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

[Marco]

I could ask you the same question. Just because the Linn is 4.5K doesn't make this PSU SPPV, I think your idea of SPPV is very different to the rest of us.

We're at cross purposes here, Neal. I wasn't referring to the 'SPPV' of Paul's PSU (although, as he's outlined rather eloquently, I consider it very good in that respect), certainly in comparison with 'big name' commercial items purporting to fulfil a similar task.

The 'SPPV' I was referring to was that of the RPi/IQ-Audio DAC/PH SR3DR, as a combination, when compared with something such as a Linn Akurate DS, which I was in the market to buy before I discovered the RPi. Until that point, I hadn't heard an FBA source in my system that was up to the sonic standard that I demand from my source components - and I'd listened to plenty of different ones.

In my system, the RPi combo significantly outperforms the Linn (and also Naim versions I've heard, including others in a similar price bracket), and considering the humungous difference in cost, makes the the former a laughable bargain!!

Quite simply, when a £700 streamer outperforms a £4500 one, it can't be doing anything else other than offering high SPPV - and it was *that*, and that alone, which I was referring to before

Marco.

[cyclopse]

The piper calls the tune. If you prefer to stay with a mobile switch mode style supply thats fine. Then your comparing £70 with £4500 a considerable difference. Mine can now play 24/96, 24/192 and dsd with no issue. Moode will also have bbc radio stations soon. Very grateful Marco flagged it with the AOS community.

Regards

Stephen

[Paul Hynes]

I am also grateful for Marco’s disclosure about the Rpi performance. For selfish reasons, I am looking forward to screwing as much additional performance out of the Pi module as I can, as it looks like it has the potential to cope with all the main replay formats with high resolution. This is just what I need for my own system.

Regards
Paul

[Marco]

The RPi was designed for educational purposes, at least initially, and the concept taken on board by the major electronics distributors, allowing a massive market potential from the start. Because of this, development costs and business overhead costs can be spread over many tens of thousands of sales. Economy of scale, allowing manufacture in the far east, plus the originator’s charitable stance, have provided a stripped down basic computer motherboard at a very low cost indeed.

A nice side effect of the minimalist design of this motherboard is that it has the ability to process audio data streams in a benign way that allows very good audio performance. Products with this price/ability equation are in fact quite rare.

For me, that's it in a nutshell, which is why the RPi/IQ-Audio DAC deserves championing from the rooftops, not merely as an effective 'budget streaming solution', but when judiciously modified with a high-quality linear PSU, a highly capable high-end one, too!

Marco.

[Bonky]

I have posted this on the AudioStandard page where, as you all know, MartinT has written some excellent instructions for setting-up Volumio.
...
Further to your excellent instructions for setting-up Volumio with the Pi, I was having difficulty with my Mac system in getting Volumio to 'see' the music files.

I used this:
http://www.hagensieker.com/styled-41/index.html

The only difference I had to make was in the IP address (I used, for example,: 192.168.1.123 instead of the smb://applesimac2.home which I got from the file sharing info)..Hope this helps,

BW

Richard.

[guyb]

Hey Paul,

It would be awesome to be able to somehow fit the Pi inside the case for the PSU making it one unit with the power connector inside the case and required connectors such as Ethernet, USB and audio outputs exposed on the outside of the case.

Or would that somehow be a bad idea?

Guy

[guyb]

I am currently using my Pi2 with my external USB DAC but want to try the IQ-Audio Pi-DAC+ as a comparison as it sounds like the way to go BUT I can't find anywhere that is currently selling it - everyone is out of stock - does anyone know where I can get one from?

Guy

[AlanS]

I am currently using my Pi2 with my external USB DAC but want to try the IQ-Audio Pi-DAC+ as a comparison as it sounds like the way to go BUT I can't find anywhere that is currently selling it - everyone is out of stock - does anyone know where I can get one from?

Guy

Join the queues and bide your time. All out of stock vendors will get their new supplies at much the same time. Shortest queue is the only option or look for a S/H one.

[Paul Hynes]

Hi Guy,

I would be disinclined to have the mains transformer and rectification in the same enclosure as the Pi as stray field interaction is usually very difficult to deal with in a single enclosure. I usually keep the master supply with transformer and pre-regulation in a separate remote enclosure and then apply local regulation in the signal processing enclosure as close to the load as possible.

Regards
Paul

[Marco]

A few piccies of the superb Paul Hynes SR3DR in situ [Yes, it's the long sliver box with 'Paul Hynes Design' written on it]:

















Works for me

Marco.

P.S For completeness, the big black box to the left is a Paul Hynes SR5 PSU, which powers the chunky sliver box to the right of the SR3DR, which is the Paul Hynes MC head amp I use with my moving-coil cartridges.