RPi model 3 i2s suggestion

[giacombum]

Due to the lack of RPi 4 (at a normal price), I would like to buy a used RPi 3 from a friend.
Which i2s you recommend to clean RPi 3 signal?
The RPi will be the music streamer from my NAS, I'll connect it to my home network via WiFi and via USB to my DAC... Or do you recommend another connection using I2S?

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Why not USB to a DDC of your choice? That might even output I2S. Like SMSL PO100 pro.

 

[giacombum]

I already have a DAC, so if RPi 4 wouldn't have been so expensive, I would use of them connected via USB to my DAC. The point is that I only have RPi 3 option, so I was wondering if, using WiFi to connect to my network, I need something to clean the USB signal or it doesn't make any difference

 

[Joachim Herbert]

No need to "clean" USB with a properly designed DAC. Give it a try. You may want to use a WLAN dongle for 5Ghz. More channels and bandwidh, less interference.

 

[312elements]

@giacombum did you find something yet? What OS/Software are you planning to run on the pi? There are better options than rpi3 that are fairly easy to setup. My personal favorite is the BeagleBone Black but it's a little more difficult to setup, but anything that can run dietpi should work for most people unless you're looking to run a very specific OS.

 

[giacombum]

I would like to run Volumio, but just because it's easy to setup. What are you running on the beaglebone? I need a sbc with WiFi (possibly 2.4/5) because I don't have Ethernet connection atm.

 

[somebodyelse]

Volumio also runs on PC hardware, including thin clients that can be very cheap used (<£20 for my Wyse R90L). Daphile is another option on PC hardware.

USB isn't necessarily a problem with a Pi 3 or earlier, so if you go that route just try it. If it occurs it will be intermittent pops/clicks a bit like surface noise on vinyl. This isn't about 'clean' USB - in certain conditions the Pi kernel driver for the USB-OTG port sends the data to the DAC slightly too late, and the DAC runs out of buffered audio before the next chunk arrives from the Pi. This causes a discontinuity that may or may not be audible depending on how the DAC handles it. I've never run into this when running piCorePlayer, but could reliably provoke it running a BruteFIR plugin on Volumio with the same hardware. Pin the BruteFIR process to a single cpu core and the problem disappeared.

If you do get the Pi and hit the problem then any of the digital output hats should be fine. If going for coax I'd pay the extra for one with an output transformer to avoid any ground issues. IIRC that's about the only difference between HifiBerry's standard and Pro versions.

 

[giacombum]

Volumio also runs on PC hardware, including thin clients that can be very cheap used (<£20 for my Wyse R90L). Daphile is another option on PC hardware.

USB isn't necessarily a problem with a Pi 3 or earlier, so if you go that route just try it. If it occurs it will be intermittent pops/clicks a bit like surface noise on vinyl. This isn't about 'clean' USB - in certain conditions the Pi kernel driver for the USB-OTG port sends the data to the DAC slightly too late, and the DAC runs out of buffered audio before the next chunk arrives from the Pi. This causes a discontinuity that may or may not be audible depending on how the DAC handles it. I've never run into this when running piCorePlayer, but could reliably provoke it running a BruteFIR plugin on Volumio with the same hardware. Pin the BruteFIR process to a single cpu core and the problem disappeared.

If you do get the Pi and hit the problem then any of the digital output hats should be fine. If going for coax I'd pay the extra for one with an output transformer to avoid any ground issues. IIRC that's about the only difference between HifiBerry's standard and Pro versions.

Yes, I'll wait for RPi up the end of January and then I think I'll go for a used X86 thin client (checking power consumption)

 

[nsfgp]

@somebodyelse nailed it well said.
@giacombum -> FYI PCP runs perfect on my pi2B USB to DAC (from $8 dongle DAC to Topping/etc.) ... never any issue. Ethernet of course. So for me pi3 is overkill. Do not listen to other site/people saying only pi4 works with the improved USB/LAN performance. Just try it with your pi3. I also run pCP on my pi1B (the very first one with 256MB) and it runs 90% perfect (I have experienced very infrequent clicks once in awhile. But I just found out it actually needs more power then my 2B so I am going to swap/try other better PS).
If wifi is indeed an issue there are ways around it. You may have an old router sitting around that can be set up to run in client-mode (connect via wifi to your main router as WAN and hardwire to your pi locally via ethernet port.) (You can get a DD-WRT capable older router for next to nothing from goodwilll, etc. It will run in client mode-they called it station mode now instead of client mode). This way you can have ethernet connection anywhere you want.

(May be) before the pandemic/chip shortage ... you probably can get an older pi for free if you have real friends and asked nicely. I do not have to pay for both my pi2B/pi1B. (Ex. Hey Bob have your tried those ras-pi thing before?? Oh yeah they are cool fun stuff!! Any chance you have an older model sitting unused that I can borrow may be? Sure I have an old one unused under the drawer ... come pick it up anytime!!) Sadly most people now knows getting one now is not easy as pie