fabiomoska Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hello I'm a newb to the forum (at least as a poster) and not so much to computer and computer audio. I've been enjoying music out of my noisy/unstable/old/bulky macbook pro circa 2010 and wanted to build/buy a dedicated, always on, computer for playback. I don't do a lot of fancy stuff. Mostly MP3s and FLAC at 16/44.1 to a few 24/192 as I am still not able to hear the difference in a blind test with my system (stereo or headphones). As I want to start with a cost effective solution I've been toying around with the idea of a pi3. It's actually on its way now. Question is: if i want to improve SQ of the pi, can I set up the pi3 as a network streamer and feed a MicroRendu? Has anyone tried it? By the way my system is: 1- STEREO: macbook pro running Fidelia > Rotel RDD06 USB DAC > Roksan m2 integrated > B&W CM1 2- headphone: whatever digital source (mostly Can Opener on iphone6) > oppo HA-2 > Master and Dynamic MH-40. Thanks!!! Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
Cool3r King Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 I use a Pi2 with a 2TB HDD attached. I run Max2Play on the Pi with LMS enabled. I use Squeezelite on the mR, with Squeezepad (awesome app by the way) on my iPad. All of this works absolutely flawlessly for me. The Pi and HDD sits in a cupboard in another room, all connected to my router with CAT 6a cable. A good, reliable and very cost effective solution imo... Link to comment
fabiomoska Posted January 11, 2017 Author Share Posted January 11, 2017 I use a Pi2 with a 2TB HDD attached. I run Max2Play on the Pi with LMS enabled. I use Squeezelite on the mR, with Squeezepad (awesome app by the way) on my iPad. All of this works absolutely flawlessly for me. The Pi and HDD sits in a cupboard in another room, all connected to my router with CAT 6a cable.A good, reliable and very cost effective solution imo... Cool. This is exactly the way I was thinking. Is your HDD self-powered or does it power through the pi's UBS? I've seen discussions that the pi doesn't have enough power over USB to supply to the HDD. Interesting to hear your experience Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
Cool3r King Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Cool. This is exactly the way I was thinking. Is your HDD self-powered or does it power through the pi's UBS? I've seen discussions that the pi doesn't have enough power over USB to supply to the HDD. Interesting to hear your experience Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Although my HDD is self powered I still found I have to use a USB powered hub! Don't know why this is, but it is. It won't work without the hub. It isn't an expensive one, just 3 in 1 out type thing. The Pi certainly isn't powerful enough to power a HDD on its own... Link to comment
fabiomoska Posted January 11, 2017 Author Share Posted January 11, 2017 Although my HDD is self powered I still found I have to use a USB powered hub! Don't know why this is, but it is. It won't work without the hub. It isn't an expensive one, just 3 in 1 out type thing. The Pi certainly isn't powerful enough to power a HDD on its own... Is the pi also powered by the hub? Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
Cool3r King Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Is the pi also powered by the hub? Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Although I suppose it could be, I use the proper Pi power supply... Link to comment
Cebolla Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Question is: if i want to improve SQ of the pi, can I set up the pi3 as a network streamer and feed a MicroRendu? Has anyone tried it?Hi Cool3r King I thought it best to point out that you are mixing up your network file streaming terms, as no one else has pointed this out to you. Using the Raspberry Pi3 as the media server does not mean that it is the streamer. The streamer aka renderer aka player is the microRendu. This is an important thing to realise as far as sound quality is concerned, because all the media server software is doing on the RPi3 is supplying the microRendu streamer with audio files (and not the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC) over the network. Those audio files are yet to be decoded and played by the receiving microRendu, so the RPi3 used this way should have no impact on SQ as it is in no way involved with the audio file playback. Audio file playback to produce the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC is all done by the microRendu! BTW, using the microRendu in Squeezelite output mode actually requires you to install the Logitech Media Server on the RPi3, which is not actually a UPnP/DLNA media server. LMS/Squeezeboxes use a network file streaming method similar to UPnP/DLNA network file streaming, but they are not compatible. If you actually do want to use a UPnP/DLNA media server on the Raspberry Pi for the microRendu in DLNA Output mode, then the excellent MinimServer UPnP media server would be my recommendation: Installing MinimServer on the Raspberry Pi John We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us. -- Jo Cox Link to comment
