DAC/Preamp with network controls (volume and source)?

[Tdubbz]

Hey Guys, I realize this doesn't have a ton to do with science and much more with experience, but you seem like a pretty knowledgeable bunch. I would really like to have the ability to change source and volume of my stereo through my phone. My sources are digital: a RasPi w/Moode (USB), a TV (optical), and a PS5 (which my roommate swears sounds better connect through SPDIF than through the TV). I currently have an SMSL DO100 on loan, it sounds as expected, but lacks the ability to control it beyond IR.

This component:
- Acts as a digital preamp/DAC: Can switch sources, controls volume, outputs directly to NCore NC252MP amp.
- Controllable from phone (somehow).
- Balanced output is ideal, not that I probably need the full power, but unbalanced will not allow me to get to full power (NCore need ~2.35V to max).
- Bonus if its ~8"/200mm wide
- Double bonus if it has extra functions like EQ or room correction.

List of preference:

1. It has a network adapter and has native ability to control from my phone.
2. Controllable through USB, then having something like a RasPi expose somehow, maybe Home Assistant
3. [maybe there is something here]
4. Use a network connected IR blaster to send controls to the DAC. Least ideal, no feedback of status/vol level/source.

[Edited to make it more clear]

 

[jae]

I don't know a lot about home automation and only used HA very briefly, but the Wiim Pro streamer supposedly has integration with Siri, Alexa, and Google voice Assistants, maybe it's possible to get something working that way? Found this: https://github.com/onlyoneme/home-assistant-custom-components-wiim

Regardless, can control the wiim volume directly with a mobile app

 

[MCH]

I am not 100% sure but i would say your pi can do all that. The only hardware you miss is a card to take the toslink from your tv and route it through the pi because I understand that you have it directly connected to the smsl, don't you?
A cheap hifime Digi would do.
I recommend you to read through this thread to see what can be done on the DSP, volume and source selection side:

RPi4 + CamillaDSP Tutorial

Intent of this thread is to provide a tutorial for setting up CamillaDSP on a RPi4. There is a lot of good information scattered through ASR, DIYAudio and the CamillaDSP GitHub but there also appears to be a lot of apprehension. My goal is to give concrete examples of how to use CamillaDSP with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Home assistant is not super popular here but i am certain you can control camilladsp through it. I do use mqtt to control volume and other stuff and it works perfectly. I don't do it with home assistant though, but i believe it is perfectly possible.

It would look like this:
Tv-toslink->toslink capture card->usb->RPI->smsl->amp

 

[MAB]

Hey Guys, I realize this doesn't have a ton to do with science and much more with experience, but you seem like a pretty knowledgeable bunch. I would really like to have the ability to change source and volume of my stereo through my phone/Home Assistant. My sources are digital: a RasPi w/Moode (USB) and a TV (optical). I currently have an SMSL DO100, it sounds as expected, but lacks the ability to control it beyond IR.

This component:
- Acts as a digital preamp/DAC: Can switch sources, controls volume to power amp.
- Could also be a streamer.
- Controllable!!!
- XLR output is ideal.
- Bonus if it has extra functions like EQ or room correction.
- Double bonus if its ~8"/200mm wide

List of preference:

1. It has a network adapter and has webhook for controlling
2. Controllable through USB, then having something like a RasPi expose this connection through Home Assistant
   1. Would a MiniDSP Flex have this ability?
3. 
   
4. Use a network connected IR blaster to send controls to the DAC. Least ideal, no feedback of status/vol level/source.

How about MiniDSP SHD Studio:

SHD Studio

All-digital Roon Ready network player with Dirac Live® room correction, miniDSP audio toolbox for subwoofer integration and multiway speakers, Volumio music player, headphone output, 450MHz Sharc DSP processor

www.minidsp.com

You get a headphone amp. It seems to check all your boxes, in a small form factor to boot.

