AudioCircle

Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Cheap and Cheerful HiFi => Topic started by: Letitroll98 on 15 Mar 2017, 09:23 pm

Title: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 15 Mar 2017, 09:23 pm
Okay boys and girls, here is the 2017 Raspberry Pi stack tour thread.  Part one is really easy.  JohnR has generously constructed and donated a Raspberry Pi stack including a really nice dac with a TI chipset, a reclocker, power supply, and of course the Raspberry Pi for a U.S. tour.  The tour will run pretty much as all tours do on AC, if you'd like to be on it please post a note in this thread and PM me your name, address, phone number, and email address and you're on the list, no info goes farther than my spreadsheet. We do reserve the right to restrict the tour to those members with over 50 posts, but this won't be a hard and fast rule, if you have a low post count just state your case in your PM.  You'll be keeping the unit one or two weeks tbd by response to the tour.  Your only responsibly is to repack and ship the unit to the next member insured for $200.  The technical part of the tour can be found here:   http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148609.0  We'll leave the thread up for a couple of weeks before shipping the unit out.

Part two is the really fun twist.  Yes it says "Contest".  JohnR is giving the stack away, that's right, a $200 server stack free to a good home.  All you have to do to win is write the best review of your time with the Raspberry.  That's not going to be the most flowery or most audiophiles buzzwords, but the one with the most information on your experience.  So don't worry if you're not a great wordsmith, no points will be deducted for grammar or composition.  Submissions to be made in this thread and judged by an international consortium of audio experts (okay, John and I).  This is a great opportunity for anyone curious about computer audio and the Raspberry Pi to use a completed product in their system, and to possibly own it.  Please ask about anything I may have left out and let's have a great time with this.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 19 Mar 2017, 11:54 am
Wow, I thought there would be more interest in this.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: SFDude on 19 Mar 2017, 05:06 pm
PM'ed you and would like to sign up. I'm mainly debating between using a RPi or a uRendu as a Roon endpoint and I believe even RPi devices may also be capable to running Roon as an endpoint as well. But for this purpose, it would be to evaluate the unit as built on its own merits as well.

-dave
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 19 Mar 2017, 09:40 pm
I'd be interested in putting this against my 2011 Mac Mini. PM sent.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: wushuliu on 19 Mar 2017, 11:16 pm
Maybe some sexy pics and bites from the tech thread would help. The tech thread is a lot to go through to figure out whether it's a viable option or not.

That aside, I'm curious to hear about the Kali reclocker the stack uses. I've become a big convert to reclocking for dacs a source of major sound quality improvements.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 20 Mar 2017, 09:02 am
Re viable option - the configuration for the tour is (I hope) fairly simple and universal:

* Ethernet cable to your network router
* RCA jacks out (to your preamp or headphone amp etc)

You can play music by either:

1. Plugging in a USB stick with files on it (sample stick provided) and control via web browser
2. Full networked setup option using media server (Win/Mac) and separate controller app (Win/Mac/Android/iOS)

HTH :)
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: wushuliu on 21 Mar 2017, 03:08 am
Re viable option - the configuration for the tour is (I hope) fairly simple and universal:

* Ethernet cable to your network router
* RCA jacks out (to your preamp or headphone amp etc)

You can play music by either:

1. Plugging in a USB stick with files on it (sample stick provided) and control via web browser
2. Full networked setup option using media server (Win/Mac) and separate controller app (Win/Mac/Android/iOS)

HTH :)

Ah, okay. Nice...
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: nature boy on 21 Mar 2017, 09:45 am
Great idea, thank you.  PM sent.

NB
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 22 Mar 2017, 01:06 pm
Here are some pictures of the Pi Stack on tour.

(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=159566)

(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=159567)

(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=159569)





Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 23 Mar 2017, 09:25 am
 :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: LesterSleepsIn on 23 Mar 2017, 11:36 am
Oh, this sounds like my cup of tea. And yes, I'm very interested in networked audio but I'm a complete noob and don't really know where to start so yes, this would be "a (very) cheap way to get some hands-on experience". Terrific. But be forewarned, my lack of experience might make for a skimpy and leaning towards boring and uninformed review. Besides, I am not like a smart purson and not reel gud with wurds. So, if that's ok with you please count me in.

