View Full Version : Raspberry pi and the delights of invisible media!
Ah, things moved on again after that to using files from a local NAS. I no longer recommend using the USB port.
LOL, ok I'm still only on page 27!
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 08:13
Sorry for being such a numpty but i am still trying to get a grip of this computer audio! Ok i have it working without the isolator fitted.
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Ok chaps, any tips on fitting the isolator as i spent hours trying to get the Pi working yesterday with it fitted !! It sounds pretty good without it mind you ... [emoji846]
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Ok chaps, any tips on fitting the isolator as i spent hours trying to get the Pi working yesterday with it fitted !! It sounds pretty good without it mind you ... [emoji846]
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Not sure how helpful this will be but I gave up on picoreplayer and just installed max2play and during set up it asked me what set up I was using. I checked boss dac and away it went working 1st time.
I never figured it out but there must be a setting for the boss in picoreplayer?
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 08:33
Not sure how helpful this will be but I gave up on picoreplayer and just installed max2play and during set up it asked me what set up I was using. I checked boss dac and away it went working 1st time.
I never figured it out but there must be a setting for the boss in picoreplayer?
Not sure i would know how to do that lol
Ok I’m going to try and set up the isolator again !
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Not sure i would know how to do that lol
Ok I’m going to try and set up the isolator again !
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The same way that picoreplayer is done.
Download the max2play img from their website and burn it to a SD using win32disc and then put the SD in the rpi.
Search for the ip address of the rpi using adavanced ip scanner.
Type the IP addy into a PC browser and up comes max2play page ready to take you through the process.
Simples :)
m2p looks good to use. pretty much a squeezelite system
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 09:16
The same way that picoreplayer is done.
Download the max2play img from their website and burn it to a SD using win32disc and then put the SD in the rpi.
Search for the ip address of the rpi using adavanced ip scanner.
Type the IP addy into a PC browser and up comes max2play page ready to take you through the process.
Simples :)
Ok may try that but just had a thought. Could it be they way i have the combined unit powered. Without the isolator i powered the RP and Boss with separate supplies. But ive just realised the Isolator has a USB C power supply - so I am guessing i should be powering up the RP via the Isolator?? I cant check as i only have one USB C power cable !!
Anyone have any thoughts - does that make sense? [emoji51]
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I went through all that when I couldn't get picoreplayer to output. I suspect pcp has an output setting for the Boss that I didn't find.
Anyway, I would just set up the rpi-isolator-Boss with all jumpers in place and then log into pcp and look for the boss dac setting. It must be in the player settings somewhere.
Power up by inputting power to rpi and Boss DAC with nothing connected to the isolater
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 09:33
I went through all that when I couldn't get picoreplayer to output. I suspect pcp has an output setting for the Boss that I didn't find.
Anyway, I would just set up the rpi-isolator-Boss with all jumpers in place and then log into pcp and look for the boss dac setting. It must be in the player settings somewhere.
Power up by inputting power to rpi and Boss DAC with nothing connected to the isolater
Its working !! Many thanks all [emoji3] [emoji106]
Is there much of a burn in with RP Allo set up ?.
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there will be, yes... everything should improve.. maybe as much as 100 hrs, but certainly 20. well done:)
Its working !! Many thanks all [emoji3] [emoji106]
Is there much of a burn in with RP Allo set up ?.
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Well done, was it a Boss setting that fixed it?
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 09:41
Well done, was it a Boss setting that fixed it?
I think it was i had taken the jumper off after looking at the instructions but that must be for using without isolator !
Im impressed already, more natural vocals and space between instruments first observations! Excellent!!
Thanks again
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I think it was i had taken the jumper off after looking at the instructions but that must be for using without isolator !
Im impressed already, more natural vocals and space between instruments first observations! Excellent!!
Thanks again
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Yes, that threw me as well.
For future installers using the isolater all jumpers need to be fitted.
Just tried picoreplayer again and this time got it going.
Where I went wrong was I didn't change the audio output device setting in the squeezelite settings page to Allo Boss :)
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 10:28
Sounding really good ... has anyone compared the Allo Boss and Isolator with the Digione ?.
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beermaniac
11-05-2019, 10:31
And can you get a better case than the cheap acrylic one .. ive broken it already !!! [emoji15]
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Sounding really good ... has anyone compared the Allo Boss and Isolator with the Digione ?.
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Its a different system with the digione being a transport which is then used with an external DAC
Does anyone know if there are any particular settings in PCP to upsample?
beermaniac
11-05-2019, 10:35
Its a different system with the digione being a transport which is then used with an external DAC
Ah ok i see.. well i’m getting there. [emoji846]
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Sherwood
11-05-2019, 12:17
Sounding really good ... has anyone compared the Allo Boss and Isolator with the Digione ?.
