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Thread: Raspberry pi and the delights of invisible media!

  1. #1
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default Raspberry pi and the delights of invisible media!

    So, today I finally managed, with lots of instruction by Mikeyb, (thanks for the loan!) to connect a Raspberry pi to my system, install some music files on a usb flash drive and listen to the result.*

    I have to say, I am totally dumbstruck.*

    I've resisted the lure of these Pi's mainly due to my lack of understanding and in part because I was highly dubious about how well it could actually perform.*

    I am regretting not trying one earlier.*

    Ok, I probably would have made it through the install and possibly made it work but it was a lot easier with a guide. I am pretty sure that any reasonable person can do this with the help of a couple of YouTube vids. So if it's holding you back from trying it, bite the bullet.*

    On to the spec.*

    This is a Pi 2 I believe, with Allo Boss DAC hat. I haven't heard anything else from any Pi related companies so I'll just judge it on its own merits.*

    The sound is really very very good. Better than any CD player I've had for sure. Soundstage is massive. And I mean "rivaling the vinyl" massive. It's abundantly detailed and yet sufferers no glare or harshness whatsoever. It's has Excellent fluidity and the music flows as it should. Vocals sound excellent too. Human like rather than organic, but I did forget on numerous occasions that I was listening to the pi and not the vinyl.*

    Bass is tight and intrinsically displayed. Finger slides, feet buzz and the snappy hits of the strings, ring through and the texture really is impressive.*

    The highs float across my room like waves of light catching the dust in the air and the filigree catches your attention.*

    It's the mids that hold the magic though. Lots of tone and timbre. It really is very good.*

    Performer placement is not as precise as the Vinyl or the Sony CDP for that matter, however, this is a minor issue and certainly not something id write it off for. It not smeared either just not as easy to pick people out. I'd put this down to not imaging as well as the analogue rig.*

    The only other minor niggle is that cybals on occasion seem to escape the control and lose a bit of tone. Sometimes they sound a little splashy. Not always, just now and again. Not majorly splashy, just not as wholesome as vinyl. I may be a little harsh on that point but I thought it so I wrote it. It's also entirely plausible that it's the recording and not the Pi*

    Would I buy a Raspberry pi and have it installed in my system?

    Definitely.*

    I never ever thought I'd invest in digital but this has really opened my eyes. It's not Vinyl, it's different. Not worse either, just a different approach to music replay that actually still sounded like a believable performance. Not mechanical, not artificial just music.*

    Total price of the package I have here is about £80. That is just ridiculous for what I am hearing.*

    A linear PSU will set you back and extra £50ish and I suspect it may be worth going that extra step.*

    I am now reading about isolator boards which galvanically isolates the DAC from the pi. This could be a major play in SQ and at £150 for the board (from Allo), it's starting to get into dedicated DAC territory.*

    Will I venture into that with the Pi?

    Its a possibility.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

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    You’ll never leave the sofa again. Someone may find you in the distant future with 16,341 tracks playing on loop.
    The year will be 2021...
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Down South

    Posts: 2,413
    I'm Neal.

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    Stop describing it in terms of HiFi ‘speak”, what does it improve upon musically from your CDP? (BTW they are good aren’t they!)
    Listening in a Foo free Zone...

    Only a Sith deals in absolutes.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2010

    Location: Sheffield

    Posts: 2,898
    I'm Simon.

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    Yes please use old flat earth sales pitch speak only, its so much more applicable in this post flat response magazine era...


    Eh...?
    Kuzma Stabi/S 12", (LP12-bastard) DC motor and optical tacho psu, Benz LP, Paradise (phonostage). MB-Pro, Brooklyn dac and psu, Bruno Putzeys balanced pre, mod86p dual mono amps, Yamaha NS1000m

  5. #5
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by NRG View Post
    Stop describing it in terms of HiFi ‘speak”, what does it improve upon musically from your CDP? (BTW they are good aren’t they!)
    Ok........

    Pi v CDP

    Pi improvements over the CDP:

    Soundscape. The width and hight of the sound produced extended beyond the limits of the speakers. Seems to create a feeling of listening to much bigger speakers.