Cheers,
Lester
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 23 Mar 2017, 12:08 pm
Hi Lester, that sounds great! The whole idea of the tour is for people to just try it out and have a go. And not stress out about it, it's just what it is, one way of playing audio and maybe even trying something new!

 :thumb:

Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: LesterSleepsIn on 23 Mar 2017, 12:31 pm
Thanks John. Looking forward to it!

Cheers,
Lestet
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 30 Mar 2017, 09:24 am
I'm surprised there are not many hits on this. Is everyone judging it by it's looks?  :duh:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 30 Mar 2017, 10:21 am
John and I were a little surprised as well.  I think it looks pretty nice for a homemade unit.  The sound quality on this little guy is amazing, and not just for the price.  So we'll have a mini tour which means everyone will get to keep it for a couple of weeks before shipping it forward.  Perhaps we'll have some add on's as the reviews come in.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 30 Mar 2017, 11:47 am
You could always upgrade the case if you found you like the sound. I'm a function over form kind of guy though. Not saying that I don't like nice looking things, but not if the performance doesn't match the looks or costs. Sound first, looks last.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: mresseguie on 30 Mar 2017, 12:04 pm
Hey! I was off galavanting in Thailand when this was posted. I'm interested in taking part in the tour. I'll be in the US beginning April 19th and will stay until ~mid-October. I imagine we can find a time to squeeze me in, no?

I'll PM you in a couple hours.

Michael
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: SFDude on 30 Mar 2017, 03:28 pm
You could always upgrade the case if you found you like the sound. I'm a function over form kind of guy though. Not saying that I don't like nice looking things, but not if the performance doesn't match the looks or costs. Sound first, looks last.

Aesthetics likely drive a good portion of audiophile purchases out there. But if this thing sounds good, slap a nice case around it, charge triple what it should cost and people will flock to buy it.  :green: :duh: :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 30 Mar 2017, 05:39 pm
Hey! I was off galavanting in Thailand when this was posted. I'm interested in taking part in the tour. I'll be in the US beginning April 19th and will stay until ~mid-October. I imagine we can find a time to squeeze me in, no?

I'll PM you in a couple hours.

Michael

Yes, we have, ahem, a few select spots still open.   :roll:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 31 Mar 2017, 06:40 pm
Sure - I'm open for a listen!


pm sent.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 31 Mar 2017, 07:15 pm
Apologies for not catching this thread earlier.  The home page rolls them through pretty fast and I don't get to check it as often as I'd like.

I am very interested as well as I have not played around with networked music serving.  I would ask to be placed at the end of the tour as work is all consuming for the next few days and then I am moving after that.

Thanks for the invite.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 2 Apr 2017, 02:53 pm
So we nearly filled up the slots for the tour and will be shipping Monday.  Each participant will keep the unit for two weeks maximum and ship it to the next participant, USPS insured for $200, FedEx or UPS declared value $200 (this costs a tiny bit more so you have to declare it at time of shipping), I'll pm you the info for the next participant.

The order is based on location for the least shipping cost and transit time, as well as availability of the participants.  mrresseguie hasn't pm'd yet, but there's a virtual slot for him if he does.  Here's the order:

natureboy
GentleBender
charmerci
SFDude
Wayne1
gregfisk
JakeJ
rotarius
LesterSleepsIn
barryso

If anyone has any scheduling conflicts let me know and we'll try to accommodate.

Edit: We did have a conflict so charmerci is now in front of Wayne1.
Edit: gregfisk has been added to the tour.
Edit: SFDude has been moved up to #4
Edit: rotarius and barryso have been added to the tour.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 2 Apr 2017, 07:34 pm
Thanks for including me.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 2 Apr 2017, 07:43 pm
Great! I already have SFDude's address from the other tour going on now!  :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 3 Apr 2017, 01:21 am
What a coinky-dink, charmerci.  You, SFDude, and I are in the same order as the iTube2 tour.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 4 Apr 2017, 01:35 pm
Just a fyi, natureboy will receive the stack today.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 4 Apr 2017, 03:50 pm
What a coinky-dink, charmerci.  You, SFDude, and I are in the same order as the iTube2 tour.


