Question about home network functionality

[King3567]

Apologies in advance if asking an annoying question here.

Have a toddler at home and another one coming soon. Spending a lot of time now in the living room playing, which is great, and love listening to music on my 2.0 setup in the living room. Typically I use Spotify on my smart tv and go from there to a NAD integrated and then into my kef bookshelf speakers. Here’s my ask; I want to move away from Spotify and the smart tv because I want to keep the screen off. I want to have my pc streaming my digital library to something, maybe a raspberry pi, which I could maybe control from my phone. I’ve used Ubuntu on a 10+ year old MacBook, and run that to my dac and then to the nad, but Linux and the windows pc requires I reset connection each time, it’s just not great for creature comforts.

Just seeing if anyone has suggestions for an application like this. Cheaper and simpler is best. Was just playing cds for a while, until little guy became mobile, and he just can’t stay away from the button that makes the tray go in and out….ha.

 

[Tom C]

Many here will disagree with me, but I find Raspberry pi fussy. It is adaptable as an audio product, but not designed as an audio specific product. Its designers intend it as a software learning tool for amateur hobbyists, and for that it is superb.
If your primary goal is simple and frustration free, Rpi might not be the best choice. If you are familiar with Linux, that will help a great deal. Even better if you have experience writing code; then you’ll probably find it a breeze. Otherwise, not so much. I have tried Kodi, JRiver, VLC. Am currently running Volumio, and have to reboot with each use. Not that big a deal, but not seemless, either. The biggest obstacle is running headless, ime.
My own recommendation would be to start with choosing the software you want to use as a player, then choose hardware based on that. The most trouble free would be laptop (or desktop) of your preferred flavor, with wired LAN connection (a rarity these days), and attached, hardwired or internal storage for the digital files. If you have an old, slow unit lying around unused, this would be an excellent way to repurpose it. Complexity and reliability of use increases as you move away from this type of setup.

 

[InsideTheWire]

I have never really had an issue with my Raspberry PI streamer. I also use Volumio with a Raspberry PI 4 4GB board and a Khadas Tone Board DAC. I can control mine with either my laptop, my Galaxy Tablet or phone.

 

[Chrispy]

You could just get a Chromecast Audio unit....

 

[Beershaun]

Agree with Chromecast audio. That is simplest to just plug it in and stream Spotify from your phone. If you choose the rpi route I recommend getting a pi4 and using Moode audio. It's very stable and supports a bunch more features like equalization and internet radio as well as local libraries of music.

 

[flyzipper]

I like my Chromecast, but what inputs does your NAD integrated already have?
If it has Bluetooth, you might just need to pair and go.
AirPlay over your home network is also an option on some integrated amps.
Dumping some of your collection on a USB stick (or USB drive of any type) is also an option if your NAD has USB audio support.

 

[TrevorD]

As Google don't make Chromecast audio anymore I use a Chromecast3G and an HDMI to Audio converter to my DAC. Can use Qobuz, Tidal or Spotify apps on smartphone to select the music to play. I am very happy with this solution.

 

[MCH]

You can check if your router has NAS functionality and if so just attach a hdd to it.

 

[King3567]

Thanks all for your inputs

My NAD is old. Of course like 6 analog inputs, but no BT or otherwise.

May check out this chromecast option

 

[InsideTheWire]

I have one, pretty easy to setup, infact it's wired to my old NAD 7020e.

 

[iMickey503]

Cheaper and simpler is best. Was just playing cds for a while, until little guy became mobile, and he just can’t stay away from the button that makes the tray go in and out….ha.

Don't you just love Children? I still have FOUND memories of VCR's with Copper traces made of Pennys, and DVD players with PB&J. How they got the bread in the drawer is beyond me. Legos. HOW???? Anyways.. I digress.

The cheapest soulution that just works is an amazon Fire stick. You can often get them for less then $10 bucks used. Or free from people who never used it. The holidays just past, so many people got one and are never going to use it so there should be plenty in supply in the usual places.
Since your a New dad. Just PM me and I'll send you one if you are in the USA.

