Improve Raspberry 4 streamer

[Gekel]

I did some extended Google Fu and also looked up the short video how to set up a Linux system so it can be used as a network streamer. Guess I will stick to Squeezy then, don't plan to pay for any subscription just to be able to organize the data I already have.

Did you try this with your Raspi? Did it work?

 

[officialsm]

I did some extended Google Fu and also looked up the short video how to set up a Linux system so it can be used as a network streamer. Guess I will stick to Squeezy then, don't plan to pay for any subscription just to be able to organize the data I already have.

Did you try this with your Raspi? Did it work?

Doing it with Rasp 4 and Moode Audio. Easy to do and works as expected

 

[Gekel]

Moode Audio sounds promising and it looks like I can read locally stored files as data source.

Do I need a Pi 4 with 8GB RAM or is 1/2/4GB enough?

 

[officialsm]

Moode Audio sounds promising and it looks like I can read locally stored files as data source.

Do I need a Pi 4 with 8GB RAM or is 1/2/4GB enough?

I'm using 4 gb but 2 gb is perfect. Real ram memory occupied around 4-500 gb.

 

[Gekel]

Thx for the info. I just stumbled across the Allo USBBridge Sig (https://allo.com/sparky/usbridge-signature-pcb.html) and wondered if there is a significant difference in the sound quality compared to using a Pi4.

 

[officialsm]

Thx for the info. I just stumbled across the Allo USBBridge Sig (https://allo.com/sparky/usbridge-signature-pcb.html) and wondered if there is a significant difference in the sound quality compared to using a Pi4.

I dont know. I have an amplifieri with integrated dac so i'm using USB. If you find info let me know
If yoiu dont have a DAC you can try to add a hat DAC like this (if you search there are some less expensive):
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...9038q2m-usb-rpi-spdif-bt-xlr-rca-p-14562.html

 

[Gekel]

Well, output will be similar to what you have, a CA CXA61. I think it even was how I found this thread.

 

[aandres_gm]

Doing it with Rasp 4 and Moode Audio. Easy to do and works as expected

How are you controlling the Pi? Does Moode have a mobile App you can use it to manage your Pi remotely?

 

[Gekel]

Moode can be steered via Touchscreen attached to the network player, web front running on any machine in the network end and if I am right, via App. I like the idea of attaching a 7" touchscreen to it

 

[aandres_gm]

Moode can be steered via Touchscreen attached to the network player, web front running on any machine in the network end and if I am right, via App. I like the idea of attaching a 7" touchscreen to it

So far, I had only looked into Volumio for this kind of solution, but Moode looks like a solid alternative.

 

[officialsm]

So far, I had only looked into Volumio for this kind of solution, but Moode looks like a solid alternative.

Using BUBBLE UPNP app. It connects throught wi-fi to Moode's MDP service.

 

[aandres_gm]

Using BUBBLE UPNP app. It connects throught wi-fi to Moode's MDP service.

Something I've looked into, in hopes of integrating a Pi and an SSD for music storage, is a nice case that bundles everything together, I came across this one, which looks very elegant and seems to have everything I look for.

 

[Gekel]

I am reading on other boards where they compare the Allo USBBridge and other solutions, including stock Pi4. At least the technical specialists are the opinion not to attach anything unneeded to a pi used as network streamer (even hdmi output....) because this will add some electrical noise (the same stuff you hear when you use a really noisy USB port of a PC) to the USB port and ruins the sound quality. Worst case according to them are USB sticks directly plugged into the Pi, and as I fear the SSD also would be plugged into the Pi via USB it also would add noise.

Now please don't nail me to a cross. I don't know how big the impact is on a Pi. On a PC it was big enough to use the optical output, because on USB the noise was clearly there, even on my small computer speakers.

With this in mind I am still unsure if what the Allo guys are doing with the USBbridge (adding layers and more layers to keep noise away from the USB Port) is just unneeded overhead which adds a nice price tag to the whole setup or if it really makes sense. I am no audiophile fanatic but I don't want to ruin a sound system worth maybe 4k USD by using a Pi (cost: aprox 100 USD total ) instead of a USBBridge (500 USD).


So the best performing gear would be: Allo USBBridge with Shanti LPS. Bridge connected to Ethernet, no other devices attached to it, data stored on a separate NAS drive. If the router is too far away, a wlan repeater is required and not a wifi dongle. And then not the cheapest but "second cheapest" USB cable going into the DAC. Something like a solid made Belkin cable or in my case an Oehlbach USB-Evolution B in the same price range). Stay away from higher priced "audiophile" cables. Only a rip off. What you need is good shielding and solid connectors, that's all.