fabiomoska Posted January 11, 2017 Author Share Posted January 11, 2017 Hi Cool3r King I thought it best to point out that you are mixing up your network file streaming terms, as no one else has pointed this out to you. Using the Raspberry Pi3 as the media server does not mean that it is the streamer. The streamer aka renderer aka player is the microRendu. This is an important thing to realise as far as sound quality is concerned, because all the media server software is doing on the RPi3 is supplying the microRendu streamer with audio files (and not the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC) over the network. Those audio files are yet to be decoded and played by the receiving microRendu, so the RPi3 used this way should have no impact on SQ as it is in no way involved with the audio file playback. Audio file playback to produce the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC is all done by the microRendu! BTW, using the microRendu in Squeezelite output mode actually requires you to install the Logitech Media Server on the RPi3, which is not actually a UPnP/DLNA media server. LMS/Squeezeboxes use a network file streaming method similar to UPnP/DLNA network file streaming, but they are not compatible. If you actually do want to use a UPnP/DLNA media server on the Raspberry Pi for the microRendu in DLNA Output mode, then the excellent MinimServer UPnP media server would be my recommendation: Installing MinimServer on the Raspberry Pi John Thanks Onion! This was very clarifying. I was indeed mixing terms, but you got my idea: to have the RPI as a media server and the mRendu as the player. And no preference of DLNA over squeezelite or the other way round. Any recommendation re protocols? ;-) Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
Cebolla Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 It's more a personal preference for the controller/server software and the additional services they can provide (ie, other than local netork audio file streaming), rather than a sound quality issue. UPnP/DLNA is the industry standard, but rigid in that it's original spec only catered for streaming of your own media files (eg, no native support for internet radio, online streaming services and the like). However these can be provided, with the help of things like controller apps with extra functions, 'intelligent' UPnP media servers, enhancements to UPnP such as OpenHome (aka UPnP with Linn extensions), etc. LMS/Squeezelite on the other hand is Logitech's proprietary system for their now defunct Squeezebox range of streamers. You're 'stuck' with using LMS as the media server and Squeezebox streamer emulator software, Squeezelite being the most popular. However, Logitech have allowed software development on both LMS, its plugin components and Squeezebox emulators to continue, by members of the Squeezebox community. So current support exists for many 'extras', even new ones, as well as continued software developement of the main system. We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us. -- Jo Cox Link to comment
Cool3r King Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Hi Cool3r King I thought it best to point out that you are mixing up your network file streaming terms, as no one else has pointed this out to you. Using the Raspberry Pi3 as the media server does not mean that it is the streamer. The streamer aka renderer aka player is the microRendu. This is an important thing to realise as far as sound quality is concerned, because all the media server software is doing on the RPi3 is supplying the microRendu streamer with audio files (and not the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC) over the network. Those audio files are yet to be decoded and played by the receiving microRendu, so the RPi3 used this way should have no impact on SQ as it is in no way involved with the audio file playback. Audio file playback to produce the realtime digital audio signal for the DAC is all done by the microRendu! BTW, using the microRendu in Squeezelite output mode actually requires you to install the Logitech Media Server on the RPi3, which is not actually a UPnP/DLNA media server. LMS/Squeezeboxes use a network file streaming method similar to UPnP/DLNA network file streaming, but they are not compatible. If you actually do want to use a UPnP/DLNA media server on the Raspberry Pi for the microRendu in DLNA Output mode, then the excellent MinimServer UPnP media server would be my recommendation: Installing MinimServer on the Raspberry Pi John Sorry mate, it's not me getting my terms mixed up! I know the difference between a server and a streamer, I installed them for many years whilst in the hi-fi industry. I assumed the op just made an error not worth correcting. FYI, Max2Play can also act as a DLNA server too and it's free, which is a bonus of course. Cheers all... Link to comment
vortecjr Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 You could use a Sonicorbiter SE as a simple and inexpensive server: Sonore - Sonicorbiter For something a bit more advanced you can get a sonicTransporter i5: https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/audio-server/products/sonictransporter-i5 Both are part of the Sonicorbiter Eco System: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f26-sonore-sponsored/sonicorbiter-system-29811/ SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | endPoint | opticalModule DX | Power Supplies | Link to comment
fabiomoska Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 You could use a Sonicorbiter SE as a simple and inexpensive server:Sonore - Sonicorbiter For something a bit more advanced you can get a sonicTransporter i5: https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/audio-server/products/sonictransporter-i5 Both are part of the Sonicorbiter Eco System: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f26-sonore-sponsored/sonicorbiter-system-29811/ Can I plug and external HDD to the sonicorbiter? Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
vortecjr Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Can I plug and external HDD to the sonicorbiter? Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Yes SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | endPoint | opticalModule DX | Power Supplies | Link to comment
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