Pi4 + CamillaDSP + Audio Interface (Motu M4) = Phenomal DSP streamer

[somebodyelse]

You can still do room correction with the speakers connected to the sub, and given that only 2 of the m4's outputs are adjusted by the front panel volume control that's how I'd use it. In this case you would set the crossover to the 80Hz setting - the outputs from the 310s will be high pass filtered at 80Hz to cross over correctly with the sub. If you really want to do the crossover, mixdown and volume in camilladsp you can - just plug that output into either the left or right input of the 310s (doesn't matter which) and set the crossover switch to External.

 

[georgew2]

thanks you! this was what I would like to know (if it's necessary to connect both channels of sub).

 

[Blew]

This is a great tutorial. I'm currently considering doing this with a MOTU M4 vs buying a Minidsp Flex to do the DSP + DAC standalone. I'd prefer this route because it seems cheaper, more fun, and more flexible.

However, the lack of toslink/spdif for attaching a CD transport is a problem as I like to play physical CDs. Yes I know I can rip them and already have LMS streaming my FLAC library and Qobuz to various players throughout the house but I still like to play physical CDs from time to time.

What's the best option for attaching a CD transport that doesn't attract the audiophile tax? I just need something simple that's easy to handle.

This is what I have looked at so far:

• HifiBerry Digi+ IO. A good option but fairly expensive just to add the interface, and seems to be sold out everywhere anyway. Requires purchasing a CD transport.
• MOTU Ultralite MK5. At around double the price of the M4 this blows the value out of the water as I may as well just buy a Minidsp Flex for less. Requires purchasing a CD transport.
• External USB DVD drive. Easily and cheaply solves the problem but as they are usually portable devices they are fiddly to use as a standalone unit that has no need to be portable. No display for track listings, no controls. I'd probably settle for a 5.25" external USB drive if I could find one, but they seem to be as rare as hen's teeth these days.

So far I am leaning towards an Apple Superdrive, but wonder if there are any better options.

 

[MCH]

This is a great tutorial. I'm currently considering doing this with a MOTU M4 vs buying a Minidsp Flex to do the DSP + DAC standalone. I'd prefer this route because it seems cheaper, more fun, and more flexible.

However, the lack of toslink/spdif for attaching a CD transport is a problem as I like to play physical CDs. Yes I know I can rip them and already have LMS streaming my FLAC library and Qobuz to various players throughout the house but I still like to play physical CDs from time to time.

What's the best option for attaching a CD transport that doesn't attract the audiophile tax? I just need something simple that's easy to handle.

This is what I have looked at so far:

• HifiBerry Digi+ IO. A good option but fairly expensive just to add the interface, and seems to be sold out everywhere anyway. Requires purchasing a CD transport.
• MOTU Ultralite MK5. At around double the price of the M4 this blows the value out of the water as I may as well just buy a Minidsp Flex for less. Requires purchasing a CD transport.
• External USB DVD drive. Easily and cheaply solves the problem but as they are usually portable devices they are fiddly to use as a standalone unit that has no need to be portable. No display for track listings, no controls. I'd probably settle for a 5.25" external USB drive if I could find one, but they seem to be as rare as hen's teeth these days.

So far I am leaning towards an Apple Superdrive, but wonder if there are any better options.

Blew, i did successfully add a second usb card with toslink in to a camilladsp motu m4 setup. The card i used is a cheapo 20 eur from amazon.
Now i have the same dilemma as you, but i think i want to try dirac, so i might go the flex route.
Other than that, adding a remote control following @mdsimon2 tutorial to switch from streamer to toslink in... it took me a while but it was perfectly functional.

 

[somebodyelse]

@Blew depending on where your LMS is, its CDplayer plugin may give you the controls you want for the USB drive.
There's another tutorial thread using a cheap (~$25) USB adapter for toslink I/O:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...lladsp-set-up-instructions-for-newbies.30830/

 

[Blew]

Blew, i did successfully add a second usb card with toslink in to a camilladsp motu m4 setup. The card i used is a cheapo 20 eur from amazon.
Now i have the same dilemma as you, but i think i want to try dirac, so i might go the flex route.
Other than that, adding a remote control following @mdsimon2 tutorial to switch from streamer to toslink in... it took me a while but it was perfectly functional.

Thanks, that's a good idea. Do you have any info on the USB card you used? Are there any measurements for it?

This looks like a good option if it is able to work in the other direction. ie toslink/spdif in and USB out:

SMSL PO100

$35. That's a reasonable price to pay for those of us who have computers that lack these outputs and the motherboard headers for them. https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/788.html

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[MCH]

Thanks, that's a good idea. Do you have any info on the USB card you used? Are there any measurements for it?

This looks like a good option if it is able to work in the other direction. ie toslink/spdif in and USB out:

SMSL PO100

$35. That's a reasonable price to pay for those of us who have computers that lack these outputs and the motherboard headers for them. https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/788.html

www.audiosciencereview.com

I used the same that in the other thread we are communicating but i see the amazon link is dead now.... in any case, if you can't find it, you will probably find others that do the job for not much more.

 

[Blew]

@Blew depending on where your LMS is, its CDplayer plugin may give you the controls you want for the USB drive.

I was intending on using the CDplayer plugin via Squeezelite on the pi4 itself, so it wouldn't matter where LMS is. Is that not the case? My LMS in running on a NAS under a desk downstairs, so nowhere convenient. It's a HP Microserver running Ubuntu 22.04.