Can't beat that for cheap.

 

[Deleted member 46664]

Thanks all for your inputs

My NAD is old. Of course like 6 analog inputs, but no BT or otherwise.

May check out this chromecast option

It's not too hard to add a bluetooth device through one of your RCA inputs ... Like This

 

[Jinjuku]

JRiver and Roon work well with Raspberry Pi's as end points.

I use JRiver and control it all with my Kindle Fire HD tablet. RopieeeXL on the Pi. Been bullet proof. Pi's with a custom image flat out work. They are hobbyist SoC's and intended to be used just for situations like this. It's the whole point of making an low power system with a 40 pin I/O header in the first place.

 

[Jinjuku]

Many here will disagree with me

Yes they will and there is a reason for it. There are single purpose built images for the Pi that do one thing and one thing only. It turns them into a reliable appliance.

 

[Tom C]

Yes they will and there is a reason for it. There are single purpose built images for the Pi that do one thing and one thing only. It turns them into a reliable appliance.

Actually, in the meantime I tried piCorePlayer, and had great success. It’s now easily my favorite, I think because it is purpose built, as you say. Kodi, for example, seemed to suffer in the area of running headless, which isn’t officially supported. Please remember that it’s because I’m not a professional programming specialist that I had difficulties separating the wheat from the chaff. I’m sure that in the proper hands there are multiple effective alternatives. But the point I was trying to make was, I don’t fit that description.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HC5GRKY/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_i_CDBENH9603KGZ8A9QZAZ

 

[jensgk]

If you can't get hold of a Chromecast Audio. I would suggest an Argon Audio SOLO, or the WiiM Mini, that Amir tested a few days ago.

 

[mmi]

I use an Apple airport express 2nd gen which can be gotten very cheap second hand. They can be configured to only connect to your wifi network (not extend it) via airport utility. They have an analog / optical 3.5 output, which can plug via rca into your amp aux. With this setup you get easy AirPlay 2 on your network for cheap. I love this setup, YMMV based on whether you are in the Apple ecosystem I guess.

 

[freemansteve]

Not sure where the 'writing code' for a Pi came from, but no, you don't. If you can put data onto microSD (a ready to go boot image, like Volumio), plug a HAT on a Pi and plug in a power supply, you're pretty much there. You could buy a DAC streamer that does a similar job for more cash.

If your music files are on a drive on your PC, USB or internal, or on a NAS connected to your LAN, you can run a free DLNA server on the PC and Pi or DAC streamer will see it on the network, and access music of it (as will a smart TV which will also be able to play stored videos off it).

If you run Linux on your PC, or have a Win PC but know how to boot different OS's on it, you can boot directly into Volumio et al. Top Tip: check out Ventoy.

If you want something really simple, but costly, a CA Evo 75 or 150 is an excellent mid-fi 'all in one'. Can stream, can run DLNA, can run off your TV with eARC, and can just have a USB drive plugged in with your music on it.

 

[Tom C]

Not sure where the 'writing code' for a Pi came from, but no, you don't. If you can put data onto microSD (a ready to go boot image, like Volumio), plug a HAT on a Pi and plug in a power supply, you're pretty much there. You could buy a DAC streamer that does a similar job for more cash.

If your music files are on a drive on your PC, USB or internal, or on a NAS connected to your LAN, you can run a free DLNA server on the PC and Pi or DAC streamer will see it on the network, and access music of it (as will a smart TV which will also be able to play stored videos off it).

If you run Linux on your PC, or have a Win PC but know how to boot different OS's on it, you can boot directly into Volumio et al. Top Tip: check out Ventoy.

If you want something really simple, but costly, a CA Evo 75 or 150 is an excellent mid-fi 'all in one'. Can stream, can run DLNA, can run off your TV with eARC, and can just have a USB drive plugged in with your music on it.

Not everybody is as experienced, knowledgeable and talented as you. Things you find simple and straightforward may be a time consuming and frustrating flail for some others.