 

[officialsm]

I am reading on other boards where they compare the Allo USBBridge and other solutions, including stock Pi4. At least the technical specialists are the opinion not to attach anything unneeded to a pi used as network streamer (even hdmi output....) because this will add some electrical noise (the same stuff you hear when you use a really noisy USB port of a PC) to the USB port and ruins the sound quality. Worst case according to them are USB sticks directly plugged into the Pi, and as I fear the SSD also would be plugged into the Pi via USB it also would add noise.

Now please don't nail me to a cross. I don't know how big the impact is on a Pi. On a PC it was big enough to use the optical output, because on USB the noise was clearly there, even on my small computer speakers.

With this in mind I am still unsure if what the Allo guys are doing with the USBbridge (adding layers and more layers to keep noise away from the USB Port) is just unneeded overhead which adds a nice price tag to the whole setup or if it really makes sense. I am no audiophile fanatic but I don't want to ruin a sound system worth maybe 4k USD by using a Pi (cost: aprox 100 USD total ) instead of a USBBridge (500 USD).

You can a NAS (through network) or installing Moode on a very large sd keeping enough space for your music files.

 

[Gekel]

Ok, yes sure. You can also store the music files on the same sd card you use to store the operating system of the pi used as network streamer.
Makes sense. However I am not pro enough on computers to know if the additional read requests performed by the raspi (e.g. while indexing/searching) result in enough load for the processor/rest of the machine to result in hickups/stuttering on the output side. I don't have a Pi 4 here but when I stress my Rock64 NAS enough by moving data around, any other data stream sometimes hangs for a second or two.

 

[somebodyelse]

Something I've looked into, in hopes of integrating a Pi and an SSD for music storage, is a nice case that bundles everything together, I came across this one, which looks very elegant and seems to have everything I look for.

See also the Argon ONE M.2 case. While there is a fan, reports are that it doesn't come on with the sort of load seen in audio streaming.

 

[keithm55]

In my home office I have a raspberry pi4 running VOLUMIO. I am using the AKASA gem pro case which has been outstanding on thermal management (cpu temps are always at or below 40C in the workloads that I use in this situation and others). There is also a newer AKASA maze pro case worth looking at. The pi4 is connected via usb to a topping dx7s. I also feed a windows workstation and a Mac mini to the dx7s using a pair of Douk audio usb to SPDIF (coax & optical) converters to the ports on the DX7s. So music can come from any source by selecting the input on the DX7s. I used an old amazon fire tablet to interface to VOLUMIO (and/or web from either workstation) over its built-in silk browser. At my desk I listen to wired hd650 driven by the DX7s. The coax out of the dx7s goes to a goes Fiio BTA-30 set up as a transmitter to Sony WH-1000xm4 with LDAC. I am lucky to get good range as I am able to listen via bluetooth in adjacent rooms and even in my courtyard (through two walls) with no issues and LDAC. Due to DX7s constraints on the pass through to the coax out, I sent an additional optical output from one of the Douk converters to the optical input on the BTA-30 (I had to work around the BTA-30 unchangeable automatic priority selection though). So via bluetooth I can listen to ether the pi4 (coax input to the BTA-30) or the windows workstation (via optical input to the BTA-30). I am still looking at this to see if I can improve on the wiring.

Attached is a quick picture of the prototype setup. The bamboo box below (which is probably needs to be painted/stained) hides the wiring and the two Douk USB converters. I have my music files on a Synology NAS located in the wiring closet protected by a UPS.

I really need to do more diligence (actual measurements) in looking for indications of interference from either the BTA-30 or the raspberry pi since they are sitting directly on top of the DX7s, but audio wise I hear nothing so far. For power supplies I am using an old apple USB supply for the BTA-30 and a CANAKIT usb-c supply for the raspberry pi.

Prior to this setup, I was using a pi3 mounted in an older SMART pi tech case with an official PI touchscreen and I did have some occasional instances of thermal throttling on the pi3.

 

[aandres_gm]

See also the Argon ONE M.2 case. While there is a fan, reports are that it doesn't come on with the sort of load seen in audio streaming.

I had also seen that one, but I think the fact it only takes m.2 is quite limiting. Music doesn't necessarily require the speed of an SSD (though the quietness is convenient), so a high capacity HDD would also be an option.

 

[Gekel]

See also the Argon ONE M.2 case. While there is a fan, reports are that it doesn't come on with the sort of load seen in audio streaming.

Forget these fans, all of them. If you want a silent system with fan, you will have to replace whatever is built in there with a Noctua fan. These are the only really silent ones.

 

[somebodyelse]

Forget these fans, all of them. If you want a silent system with fan, you will have to replace whatever is built in there with a Noctua fan. These are the only really silent ones.

A stationary fan is a silent fan, quieter even than a moving Noctua. Owners report that the fan never moves when using the usual audio streaming OSes - the case provides sufficient passive cooling for that CPU load.