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The Allo Digione is not a DAC so direct comparisons are not possible.
Bourneendboy
12-05-2019, 07:38
I set up a NAS yesterday by plugging a 500GB hard drive into my PC and sharing on my home network, Volumio set up was easy once I worked out how to write the file path in the correct format.
This definitely sounds different to a USB memory stick plugged straight into the Pi and will need further listening to see if I prefer it.
There is more detail and I am hearing things not heard before, but there appears to be less 'body' to the sound.
Will see how it goes:)
Bigman80
12-05-2019, 07:45
I set up a NAS yesterday by plugging a 500GB hard drive into my PC and sharing on my home network, Volumio set up was easy once I worked out how to write the file path in the correct format.
This definitely sounds different to a USB memory stick plugged straight into the Pi and will need further listening to see if I prefer it.
There is more detail and I am hearing things not heard before, but there appears to be less 'body' to the sound.
Will see how it goes:)Yes, it's definitely different. I didn't manage to set it up that way. Couldn't figure out the file path.
Yatsushiro
12-05-2019, 07:51
Does anyone know if there are any particular settings in PCP to upsample?
http://archimago.blogspot.com/2017/12/howto-musings-playing-with-digital_23.html?m=1
Just tried picoreplayer again and this time got it going.
Where I went wrong was I didn't change the audio output device setting in the squeezelite settings page to Allo Boss :)
Nice one, now you have it running you can start playing with the squeezelite filter settings! ;)
Does anyone know if there are any particular settings in PCP to upsample?
Yes, you can set all sorts of things....
https://i.postimg.cc/rFd7GpR5/Screen-Shot-2019-05-12-at-10-24-23.png (https://postimages.org/)
I based my settings on the Archimago 'goldilocks' settings, you can read more here: http://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/01/musings-more-fun-with-digital-filters.html
These work well especially if the material you listen too is recorded 'hot' IE clipping is present
Yes, you can set all sorts of things....
https://i.postimg.cc/rFd7GpR5/Screen-Shot-2019-05-12-at-10-24-23.png (https://postimages.org/)
Just tried these settings and yes this does improve the SQ further.
I've also had a little play with the DSP filter options and they also change the sound signature as well. Not sure which I prefer...
Is there a way to get PCP to play the Tidal MQA's?
Just had a good read of Archimago's blog and he has some very worthwhile stuff there.
So far I've switched off the Wifi and HDMI, adjusted sampling rates and under clocked the rpi.
All this has to my ears improved the SQ making it sweeter and yet more dynamic and detailed.
I've very much enjoyed playing with this kit and will be getting a digione to try next :)
My Allo Isolator has arrived. This Linear power supply is on its way:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIFI-25W-DC5V-linear-Power-supply-with-display-for-USB-DAC-Raspberry-Pi-PSU/123417050160?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
I need a good quality lead from the LPS to the USB-C socket on the isolator. Has anyone got any recommendations please...and should I add a choke too?
Thanks,
Bonky
Shovel_Knight
14-05-2019, 22:35
My Pi + Boss combo finally arrived today. I was surprised that Volumio required next to no setup to get started.
It sounds... a bit underwhelming, to be honest, but I'm powering it with the standard wall wart at the moment. At some point I will assemble a high-current regulated PSU (Sigma11) and hopefully it should improve things a bit.
Yatsushiro
15-05-2019, 07:35
My Pi + Boss combo finally arrived today. I was surprised that Volumio required next to no setup to get started.
It sounds... a bit underwhelming, to be honest, but I'm powering it with the standard wall wart at the moment. At some point I will assemble a high-current regulated PSU (Sigma11) and hopefully it should improve things a bit.
I'd give it a few hours (I think Allo initially suggested something like 50 hours) before making a final judgement. Also, I'm not convinced that Volumio is the best OS for getting the most out of certain DACs. For the sake of an SD card and a little time, give Moode and/or PCP a try.
My Pi + Boss combo finally arrived today. I was surprised that Volumio required next to no setup to get started.
It sounds... a bit underwhelming, to be honest, but I'm powering it with the standard wall wart at the moment. At some point I will assemble a high-current regulated PSU (Sigma11) and hopefully it should improve things a bit.
If you haven't already done so I would change OS to PCP and then disable the wifi and HDMI in settings as this seems to reduce distortion/noise.
However, in my system and using good LPSUs I eventually found the sound was not to my preference having a very hifi presentation that to me was a little sharp. It did however, have a very good bass sound.
