RPi 4 or Allo USBridge signature for feeding Topping E30 ?

[somebodyelse]

Thanks Mike! I'm wandering about a PI 4 to stream music and film and TV channels if I can replace my internet provider box (freebox TV)

You probably want one of the more general multimedia distributions like LibreElec, OpenElec, OSMC etc. most of which run Kodi. That'll play music from a file share or via DLNA, with more options via plugins. Depending on the video source you may be lucky with the standard (legal) plugins. If you're tempted to use 3rd party plugins then be very careful - some have been known to do nefarious things with your Pi and/or your account details.

 

[lucadoc]

You probably want one of the more general multimedia distributions like LibreElec, OpenElec, OSMC etc. most of which run Kodi. That'll play music from a file share or via DLNA, with more options via plugins. Depending on the video source you may be lucky with the standard (legal) plugins. If you're tempted to use 3rd party plugins then be very careful - some have been known to do nefarious things with your Pi and/or your account details.

Thanks for the advice, I don't want to mess up with illegal plug-in, just be able to install Mycanal app if possible so that I can use my subscription and watch TV plus my music and videos on my nas

 

[somebodyelse]

Thanks for the advice, I don't want to mess up with illegal plug-in, just be able to install Mycanal app if possible so that I can use my subscription and watch TV plus my music and videos on my nas

This one? You might be lucky, but it's not been updated in 5 years which is often long enough for things to break. If they've got a browser interface you could use Raspbian with Chrome for the things that don't work in Kodi.

 

[Topaz]

ps audio‘s Paul Mcgowan says raspberry Pi sounds bad.

 

[Matias]

If you look at the Modi measurements here you'll see why - the spdif input measures significantly better than the usb input. That's a problem with the Modi in particular, not DACs in general, and the E30 doesn't have that problem.

Not true: as stated in the review, this was a measurement error with ASIO4ALL drivers. After fixing it USB measured fine.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...rements-of-schiit-modi-3-dac.4742/post-104838

 

[Harmonie]

ps audio‘s Paul Mcgowan says raspberry Pi sounds bad.

Paul says a lot of things.
Look here and there elsewhere here at ASR and make your own opinion

 

[idiomatically]

Paul McGowan also says only the DAC makes a difference with digital, his RP comment will be if you are using it was the DAC and not as a streamer only with an external DAC.

 

[Sukie]

Paul McGowan also says only the DAC makes a difference with digital, his RP comment will be if you are using it was the DAC and not as a streamer only with an external DAC.

It's still nonsense. There have been RPi HAT DACs reviewed on ASR and recommended. If the DAC measures okay then it, along with the RPi, will sound fine (as in, it won't "sound" at all).

I have no problem at all with Paul McGowan (or anybody) charging loads of money for products and I have no problem with people buying them. I gather that the products measure well. What I do have a problem with is the dismissal of a streamer and DAC on the grounds that it sounds awful, particularly if this comment is made by a man who happens to have a ready made alternative that'll cost you several thousand $/£/€.

 

[idiomatically]

A HAT Dac is still an "external" Dac to the RP. The inbuilt DAC on an RP is rubbish, I don't think that has ever been in question. Paul like most manufacturers will serve their own interests for the most part. While Paul says a lot of stuff I find dubious, he is at least far more open and honest than many in his shoes.

People just have to ask them serves who the comment(s) serves, and what their interests are, take everything will a grain of salt.

 

[navin]

Paul says a lot of things.
Look here and there elsewhere here at ASR and make your own opinion

Paul's youtube channel is 99% marketing BS, 1% education. But you gotta hand it to him for building PS Audio and being able to sell enough to make a comfortable living. I know better engineers who have failed.

 

[navin]

I have no problem at all with Paul McGowan (or anybody) charging loads of money for products and I have no problem with people buying them. I gather that the products measure well. What I do have a problem with is the dismissal of a streamer and DAC on the grounds that it sounds awful, particularly if this comment is made by a man who happens to have a ready made alternative that'll cost you several thousand $/£/€.

Can't agree more. A half-decent RPi4 based streamer (or even Atomic Pi or USBridge) with a good power supply and a half-decent chip-based DAC (Topping, SMSL, Gustard, etc.) will give you 95% of the performance (maybe even 100%) of a similar combination from PS Audio. Chips like the 4497, 4499, 9038Pro, and now the 9068AS have moved the cheese when it comes to DACs and similarly, the RPi4 has done the same for media players.

