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  • bobfa
    bobfa

    DIY Music Server and Streamer for the Audio Hobbyist

     

     

    Over the last six years, I have been using Homebrew, Commercial, and purpose-built music servers and systems.  Most of my journey has been documented here in a rather helter-skelter fashion.  In 2021 I have settled down on what I think is a great starting place for the technician hobbyist. It is now my goto system that, to my ear, sounds FABULOUS!

     

    This should not scare anyone away; it is not hard to set up!   I claim no invention rights here.  I studied, I played, I built, and I am listening…

     

    There are a few things you will need to get started:

     

    A PC, or Mac computer,  If you are on Linux, you are already halfway there!.  You will need a good internet connection to download software and, of course, connect to music services in the cloud. The computer will need to have an SD card reader as we will be using MicroSD cards.

     

    Some familiarity with the terminal programs, SSH, Ping, and;  yes, there may be evil, dreaded command-line work here.  Again NO FEAR, please!  Your favorite search engine will help you through this.  As well, there are a lot of folks here on the forum that will help.

     

    You will have to spend some money on hardware; you will need a bit of temporary space to assemble goodies!

     

    NOTE:  All of my servers and streamers are connected by Ethernet.  I have a phobia about using wireless in audio systems.  You may have to learn how to route, hide cabling in your house!    It is not that hard to do in “most homes.”  You may need a network switch to accommodate this.

     

    Here are examples of systems I am using:

     

    I will assume that you have a DAC, some amplification, and speakers or headphones!  Nothing extravagant!  I am using a Topping D10Bal into a pair of in-expensive powered studio monitors as a system in my basement.

     

    • Pi4 in a passively cooled case
    • Topping D10Bal $150
    • Schiit Audio USB cable
    • Two Balanced cables $150 (I used Mogami Gold) Save money for now and use Amazon Basics
    • Two Powered Studio speakers Total $400. Mine are older M-Audio BX5a models!
    • A power strip to plug the system into.

     

     

     

    IMG_1506.jpg

     

    IMG_1482.jpg

     

     

     

    My headphone system is An Allo USBridge Sig with Shanti supply to a Schiit Lyr-3 with Multibit DAC in my office.  I like the Massdrop HD6xx headphones for the money spent.  There is a Transparent HP USB cable and Puritan Audio Laboratories AC cables.  This also lets me play with a bit of tube-rolling!  I have a Teac CD player connected to the unbalanced inputs of the Lyr-3 for the fun of it.

     

     

    IMG_1512.jpg

     

     

     

    This system is a bit more on the advanced side!  In my Living Room is what I call my “Performance Listening” system with a pair of Heavenly Soundworks Five Seventeen speakers on their stands with IsoAcoustic isolators under the speakers.  A Pi4 is powered by an Allo Shanti supply with a LUSH^3 cable to a MUTEC MC-3 + USB DDC.  I am still fussing over AES cables, but there is a Mogami one on the system for now;  I need three meters, and that is a budgetary problem.

     

    AC power is all Puritan Audio Laboratories.  I am using their standard cables for the speakers and the Shanti.  The wall to the PSM156 and from the PSM156 to the Mutec is their Ultimate cables.

     

     

    IMG_1511.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

    My LMS server is a Pi4 8Gb with a 4TB SSD onboard, powered by a Farad Super 3 LPS.  The server sits next to my NAS.  There is a Puritan power cord to a Transparent P2 on the AC side of things.

     

     

    IMG_1508.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

    Bob’s Rules

     

    • As  I mentioned above, I do not use wireless networks for the infrastructure.  The control systems are acceptable on wireless; iPhone, iPad, laptop, etc.
    • Over multiple iterations, I have found that separate server and streamer designs make for the best sound and are the most flexible. I am continuing that here.
    • I treat the system as an appliance,  the master music files are stored elsewhere, and copies are kept on the server.
    • I have used file servers and NAS devices and abandoned them as part of the playback system to reduce network traffic and server compute loading.
    • In the long run, Power Supplies can make an essential difference in sound quality.  I find that supplies with super-capacitor outputs; fascinating.
    • Interconnect cabling also makes a difference.
    • I work hard to eliminate fans.
    • Software is the king of sound quality.  It breaks sound quality by just being there.  The less of it, the better.
    • Finally, support Open Source software.  This project runs on it! FOSS forever, baby!

