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

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Originally Posted by John

Getting Spotify at CD quality just opens up so much music.
I not gone down the Pi route at the moment using a Direct Digital amp so can stream via that, SQ is very good indeed once I treated the Ethernet cables that really took playback up to a unexpected notch.

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I agree about Spotify. What do you mean by "treated the Ethernet cables" - what did you do to them? I'm just using bog-standard cat5e.

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I think Martin likes the his Caiman but he might try out the DAC sometime. Using a good power supply seems to be the key to getting good SQ

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Interestingly, for the first time ever with an SMPS unit, I can hear no major deterioration in the sound, using the Raspberry Pi PSU. I guess, as technology advances, SMPS units are getting better. However, I fully expect some sonic gains to be had with the introduction of a high-quality linear PSU.

I'm sure that the Caiman sounds great, with the Pi, but I still suspect that Martin would be in for a shock if he bought the (£32) IQ-Audio Pi-DAC+, and ran it as a hard-wired DAC, without the need for any cables, straight into his power amp. *That* is where the true magic lies, and where special things happen, sonically - certainly in my system.

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The value to SQ performance ratio is amazing. It something we just learning about
Not sure why no one is making a decent music player using the Pi approach. Seems to be a logical step. If I had the skills I do it
Also great having 2TB of music at hand. You can never have to much music
I agree about having different options

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I agree. The SPPV is just bonkers! Yeah, someone should defo make a decent music player, with the Pi. It seems like a total no-brainer. Yup, 2TB of choons is handly to have - and that will only grow as I start ripping my own CD collection and adding it to further hard-drives... Happy days! :cool:

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Tim

However, it really isn't hard and jeez if it can finally get that Luddite, doubting Thomas Marco to embrace it, then there's hope for all ;)

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Ha.... Told ya, daftee, that I wasn't a doubter; merely a discerning (hard to please) listener with high sonic standards, which with FBA, have only now been satisfied! :ner:

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Marco

In terms of the emboldened text, precisely! For me, the most genuine music fans own various music sources, able to access their favourite music in different ways - not just one... Now that I've added a streaming device, I now have five different music sources in total (Pi, CDP, T/T, tape deck and analogue tuner), all of which are used regularly.

Yup, vinyl and FBA are most certainly the future. CD is on borrowed time!

Marco.

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sorry what is FBA ? But certainly agree with above :)

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File-Based Audio, Roops! :)

Marco.

:doh:

edit: is streamed music also consider FBA ? Who knows, maybe someone is playing it on a TT with a mic in front of the speakers :scratch: (just joking)

Flying Binary in the Air

:D

Makes more sense to me...

Nought wrong with the cat 5se I am using 7se but have treated the ends with Extreme Silver treatment I bought years ago In the past I tried it with valves and it had no benefit But with the Ethernet cables it was a noticeable step up in SQ. For years I considered it foo but happy I gave it another try I am now using it with my fuses and all connections. We not talking big increase in SQ but as you know a lot of small changes add up

Ah, that's interesting.... In your experience, then, does the quality of Ethernet cable also make a difference? This is an area I have no experience in whatsoever, so I'm always keen to learn :)

What about upgrading the mains lead that supplies power to your hard-drives? Lol.... Hey, who knows? :eyebrows:

First thing for me, however, will be to sort out a nice linear PSU, for the Pi.

Marco.

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Originally Posted by r100

edit: is streamed music also consider FBA ?

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Who cares, as long as it sounds good . . .

As a Glasgow Celtic football supporter, I'm more in tune with FTQ, than FBA...... :eyebrows:

Marco.