Ain't it bizarre???  :cyclops:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: jtsnead on 13 Apr 2017, 01:02 pm
I am interested to compare to a PS Audio stack DS Jr and DMP
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 13 Apr 2017, 05:59 pm
Just send a PM.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: gregfisk on 14 Apr 2017, 06:44 am
If I can still join, I would be very interested in trying this out. I am not a computer geek, especially my music server which is a mac mini. I do have my router on my audio rack thou.

If I can still get on I'm in WA. state with JakeJ if that helps?
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 14 Apr 2017, 10:55 am
Yes we still have room, just read the opening post and send a PM.  Three people have asked to be added to the tour and no one has sent a PM about it.  Please read the opening post on the thread, thanks.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 17 Apr 2017, 09:47 am
Just a fyi, natureboy will receive the stack today.

Any news? Just wondering... hoping it works OK.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 17 Apr 2017, 10:56 am
natureboy was traveling and was unable to audition the Pi stack, so Gentle Bender has it now.  gregfisk has been added to the tour.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 17 Apr 2017, 10:58 am
Cool. Just was hoping that someone else got it running  :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 18 Apr 2017, 01:00 am
I've been buried and have run into a couple problems. First, I have owned Apple gear for so long I didn't have a USB keyboard or mouse. :duh: Now that I have both I am hoping to get some time to play with this. Is there a tutorial for this? Some tips and tricks?  :scratch:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 18 Apr 2017, 04:42 am
Good place to remind everyone that we have a technical thread that you can post questions to so the answers will benefit everyone.  http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148609.0
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 18 Apr 2017, 08:34 am
Thanks Dan  :thumb:

First, I have owned Apple gear for so long I didn't have a USB keyboard or mouse. :duh:

Um, yep so... there is no need for a USB keyboard and mouse... unless something has really gone wrong. Plug it in and turn it on, then connect via web browser (per thread linked above).

 :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 18 Apr 2017, 09:04 am
I somehow totally missed this thread http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148609.0 before jumping on this tour. :oops: I will have to grab a long network cable to run from the room across the hall into my listening room. Not a big deal 30ft should do it. I'll try to post tonight after I get it set up.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 18 Apr 2017, 09:33 am
Cool  :D
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 21 Apr 2017, 12:52 am
Sorry to cause this thread to stall out. Ran into some misunderstandings about the setup :duh: , then my brother ended up in the hospital for a couple days (thank God not more). So I finally got some time to set it up tonight and am enjoying it as I type this quick update.

First, this setup requires an Ethernet cable run directly into the device (it is covered in the technical FAQ page http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148609.0). It could be more convenient for some than others. I ran a CAT5 cable from one room to my listening room. I've worked in IT for 16 years so I've got plenty to choose from 30' did it for me. I could add a wireless USB device, but this was easier. Put some files on a FAT32 formatted USB stick and off to the races.

I access it with my iPad just using Safari, and after giving it maybe a minute or two to boot up following the instructions. After a minute of checking out the interface I understood exactly what to do. BAM! Select the library on the USB stick and music starts. Let it play for about 20 minutes hooked in the following order; Pi Peregrination>iTube 2>Odyssey Cyclops. It sounds better than my Mac Mini>Sony UDA-1 DAC>Odyssey Cyclops! But not better than Mac Mini>Sony UDA-1 DAC>iTube 2>Odyssey Cyclops.

This is just a quick note on how things are going. More to come after I get to spend a little more time with this..
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 21 Apr 2017, 02:39 am
Thanks for the update!  Hope your bro is OK and recovers soon.

As my plate is full with moving please take your time along with the other participants.  :thumb:

Jake
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 21 Apr 2017, 09:55 am
Thanks JakeJ and charmerci for the support. My brother was released from the hospital yesterday.  :D Should be able to spend some time with it this weekend to try a few things and find what differences between the Mac and this affordable Pi are.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 21 Apr 2017, 02:45 pm
Hey, glad your brother is OK.

The problem with Wifi apart from the initial setup is that it's much less reliable (for audio streaming) than a wired network. I guess I was worried that people might end up evaluating their Wifi network instead of the unit and/or consume pages trying to sort it out.