     

     

    The Hard Part

     

    Now comes the challenging part of this problem: Sourcing Components.  With everyone buying face masks and TP, the pandemic, economic turmoil, and parts shortages getting what we need for this project can be a problem.  In this case, Amazon is not your friend as the markups there have been rather painful.  Look around first.

     

     

    The Server Hardware

     

    • $75 Raspberry Pi 4 (I use one with 8BG RAM, but I think 4GB will be fine)
    • $15 Start with a 5.1v 3.5A wall wart supply.  It will be fine for now.
    • $15 Get a 32GB MicroSD card.  Samsung, SanDisk are two brands I trust,  From a reputable supplier.
    • $??? 2.5 in SSD for music storage
    • $30 GeekPi Storage Expansion

     

     

    I am using the case that fits the daughterboard I purchased.  You can use just about anything.  Make it passive cooling to eliminate fans.

     

    ***I am using a daughterboard for my server that holds a 4TB SSD.  The Pi4 attaches to the top of the board, and the SSD goes on the bottom.  This board has a barrel connector to power both devices.  That has been working well for me, but I am using a different power supply.  To start with, a simple USB — SATA interface will do.  This is the board I am using: GeeekPi Raspberry Pi 4 SATA Storage

     

    Here is my YouTube presentation on the server setup:

     

     

     

     

     

    The Streamer Hardware

     

    $55 Raspberry Pi 4 4GB.

    $15 Start with a 5.1v 3.5A wall-wart supply.

    Get a 32GB MicroSD card

    Get a case of your choice, passively cooled.

     

    I am in the middle of testing a couple of HAT boards, so the case issues are not settled yet.

     

    At this point, the streamer is USB out only.  My primary listening system, the Heavenly Soundworks Five Seventeen speakers, does not have a USB in.  I will talk about this in a bit.

     

    Looking around the Internet here in the USA, I like the following suppliers: CanakitPiShop

     

    *** You may have to buy from multiple suppliers to get two Pi4’s ***

     

     

    The Software, all of it!

     

    Hang on to your hats, folks; this is a lot of observation, some assumption, and a few wild-ass guesses.   

     

    What I think I know from observations.  When software is running, it draws power, and it makes more electrical noise in the computer; Study EMC and RFI and TEMPEST. How does any of this affect sound quality?  I say badly.  Bob’s axiom:  Less software means less noise.

     

    What this means to me is eliminating as much software as possible.  No to Windows, No to MacOS, no to Roon, Audirvanna, and the like.

     

     

    To make digital music work we need some software.  Let me talk about operating systems for the Raspberry Pi, my computer of choice for this task.  In my review of the Allo USBridge Sig, I tried several OS variants for sound quality, useability, and some flexibility.  To name a few, Moode, Volumio, Ropee, Ropee XL, Diet Pi, and a couple of others.  Some are dedicated players; some are just streamers.  With this hardware, you can do the same evaluations I did, at the cost of your time, a few microSD cards, and some internet bandwidth.  There is a lot of fun to be had.  And a little bit of pain.

     

    What I discovered this summer is PiCorePlayer which is built on Tiny Core Linux.  PCP is a version of Tiny Core Linux designed explicitly for the Raspberry Pi to run Squeezelite players, and you guessed it, Logitech Media Server.  Oops, I gave away the punch line.

     

    Tiny Core Linux runs in RAM, and a desktop system is less than 16Mb!  Read their concepts here: http://tinycorelinux.net/concepts.html

     

    Oh well, let me finish with a bit more.  PiCorePlayer is a headless OS.  You do not use a keyboard, mouse, and display.  See their website for more info: https://www.picoreplayer.org.  By default, it is set up to be ethernet-connected and respond to a web browser's commands using the URL. http://pcp.local.  One of the core tenants for better sound is running the OS in RAM and loading the music tracks there for playback.

