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Raspberry Pi USB : noisy?

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sjeesjie

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Ugh. He’s a very foolish individual. The stack of test equipment is just a false front for another snake-oil salesman selling you the circle of confusion. See his nonsense video on why he won’t do blind tests for more (easily found, I ain’t linking to it). Really, the more I’ve seen of him, the more reprehensible he seems.

And sorry for responding twice, I forgot the response above, and only recently saw his blind test videos, causing a fresh wave of outrage.
It seems he also does a lot of reviews based on just pictures and info from the internet. Not showing the device is a sign he hasn’t even heard it.
 

Martijn

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Fun fact, looks like (from teardown pictures) the Metrum is based on a Raspberry Pi !
Correct, in the Ambre a rpi3 is used. I think when you use a well engineered dac which filters noisy usb output, there is no need for more than a rpi4 as a sreamer only. i think this forum wrote about rpi3 as noisier usb output vs rpi4.
 

Harmonie

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It seems he also does a lot of reviews based on just pictures and info from the internet. Not showing the device is a sign he hasn’t even heard it.

I don't know if he heard it or not.
But I do enjoy the way he recites his text reading his prompter with quite some difficulties :p
 

terrys999

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I have this same setup (Rpi4>ADI-2 DAC) and totally agree!
As a result of this very nice site, a few months ago I bought a rpi4 and connected it to my nice rme adi2 dacv2. It sounds perfect. streaming via wifi is really stable (I use ubiquity ap‘s) and I use a standard rpi smps. I tried ropiee and volumio and both I like when using the rpi4 as a roon endpoint. Before I streamed via an onkyo all in one streamer/dac ns6170 ( I think also pretty good and well engineered with dual akm4490 dacs), but could sell it now because of really nice sounding and stable rpi4 rme adi2 combination. The rme digicheck test files I played via roon, rpi4, passed without any problem. So bit perfect And I would really advise positively on the rpi4 as usb streamer, even Via stable wifi.
Downstairs I use a Metrum Ambre decent and 20 times more expensive streamer, but to be honest, I cannot hear a difference. It is really a decent streamer well engineered I think, with nice psu and femto clocks and a connection to the dac bij i2s, utp connection. But I bought it years ago before I found this site ;-)

I own the adi 2 dac fs. I was thinking of getting pi 4 b.
So for what I gather, you can connect pi usb out to adi? And it’s bit perfect?
Can I stream dsd? Or 705khz using Volumio?

If so this would be perfect for me.
 

ahofer

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As a result of this very nice site, a few months ago I bought a rpi4 and connected it to my nice rme adi2 dacv2. It sounds perfect. streaming via wifi is really stable (I use ubiquity ap‘s) and I use a standard rpi smps. I tried ropiee and volumio and both I like when using the rpi4 as a roon endpoint. Before I streamed via an onkyo all in one streamer/dac ns6170 ( I think also pretty good and well engineered with dual akm4490 dacs), but could sell it now because of really nice sounding and stable rpi4 rme adi2 combination. The rme digicheck test files I played via roon, rpi4, passed without any problem. So bit perfect And I would really advise positively on the rpi4 as usb streamer, even Via stable wifi.
Downstairs I use a Metrum Ambre decent and 20 times more expensive streamer, but to be honest, I cannot hear a difference. It is really a decent streamer well engineered I think, with nice psu and femto clocks and a connection to the dac bij i2s, utp connection. But I bought it years ago before I found this site ;-)

I use ubiquiti APs in my house, and the AMPLIFI system in my city apartment. The APs are pretty old and, since I don’t wall mount them, a bit clumsy in the decor. At the time I installed both systems, they were the best I’ve ever tried. But I have to say, the AP management system is a pain, at least the old one. Are you worried about the recent security issues at Ubiquiti?
 

ahofer

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I own the adi 2 dac fs. I was thinking of getting pi 4 b.
So for what I gather, you can connect pi usb out to adi? And it’s bit perfect?
Can I stream dsd? Or 705khz using Volumio?

If so this would be perfect for me.

Yes you can connect USB to ADI and it’s certainly bit perfect. I use Roon and Pi running Ropiee, and can stream DSD (but it may be DoP). I did try Volumio, and I don’t remember any problems. They certainly say they can.

https://volumio.org/direct-dsd-support-volumio-dsd512/
https://ropieee.org/audio_hardware/

Spend enough time around here and you’ll lose your enthusiasm for most DSD recordings.
 

audio2design

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No it’s Hans Beekhuizen. He looks like a really technical dude who knows what he’s talking about, but somehow I can’t help but feel he’s selling snake oil. Maybe he doesn’t even know it himself (because he has technical pesumptions).


When you start to notice that all the equipment in his videos is not even turned on, and not connected to anything, it all starts to make sense ....
 

terrys999

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Yes you can connect USB to ADI and it’s certainly bit perfect. I use Roon and Pi running Ropiee, and can stream DSD (but it may be DoP). I did try Volumio, and I don’t remember any problems. They certainly say they can.

https://volumio.org/direct-dsd-support-volumio-dsd512/
https://ropieee.org/audio_hardware/

Spend enough time around here and you’ll lose your enthusiasm for most DSD recordings.

thanks for the info
i know nothing about the pi .

i use usb from pc to adi or coax out from cxn to adi. cxn is dying dont want to spend a fortune on streamers , spent enough.
the reason i asked about dsd is i was given a little over 2000 sacd images ripped from playsta... some are true dsd recorded from tape ect..

alot sound meh... but the original recordins sound sublime..
 

Raindog123

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For what it's worth...

