suggestion for an RPi music server+player

[mrjayviper]

so I want to connect the DAC/amp to a RPi via USB and use some sort of browser-based dashboard to control the music.

What's available out there?

some info:

- my RPi is 3B+ version
- my music are in ALAc format (can convert to flac if required)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Smitty2k1]

No complaints here using PiCorePlayer software with a Material Skin phone remote. LMS server to host.

 

[jpgolding]

Volumio ticks all the boxes for me.

 

[Mattknz]

Moode

 

[kchap]

so I want to connect the DAC/amp to a RPi via USB and use some sort of browser-based dashboard to control the music.

What's available out there?

some info:

- my RPi is 3B+ version
- my music are in ALAc format (can convert to flac if required)

Thanks in advance!

Assuming your music files are stored on a sharable device such as a NAS, Windows PC or even a USB drive just buy some cheap 8 ~ 16GB MicroSD cards:

• Download MoOde, Volumio, PiCorePlayer etc.
• Write the S/W for one of the apps to an SD card and try it out.
• If you don't like a particular app try another.

As long as the music files are on a separate server or disk its easy to change apps and experiment. In most cases an 8GB SD cards is okay but the are becoming harder to find.

 

[mugbot]

Plex?

 

[bluefuzz]

OSMC is a good option for Music too. It also has the added advantage of being able to do movies as well if you connect it to a tv ...

 

[mrjayviper]

Plex?

do I need subscription to use it?

 

[spacessound]

I don't have any experience with the other options but I installed Volumio and it has been a simple process and is reliable with the one caveat; when my phone goes to sleep, I have to reconnect to the app each time I want to address the interface... It's not a huge problem, just mildly agitating. TBH I haven't dug for a solution besides asking on the Volumio forum where no usable advice was forthcoming.

 

[JSmith]

my RPi is 3B+ version

You may want to look at a newer RPi4 as fwir the 3 models had some issues with USB... although it may not be noticeable, something to consider;

Raspberry Pi USB : noisy?

I heard from a famous audiophile youtuber today, that the audio USB output of the Raspberry Pi is very noisy. I was a bit disappointed at first because this is exactly what I use to stream my music. But then I thought well I can’t hear any noise so why worry, right? But now there’s this voice...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[mrjayviper]

You may want to look at a newer RPi4 as fwir the 3 models had some issues with USB... although it may not be noticeable, something to consider;

Raspberry Pi USB : noisy?

I heard from a famous audiophile youtuber today, that the audio USB output of the Raspberry Pi is very noisy. I was a bit disappointed at first because this is exactly what I use to stream my music. But then I thought well I can’t hear any noise so why worry, right? But now there’s this voice...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

if only RPi4s are selling at pre-covid prices!!!

 

[Tom C]

Seriously, consider the latest Pi Zero and piCorePlayer. Cheap, but most important, actually available!

 

[Tom C]

P.S.
In my hands, piCorePlayer is by far the most useable, after having tried it and Volumio, Moode, VLC, jRiver. Kodi was a close second to piCorePlayer. JRiver is excellent software, but to use its full capability, I feel it’s better to run it on a full blown desktop system. And Jriver isn’t specifically designed to run headless, which can introduce some rather annoying latency in the graphic interface. There are workarounds for JRiver and Kodi, but neither are specifically designed to run headless, whereas piCorePlayer is, which makes it smooth like butter out of the box, no clumsy workaround needed.

 

[MarcosCh]

In Europe, getting the pi4 has rarely been a problem, at least this year. Right now berrybase club has it in stock: 2 Gb bundled with PS and heatsink set for 64 euros, not that bad i think.

 

[mrjayviper]

In Europe, getting the pi4 has rarely been a problem, at least this year. Right now berrybase club has it in stock: 2 Gb bundled with PS and heatsink set for 64 euros, not that bad i think.

The local/country distributor is only selling complete (board + charger + keyboard + micro SD sand etc) kits! smh

I don't really need the other bits

 

[Tom C]

The local/country distributor is only selling kits! smh

I don't really need the other bits

Have you checked pi zero?

 

[mrjayviper]

Have you checked pi zero?

No I thought (incorrectly it seems/maybe), it can't run Linux

 

[MarcosCh]

I have successfully used, and still use pi zero 2w -the new zero- to run:
LMS
picoreplayer
Moode w camilladsp
Camilladsp alone
With no issues at all. Of course a pi 4b is faster when working with the gui and more stable, probably better as well when using a large hdd, but other than that it is 20 euros (or less) worth every cent.

 

[somebodyelse]

No I thought (incorrectly it seems/maybe), it can't run Linux

You're probably thinking of the Pico which doesn't run linux. The original Zero was broadly comparable to the original Pi in terms of memory and processing power. The newer Zero 2 ups the processing power but still has 512MB RAM. That's enough for piCorePlayer but some of the others might need more. I'm not sure whether is has the same potential issue with USB as the Pi 3 and earlier, but I've never run into that with piCorePlayer anyway, despite having tried to provoke it.

 

[Wino]

I use 3 RPI 4's all running picoreplayer connecting to Logitech Media Server. Free and easy to setup. 2 use USB to dac and 1 uses a pi2aes to coax to Denon Reciever. There are cheaper hats like hifiberry. They synch to every room or can run separately. I control them on my phone with Squeeze Ctrl. If you have an iPhone, try ipeng. I also have the RPI 7" screens connected to each using jivelite. Again easy to setup. I play dsf, flac files exclusively. I also connect to Tidal. I tried Volumio and Moode and preferred picoreplayer.