     

    PiCorePlayer started as Squeezelite only but has recently been updated to install LMS (Logitech Media Server ).  In case you are wondering, I have done some basic testing. I can make the whole system sound better by keeping LMS on a separate Pi4.

     

     

    Why LMS and Squeezelite?

     

    I have a lifetime license for Roon, Two Euphony OS licenses, a year of Audirvanna Studio, and two  Windows 10 Pro licenses.  Why would I not use any of the above on all the hardware I have hanging around?  Because I have NEVER BEEN ABLE to make it sound as good or be as stable as two tiny Raspberry Pi 4 computers!  My theorem is that there is just too much software running in any of those other systems.  When LMS and Squeezebox were developed, there was not a lot of overhead to spare in the processing system.  The code was simpler!

     

    There is more to the story.  That is the time and effort that many people have spent developing and maintaining the open-source software projects keeping this code running on all the newer hardware.  There is a very active forum for all of the software I am using.

     

    https://forums.slimdevices.com

     

    This is the Squeezebox forum, and the PiCorePlayer folks have a little corner there too!  Sorry not everything has as much Style as Audiophile Style

     

     

    The Setup Process

     

    I would start with getting all of the “stuff” you need in one place—the Pi 4 hardware, a couple of spare network drops, your laptop or desktop computer.  For Mac or Windows, download a copy of Balena Etcher software used to write the operating system on the microSD card for the Raspberry Pi.  The OS I am using for this is PiCorePlayer.  Download the 64 Bit version for the Pi4

     

    The team over at PiCorePlayer has documented the process for flashing the MicroSD card.  I suggest you follow their process:  https://docs.picoreplayer.org/getting-started/

     

    Carefully insert the microSD card into one of the Pi 4’s, then connect ethernet and power.  You will see the red LED come on and, for 15 seconds or so of the green disk activity LED flashing.

     

    Open a web browser on your computer and enter the URL http://pcp.local.  The user interface for PiCorePlayer should show up.  Look around, but relax for now.  You can unplug the first Pi and set up the second Pi the same way.

     

    Time for a celebration!  The hard work is done.  Oh, wait, you want to play music…. Well, I guess there is more to do.

     

    Before I restart the narrative, I want to give you some links to hang on to.

     

    http://tinycorelinux.net

     

    https://www.picoreplayer.org

     

    https://docs.picoreplayer.org

     

    https://forums.slimdevices.com

     

    https://forums.slimdevices.com/forumdisplay.php?27-Logitech-Media-Server

     

     

     

    Now that you know that both of your Pi4 computers are up and running, I suggest you connect them to their actual operating locations.  Put the streamer in the system hook up network, USB, and Power.

     

    Find a nice safe corner for the LMS Pi 4 and hook it up to network and power.

     

    If you open http://pcp.local  on your computer web browser, you will see two tabs with the two different machines ready to be worked on.

     

    It is configuration time.  I could tell you that I spent weeks figuring out all the nuances, but that would be a fib.  Yes, I poked around a lot, but I also started using the internet to help me.

     

    So here we go:

     

    I like to name my devices both for display in LMS and for web access.  In the Squeezelite settings, change the name of your player as you see fit.  Click the save box to save changes.

     

    In the Tweaks, menu set the hostname to something you will remember and click the save button.

     

    Before I go on, I want to thank @seetooyou for pointing me at a couple of targeted websites about PiCorePlayer.

     

    See more here: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/64086-a-short-introduction-to-tiny-core-linux/?tab=comments#comment-1161667

     

    Klaus, the author of soundcheck-audio on blogger, has written an audio streaming series that takes up the reasons for the Pi, setup process, and much much more.   This is my PCP setup bible.