For under $500 you can get an Allo USBridge, Kali, Shanti and a small 256x64 OLED screen and make a really nice media player. For another $500 you can get a Soncoz SGD1 which is one well designed DAC. PS Audio will be hard-pressed to beat that.

 

[abdo123]

I didn’t take the time to read this thread, bite me.

Anyway the USBridge signature is a piece of crap it has no wifi, no Bluetooth and it does absolutely nothing better than a RPi 4.

the powersuplies are absolutely worthless too.

 

[navin]

Anyway the USBridge signature is a piece of crap it has no wifi, no Bluetooth and it does absolutely nothing better than a RPi 4.

the powersuplies are absolutely worthless too.

Which Power supplies? Just the Allo? or both Ian Canada and Allo?

Would using IAN Canada's Boards offer better value? I would be looking at the following:
https://github.com/iancanada/DocumentDownload

Station Pi PCB KIT, $35.00
Fifo Pi Q3 768KHz I2S/DSD/DoP FIFO with isolator and dual XO $135.00
ESS controller $39.00
ESS controller extension kit $12.00
Linear Pi Dual Linear Power supply, $99.00
Uc Conditioner 5V (Universal), $59.00
Uc Conditioner 3.3V (Universal), $67.00 (same PCB different Caps).
HDMI Pi I2S/DSD/DoP to HDMI transmitter, $35.00

 

[abdo123]

Which Power supplies? Just the Allo? or both Ian Canada and Allo?

Would using IAN Canada's Boards offer better value? I would be looking at the following:
https://github.com/iancanada/DocumentDownload

Station Pi PCB KIT, $35.00
Fifo Pi Q3 768KHz I2S/DSD/DoP FIFO with isolator and dual XO $135.00
ESS controller $39.00
ESS controller extension kit $12.00
Linear Pi Dual Linear Power supply, $99.00
Uc Conditioner 5V (Universal), $59.00
Uc Conditioner 3.3V (Universal), $67.00 (same PCB different Caps).
HDMI Pi I2S/DSD/DoP to HDMI transmitter, $35.00

Tbh none of these things make a difference, I even used batteries at one point, no difference.

I’m 23 and there are people in their 30s and 40s who claim they can hear a difference with these things it’s absolutely crazy. People who can’t hear above 10 KHz saying shit like using batteries makes a difference. Absolutely preposterous.

I tried a lot of these stuff and while some details matter (Galvanic isolation, independent clocks .etc). These things are achieved with very little money with something like the Hifiberry Digi+ Pro.

The Digione (not signature) is also a good product but that is honestly the border of what i consider a reasonable purchase.

Products like the Digione Signature that are designed to work only with a ‘clean’ power source is kinda infuriating, it’s like throwing everything that humanity developed in digital audio away because some delusional people think it’s a good idea.

Asynchronous USB theoretically surpasses the Digione Signature and yet these options still find a place in the market.

 

[nelamvr6]

I have never tried the Allo product, but I am using my RPi4 as a Roon endpoint, using the USB output to feed a Topping D90 MQA DAC, and the sound is fantastic. I have not had issue number 1, and it was much cheaper than most of the separate streamers I investigated. It has also proven to be absoultely 100% reliable, no interuptions of any kind.

 

[navin]

Tbh none of these things make a difference, I even used batteries at one point, no difference.

The Digione (not signature) is also a good product but that is honestly the border of what i consider a reasonable purchase.
Products like the Digione Signature that are designed to work only with a ‘clean’ power source is kinda infuriating, it’s like throwing everything that humanity developed in digital audio away because some delusional people think it’s a good idea.
Asynchronous USB theoretically surpasses the Digione Signature and yet these options still find a place in the market.

I have not seen the DigiOne or DIgiOne Signature so I will reserve my judgement on them.

However, when it comes to battery power I have had one very very good experience. Yes, it is anecdotal but it is my experience.

I also play electric guitar and have a rather elaborate pedal board having about 12 pedals some analogue and some digital including a couple that have high current demands from Strymon and one that requires 18V instead of 9V.

As my pedalboard grew I split it into 2 sections to make them easier to transport. One section was powered by a TrueTone CS7 and the other with a CS6. I never really had issues with noise but one day I heard about a product from Mission Engineering called the 529.

I ordered a 529 and a 529i (to cover all my pedal power needs). I powered one board with a Rockboard Power LT XL and the other board with the battery Mission sent me (I think the battery is made by Anker).

