DIY Streamer based on Raspberry Pi 5

[driblo]

All this re-clockers, low-jitter transports are completely new things for me, and they are not cheap.
Any thoughts on this - is this worth it, and with what equipment, or is it just better to buy some existing streamers?

 

[spiral scratch]

If you want to diy the Pi's are pretty great. I don' know about all the stuff you referenced in this youtube, but you can set up the pi as a strreamer and find a fairly inexpensive usb dac and that is about all you need. the pi clocks are meant to be quite good, I don't think you need all the other stuff other than a reasonably good dac. From what I've read the usb interface is better than the I2S hat configuration. I'm far from technical about this so someone who has a better understanding might chime in. I guess you can strive for perfection, but there's an audibilty threshold which has been totally sorted with the basic hardware, that includes the generic psu's for the Pi's. No need to get all fancy, unless that's your thing.

 

[L5730]

Not sure what pointy feet do for a solid state digital device...

 

[sarieri]

All this re-clockers, low-jitter transports are completely new things for me, and they are not cheap.
Any thoughts on this - is this worth it, and with what equipment, or is it just better to buy some existing streamers?

From a technical perspective, reclockers make no sense if you connect your pi to a async DAC through USB. Fancy, but nah.

 

[somebodyelse]

The giveaway for me is the lack of measurements to demonstrate how each of these things improves the analog output. It seems more an exercise in audiophile buzzword bingo than something aiming at real technical performance. Given the price, and the current low cost of USB DACs with near-perfect performance, I would go for the USB DAC not the hat and a Pi >=4. You can still build the whole thing into a nice case if you want to.

Whether it's worth DIYing at all is another matter. Pis have demonstrated long term support from several audio-specific software packages, and the hobbyist community doesn't seem likely to disappear. Some streaming options aren't on the table however, so depending on your requirements something like one of Wiim's offerings may be better.

 

[somebodyelse]

For some evidence of how little difference the streamer device makes to the analog output of a decent USB DAC see for example https://archimago.blogspot.com/2023/12/do-bit-perfect-digital-sources-affect.html

 

[GeorgeWalk]

I have a Raspberry Pi 4 running piCorePlayer using a Topping D10s DAC connected to my Parasound preamp/amp set up. It works great no issues and no worries about reclocking/jitter BS. It is inexpensive and sounds great. I also have a WiiM ProPlus streamer connected to the Parasound system (these things just seem to follow me home) and I can't tell the difference between them.

Pi 3 or 4 can do this easily. I also had it set up at one time with a Pi 0 and it worked fine.

 

[tw99]

All this re-clockers, low-jitter transports are completely new things for me, and they are not cheap.
Any thoughts on this - is this worth it, and with what equipment, or is it just better to buy some existing streamers?

In my opinion, all that Ian Canada stuff, while undoubtably clever, is trying to solve problems that don't really exist.

Async USB out from a PI4 or 5 into a well engineered DAC will be technically perfect, why worry about anything else ?

 

[somebodyelse]

Pi 3 or 4 can do this easily. I also had it set up at one time with a Pi 0 and it worked fine.

With piCorePlayer yes, at least in my experience. It's less certain with other distros - issue #2215 was closed as wontfix so is presumably still a potential problem if you happen to have the wrong combination of factors. If you've already got an older Pi you may as well give it a go and see, but if buying new a 4 would be a safer bet. I haven't heard any complaints about dropouts with the 5 either, but it hasn't seen so much use yet.

 

[driblo]

In my opinion, all that Ian Canada stuff, while undoubtably clever, is trying to solve problems that don't really exist.

Async USB out from a PI4 or 5 into a well engineered DAC will be technically perfect, why worry about anything else ?

So, Rpi5 and DX3 Pro+ over USB should be enough for solid streaming, and all this stuff is basically just a bling worse than a thousand dollar RCA cable?

 

[Monster]

I have a RPi4 running Moode Audio feeding an SMSL C100 DAC over USB, streaming FLAC files ripped from my CD collection from a home server on my network.

I already had the RPi4 sat in a box on the shelf. The SMSL C100 cost me £70 with a voucher discount. It all sounds great in my system and does absolutely everything I want.

 

[spiral scratch]

So, Rpi5 and DX3 Pro+ over USB should be enough for solid streaming, and all this stuff is basically just a bling worse than a thousand dollar RCA cable?

yeh.

maybe not worse, but not needed.

I've been using picore on a pi2 for about 10 years. I use a digi pro+ hat on that to feed s/pdif to my dac. Pi 3 and beyond sorted the usb interface which is what everybody uses now and why all the hat makers are now building stand alone usb dacs.

 

[somebodyelse]

Pi 3 and beyond sorted the usb interface

It didn't change until the 4. It was a 3 I was using to replicate issue #2215.

 

[Phorize]

So, Rpi5 and DX3 Pro+ over USB should be enough for solid streaming, and all this stuff is basically just a bling worse than a thousand dollar RCA cable?

A version 5 is massive overkill unless you are doing very significant DSP. Even a pi 4 is is overspec'd. Moode audio will run on. Pi zero 2w with Camilladsp doing parametric eq and still doesn't run over 10% cpu usage. If I didn't need an ethernet connector I'd save some money and use a pi zero 2w.

 

[Leeken]

For some evidence of how little difference the streamer device makes to the analog output of a decent USB DAC see for example https://archimago.blogspot.com/2023/12/do-bit-perfect-digital-sources-affect.html

Reading that,I’m actually unsure of why I brought a Wiim pro,probably better off connecting my iPad through usb to my Rme,funniest thing is I’d never even thought of it

 

[threni]

A version 5 is massive overkill unless you are doing very significant DSP. Even a pi 4 is is overspec'd. Moode audio will run on. Pi zero 2w with Camilladsp doing parametric eq and still doesn't run over 10% cpu usage. If I didn't need an ethernet connector I'd save some money and use a pi zero 2w.

And if you are happy without camilladsp (ie you only need peak-only peq) you can get by using the original pi zero w.

 

[spiral scratch]

It didn't change until the 4. It was a 3 I was using to replicate issue #2215.

Not familiar with "issue #2215". i may have been thinking of archimago's blog regarding the pi 3 usb capability, but am happy to be better informed.

 

[somebodyelse]

Not familiar with "issue #2215". i may have been thinking of archimago's blog regarding the pi 3 usb capability, but am happy to be better informed.

Random pops and clicks with USB audio that may be more or less frequent, or not happen at all, depending on factors including workload. Often blamed on having the network port sharing the USB, but that's just one factor that affects it rather than the cause. Note that similar things can happen on Windows too when something causes interrupt latency to increase.

 

[spiral scratch]

gotcha. thanks

 

[dan_uk]

I have an Allo USB Bridge which works well, I can definitely recommend it. They also do a "DigiOne Signature Player", which is SPDIF, its all Pi based. Some of their stuff has been reviewed by Amir and rather favourably too.