     

    The main blog is here:  https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com

     

    This first segment is an introduction to the reasons for using the Pi4: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/soundchecks-tass-intro.html

     

    Background and setup of PiCorePlayer as a streamer: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/in-part-2-of-project-i-address-setup-of.html

     

    Setup of Logitech Media Server Klaus does not show layout on PiCorePlayer.  https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-streaming-server.html

     

    Squeezelite settings for PiCorePlayer.  Note that in a later post, a couple of the settings suggested here change.  https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/in-part-3-of-audio-engine-series-id.html

     

    This is a well-thought-out segment on networking, with testing using iperf and more.  This is a good read, but running Ethernet on modern hardware should eliminate a lot of the mess.  Go here if you have issues with your network, want to use wireless, etc. https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-net.html

     

    This is the beginning of the advanced setup.  I would hold off on this and make sure that you have working music playback first: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-rpi-audio-streaming-series-advanced.html

     

    This is the next advanced segment talking about soundcheck’s custom Squeezelite version.  You will want this for sure.  Read this and wait just a bit for more on sKit below: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-engine.html

     

    This is an extensive section on sample rate conversion.  I would suggest you avoid this if you are getting started: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-converter.html

     

    This is the segment that stopped me from hunting for the perfect LMS control point app.  Material Skin and any old web browser, WINS.  This is a must-read and setup:https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-controller.html

     

    This is a guide to DSD streaming. Two out of the three streamers I have will not play DSD.  I am segmenting the few albums I have out and ensuring I have PCM versions:  https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-rpi-audio-streaming-series-dsd.html

     

    This segment was written in August of ’21 and is the core to making PiCore Player Streaming sing.  This is only about the client, not LMS!  You could trust Klaus and a lot of other folks and start and finish here.  Do everything in this little article to your PCP-based Squeezelite player, and you should be pleased: https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/the-skit-pcp.html

     

     

    Next, there is an exciting series of posts and software on a non-English forum that Google Translate will get you through it.  I am still learning to understand what is going on here.

     

    https://www.stsd99.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=20179#p20179

     

    I have yet to test the different software variants suggested here.  It is high on my “round-to-it” list.

     

     

    AC Power

     

    I have done a lot of structured and unstructured testing of power supplies.  As I said above, I am happy with Super Capacitor output supplies.  UpTone LPS-1.2, Allo Shanti, and Farad Super 3 are all in the stable!   For example, I started on the LMS server with the Canakit standard wall-wart supply.  I then migrated to an HDPLEX 200W LPS.    With the change over to using the MUTEC MC-3 USB in the Living Room system, I have moved the FARAD Super 3 to the server and put a Shanti on the Pi4 up there.

     

    I have several more experiments in the works that will require adjusting my power supply configurations.

     

    I would like you to recognize that I understand the emotional challenge of using an $800 power supply on a $75 computer.    Right now, I would put a Farad Super 3 on every Streamer.   Yet the Allo Shanti at around $160 is pretty amazing.  I want to re-wire the outputs of the Shanti supply with better and shorter DC cables to see how that improves power delivery and sound quality.

     

    My system with the powered speakers in the basement is running the Canakit wall-wart supply.  I will upgrade it to a Shanti or an HDPLEX 200 to see what that does one day.  Who says you cannot have a lot of fun using powered speakers!

     

    This wraps up my journey into using the Raspberry Pi 4 as my music compute hardware.    I have a lot of ideas to play with and learn about.  I am still looking at power supplies and some cabling things.   I am testing three devices with either SPDIF or AES out to see how they compare with each other.  I am very interested in the CM4 and some of the boards on the market or under development:  https://www.pi2design.com/coming-soon.html

     

     

    One More Thing

     

    An Amateur Radio Supplier, DX Engineering, has developed and sells their DX Engineering ISO-PLUS Ethernet RF Filter.  You insert one on each end of a network run to your streamer, for example.  A pair is $49.99, and a ten-pack is $239.99.  They come with pigtails to hook them up.  Get your system stable and yourself comfortable with the sound.  Then stick a pair of these in!

