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OS choice for a Raspberry Pi Streamer


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Folks,

 

I'm revamping my network system and have moved to a Mac Mini server recently.

 

I have one location in the house that I have a Raspberry Pi2 running Moode and previously was using it as a renderer to my main stereo system to good effect. I want to continue doing that, but I thought I'd revisit the OS and software that is on it, because I don't know if I need to be running Moode anymore.

 

I don't use Moode for anything other than two things. I want to be able to have a USB output from it to go to my Audiophilleo and DAC, and I want to be able to run a optical and/or coax output from it, and again, into a DAC. I have a digital output board added onto the top of the Pi2 for that.

 

What are my software options for doing this?  I'd prefer to not be running anything that has a lot of extra code or capabilities that I won't be using. As I see it, I am running the Pi2 essentially like a microRendu, and nothing more (with the exception of the coax/optical out, which I consider a secondary output to the USB output). So, I don't need any of the radio station or catalogue capabilities, or anything like that. It just needs to accept a stream from Audirvarna.

 

Thanks,

 

---Michael

Server ---> Rpi ---> Audiophilleo2 ---> Metrum Octave ---> Audio Horizons Pre ---> Pass Labs XA30.5 ---> Sonus Faber Liuto Towers

Computer ---> Audio Hardware ---> Air ---> Ears ---> Brain

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  • 2 weeks later...

???

If by NAA you are referring to HQPlayer's Network Audio Adapter, then I've never heard of Audirvana being able to use those.

 

The latest version of Audirvana Plus supports 'playing to' (or more accurately, controlling the playback of audio files in its library being streamed by) industry standard UPnP/DLNA renderers/streamers, so presumably this what the OP was referring to.

 

Incidentally, the Moode player mentioned by the OP uses a Linux distro customised for its own network audio file player based on mpd, which together with the upmpdcli mpd client front end, provides it with a UPnP renderer for network streaming.

We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.

-- Jo Cox

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For the Pi2, the old Volumio 1.55 hands down. It's been stable as a rock for me on two Pi2's and sound quality is second to none.

Main system: Jriver (OSX) --> ethernet --> Volumio (Raspberry Pi 2) --> Chord 2Qute (USB in) --> Cyrus 2 + PSX --> Rogers LS3/5a

 

Second system: Jriver (OSX) --> ethernet --> Volumio (Raspberry Pi 2) --> AR-T Legato --> Cambridge Audio DacMagic 2 --> Cyrus 8 vs2 --> Harbeth LS3/5a

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  • 1 month later...

Wish I knew more about this, but still pretty new to the Raspberry Pi strategy. Purchased a DigiOne Player with Volumio installed. Using Audirvana to control it via UPnP. Volumio is rock solid and the system sounds great. Since I connect directly from the dac to amp, I need software volume control - and this is where the problem comes in. I cannot control the volume with Audirvana without it jumping to maximum volume, so I use the software control on Volumio. Somewhat inelegant solution, but it works. (Guess I will figure out something else as my knowledge about networking and Raspberry Pi computing expands...)

MacMini Quad i7/Audirvana Studio/USBridge DigiOne Signature Player/Schiit Yggdrasil GS/Aragon Palladium 1 amplifiers/Stacked Energy 22 speakers (Reference Connoisseur on bottom & Pro 22 on top) set tweeter to tweeter/Kimber Monocle XL speaker wires/Straightwire Crescendo & Virtuoso IC/Mordaunt Short 309 subwoofers

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Moode is nice software. If it's working, I see no need to do anything. What did you think you're missing?

(1) holo audio red (hqp naa) > chord dave > luxman cl-38uc/mq-88uc > kef reference 1
(2) simaudio moon mind 2 > chord qutest > luxman sq-n150 > monitor audio gold gx100
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On 1/1/2018 at 1:39 PM, jcn3 said:

Moode is nice software. If it's working, I see no need to do anything. What did you think you're missing?

Thanks for the recommendation. Have not tried Moode, but it has been well received.

 

Yes, Volumio is working (for sofware volume control), but I am also having difficulty with the dac popping when the resolution changes. Did I mention that it is a very loud pop?! The MSB dac is from the early 2000's and I cannot find a was to mute the sound (besides turning off the amp).

 

One solution that I have been thinking about is a hardware volume control in the form of a passive preamp. You are using the Axiom, the one that I was considering. Is it as good as they say?

MacMini Quad i7/Audirvana Studio/USBridge DigiOne Signature Player/Schiit Yggdrasil GS/Aragon Palladium 1 amplifiers/Stacked Energy 22 speakers (Reference Connoisseur on bottom & Pro 22 on top) set tweeter to tweeter/Kimber Monocle XL speaker wires/Straightwire Crescendo & Virtuoso IC/Mordaunt Short 309 subwoofers

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19 minutes ago, rruffin said:

One solution that I have been thinking about is a hardware volume control in the form of a passive preamp. You are using the Axiom, the one that I was considering. Is it as good as they say?

i really like it -- the yggy has a low output impedance and the a21 has a nice high one, so it's a good use case for a passive preamp.  i got the xlr version (can't beat it for the price) and just sent it in for an upgrade to the walker mod version.  very sweet, detailed sound -- much better than yggy straight into the amp and using digital volume control in roon.

(1) holo audio red (hqp naa) > chord dave > luxman cl-38uc/mq-88uc > kef reference 1
(2) simaudio moon mind 2 > chord qutest > luxman sq-n150 > monitor audio gold gx100
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3 hours ago, jcn3 said:

i really like it -- the yggy has a low output impedance and the a21 has a nice high one, so it's a good use case for a passive preamp.  i got the xlr version (can't beat it for the price) and just sent it in for an upgrade to the walker mod version.  very sweet, detailed sound -- much better than yggy straight into the amp and using digital volume control in roon.

Very interesting. My main audio buddy and I link our dacs directly to amps, bypassing preamps. He has an Iggy and uses balanced cables to connect to Aragon mono blocks. I have his old MSB dac connected via rca cables directly to an Aragon 4004. Neither of us prefer a preamp, but I will pass on your report. Only I have this dac popping problem.

 

Still, I wish someone could give me some help with this dac popping. I find myself limiting myself to single discs or playlists. Do I have to keep trying Raspberry Pi software until I find one that works with my dac...?

MacMini Quad i7/Audirvana Studio/USBridge DigiOne Signature Player/Schiit Yggdrasil GS/Aragon Palladium 1 amplifiers/Stacked Energy 22 speakers (Reference Connoisseur on bottom & Pro 22 on top) set tweeter to tweeter/Kimber Monocle XL speaker wires/Straightwire Crescendo & Virtuoso IC/Mordaunt Short 309 subwoofers

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