, but no doubt will do soon :cool:
Marco.
Bit of a techy question if I may, don't mean to drift.
I take it that I plug the NAS drive in to the router then plug direct from the router to the Pi, is that the case? Problem is I'd need about 7-8m each way, would that be alright?
It's ether that or buy an extra long DSL cable so my router can be closer to the system... does anyone know which option would be best?
Hi Jo,
I suggested this Cat cable to Marco, all you'll ever need and is as cheap as chips.
As Marco says, it ticks all the audiophile/foo boxes :)
(Its Cat6a, foil shielded, and sounds better than Cat7 sshhhhh...don't tell anyone)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003CL1E9K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00
Heres a piccy for the Network techies to argue over ;)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/810mfhSMmOL._SL1500_.jpg
Cheers, Gaz. That's the chap - bloody superb it is too, and better sounding than some other stuff you can buy, often at greater cost! :)
Marco.
pitadavespa
02-12-2015, 12:44
Lol.... Er, yes. Or I'm losing it - far more likely! :D
Anyway, this is bloody brilliant. So much so, I've just bought one of these Seagate NAS drives, from Maplins, to store music on (mainly for ripping more of my CD collection), as I'm running out of space on my current NAS:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/seagate-personal-cloud-5tb-nas-storage-drive-a39tc
That should keep me going for a while. 88,300 hours worth of music!! :eek:
When I fill that (eventually), then between the Seagate, and the NAS box I've already got, in total I'll have access to 8TB worth of music, for streaming...... :carrot:
Marco.
Do you need help ripping your vinyl collection?
;)
awkwardbydesign
02-12-2015, 17:00
When I first installed Moode I thought it sounded better, later I switched back to Volumio and found the same :scratch:
Well, it's obvious isn't it? Disconnecting and reconnecting has cleaned the connections, Clean connections make for better sound.
Do you need help ripping your vinyl collection?
;)
Ha - vinyl collection? I'm still in the process of doing CDs, and that'll take long enough as it is... If I start with vinyl, considering the size of my collection, I *might just* finish the process before I pop my clogs! :D
Marco.
pitadavespa
02-12-2015, 17:27
Ha - vinyl collection? I'm still in the process of doing CDs, and that'll take long enough as it is... If I start with vinyl, considering the size of my collection, I *might just* finish the process before I pop my clogs! :D
Marco.
That's why I offered you my help. :)
Only if you give me your recipe for Piri-Piri chicken! :eyebrows:
Marco.
pitadavespa
02-12-2015, 17:43
Sorry, duplicated post...
No duplicated post here, matey :)
Marco.
pitadavespa
02-12-2015, 19:30
It was duplicated with my earlier post. ;)
pitadavespa
02-12-2015, 19:38
I'm using Dietpi with Subsonic and Kodi. It just works great, no problems whatsoever.
Subsonic allows me to listen to music, controlled by any device that is connected to my network, and Kodi allows me to watch videos on my TV.
But! I admit I prefer MoOde's simplicity and (I believe) better sound.
Have any of you compared the two?
Well, I've compared MoOde with Volumio, and the former wins, hands down, in terms of both sound (yes it does ;)), intuitiveness in use, and visual appearance.
Seagate [on the left], now installed and up and running at Marco HQ, which along with the Shuttle, now form my 'NAS Station':
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/633/Zs1PHj.jpg
This effectively now gives me access to 8TB of music (around 25,000 albums) - and it sounds STUNNING... Happy days! :yay:
Marco.
P.S The fact that it's all sitting on top of a 150-year old antique table is also a little ironic.
Looks Indian... Boy were they forward thinking :D
My router doesnt have usb so i just use a powered hdd into the rpi. I would get lostcwith that amount of music tbh. Its bad enough with my modest 115 gb
lostcwith? Educate me :)
I think the table is Indian, but Del's more aware of its provenance than me. She's more the antiques collector.
Marco.
Hi,
Volumio 2 might be coming but when, way I look at it even if it is better than Volumio 1 I still won't use it, Tim at MoOde is constantly working to improve MoOde and is on here very quickly when anyone asks for help or has a question.
That to me suggests someone who cares about their creation and is worthy of support.
I've donated twice for using MoOde as I feel it's worth it for not only the product itself but more importantly Tims time and effort.
Mike.
lostcwith? Educate me :)
I think the table is Indian, but Del's more aware of its provenance than me. She's more the antiques collector.
Marco.
C instead of a space..damn tablet.. Lost with that amount of music in a file. I get dizzy looking through 115gb which is several hundred albums...25000 is just too much lol. Funny but when i had only a handful of albums out to use i think i enjoyed it more
Well, it's obvious isn't it? Disconnecting and reconnecting has cleaned the connections, Clean connections make for better sound.