     

    https://www.dxengineering.com/search/product-line/dx-engineering-iso-plus-ethernet-rf-filters/part-type/network-devices?fr=part-type&SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&autoview=SKU&keyword=iso%20plus

     

    Several of us here on Audiophile Style find these improve the Sound Quality of our systems.  I have them set up on all three of my streamers.

     

     

    IMG_1479.jpg IMG_1480.jpg

      

     

     

     

    The following are four PDF documents that contain my settings :

     

    1. LMS Settings
    2. LMS Tweaks 
    3. Squeezelite Settings 
    4. Squeezelite Tweaks

     

     

     

     




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    6 minutes ago, bobfa said:

    Interesting idea.  But you have to power that device and connect it to the Pi.  Does that not introduce other problems, and noise?  You have to power the AP, the Ethernet cables will pick up noise???  So many things to think about. 

     

    I have two Pi4's in the design LMS/Squeezelite.  

     

    I will think about how to try this...

     

     

    It is worth a try. The net result of shutting down the wi-fi radio in the network player has benefitted me and others. 

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    Keep the final ethernet cable short, six feet max.

     

    "Due to deterioration of signal integrity, Ethernet cables longer than about 2 meters activate extra DSP circuits in the PHY/ receiver chips of the equipment they are connecting. This is not desirable as such circuits increase ground-plane noise. So it is best to keep short the cable from the final switch to whatever is your DAC-attached computer/streamer/renderer endpoint (or Etherne-input-equipped DAC).
    [This is what we advise EtherREGEN owners and it is based on knowledge that my partner John Swenson has—since he literally designed Ethernet PHY chips during his 31 years as a senior engineer at LSI Logic>Avago>Broadcom.]"

    Owner, Uptone Audio

    page-11#post-758845

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    I get the short cables, etc.

     

    Streamer -->>short cable -->> Something that does Ethernet to Wi-Fi -->> rest of the world via Wi-Fi.

     

    I have done a dozen variants of the above over the last three years.  Much testing with 

     

    Right now, my system looks like this:

     

    Streamer -->> Wi-Fi

    Server -->> Wi-Fi

     

    Both devices are Raspberry Pi4's running PiCorePlayer OS.

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    On 12/1/2021 at 12:23 PM, bobfa said:

    I get the short cables, etc.

     

    Streamer -->>short cable -->> Something that does Ethernet to Wi-Fi -->> rest of the world via Wi-Fi.

     

    I have done a dozen variants of the above over the last three years.  Much testing with 

     

    Right now, my system looks like this:

     

    Streamer -->> Wi-Fi

    Server -->> Wi-Fi

     

    Both devices are Raspberry Pi4's running PiCorePlayer OS.

    I don't quite understand your shorthand, but here's what how my systems are set up:

     

    Router -> Wi-fi to extender -> ethernet cable to network player

     

    The wi-fi extender is configured to receive wi-fi, but does not broadcast wi-fi. Wi-fi reception is turned off in my network players. (Network players in my systems are Chromecast Audio, Raspberry Pi3B+, SOtM sMS-200, and exaSound Playpoint.) 

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    1 minute ago, audiobomber said:

    I don't quite understand your shorthand, but here's what how my systems are set up:

     

    Router -> Wi-fi to extender -> ethernet cable to network player

     

    The wi-fi extender is configured to receive wi-fi, but does not broadcast wi-fi. Wi-fi reception is turned off in my network players. (Network players in my systems are Chromecast Audio, Raspberry Pi3B+, SOtM sMS-200, and exaSound Playpoint.) 

    I understand what you are doing.  You are using a Wi-Fi to ethernet bridge sometimes called an extender.    

     

    I would be interested in trying one of those.  What brand and model are you using?

     

    I am now just using Wi-Fi from my router.  I had been using ethernet and Optical ethernet to the network closet in he basement.

     

    bob

     

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    24 minutes ago, bobfa said:

    I understand what you are doing.  You are using a Wi-Fi to ethernet bridge sometimes called an extender.    