    Dynamics: the pi sounds more lively, more dramatic. Maybe even a little over the top. Like it need a snickers but it's great.

    Stack and decay: piano notes last longer as the decay is easily heard, fading slowly rather than kind of, disappearing. Leading edges on the piano also sound very sharp and precise. Indicate no treble roll off or rounded sound. Not sure how you'd like me to describe that bit? Just quicker and cleaner.

    Ease of use: never leave your arm chair again ! The sheer number of tracks available at your fingertips is superb.

    CDP improvement over the Pi

    Imaging: whilst the soundstage is smaller, it's easier to pick out the individual performers. They seem a little more realistic or 3 dimensional.


    I'll add to this as I listen further.

  6. #6
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by WESTLOWER View Post
    You’ll never leave the sofa again. Someone may find you in the distant future with 16,341 tracks playing on loop.
    The year will be 2021...
    Lol, it is addictive too. Finding myself listening to stuff I haven't heard for yonks. I have limited myself a little with the vinyl setup due to not wanting to hear what digital has done here before. This is a different experience. I thoroughly enjoyed bit. A tough task but it's achieved something 6 DACs and 8 cd players couldn't. Enjoyment.

    I will add that the only reason I even attempted this was due to the Sony CD player I have. Macca left it with me and I have been using it, bought a few CDs and enjoyed them.

  7. #7
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sq225917 View Post
    Yes please use old flat earth sales pitch speak only, its so much more applicable in this post flat response magazine era...


    Eh...?
    I've tried.......hope it's clearer

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,240
    I'm Adrian.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigman80 View Post
    I've tried.......hope it's clearer
    Oliver, I think you summed it up very well, much the same as my personal experience having bitted the Pi/DAC/Caiman SEG DAC bullet. I presume you have borrowed and not purchased at this stage.

    If you decide to go ahead then you had 2 choices really, the route I took and then if your CDP has S/PDIP out you can feed the Caiman SEG DAC or similar external DAC, this is very likely to improve the CD replay(but I am not sure that you have one). Alternatively by a RPi with a higher end DAC card, like ALLO – KATANA DAC or TERRATECHNOS – TERRA-BERRYDAC 2+. If you want to spend a bit less but still get really good SQ I understand that this is a good option RPi with ALLO – KALI I2S RECLOCKER and compatible DAC (have a read https://volumio.org/product/allo-kali-i2s-reclocker/)).

    Enjoy sofa sound surfing.
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Nov 2018

    Location: Grimsby

    Posts: 398
    I'm David.

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    Great to read you've enjoyed digital, it's not the same as vinyl, but the more you listen the more you begin to accept. Are you saying the loaned Sony cdp was the best digital you had heard up until the Pi.

  10. #10
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by AJSki2fly View Post
    Oliver, I think you summed it up very well, much the same as my personal experience having bitted the Pi/DAC/Caiman SEG DAC bullet. I presume you have borrowed and not purchased at this stage.

    If you decide to go ahead then you had 2 choices really, the route I took and then if your CDP has S/PDIP out you can feed the Caiman SEG DAC or similar external DAC, this is very likely to improve the CD replay(but I am not sure that you have one). Alternatively by a RPi with a higher end DAC card, like ALLO – KATANA DAC or TERRATECHNOS – TERRA-BERRYDAC 2+. If you want to spend a bit less but still get really good SQ I understand that this is a good option RPi with ALLO – KALI I2S RECLOCKER and compatible DAC (have a read https://volumio.org/product/allo-kali-i2s-reclocker/)).

    Enjoy sofa sound surfing.
    Hi Adrian,

    I tried a Caiman. Didn't like it. Tried it with the new power thing and still didn't like it. Heard it after a clock mod and again, wasn't for me.

    CDP has no spdif so I'll go the way of the pi!

    I have now bought a Pi 3+. I have done a deal with mikeyb for his Boss DAC hat and case and I'll stick with that for a while. I am very green about this sort of stuff so before info ploughing head first into something I don't understand, I'll use this rig to learn. Once I am more comfortable, I'll have a look at upgrades etc.

    I'll make a bit if the bits you recommend though, thanks for that.

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