Eg:

How to turn your piCoreplayer into a CD Player

smhp-hk.blogspot.com

 

[somebodyelse]

I was intending on using the CDplayer plugin via Squeezelite on the pi4 itself, so it wouldn't matter where LMS is. Is that not the case? My LMS in running on a NAS under a desk downstairs, so nowhere convenient. It's a HP Microserver running Ubuntu 22.04.

Eg:

How to turn your piCoreplayer into a CD Player

smhp-hk.blogspot.com

The plugin works with a CD/DVD drive connected to the machine where LMS is running, not remotely via squeezelite. In the example you link to, LMS is running on piCorePlayer. You can run more than one instance of LMS on the same network and have them access each other's content via the Remote Music Libraries plugin, so you could have LMS on both the Pi4 and the HP.

 

[Blew]

The plugin works with a CD/DVD drive connected to the machine where LMS is running, not remotely via squeezelite. In the example you link to, LMS is running on piCorePlayer. You can run more than one instance of LMS on the same network and have them access each other's content via the Remote Music Libraries plugin, so you could have LMS on both the Pi4 and the HP.

Would that mean that the Pi4 running LMS extracts the PCM from the attached USB optical drive, then streams it to the main LMS on the NAS, which then streams it back to Squeezelite on the Pi4?

 

[somebodyelse]

Would that mean that the Pi4 running LMS extracts the PCM from the attached USB optical drive, then streams it to the main LMS on the NAS, which then streams it back to Squeezelite on the Pi4?

I don't know - perhaps. I never looked into it that deeply. The alternative is switching which LMS instance squeezelite is connected to, with IIRC can also be done through the LMS web/remote interface. Some people find one less awkward/confusing than the other, or have trouble with the whole concept of more than one LMS instance. I don't usually use either the CDplayer plugin or >1 LMS instance, but have done each separately on occasion and don't remember either being problematic.

 

[Blew]

The plugin works with a CD/DVD drive connected to the machine where LMS is running, not remotely via squeezelite. In the example you link to, LMS is running on piCorePlayer. You can run more than one instance of LMS on the same network and have them access each other's content via the Remote Music Libraries plugin, so you could have LMS on both the Pi4 and the HP.

Thanks. I tested this out last night but couldn't get the CD Player to present itself as a Remote Music Library to the main LMS. The only way that I could play a CD was to associate the Sqeezelite on the Pi4 with the LMS on the Pi4, which is a fiddly process if you have to do it every time. Do you have any suggestions there?

 

[somebodyelse]

Thanks. I tested this out last night but couldn't get the CD Player to present itself as a Remote Music Library to the main LMS. The only way that I could play a CD was to associate the Sqeezelite on the Pi4 with the LMS on the Pi4, which is a fiddly process if you have to do it every time. Do you have any suggestions there?

Not without setting up something equivalent ant trying it, sorry.

 

[amazingtazing]

On Windows, is there any advantage to using CamillaDSP to reroute channels to outputs 3-4, rather than using the loopback + listen to device in Windows sound control panel in conjunction with equalizer APO?

 

[voodooless]

On Windows, is there any advantage to using CamillaDSP to reroute channels to outputs 3-4, rather than using the loopback + listen to device in Windows sound control panel in conjunction with equalizer APO?

Why would you use it with EQ APO? All that APO does, CamillaDSP can do as well.

 

[amazingtazing]

Why would you use it with EQ APO? All that APO does, CamillaDSP can do as well.

Because Equalizer APO runs better on windows than CamillaDSP does. I am just wondering if CamillaDSP has an advantages on Windows?

 

[HenrikEnquist]

Because Equalizer APO runs better on windows than CamillaDSP does. I am just wondering if CamillaDSP has an advantages on Windows?

Runs better in what sense?
As for possible advantages, that depends on what you use it for. What are you doing with EqualizerAPO? What is the loopback you mentioned?

 

[amazingtazing]

Runs better in what sense?
As for possible advantages, that depends on what you use it for. What are you doing with EqualizerAPO? What is the loopback you mentioned?

Maybe not runs better but easier to use on Windows that is, at least from my impression based on the documentation.

I attempted to use loopback + listen to device in Windows on the motu m4 to mirror output 1-2 onto 3-4, then connect output 3 to the balanced input on my subwoofer. 1-2 are connected to my monitors.

I then used equalizer apo to make the left channel (output 3) play mono by summing both left and right channels divided by 2. Then I set up a low pass filter at around 100hz as a crossover attempt

It worked well on max volume, however if I wanted to reduce volume I would have to use the windows sound control panel instead of the knob on the motu, which at low volumes sounded unnatural and the subwoofer was definitely not blending well. It sounded better using the RCA outputs on 1-2 to the subwoofers inputs and using the passive crossover on the subwoofers back panel, that way I can use the knob on the motu.

I will try to use Camilla DSP on windows next to see if it'll work better with volume control through that.

 

[chuckt62]

That’s similar to my setup (RPi/ubuntu, CamillaDSP) except I have the monitors on 3-4 w/high pass & the subs on 1-2 (RCA) using the subs low pass. That way I can use the M4 headphone jack and adjust the sw volume if I need to. I also have AutoEq wav on 1-2 for the headphones.

 

[chuckt62]

...Running the monitors on 3-4 also allows me to use the rear analog inputs too. I have the line out of a PC there so I can run anything from the PC to my mains or headphones.