    Yes, that's correct, but it's important to configure the extender so that it does not extend the network via wi-fi. Connection to your network music player is via ethernet cable. Not all extenders have this flexibility, but I believe there are suitable models  from Netgear, Linksys, Asus, etc.

     

    Some people use a second router as an ethernet access point, and there are dedicated access points that will do the job.

     

    24 minutes ago, bobfa said:

     

    I would be interested in trying one of those.  What brand and model are you using?

    The one I use is no longer available, but there are others. I would look for one that allows broadcast to be defeated and an outboard PSU that can be easily upgraded if desired. 

     

     

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    December Update!

     

    IMG_1594.thumb.jpeg.2b4ad56e97a3abb1e80c2211aa9407ff.jpeg

     

    I purchased a Pi2AES and accessories from a fellow Audiophile and after testing it with the Pi3 he had it running on I moved it over to my Pi4 and PiCorePlayer.  The Farad3 is running the LMS Server and the LHY Audio is powering the Pi4 Running Squeezelite.  I got a 120 mm ULN  Nactua fan on the gear to keep things cool.  The Pi2AES replaces the Mutec MC-3 and the associated LUSH3 USB cable.

     

    I still need two power supplies, but one less AC power cord with the removal of the MC-3.

     

    I am VERY pleased with how things sound.    More discussion later after things settle in.  Since the initial setup, the following changes have helped the sound quality.

     

    1. The custom version of Squeezelite.

    2. Turning off the volume control in LMS

    3.  Power supply upgrades on LMS

    4.  Moving both devices to Wi-Fi

    5.  Pi2AES HAT

     

    Thinks I am thinking about:

    1. "Better" and Shorter AES cable.

    2. Further Power supply changes  Ferrum HYPSOS, PliXir, Sean Jacobs DC-3?  I like the idea of variable voltage for the Pi2AES

    3. An upgraded power cord for the LMS Pi.

     

     

     

    I have had some folks suggest that I try using an Wi-Fi to Ethernet bridge.  I am also looking for some sort of case to put this all in.

     

     

    RJF

     

    Progress!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    The WiFi to Ethernet bridge sounds interesting and something I liked to try. I’ve started to look into extenders but haven’t narrowed them down to one I would like to purchase. When reading the reviews many of them seem to be problematic.

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    I disabled digital volume control and noticed a good improvement in SQ. Now using my preamp to control the volume.

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    Running 2 pi's with LMS/material and picoreplayer with tweaks, Pi2AES, Keces 5v and 24 volt switching supply into a Holo Spring Dac and Crack/HD650 headphones. Using SPDIF.

    Coming off of Roon and/or Euphony. Goodbye Roon!

     

    The instrument separation and location(ing) is unbelievable. Classical music is so much fun to listen to now.

    I don't think I have experienced a soundstage like this - every instrument has its own space.

    I would never believe that a pi system could sound this good.

    Looking for a good 24v PS.

     

    My vote for article of the year!

    TY!

     

     

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    On 11/15/2021 at 7:34 PM, bobfa said:

    Yes!  Most of the tweaks are on the Squeezelite endpoint software.  LMS is pretty standard but has my best power supply on it.

    Somewhere along the line, I read to review all the plugins in use in LMS and turn off those not needed. I have done that. I run 3, Rescan, Material and Quboz. I sometimes add Radio and Podcasts back in.

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    27 minutes ago, jkelly said:

    Looking for a good 24v PS.

     

    My vote for article of the year!

    I am trying two Ferrum HYPSOS supplies right now !adjustable!  !!Be Careful!!  Over at AudioBacon there was an interesting shootout on power supplies.  I am running the Pi2AES at 30V.  The supplies are just getting warmed up, about 5 days in.  More soon.

    IMG_1635.thumb.jpeg.2600d81e03e2d60548aba6d9be3a42f8.jpeg

     

    Note that that little LHY Audio Supply was darn good.  I had a Ghent JSSG 360 DC cable on it.  It was also set to 30 V.

