Best inexpensive streamer solutions

[Dmitre]

We have a lot of trials and test of current OS for ARM Volumio, Moode, RuneAudio, DietPi, PiCorePlayer+LMS — https://www.dastereo.ru/t/volumio-moode-runeaudio-dietpi-picoreplayer-pleery-i-soft-dlya-arm-kompov-obsuzhdaem-tolko-zvuchanie-i-nastrojki/11568

The best is really depends on your requiremens (Roon, Spotify, Tidal, NAS, local filez and Apps for play).

Moode is best in terms of SQ.

 

The second part are HATs for Raspberry Pi. We tried A LOT and the best one for streaming today is

Pi2Design 502DAC http://pi2design.com. It beats Digione Signature and Hifiberry Digi Pro.

 

We tested Pi2Design 502DAC with good linear PSU agains SoundAware D100 Superme, Auralic streamers, Berkeley USB and Pi2Design 502DAC is BETTER for 109$ + money for PSU https://www.dastereo.ru/t/pi2-design-502dac-nas-vseh-spasla-arm-shlyapa-setevoj-pleer-za-100-hajp-tut/16304

 

 

Pi2Design 502DAC has good CD-player signature instead of harsh todays streamers

 

[Dmitre]

Yep,

 

We had a lot of experience with different Intel arch motherboards. As for today RPi + 502DAC hat + Moode + good linear PSU kicks

— Intel motherboads with SOTM or custom ESI Juli

— Auralic Aries

— uRendu

— SoundAware D100 Superme

 

502 streams so close to good old CD-players like Audio Note, Micromega. You should really need to give a try!

[Dmitre]

I would like to state it clearly - If you don't need Native DSD and USB-output but you need gorgeous BNC/RCA/AES output (streamer) without any harshness of modern day streamers you should go straight for 502 (+502 gives you free but good DAC as well. You don't need spent 300-400$ for Chinese DAC).

 

I think they afraid of 

1) Take RPi

2) Put 502 above with four bolts (without soldering)

3) Put Volumio on SD card

4) Plug it with PSU from your mobile or iPAD

 

E N J O Y MUSIC!.