Is Volumio the best 'streamer freeware'?

[jensgk]

This is my experience with Volumio:

New Volumio is paid?

I was a happy RPi Volumio listener until today. I thought it was a wise desicion to update the software so I did. Guess what, Spotify suddenly didn’t recognise Volumio anymore, what could be wrong? Turned out I have to pay now to install plugins? Wtf Volumio? Tonight I’ll see if I can downgrade...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[terrys999]

Between Volumio and moOde, I'd choose moOde every time. Apart from anything else, the developer is responsive and fixes stuff quickly. Free, but worth a donation.

I agree moode is the best.
I use bubble upnp on pi, then moode on second pi4 usb out to adi bloody brilliant

 

[0bs3rv3r]

+1 on piCore player. I ordered my Allo with Volumio and tried Moode (yech) then promptly changed to piCore player. Better, more consistent art and more customizable. Use BubbleUPnP in front of Volumio for free Qobuz and Tidal access.

Does picoreplayer download art as required when playing a track?

 

[FuzzTone]

Does picoreplayer download art as required when playing a track?

Not sure what you mean by download. It DOES display more art than Volumio including on some radio stations.

 

[Raitsa]

Does picoreplayer download art as required when playing a track?

You mean like this? Screenshot from rAudio:

 

[0bs3rv3r]

Not sure what you mean by download. It DOES display more art than Volumio including on some radio stations.

Some players can search the internet for appropriate art and display it, when playing a locally stored track/album that does not have artwork stored with it.

 

[0bs3rv3r]

You mean like this? Screenshot from rAudio:

Yes, maybe it IS downloading that art...

 

[sq225917]

Moode has better disk control than volumio. Fewer crashes on reindexing your library. They sound the same though.

 

[muslhead]

Didnt see mention of ropieee in the comments.
Ropieee covers both my roon and jriver (dlna via the xl version) subscriptions.
Prior to that i was a volumio fan

 

[TheWalkman]

rAudio is my personal choice, therefore I consider it "the best".

rAudio-1(Arch-based music player for all Raspberry Pi's)

rAudio-1 is an Arch Linux-based, active and constantly improved fork of an audio player project called Runeaudio. rAudio-1 is available for all Raspberry Pi's: 64bit: 4, 3, 2, Zero 2 32bit: 2 (BCM2836) legacy: 1, Zero Metadata Tag Editor (*.cue included) Album mode with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Raitsa,

Based on your comments, I just downloaded and installed rAudio to try out on a spare Pi to give it a test drive.

For context, I'm a fairly content Volumio user and my preferred streamer config is a PiZero2W with my music library loaded on the internal, high endurance, SD card.

I typically stream web radio stations (news, commentary during the day, music at night) via Volumio and will occasionally stream audio (podcasts. old time radio shows, etc.) to the Volumio Pi using AirPlay.

Every now and then, I'll stream something from my library but I honestly do that far less than 10% of the time.

I have the PiZero attached via USB to a Topping E50/ PA5/ Elac DBR62 combo. The quality of the sound is fantastic. I love it.

That said, I'm afraid I'm not impressed with rAudio. I couldn't seem to find a way to copy my music library to the internal SD card. I also didn't see an easy way to add or populate the radio streams to rAudio without having to type in urls, etc. Too much trouble. (I really do like the fact that Volumio has a very extensive, albeit stale database of streaming stations by genre, location, etc.)

I configured rAudio and tried to ssh and mount the pi as a volume and copy my music library to the SD card and that didn't work. I plugged a thumb drive into the to the Pi and the music library didn't seem to populate. It seems like I was stuck with one album and the USB drive is hidden from the user interface.

Granted, Volumio isn't perfect and it would be nice to have some additional features like am equalizer, etc. but overall, I'm fairly happy with it.

One thing I will say in favor of Volumio is that the documentation is extensive so someone who isn't technical can install and use it without a great deal of trepidation.

I'm glad rAudio is working for you. I've seen your favorable comments on a number of sites supporting rAudio, but to be honest, I'm not terribly impressed. It seems rather Beta to me.

To each his own.

Cheers

 

[norcalscott]

I've been using Volumio for a while and although it isn't perfect, the newer releases have added a lot of capability. FusionDSP, mentioned earlier in this thread, is a really great implementation of CamilaDSP. I run Volumio on a RasPi 4 into a USB to Optical converter into my DAC's optical input. One output of my DAC is into my headphone amp, and using Fusion/Camila to EQ'ing for my headphones has been a game changer for me. I also use Volumio for streaming radio, mainly Radio Paradise FLAC streams and the app for that works well. I also use Tidal Connect, but most of my Tidal listening is out of a Windows system that is taking up the USB port on my DAC (in order to get highest resolution Tidal).

I pay for Volumio - I'm grandfathered into the "Vurtuoso" plan that is $3.64 per month, to get Tidal Connect and to support the developers. Not sure if I would pay for their only tier now, which is about $8 per month I believe.

For me, it is worth it to get the EQ functionality even though I mainly use the Windows machine to deliver Tidal and my Plex content to my audio system.

 

[Triliza]

I am using Moode and it covers all my needs atm, for those that have tried both, does Volumio offer something that Moode doesn't?

 

[Audioagnostic]

I have used both volumio and moode. Currently using volumio because the control interface on a mobile phone is better imho.

 

[NewbieAudiophileExpert]

I'm checking back into this thread to let you all know that I definitely prefer Volumio - although Moode isn't bad or anything.

I just feel that Volumio has much more features..? Although the Airplay2 is kinda shoddy.

Sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

I've also tried setting up PiCorePlayer and the squeeze lite system on my macbook, but it doesn't work on my mac - the macbook does not allow it to run.