     

     

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    8 minutes ago, jkelly said:

    Somewhere along the line, I read to review all the plugins in use in LMS and turn off those not needed. I have done that. I run 3, Rescan, Material and Quboz. I sometimes add Radio and Podcasts back in.

    I have done some of that.  I am not sure if there is SQ difference.  But Bob's Rules: "Less Software is better"

     

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    I have an Rpi 4 with 4gb RAM.  It currently is running Volumio as a DLNA server of music on an external NAS, but Volumio cannot stream DSD over DLNA to my Sonore renderers.  

     

    Using the Pi as an LMS server is of interest if a Pi 4 has the horsepower to serve DSD to the Sonore renderers running Squeezelite.  Is the Pi up to that task?  

     

    I assume that LMS in the PiCorePlayer can serve media located on a NAS, including DSD files natively, both of which are easy on Windows LMS.

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    9 hours ago, Mike Rubin said:

    I assume that LMS in the PiCorePlayer can serve media located on a NAS, including DSD files natively, both of which are easy on Windows LMS.

    I see no reason why it would not.  It is rather trivial to try it.  My main system does not play back DSD files.  My secondary system has a DSD DAC on it, but I do not think I have tried to use it.  

     

    I have had ZERO issues with LMS on the Pi4.  The only difference in my system and what you are proposing is that I have attached a 4 TB SSD directly to the Pi with my music on it.

     

    RJF

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    Thursday 16 December 2021 status update.

     

    Over the past couple of days I have been experimenting with HQPlayer and HQplayer Embedded now that it has streaming built in.  I have tested several configurations and have been unable to get the embedded version to mount SMB or find the way to make it get music from an attached drive on a Raspberry Pi.  The documentation is weaker than I would have expected for a mature product. Initial testing with an M1 Mac Mini running HQPlayer and the Pi2AES running NAA Embedded did not have the sonic performance I had hoped, this has been put on the side to finish what follows.

     

    Today I updated my LMS and two endpoints to PiCorePlayer 8.1.  Klaus (Soundcheck Audio Blog) validated that his sKit software is working.  I did in-place updates on all three Raspberry Pi's with no issues.

     

    Ferrum HYPSOS Power Supply status:  I have been listening every day (four tracks) hear any changes during break-in.  I also assume that my brain is breaking in too!  Over the past three days I did not note any differences.  The LMS server is set to 5.1V direct into the Pi 4.  The Squeezelite streamer with Pi2AES is set to 30V.

     

    I will start a set of listening tests at different voltages on the Pi2AES as time permits.  It takes about a minute to change the output voltage base setting, which powers down the output.  This will require a lot of patience.

     

    I can say now that there is a significant improvement in sound qualities using the two Ferrum HYPSOS power supplies.  Vocal clarity (Amy Lee, Enya), instrument separation, and greater detail in electronic tracks (BT, Joe Ford, Trentemoller).  I really like the test track that @Archimago developed for DAC testing: http://archimago.blogspot.com/2021/08/ampt-test.html

     

    I am slowing down on all this testing to just listen!  And we have adopted two kittens that we pick up tomorrow, so they will be needing a lot of attention. 

     

    RJF

     

     

     

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    1 hour ago, bobfa said:

    I see no reason why it would not.  It is rather trivial to try it.  My main system does not play back DSD files.  My secondary system has a DSD DAC on it, but I do not think I have tried to use it.  

     

    I have had ZERO issues with LMS on the Pi4.  The only difference in my system and what you are proposing is that I have attached a 4 TB SSD directly to the Pi with my music on it.

     

    RJF

    Thanks, Bob.  As you said, trivial to test.  Off to get another microSD card for the experiment.

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    After a couple of days of testing, I made a couple of changes to the frame system with the Pi's and supplies in it.  I flipped everything around.  All the connections are front accessible now.  I do not have to move the Victrola.