I have a RPi 3B and a 4B (both are "rev 1.2"). Both are Roon endpoints for Schiit Modi 3's (USB) - run latest RoPieee over WiFi up to 196kHz. The 3B runs at ~47°C and 4B at 43°C (both are in their respective aluminum Flirc enclosures).

I do not hear any difference between the two. Nor do I ever experience any clicking or other noises through 3b (but again, both use WiFi).
 

Martijn

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I own the adi 2 dac fs. I was thinking of getting pi 4 b.
So for what I gather, you can connect pi usb out to adi? And it’s bit perfect?
Can I stream dsd? Or 705khz using Volumio?

If so this would be perfect for me.

for sure you can.
rpi4 streams all files by usb connected to the rme adi2 and I tested all rme bit test files through the rpi4.

good luck.

kind regards,

martijn
 

terrys999

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for sure you can.
rpi4 streams all files by usb connected to the rme adi2 and I tested all rme bit test files through the rpi4.

good luck.

kind regards,

martijn

thanks martijn
just ordered pi 4 b 8gb starter pack.
thanx again.
 

3125b

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I don't have a RPi, but have tested my Topping E30 driven from the front ports of my Gaming-PC and from my laptop (not plugged in, so perfect DC) - doesn't make the slightest difference, not even a measureable one.
As far as I know Amir plugs the USB devices into a hub with many other devices, so the measurements you see here should be a near worst case szenario for any given DAC - yet still even the 9$ Apple dongle is audibly transparent.
 

EdW

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thanks martijn
just ordered pi 4 b 8gb starter pack.
thanx again.
Great choice - although 4GB would have been sufficient - even for DSP add-ons!
Note @Raindog123 made his temperature measurements with FLIRC heatsink cases for the RPI. These may be an overkill for a RPI running just as a streamer but if you wished to add DSP room equalisation then it would be worthwhile. The standard plastic RPI4 case offers no cooling.
 

terrys999

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Great choice - although 4GB would have been sufficient - even for DSP add-ons!
Note @Raindog123 made his temperature measurements with FLIRC heatsink cases for the RPI. These may be an overkill for a RPI running just as a streamer but if you wished to add DSP room equalisation then it would be worthwhile. The standard plastic RPI4 case offers no cooling.

I think I will use without the case for now, I could modify the case and add a fan.

Question!
I gather that the pi operating system Is on the micro sd card,
Does the micro sd need to be inserted all time?
Or does it install to memory?
 

somebodyelse

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Question!
I gather that the pi operating system Is on the micro sd card,
Does the micro sd need to be inserted all time?
Or does it install to memory?
While it is possible to configure the Pi to boot from a USB drive or the network, so far as I know none of the audio streaming OS versions currently support this. They expect to be run from the MicroSD. I have seen discussion in at least one of the forums about running direct from USB or network, so there may be instructions if you want to try it - or it might have become officially supported and I just missed it.
 

semektet

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I am using RPi 4 (2 gb) with volumio installed. Having mainly used the USB out into E30 DAC for a while, I was not able to spot any issue with respect to USB quality, was quite clean. Nowadays I grabbed an Allo Digione, hoping to bring more quality to the sound and am quite happy with the result. Allo Digione uses a S/PIDF output; of which the quality, depth and detail is very good for my modest ears..

On the other hand, I can easily say that there is no difference in terms of noise between RPi4 USB out or the Allo Digione S/PIDF coaxial.
 

terrys999

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for sure you can.
rpi4 streams all files by usb connected to the rme adi2 and I tested all rme bit test files through the rpi4.

good luck.

kind regards,

martijn
Finally setup the pi 4 .
My adi bitrate test passed.
The strange thing is usb from comp to adi playing dsd64 is 176khz dsd128 352 ect..
Now pi to adi usb reads dsd64 352 dsd128 705.
Sampling seems to have jumped up.

Mystery solved.
Setting dsd direct in volumio converts to pcm. Hence dif... bitrates. Sending dsd from jriver native shows correct bitrate.
Which is strange.
Any way used dop in volumio shows as it should
 
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Berlin

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I am using RPi 4 (2 gb) with volumio installed. Having mainly used the USB out into E30 DAC for a while, I was not able to spot any issue with respect to USB quality, was quite clean. Nowadays I grabbed an Allo Digione, hoping to bring more quality to the sound and am quite happy with the result. Allo Digione uses a S/PIDF output; of which the quality, depth and detail is very good for my modest ears..

On the other hand, I can easily say that there is no difference in terms of noise between RPi4 USB out or the Allo Digione S/PIDF coaxial.
I couldn't hear any difference between the RPi 4 USB output and DigiOne S/PIDF output and eventually sold the DigiOne....
 

terrys999

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for sure you can.
rpi4 streams all files by usb connected to the rme adi2 and I tested all rme bit test files through the rpi4.

good luck.

kind regards,

martijn

Today I have completed a few sound tests.
First connected pi to adi, then cxn coax out .
Used volumio and ca connect app.

Synchronised both players
Coax out of cxn is identical to pi usb, absolutely no differences kept switching adi coax usb ect same.

Then I did the same with the mdac plus Again identical.

If there’s any noise or change due to noise I certainly didn’t hear it.

Totally satisfied with my new toy.
 

Oranges

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Here's a random issue to throw in here. I recently got a new Rpi4 for volumio to connect to my Pro-ject Pre box s2 (with a Chroma 8 USB 2.0 cable) . It then goes to a Naim Nait 5si. I noticed a feedback buzz/hum regardless of whether I am on the input for my record player or DAC.

I did some process of elimination and found that it comes in when I plug in the external hard drive I use for the local media storage. How do I fix this? Is it the power from the Seagate Backup Plus? Is it the Chroma cable? Very confused...
 
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