I ended up putting an rpi3 under my hifiberry digi+ HAT into my old Xiang Sheng DAC and much preferred this arrangement. This was a good step up from my old rpi2/hifberry Digi+ and improved the bottom end in much the same way as the Boss DAC.
I'm now toying with the idea of trying a Allo digione.
Volumio sounds just dandy to me. I dont think its software related unless its not set up optimally.
My Pi + Boss combo finally arrived today. I was surprised that Volumio required next to no setup to get started.
It sounds... a bit underwhelming, to be honest, but I'm powering it with the standard wall wart at the moment. At some point I will assemble a high-current regulated PSU (Sigma11) and hopefully it should improve things a bit.
I have the Allo Boss DAC and found it not really much better than the (original) IQAudio DAC I also use (and which cost considerably less)
Both are very good, just didn't find the Allo board that much to write home about - either with the 'official' Raspberry wallwart or a linear supply to feed it.
Bourneendboy
16-05-2019, 16:45
I have the Allo Boss DAC and found it not really much better than the (original) IQAudio DAC I also use (and which cost considerably less)
Both are very good, just didn't find the Allo board that much to write home about - either with the 'official' Raspberry wallwart or a linear supply to feed it.
I much prefer the Boss V1.2 (not tried the original Boss) over the Iqaudio, although excellent as well��
I much prefer the Boss V1.2 (not tried the original Boss) over the Iqaudio, although excellent as well��
The Boss one I have is the V1.2 :)
Shovel_Knight
16-05-2019, 20:34
To my ears, with CD-quality material it really sounds like a good CD player from the 90s, not that it's necessary a bad thing, but I get a bit more life-like presentation from my vinyl rig.
I have a couple of jazz albums in 192/24 I bought off hdtracks.com, I need to track them down and have a proper listen.
Hi all
I finally have my allo boss up and running.
With the help of Oliver it's now a working piece of kit.
Still need to get the hard drive running but at least i now have radio.
Bass sounds a little light but its early days.
Will need a little help to get the hard drive up and running Oliver so you will be getting a few more txts mate but thanks for your help so far...
Steve..
Wow!
I just discovered the ALSA 10 band equalizer in piecoreplayer and have used the bass boost setting.
This is like fitting a decent subwoofer into my system and has really brought my speakers low end alive.
To my ears and preferences this has brought about a very good step up in sound.
Only trouble is it has left my vinyl sounding far to neutral...
killie99
08-06-2019, 13:04
Ok for my sanity .......
RPi and BOSS 1.2
BOSS J25 OFF to feed power to RPi and BOSS individually
RPi & Isolator 1.2 & BOSS 1.2
Isolator J26 ON BOSS J25 ON to feed power to Isolator and BOSS individually.
J29 serves no purpose other than illuminating (or not) a LED?
The Allo docs aren't exactly clear, they could do with a little drawing showing each configuration.
Not that I can even power it up as the USB -C cables I ordered with 1st class postage last Monday still aren't here ... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Bigman80
08-06-2019, 13:49
Ok for my sanity .......
RPi and BOSS 1.2
BOSS J25 OFF to feed power to RPi and BOSS individually
RPi & Isolator 1.2 & BOSS 1.2
Isolator J26 ON BOSS J25 ON to feed power to Isolator and BOSS individually.
J29 serves no purpose other than illuminating (or not) a LED?
The Allo docs aren't exactly clear, they could do with a little drawing showing each configuration.
Not that I can even power it up as the USB -C cables I ordered with 1st class postage last Monday still aren't here ... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!Oh no!
Stay patient. It's a great bit of kit.
killie99
08-06-2019, 14:35
Have I got the jumper settings correct?
Bigman80
08-06-2019, 14:50
Sounds right to me.
killie99
09-06-2019, 22:21
Im intrigued to see how the Boss/Isolator compares to the Digione/Perreaux given the good reports of the Boss/Isolator. Certainly not apples v apples but a worthwhile shoot out I think.
mightymonoped
11-06-2019, 19:36
Just hooked up the TPA3116 (£20) amp to the Katana to remind myself how good it is...and boy oh boy, it is good!
Serious contender for the Best Value I have come across in the world of audio, that’s for sure.
Just breathes life, and engages you in the music effortlessly.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190611/55bfd43c7b355945e6fc45032e4fdbad.jpg
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I wanted to shoutout to the Allo DietPi image, it is absolutely rock solid, ready configured for everything including Squeezelite, and has run crash free for over a month now with no power downs or resets. Bonus is the OS runs entirely in RAM. Moode was more flaky for sure.
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