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

[Audio Advent]

I don't want the enclosures resembling a Tower in any way.

A tower on it's side no longer looks like a tower and vice versa. Problem solved for any shape..

[Marco]

The output of the IQAudIO DAC has the potential of 2v output, but a setting in linux limits it to 1v, as highlighted to me by IQAudIO here. However, there is a mixer app (already installed in the volumio image) that you can tweak to improve the situation.

Hi Rob,

Thanks, mate. Yes I read that, but (without someone providing a simple step-by-step guide on how to do it - if you fancy doing that, bearing in mind I don't use a Windows machine?) I wouldn't have a clue how to adjust things! Linux? I haven't got a scooby-doo...

Besides, with the levels on Volumo set at 96 or 97 (depending on how 'hot' tracks have been recorded), using my Croft preamp, the output of the Pi/IQ-Audio DAC is the same as my CDP (or very close to it), and there are no obvious problems. I'm certainly not short of gain.

However, it would be interesting to see what happens when the output has been increased to 2v, but someone would need take me through the process slowly.

Marco.

[Bourneendboy]

I currently use Google Play Music rather than Spotify, am I going to be able to access this with the Pi?

Cheers,
Bill

[mikeyb]

I currently use Google Play Music rather than Spotify, am I going to be able to access this with the Pi?

Cheers,
Bill

Hi,

BubbleUPnP app can stream Google Play Music to the Pi 😉

You just choose the Pi from the Renderer menu within Bubble, Google Play Music is found within the 'Cloud' menu on Bubble.

Pretty sure other upnp apps would be able to do the same.

Mike.

[ReggieB]

Yes I read that, but (without someone providing a simple step-by-step guide on how to do it - if you fancy doing that, bearing in mind I don't use a Windows machine?) I wouldn't have a clue how to adjust things! Linux? I haven't got a scooby-doo...

Besides, with the levels on Volumo set at 96 or 97 (depending on how 'hot' tracks have been recorded), using my Croft preamp, the output of the Pi/IQ-Audio DAC is the same as my CDP (or very close to it), and there are no obvious problems. I'm certainly not short of gain.

The Apple O/S is a UNIX based system just like Linux, so it should be just as easy to SSH into the Pi. If you can open a command prompt, you should just need to use this command:

ssh root@volumio.local

You may get a warning pop up about not trusting the certificate. That's fine in this case where you're connecting to a known local host. Just add the response that will let you carry on.

You should then be prompted for a password. Enter the password: volumio

You'll now be connected to the command shell of the Pi, and any commands you run now, get executed on the Pi. So you can now enter:

alsamixer

And you should be presented with the mixer screen, which looks something like this:



You navigate around this screen using the cursor keys (arrow keys) on your keyboard. Left and right to change the setting your on (bottom of screen), and up and down to change values and levels.

You can also alter things using the F buttons as shown at the top of the screen. So for example F3 changes the view to just showing Playback settings.

When you are done just hit the Esc key on you keyboard to exit alsamixer. Then enter

exit

to leave the SSH shell.

So in summary:

• ssh root@volumio.local
• Accept certificate warning if prompted
• Enter password: volumio
• alsamixer
• -- have a play with the mixer settings
• Esc to exist
• exit

[Marco]

Thanks for this, Rob! However...

The Apple O/S is a UNIX based system just like Linux, so it should be just as easy to SSH into the Pi. If you can open a command prompt...

Whoa, slow down... How do I "open a command prompt"? Remember that you're dealing with someone who only ever uses his laptop for posting on here, sending and receiving emails and buying stuff on ebay!

Please bear that in mind, and so what may be 'obvious' to you, will be double-Dutch to me...

Marco.

[Desmo]

Thanks for this, Rob! However...



Whoa, slow down... How do I "open a command prompt"? Remember that you're dealing with someone who only ever uses his laptop for posting on here, sending and receiving emails and buying stuff on ebay!

Please bear that in mind, and so what may be 'obvious' to you, will be double-Dutch to me...

Marco.

ever heard of google? this is the first hit I got: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-to-the-Command-Line-on-a-Mac that should answer your question.

[mikeyb]

Hi,

On my Win7 pc I use a programme called PuTTy (cyberduck can also be used) and you log in using the Pi's ip address and then the username usually root and password for squeezeplug it's nosoup4u, volumio will be different obviously, this gets you into the Pi and you then type in copy and paste commands into the screen. Just like the old days of DOS.
Mike.

[mikeyb]

ever heard of google?

Google is your friend 😉

My dad keeps asking for pc help and it usually takes seconds for me to find the answer, mind you he does have an excuse he's 77 but for his ages he's pretty pc savvy.

Mike.

[Marco]

And you should be presented with the mixer screen, which looks something like this:



You navigate around this screen using the cursor keys (arrow keys) on your keyboard. Left and right to change the setting your on (bottom of screen), and up and down to change values and levels.

Ok, (after following the instructions on Google on how to open a command prompt, lol - thanks Graeme), I've now accessed the above. Do I simply put the playback levels at 100%, so that all three 'coloured bars' (as shown above as 'FIR inte') are fully lit up into the red?

If so, does that mean the DAC is now set to output 2v?

Only the first bar on the left was fully lit up, when I first went in. The other two, on the right, were blank.

Marco.