     

    IMG_1700.thumb.jpeg.f85201cf6da84064e8639a0fea0e25f6.jpeg

    I cut the frame down in width to fit better.  You cannot see the IsoPucks under it from this angle.

     

     

    IMG_1702.thumb.jpeg.73e498b4902567e9f62fd48429153a54.jpeg

     

    The two Pi's connections are now to the front and inside the cabinet.  

     

     

    I will live with this for a while and see where I go.  I could shorten the frame and add a couple of handles?    Note that this setup would be harder with a really stiff/thick AES cable.

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    @Bob; Great article and follow up posts, thank you.   Your next challenge is to integrate CamillaDSP into the system and then do a write up on how to do it.  Please 😉

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    49 minutes ago, Iansr said:

    @Bob; Great article and follow up posts, thank you.   Your next challenge is to integrate CamillaDSP into the system and then do a write up on how to do it.  Please 😉

    I am not acquainted with CamilliaDSP.  I have messed with other DSP engines, in Roon and a couple of other places.  Furthermore, I have not found them to be comfortable to my ear.  One of the things I have promised others is to actually listen to and write about the DSP in my Heavenly Soundworks 517 speakers. I have to fire up REW on a laptop to gather the right data.

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    On 12/1/2021 at 10:53 PM, bobfa said:

    I get the short cables, etc.

     

    Streamer -->>short cable -->> Something that does Ethernet to Wi-Fi -->> rest of the world via Wi-Fi.

     

    I have done a dozen variants of the above over the last three years.  Much testing with 

     

    Right now, my system looks like this:

     

    Streamer -->> Wi-Fi

    Server -->> Wi-Fi

     

    Both devices are Raspberry Pi4's running PiCorePlayer OS.


    Bob, any specific reason why you shifted from wired Ethernet cables to WiFi?

     

    Which brings me to an important  question,

    I have to connect the (client) RPI4 to the dac, For which I will have to drag a wire all thru the room, walls, door frame etc. I would like to avoid doing this (Ethernet wiring over walls).

    Is it possible to use some kind of Ethernet extender? Like a Dlink Dir 505?

    CC41D3E4-A82F-4607-8CB1-45B774DE709E.jpeg

    8D7F4A93-CD46-41F9-A8C2-7586F5E8B722.jpeg

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    2 hours ago, Narcissus said:

    Bob, any specific reason why you shifted from wired Ethernet cables to WiFi?

     

    Simple answer:  It sounds better.  I was surprised at how much better.  It is not like putting a DCS Bartok in place of a dongle DAC better, but I was and am delighted with the results.  I have always had a "rule" use Ethernet.  I am changing that rule.

     

    So, my rule on networking is now:

     

    • Properly working Core Network is critical.

     

    Several folks here had suggested using specific Wi-Fi extenders to do this.  I have not put any energy into trying that, so I cannot help.  Visit https://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com and read his sections on networking.  Run some tests.  Your Power line Ethernet extenders are a different beast.  If you have them try them.  If you have a long Ethernet cable try it, just as a test.

     

    I propose that you turn Wi-Fi on in your Pi4 Streamer and see what happens.    It is straightforward to swap to Ethernet and see if you hear any difference.

     

    RJF

     

     

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    Quote

    Is it possible to use some kind of Ethernet extender? Like a Dlink Dir 505?

     

    @Narcissus, look for an access point,  extender or router that supports Client mode (i.e. receives wi-fi, provides ethernet access, turn off wi-fi broadcast). Most manufacturers have examples. Best to get one with an external power and upgrade the PSU for best sound.

     

    Powerline extenders as per your example are sonically inferior to wireless as per this article:

     

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    @bobfa @audiobomber Guys, I tried installing WiFi but for some reason it didn’t work. This was just a quick attempt as I was in a hurry. 
     

    Pls see the attached pic, “WiFi information” “F722E746-27C1-4A34-A92F-65D43EB478D0.thumb.jpeg.eeb8baab671d01f0450e8da3b20cb0bf.jpeg IP missing”

    What am I missing out?

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