CS7 – Truetone
CS6 – Truetone
529 – Mission Engineering
529i – Mission Engineering
Power Supply (rockboard.de)
529 USB Battery – Mission Engineering

The new board was surprisingly quieter and more dynamic. Like I said I never had trouble with the True Tone powered board but the Mission Engineering powered board were clearly better. Even my bandmates who did not know I had replaced the power could tell. The power supply and batteries are mounted below the board so not visible to others.

BTW I am 1963 born. My bandmates are about the same age. We are not professional musicians but just play for fun. There is more than just frequency response that determines what we hear.

 

[Ecaroh]

I have now purchased a Pi4, controlled through wifi and use it with moode audio. It plays music (flac and mp3) from a 1TB ssd hard drive that is plugged into one of the pi usb ports and is great. Signal is clean through my SMSL SU-8 Dac, never get lag or latency issues and is on 24/7. This completely solved my music streaming problem and I now do not need to plug my laptop into my dac to play my lossless music collection. Moode can also play spotify but I have not set it up yet, as I already had spotify streaming through my chromecast audio which plugs in via optical to my DAC.

For some people the need to spend the extra on the allo usbridge might seem clear. I say try the rpi 4 on its own first and see how you go. It is really that good/competent and is much cheaper than the allo. You may find you don't bother getting the allo and in time if you do purchase the allo you then end up with a cool rpi that can act as a streamer or do some other cool function in your house.

Have been reading about your setup and just getting ready to wet my feet in something similar. Full of naive questions. Can I ask, what do you use to interface with the Pi? ("Controlled through wifi.") A phone app? Wondering if a remote control would be sufficient. Wifi, Bluetooth? Thanks.

 

[GeorgeWalk]

Have been reading about your setup and just getting ready to wet my feet in something similar. Full of naive questions. Can I ask, what do you use to interface with the Pi? ("Controlled through wifi.") A phone app? Wondering if a remote control would be sufficient. Wifi, Bluetooth? Thanks.

I use piCorePlayer and iPeng player on my phone.. https://penguinlovesmusic.de/ipeng-8/

 

[threni]

Have been reading about your setup and just getting ready to wet my feet in something similar. Full of naive questions. Can I ask, what do you use to interface with the Pi? ("Controlled through wifi.") A phone app? Wondering if a remote control would be sufficient. Wifi, Bluetooth? Thanks.

I use a similar setup. Raspberry pi with the standard Raspberry Pi OS (formerly Raspbian), connected to an external hard drive and a DAC, both via USB. I use an Android app to control the music player on the pi (I settled on mpd as the player and M.A.L.P. to control it). I use a DAC with a remote control (Topping E30) and I'm using some of the unused buttons on the remote to talk to the Pi so I don't have to use my phone for frequently used operations like pausing, skipping tracks etc.

If you wanted to experiment and see if it's for you, you could put something cheap together pretty easily if you're familiar with linux or happy to learn. I also built a fairly small and light portable player using Pi Zero W with the Apple USB -> 3.5mm headphone socket and some bits and pieces. I think the total cost would be about £40 or so. I've not tried using the Pi Zero W connected to a "proper DAC" but I've no reason to believe it would be any more problematic than the Apple dongle (both systems have never had any pops or dropouts).

 

[Ecaroh]

I use a similar setup. Raspberry pi with the standard Raspberry Pi OS (formerly Raspbian), connected to an external hard drive and a DAC, both via USB. I use an Android app to control the music player on the pi (I settled on mpd as the player and M.A.L.P. to control it). I use a DAC with a remote control (Topping E30) and I'm using some of the unused buttons on the remote to talk to the Pi so I don't have to use my phone for frequently used operations like pausing, skipping tracks etc.

If you wanted to experiment and see if it's for you, you could put something cheap together pretty easily if you're familiar with linux or happy to learn. I also built a fairly small and light portable player using Pi Zero W with the Apple USB -> 3.5mm headphone socket and some bits and pieces. I think the total cost would be about £40 or so. I've not tried using the Pi Zero W connected to a "proper DAC" but I've no reason to believe it would be any more problematic than the Apple dongle (both systems have never had any pops or dropouts).

Thanks to you both. Familiarity with Linux is limited -- used Ubuntu on an old netbook some years ago. Still trying to sort things out, but appreciate the help.