I doubt it very much - after a week or two of use the Pi just ain't old enough for that sort of malarkey ;)
C instead of a space..damn tablet.. Lost with that amount of music in a file. I get dizzy looking through 115gb which is several hundred albums...25000 is just too much lol. Funny but when i had only a handful of albums out to use i think i enjoyed it more
Ah, gotcha. That's why I use a laptop, with a nice proper-sized keyboard, and not a tablet (or worse, a mobile phone) to post on forums! ;)
Yup, I get where you're coming from. However, the whole lot has been stored in MoOde, firstly under the named NAS, then within each named NAS, the music is listed under genre, in alphabetical order, and also separate sections for hi-res 24 bit, etc, have been created, so you can't really get lost.
The fact is, it's all piss easy to use, reliable as very reliable thing, and sounds superb. So what's not to like with having (easy) access to all that lovely music? In reality, it's the modern version of a super-sized, audiophile jukebox! :D
Marco.
Hi,
Volumio 2 might be coming but when, way I look at it even if it is better than Volumio 1 I still won't use it, Tim at MoOde is constantly working to improve MoOde and is on here very quickly when anyone asks for help or has a question.
That to me suggests someone who cares about their creation and is worthy of support.
I've donated twice for using MoOde as I feel it's worth it for not only the product itself but more importantly Tims time and effort.
Mike.
Hear, hear, Mike! :thumbsup:
Marco.
Oh, one other thing I should add...
The 'NAS station' and router, together with all my other 'computer paraphernalia', is plugged into the ring-main, keeping all that noisy, SMPS shit separate from the system's main components, which are powered from a dedicated separate spur. The 'NAS station' is also located in an area of the house, well away from my listening room(s), which prevents one from hearing any fan noise.
It's all good! :cool:
Marco.
The Black Adder
04-12-2015, 15:40
+1 Mike. Tim is a great guy to deal with, questions answered quickly and concisely.
All good. :)
Well, I've compared MoOde with Volumio, and the former wins, hands down, in terms of both sound (yes it does ;)), intuitiveness in use, and visual appearance.
Seagate [on the left], now installed and up and running at Marco HQ, which along with the Shuttle, now form my 'NAS Station':
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/633/Zs1PHj.jpg
This effectively now gives me access to 8TB of music (around 25,000 albums) - and it sounds STUNNING... Happy days! :yay:
Marco.
P.S The fact that it's all sitting on top of a 150-year old antique table is also a little ironic.
Could do with a dust tbh... :)
PS That black box on top with the two sticky out things, what's that?
Hahaha - that's part of the charm, and besides, it's special 'wuffle dust' (for audiophiles). That's why it sounds so good! :D
Marco.
P.S Have Brian or you done anything with that Nexans cable yet? If not, get yer arse in gear, as it's fab!
Next thing on the list matey (currently ripping "hunners" of SACD to 24-352 Flac)
Oh, I'm all too familiar with the process - you have my sympathies! I think you'll like the Nexans, though, when you get round to it... :eyebrows:
Marco.
Final stages of taking care of the "infrastructure" Marco...
From the balanced mains unit (well...from the Consumer Unit really) I have a mish mash of various 4mm and 6mm mains cables.
On the mains front, I've previously benefited from what Roy K Riches advised me and now, alongside your hands on reccy of the Nexans, I'm dong a "fit n forget" job on the mains front.
So will be "fit n forget" enough to rewire he whole feckin' lot with the same (good) cable and enjoy and forget about it. :)
And if its not, I'm not caring! :)
Do it once, and do it right!
As they say in Italian: Ti Saluto! :respect:
Marco.
Well, I've compared MoOde with Volumio, and the former wins, hands down, in terms of both sound (yes it does ;)), intuitiveness in use, and visual appearance.
Seagate [on the left], now installed and up and running at Marco HQ, which along with the Shuttle, now form my 'NAS Station':
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/633/Zs1PHj.jpg
This effectively now gives me access to 8TB of music (around 25,000 albums) - and it sounds STUNNING... Happy days! :yay:
Marco.
P.S The fact that it's all sitting on top of a 150-year old antique table is also a little ironic.
And my 'office' system sits in my Indian Roll top desk!!
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j280/Stevewaller/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-12/B12CB752-31B1-48A0-A748-EF1884AC2FF5_zpswoqvmpgd.jpg (http://s82.photobucket.com/user/Stevewaller/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-12/B12CB752-31B1-48A0-A748-EF1884AC2FF5_zpswoqvmpgd.jpg.html)
C instead of a space..damn tablet.. Lost with that amount of music in a file. I get dizzy looking through 115gb which is several hundred albums...25000 is just too much lol. Funny but when i had only a handful of albums out to use i think i enjoyed it more
Ohhh so true..
I had a fellow (client) once who had a 4 Tb Movie storage.. as part of his homes' automation/AV system.
Hundreds of Movies installed.
All selectable in any inane ordering/selection system desired at the Fiddle of an ipad screen.
Rascal rarely watched movies as result. Said it was too daunting to choose... plus he had already seem them all :doh:
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