I have the SHD which I use as a preamp and crossover:

SHD

Roon Ready network audio streamer with Dirac Live® room correction, miniDSP audio toolbox for subwoofer integration and multiway speakers, Volumio music player, Audiophile 32-bit converters, 450MHz Sharc DSP processor

www.minidsp.com

I use the two analog inputs for connecting a phono preamp and an Apt Holman preamp that has a tape deck and tuner and another tonearm. I use the crossover function for for subwoofers. I use the DSP for room correction on both the mains and subs which are generated from REW measurements. I have used DIRAC and GLM (my mains are Genelec) which is fine too. I typically play music with JRiver, but use other players and services. I play CDs too from an old Proceed transport. I can use it as a network player too from JRiver, or whatever. It's been stable, tests well, sounds great, and has really useful DSP. It is fairly user friendly. I have a few MiniDSP products, and am pretty happy with them. I built an active 3-way DSP set of bookshelf speakers with a Flex-Eight. But I think it is slightly different than what you need since it isn't a streamer.

 

[Tdubbz]

How about MiniDSP SHD Studio:

SHD Studio

All-digital Roon Ready network player with Dirac Live® room correction, miniDSP audio toolbox for subwoofer integration and multiway speakers, Volumio music player, headphone output, 450MHz Sharc DSP processor

www.minidsp.com

You get a headphone amp. It seems to check all your boxes, in a small form factor to boot.

With your SHD, do you have the ability to control the source and volume from your phone (over the network)?

The SHD Studio is def a nice package, but I don't really think it checks the right boxes. It would still require a DAC as it only has a digital output. I think that the Flex Balanced is probably closer to what I need, if there is a way to access the controls from my phone.

 

[Tdubbz]

I am not 100% sure but i would say your pi can do all that. The only hardware you miss is a card to take the toslink from your tv and route it through the pi because I understand that you have it directly connected to the smsl, don't you?
A cheap hifime Digi would do.
I recommend you to read through this thread to see what can be done on the DSP, volume and source selection side:

RPi4 + CamillaDSP Tutorial

Intent of this thread is to provide a tutorial for setting up CamillaDSP on a RPi4. There is a lot of good information scattered through ASR, DIYAudio and the CamillaDSP GitHub but there also appears to be a lot of apprehension. My goal is to give concrete examples of how to use CamillaDSP with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Home assistant is not super popular here but i am certain you can control camilladsp through it. I do use mqtt to control volume and other stuff and it works perfectly. I don't do it with home assistant though, but i believe it is perfectly possible.

It would look like this:
Tv-toslink->toslink capture card->usb->RPI->smsl->amp

This is interesting, I didn't really consider using my RPi as the Source selector! I guess at that point combining a DAC would be rolling my own system to compare with say the Cambridge CXN or Yamaha wxc-50. I will give this a read. Poking around, I see that you and @mdsimon2 have contributed a lot of info on this or similar subjects.

It would be cool to build something nice into a Ghent case to match my VTV amp. I do have doubts about my ability to have a clean implementation on the software side though.

 

[mdsimon2]

This is interesting, I didn't really consider using my RPi as the Source selector! I guess at that point combining a DAC would be rolling my own system to compare with say the Cambridge CXN or Yamaha wxc-50. I will give this a read. Poking around, I see that you and @mdsimon2 have contributed a lot of info on this or similar subjects.

It would be cool to build something nice into a Ghent case to match my VTV amp. I do have doubts about my ability to have a clean implementation on the software side though.

This component:
- Acts as a digital preamp/DAC: Can switch sources, controls volume, outputs directly to NCore NC252MP amp.
- Controllable from phone (somehow).
- Balanced output is ideal, not that I probably need the full power, but unbalanced will not allow me to get to full power (NCore need ~2.35V to max).
- Bonus if its ~8"/200mm wide
- Double bonus if it has extra functions like EQ or room correction.

