Popular Post firedog Posted May 28, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2020 Great write up. Looking forward to reading about your tweaks for the Pi. I've got a 3B+ that was running PiCore player, b/c it was intstalled in a case with a touchscreen and I used it as a SBT replacement (much larger display) - here's a picture stolen from Archimago's blog: If you want a touchscreen controlled device, the Pi in case with a touchscreen is a great solution and PiCore Player and LMS are a great software for it. LMS is still great server software and does pretty much anything an audiophile could wish for with it's various plugins. This system has an added DAC board ("HAT" in Pi parlance), as I use the DAC analog outs to a set of powered speakers. It's a wonderful solution for that type of setup. Basically everything in one small box that attaches directly to the speakers. I've since switched that endpoint to running Ropieee, which is a PI OS to turn a Pi into a Roon Endpoint. Works great with Roon, and can also function as a Squeezebox endpoint or an HQP NAA. I've had various endpoints in my main system, including an mR and a Bricasti M5. But today,in my main system I have a Pi4 with just 2GB of RAM (as I knew I'd just be using it for fairly light work) that functions as Roon Bridge endpoint via dietpi OS (it can also run HQP NAA and Squeezelite, among other programs). IMO, it's a fantastic Roon endpoint. Once you set it up it's a no intervention device. Mine is also in a "nice" milled aluminum case with passive cooling that looks "audiophile". Cost about $20 for the fancy case, and since the device doesn't do anything except act as an endpoint, it runs between 50C and 55C even in a warm room. It"s runnning 24/7 and "just works". I've streamed DSD 256 over it to a compatible DAC with no issues. I have a fairly standard PS for it that does have a bit of noise filtering built in. I think it sounds really good in my setup and perfectly audiophile. At some point I'll compare it with and without an expensive PS to see if that makes a difference, and may go for a more "audiophile" product as an endpoint. I personally like the Sonore family and the OS on their endpoints, so I may replace it with one of those. But I'm fully enjoying the SQ it is giving me right now. Bottom line: it's cheap, works really well, looks nice, and SQ is more than adequate, even on a good system. plissken and bluesman 1 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
Popular Post firedog Posted May 28, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2020 30 minutes ago, bluesman said: A quote of note in the linked thread comes from ASR's leader Amir: "if you have a high-quality DAC, there is no reason to anguish over how you are driving it." I have no idea what he really means by that, since he doesn't say that he hears no difference among the many alternatives. Based on various comments he's made, he seems to think that with a "well engineered" (my phrase) DAC the cheaper and more expensive source devices will sound the same - providing that they - like the Signature DigiOne - measure well: low noise, low jitter. IOW, get a good DAC (which may only cost a $few hundred) and all properly engineered source devices will sound the same. Note that in another comment to the review you mentioned the Allo people themselves say that the signature DigiOne was engineered to measure as well as anything on the market. But also say this: Quote Now , test data , clearly shows that THD+N numbers with a good dac (with good jitter reduction) will not change with a poor/good digital source. On the other hand , you have multiple subjective opinions that a better source produce a better sound (I want to stress that no test data shows it) bluesman and plissken 1 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
firedog Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 2 hours ago, bluesman said: Thanks! I have no issue with the statement itself. My issue is that it doesn’t actually say anything at all, let alone say what you said (and what I think but do not know for sure was meant by it), namely that SQ is unaffected - a statement with which you and I agree. Why oh why is it so hard to be simple? Audiophiles, and especially many pundits and gurus, often hide interesting observations and good information in effete, purposeless prose that obscures rather than frames anything useful hiding within. Like the country song suggests, I want a little less Shakespeare and a lot more Hemingway 😀 My aims in referencing that thread were to shed more light on Dave’s (davide256) observation about the SQ differences he heard between microRendu and Pi 3b+, to discuss his Pi USB concerns, and to consider his interest in the new “Signature” Rendu. The strongly worded polar opposites that follow one another in that thread like insults from Don Rickles are, for me, ample support for what you and I are saying - and all 3 of my aims are touched within it. So here’s what I distill from this mash: A well set up, normally functioning Pi or equivalent SBC will push a faithful bit stream into a DAC as well as anything else I’ve used - perceived SQ issues originate elsewhere in the chain between source and brain. USB is not a SQ barrier if you power the DAC separately and don’t come close to the limit of available USB power with other peripherals (eg use external power if you must use a USB HDD or SSD). An SPDIF HAT on my Pi will probably not make it sound any better, although I haven’t yet tried one and will do so - such opinions are better based on experience than belief. And, parenthetically but to Dave’s observations, there’s not enough unanimity of opinion on the Signature to suggest to me that it’s going to sound better than the “unsigned” predecessor or a Pi. No, I’m not going to buy one to find out - I’ll suffer no anguish despite not knowing Thanks too for your approach and contributions! Pretty much agree. But I can definitely see buying some thing like the USB Sig with the DigiOne Sig board. Why? You get what you know is a well made, hi-spec unit with a decent case, and a streamer that gives you both USB and SPDIF outs - a nice feature that few relatively inexpensive alternatives have. Each of us has to decide if the audiophile aspects of the allo products are worth the extra cost vs. a standard Pi with and addon board. bluesman 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
firedog Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 https://www.extremetech.com/computing/311086-raspberry-pi-4-now-available-with-8gb-of-ram-64-bit-os?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=whatsnewnow&utm_medium=title Raspberry Pi 4 Now Available With 8GB of RAM, 64-Bit OS The Computer Audiophile 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now