I've been using Volumio for a while and although it isn't perfect, the newer releases have added a lot of capability. FusionDSP, mentioned earlier in this thread, is a really great implementation of CamilaDSP. I run Volumio on a RasPi 4 into a USB to Optical converter into my DAC's optical input. One output of my DAC is into my headphone amp, and using Fusion/Camila to EQ'ing for my headphones has been a game changer for me. I also use Volumio for streaming radio, mainly Radio Paradise FLAC streams and the app for that works well. I also use Tidal Connect, but most of my Tidal listening is out of a Windows system that is taking up the USB port on my DAC (in order to get highest resolution Tidal).

I pay for Volumio - I'm grandfathered into the "Vurtuoso" plan that is $3.64 per month, to get Tidal Connect and to support the developers. Not sure if I would pay for their only tier now, which is about $8 per month I believe.

For me, it is worth it to get the EQ functionality even though I mainly use the Windows machine to deliver Tidal and my Plex content to my audio system.

Have you set up a microphone for when you use CamillaDSP with Volumio?

 

[Marc v E]

I use MoOde but am happy to try out others.
My experience with MoOde is pretty good once it is set up.
The setting up process is somewhat complicated due to restart of mpd, CamillaDsp or the pi that is required.
Restarting the pi sets Cammiladsp to "off".
But when I eventually set it up, it is brilliant.
Only wish I would have more artwork.
Will either do that by program or by switching player.

Volumio felt a bit bare bone to me and crashed every so often on my pi 3b.
Not sure what it was, but prompted me to try something else.

(My music library is an 'artwork' of ripped cds, downloaded (legally bought) content of eclectic taste and artwork I forgot to add to it. MoOde seems to get stuck at "Les Idées Heureuses/Graupner_ Instrumental & Vocal Music, Vol. 1" with the thumbnail album generator. Probably too long or special characters...I work in IT...)

 

[MCH]

Restarting the pi sets Cammiladsp to "off".

Hm, that should not happen

 

[norcalscott]

I'm checking back into this thread to let you all know that I definitely prefer Volumio - although Moode isn't bad or anything.

I just feel that Volumio has much more features..? Although the Airplay2 is kinda shoddy.

Sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

I've also tried setting up PiCorePlayer and the squeeze lite system on my macbook, but it doesn't work on my mac - the macbook does not allow it to run.

Have you set up a microphone for when you use CamillaDSP with Volumio?

I've also found Volumio to be a little more reliable and easier for me to figure out. Having said that I haven't had too much experience with the other players. I see Volumio as the "frugal person's Roon" and it is fun to play with.

I don't yet have a microphone for Camilla but I do plan to get one. Do you have any recommendation on that?

 

[FuzzTone]

Volumio has intermittent art and crappy radio stations. PiCore player is a Linux program, ditch the Mac. Free, does Pandora, Deezer, BandCamp, SoundCloud, Radio Paradise etc.
The proprietary versions (free) are OK.
miniUSB and Pro-Ject

 

[ManuCV]

I think the term "best" brings a lot of controversy, and needs to be restricted to some specifics. "Best" in what? "Best" for what? It depends largely about the use you will give it, or what are your priorities, or which one integrates best with your listening setup.
The great thing about these programs is that you can try them all, and fairly easy to do so if you have several available SD cards.

I will be honest and won't say that I haven't tried them all... because I really liked Volumio since I started using it from version 2.x. and have kept it as my main player. But for my usage it's perfect, 90% playing from a 4TB USB HDD attached to a Rpi 4 (4GB) and 10% streaming from Spotify. Works great with wifi or wired, however much more stable and faster with wire.

I even got a second Rpi 4 (2GB) dedicated for Volumio with headphones (with SMSL SP200 and SMSL Sanskrit Mk II). v3 brought Camilla DSP and with the FusionDSP plugin you can use presets to EQ your headphones. It works amazingly well and very stable, and so easy to use. It looks like I'm being paid to say this, but it's just that it fits my usage and I am very happy with it.

At the beginning I was using an underpowered Allo USBridge which was maybe too old to manage my library fast and efficiently. With the current generation of Rpi and a good home network it works very well.

 

[NewbieAudiophileExpert]

I think the term "best" brings a lot of controversy, and needs to be restricted to some specifics. "Best" in what? "Best" for what? It depends largely about the use you will give it, or what are your priorities, or which one integrates best with your listening setup.
The great thing about these programs is that you can try them all, and fairly easy to do so if you have several available SD cards.

I will be honest and won't say that I haven't tried them all... because I really liked Volumio since I started using it from version 2.x. and have kept it as my main player. But for my usage it's perfect, 90% playing from a 4TB USB HDD attached to a Rpi 4 (4GB) and 10% streaming from Spotify. Works great with wifi or wired, however much more stable and faster with wire.

I even got a second Rpi 4 (2GB) dedicated for Volumio with headphones (with SMSL SP200 and SMSL Sanskrit Mk II). v3 brought Camilla DSP and with the FusionDSP plugin you can use presets to EQ your headphones. It works amazingly well and very stable, and so easy to use. It looks like I'm being paid to say this, but it's just that it fits my usage and I am very happy with it.

At the beginning I was using an underpowered Allo USBridge which was maybe too old to manage my library fast and efficiently. With the current generation of Rpi and a good home network it works very well.

Well you seem to think that Volumio is the best - I understand that there are multiple variables at play here, but I'm speaking in general, which one has the most features.

I've tried out a few different ones also, and I kinda prefer Volumio - the only real deficit is that it lacks good airplay 2 integration.

That's interesting - What do you keep on your 4TB USB HDD?

Regarding CamillaDSP, how do you find the integration of it in Volumio? Do you have a mic connected so that it can make the appropriate adjustments to tone?