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HDMI I2S Roon compatible streamer

martin900

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Jan 31, 2020
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I'm having a hard time finding a streamer that has:

a) I2S over HDMI
b) Is ROON compatible
c) Works with Denafrips DACs

I wonder if such a thing even exists? I'm not looking for a tinker board RPi solution. So far I've only seen the Sonnet Hermes (=Metrum Ambre) but these have I2S over RJ45.
Why not USB? Simple, already have had multiple SoTM boxes and still have a 200 Ultra Neo + sPS, just looking for a streamer for my second system and thought - why not I2S, perfect to compare with the SoTM.
Any ideas?
 

Superdad

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As sharp as Steve Nugent (Empirical Audio) is, that box is $3,000–and still requires the addition of the $300 Sonore UPnP Bridge to become a Roon endpoin.
The Pi2Design Mercury streamer I recommended is just as advanced—and costs only $500. (Frankly I do not see how, after factoring in support, that Michael Kelly is going to make any profit. He is barely doubling raw parts cost.)
 

gregdc

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As sharp as Steve Nugent (Empirical Audio) is, that box is $3,000–and still requires the addition of the $300 Sonore UPnP Bridge to become a Roon endpoin.
The Pi2Design Mercury streamer I recommended is just as advanced—and costs only $500. (Frankly I do not see how, after factoring in support, that Michael Kelly is going to make any profit. He is barely doubling raw parts cost.)
I don't doubt it. Just wanted to share an alternative. Also I don't see that the Mercury is Roon Ready, but it may be.
 

Superdad

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Also I don't see that the Mercury is Roon Ready, but it may be.
It comes with Volumio--for which there is an easy plug-in download for Roon. It can run any Linux-based Raspberry Pi OS, and several of those are great as RoonBridge endpoints. Ropiee (https://ropieee.org) is a great example of a popular, ready-to-go RoonBridge Linux image.
 

sch8mid

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And sold out a.t.m.
 

Wino

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Raspberry pi with Pi2aes hat.
 

navin

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This one ticks all the boxes for you.
I have a beta unit which works and sounds great. Running I2S into a Holo Spring L3 DAC.
Since it isn't readily available, what about the SMSL SD9?
 

sch8mid

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Ah fine . Followed Fairytale Superdads enthusiastic betatest of Mercury in APS.
Tested Mercury I2S (Dac =Holo audio Spring 3) last week with shipped Volumio software.
No DSD , not even DSD 64 (dop) . DSD direct is converted to PCM.
So , do I need an EtherRegen ? :)
 
Last edited:

sch8mid

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I have a beta unit which works and sounds great. Running I2S into a Holo Spring L3 DAC.
NO . @ "Fairytale" Superdad Betatester
There is no DSD over I2S at all with this unit with the added Volumio and Ropiee soft. . (running I2S into a Holo Spring DAC as well ).
 

Legion1capone

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Check out the holo audio red streamer. Check out that price too. Plus it's a DDC through USB

 

Burki

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You can also use a RPi with Ropieee and add there for example a Matrix Audio X SPDIF 2/3. Here is native DSD supported (from Ropieee) and the chance to get a working system with the Denafrips DAC is high.

If you want a big display, then you can buy a Rose RS150B, which has two I2S outputs. But here you'll get when using DSD only DSD256 DoP out.
 

MacCali

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This is what I use and it's the best streamer I have owned. It measures extremely well, and there's a full forum to help and guide you. To see if it will work.


Also I see they have a new streamer which is 799, the mercury. I would fully trust this company as they do take an objective approach.

It's only 250 now, price has gone up. Think total is like 330, I know it is out of stock but it's definitely something worth waiting for
 

ICantHearYou

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You can check this one out. Recently released

 

sch8mid

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You can check this one out. Recently released

DSD /1024 over I2S with a Compute 4 Raspi module ?? Interesting.
 

MacCali

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Price seems too high, and unsure of the objective performance of the unit.

Still feel that the pi2aes is untouchable within a huge margin of prices and streamers. Simple and isolated seems to be the way to go. I’m sure there’s more magic to it than simply just that, but if you did need a ddc it maybe something

Than again why not just buy the smsl ddc for 70 dollars, I believe dsd capability is missing which is the only sacrifice
 
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