Following the base tutorial will get you pretty much all of your requested functionality with a balanced USB DAC of your choosing.

As @MarcosCh mentioned an inexpensive TOSLINK to USB card like this -> https://hifimediy.com/product/s2-digi/ or this -> https://hifimediy.com/product/hifime-ur23-spdif-optical-to-usb-converter/ can give a TOSLINK input. If you had two different TOSLINK to USB cards you could use one for your TV and one for the PS5.

You can use CamillaDSP to switch between sources by changing configurations, either via IR remote or the GUI. Similarly you can control volume via IR remote or via the GUI. The GUI works on any networked computer or device (phone works well in the condensed view).

The default case is a bit wider than 200 mm (230 mm).

The only immediate hurdle I see is the tutorial is not built around Moode. Moode does have CamillaDSP functionality but it is a bit different than the approach used in the tutorial and requires more tinkering to use external inputs.

What do you use Moode for? Local files? Streaming service? Something else? It is likely you can replicate the functionality you currently have with LMS / squeezelite / airplay / bluez-alsa.

If you have any questions I am happy to help.

Michael

 

[Tdubbz]

The only immediate hurdle I see is the tutorial is not built around Moode. Moode does have CamillaDSP functionality but it is a bit different than the approach used in the tutorial and requires more tinkering to use external inputs.

What do you use Moode for? Local files? Streaming service? Something else? It is likely you can replicate the functionality you currently have with LMS / squeezelite / airplay / bluez-alsa.

If you have any questions I am happy to help.

Michael

I use Moode for streaming radio, Spotify, and occasional airplay.

 

[mdsimon2]

I use Moode for streaming radio, Spotify, and occasional airplay.

OK, that is pretty simple. LMS has internet radio as well Spotify and Airplay plugins (can also manually install librespot and shairport-sync instead if desired).

If you already have a RPi would be simple enough to get a new SD card and try out the Ubuntu / CamillaDSP / LMS approach and see how you like it before implementing any of the other fancy stuff (FLIRC IR receiver, OLED display, case).

Michael

 

[MAB]

With your SHD, do you have the ability to control the source and volume from your phone (over the network)?

Yes. Here is a screenshot from my phone using JRiver over network, the volume control directly controls the SHD's volume control.

On the SHD, LAN is just another selectable input:

I use the various inputs interchangeably with digital and analog sources. I use the DSP and crossover functions pretty extensively.

The SHD Studio is def a nice package, but I don't really think it checks the right boxes. It would still require a DAC as it only has a digital output. I think that the Flex Balanced is probably closer to what I need, if there is a way to access the controls from my phone.

I missed that! You are correct!

 

[Berwhale]

Broadlink RM Mini3 would work for #4, but as you say, they are let down by lack of a feedback loop, still they are cheap...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Broadlink-RMmini3-Universal-Infrared-Controller/dp/B07DPHG521

I might be a bit biased in favour of IR, I have my Topping remote controlling my EX5, IR main switch (for monitors and sub) and eAPO EQ profiles on my PC (via a FLIRC adapter)...

Controlling PEACE/eAPO on Windows with Topping DAC/Amp Remote (or any other IR remote)

I have a Topping EX5 which I use as both a headphone amplifier for my Sennheiser HD660s and as a pre-amp for my iLoud MTM monitors. I switch between the headphone and monitor outputs using the headphone and line out buttons on a Topping RC21 remote. On my Windows 11 PC, I use eAPO with the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Berwhale]

Or there is this...

N-05XD Network DAC Preamplifier

A newly developed DAC that succeeds the philosophy of the Grandioso D1X's Master Sound Discrete DAC that reached the summit. The Master Sound Discrete DAC is a fully in-house designed discrete DAC completed by ESOTERIC who has been aiming for the original master sound. Technical Specifications...

www.hifisound.co.uk

 

[Berwhale]

Or a Maxtrix Audio Mini-i 3 with the MA Remote app.