Espressobin Ethernet/Wifi Streamer/NAA

[jabbr]

*Warning: not a prepackaged solutiion*

 

Espressobin is a SBC designed to form the heart of a router/NAS and based on the Marvell Armada 3720 SoC. I've hacked it to create a 5G Wifi capable network streamer capable of streaming DSD512 without a hiccup. The SQ easily beats the Raspberry Pi to my ear (without special audiophile add on boards). The kernel is my custom build including Realtime and enabling the sound system.

 

Parts: (most from Amazon)

1) Espressobin board: https://www.amazon.com/ESPRESSObin-SBUD102-Single-Computer-Network/dp/B06Y3V2FBK

2) Wifi card: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011SI4544/ref=cfb_at_prodpg

3) Wifi antenna: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072TZYH8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4) Case ... you've got to 3D print one e.g. https://upon2020.com/blog/2017/12/3d-printable-box-for-the-espressobin-plus-a-hard-disk/

pick one you like ... I used the STL version of the one above but the hole for the reset button needs to be enlarged

5) Power supply: I'll be comparing 12V 3A supplies, a medical SMPS with 100 microAmp max leakage vs. an "ultra el-cheapo" linear supply with R-core transformer -- see other threads

 

Build: 

The Armbian distribution here: https://www.armbian.com/espressobin/ DOES NOT have sound enabled, but does contain instructions for flashing the bios and SPI commands -- FOLLOW THESE. When you build the kernel this includes building the firmware. I used flash-image-1g-2cs-1000_800.bin

 

Build instructions: https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guide_Build-Preparation/

Since we are using the 4.18.7 kernel I used the realtime patches available here: 

https://lore.kernel.org/patchwork/patch/984311/

and place the patch file in: build/userpatches/kernel/mvebu64-next/

 

I used:: options espressobin, stretch:next  and customize kernel

The script will ask for options, configure the kernel and in the drivers section: enable ALSA as builtin (*)

 

Once the kernel and image are built you need to add the following packages to the image (or just move these to the /root directory and install after the board boots):

1) firmware-atheros_20180825+dfsg-1_all.deb

2) networkaudiod_3.5.4-38_arm64.deb

 

and important to get WiFi working

$ nano /etc/network/interfaces

 

allow-hotplug wlp0s0
iface wlp0s0 inet dhcp
  wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

 

$ sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=US

network={
        ssid="your wifi goes here"
        scan_ssid=1
        psk="your password goes here"
}

$ sudo systemctl disable networking

 

... and now I'll be testing other stuff like power supplies and  USB isolation but the baseline sound is terrific! Maybe I'll even wrap the case in 3 layers of tinfoil lasagna'd with saran wrap

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jabbr]

[Ralf11]

or you could 3D print using metal...

 

or wrap it in RAM

 

also, can you offer specific sound differences vs. an rPi ??  sibilance/glare/grittiness?  bass?  "air"?

[jabbr]

2 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

or you could 3D print using metal...

 

or wrap it in RAM

 

also, can you offer specific sound differences vs. an rPi ??  sibilance/glare/grittiness?  bass?  "air"?

Yep all the above. 

 

Does DSD512 with ease. Much smoother than the RPi. I’m testing with and without ISO Regen ... initial impressions are that accentuated HF detail is calmed down along with greater soundstage/air.

[jabbr]

The Topping DX7s is now working great with the Espressobin at DSD512. The latest 4.18.12 Linux kernel. I’m using the UpTone ISO Regen in between. 

[jabbr]

With continued listening tests, the Topping DX7s doesn't equal the iFi iDSD Micro, by a long shot. I hear what I think is some intermittent analog noise, so could be a build quality issue. I might take it apart and test, when I have some time.

 

The manuf of the Espressobin has a new version of the board (v7) and a case which I've ordered. I'm going to wrap it in Mu Metal  

 

I can probably distribute the armbian based linux image if folks are interested. If you edit a file to put in the WiFi SSID and WPA2 password, it pretty much comes up with networkaudiod running... @Miska : can I freely distribute this?

[Miska]

1 hour ago, jabbr said:

I can probably distribute the armbian based linux image if folks are interested. If you edit a file to put in the WiFi SSID and WPA2 password, it pretty much comes up with networkaudiod running... @Miska : can I freely distribute this?

 

Yes, it is fine.

 

[jabbr]

I can report that using the Espressobin, along with an Uptone ISO Regen, feeding a Pro-ject S2D with DSD512 HQPlayer embedded, continues to sound fantastic.

[Ralf11]

Have you tried it w/o the Uptone product?

[jabbr]

For me, static without Uptone (DAC is bus powered)