[Edit] (And there, I am assuming that it's been set up to stream audio over the network, which is not the case if you plug in a USB stick.)

Plus, I had already plugged it all together with a RPi 2 (which doesn't have onboard Wifi) :D

Most USB Wifi dongles will/should work if you want to try it. Just be aware that if you get dropouts, the first place you want to start looking is your network channel/interference from neighbours etc.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 21 Apr 2017, 03:34 pm
After listening to the Peregrination>iTube 2>Odyssey Cyclops configuration I decided to add the Sony UDA-1 back into the chain. It definitely improved the sound to my ears. That would make it Peregrination>Sony UDA-1 DAC>iTube 2>Odyssey Cyclops. I look forward to checking out other options and listening to it long enough to have a somewhat knowledgeable review.

As of now, it seems to hit a pretty sweet price point. It sounds better than my 2011 SSD Mac Mini as stated in the quick write up plugged directly into my Odyssey Cyclops. Without the Piano DAC and Kali reclocker board the Pi is so cheap you could afford to grab an affordable USB DAC with the savings you get from not spending the money on a Mac. This is assuming you are only purchasing the Pi to do audio.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 21 Apr 2017, 11:22 pm
Took a look at your system.  Nice kit there Mister Bender.  If you were in 300 mile radius of the general Pacific NW I'd arm wrestle you for an hour in the sweet spot!  Just kidding, however I would cherish a listen to just about any Vapor Audio speaker set.

Keep posting your experience with the Peregrination stack.  Good reading!

Jake
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 22 Apr 2017, 09:58 pm
Thanks JakeJ! :) I've been very fortunate with gear purchases. Everything plays very well together, no hum, hiss or any other of the multitude of gremlins in the mix here. If you ever make it to this coast let me know.

Just finished installing BubbleUPnP Server on my Mac Mini and things could't be much simpler. Streaming Tidal now from the LUMIN app off my iPad Pro, free and easy to use. I've wanted a Tidal remote and now I have one! That is one of the things I miss from Spotify along with the personalized playlists that are awesome. Now I hope Tidal figures that out soon.

I am really digging this little Pi device. :thumb: Especially helpful if your computer is not close to your gear. I'd pick up a regular Pi along with the Linear power supply and a USB DAC to assemble a digital system. One that has convenience, great sound and is totally upgradable.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 24 Apr 2017, 08:57 am
Great! Glad you got the network streaming going  :thumb: Yep, just a Pi with USB output to a DAC is a great solution, it will often also allow DSD (if the DAC does it).
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 24 Apr 2017, 10:00 am
Thanks the putting this together JohnR. I will give DSD a shot tonight. If I have time, I will play a couple songs on the Pi then switch over to the Mac Mini to listen for any differences between the two.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: GentleBender on 26 Apr 2017, 12:45 am
I don't think this little Pi has quite enough power to decode DSD files. Not quite sure what the problem was, but it may have been the wireless network that the Mac Mini uses. I was too lazy to put them on a USB key to test. :|

I would need even more time with this to determine if I can hear a difference between the Pi and the Mac Mini. It may just be me, but they both sound good to me. Time to pack this little guy up and ship it to the next reviewer. I will update my findings later as time allows.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 26 Apr 2017, 07:17 am
Oh, it should work fine (DSD) assuming you are using USB DAC. (on board analog doesn't work with DSD) There's a setting to accept DoP, I don't remember where I left it. Wifi does need to have fairly good connection to work tho.

Anyway, glad you found it interesting :)
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 2 May 2017, 05:32 pm
I received it yesterday.

But frankly, I think I'll just pass it on to the next person. (Though Wayne1 is gone from the 5th to the 12th.)

First I have to buy a plug wire, then I have to buy an ethernet cable. (None lying around.) Then I have to download a bunch of programs - that I'll probably never use. (Can't download rune, I don't use Edge plus I already have JRiver.) I have no tablet and if I'm just going to use the laptop, so I don't see why it would be any better than Jriver into the ODAC that I already have.

Didn't think it would be this complex and time consuming.

Sorry.


Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: gregfisk on 2 May 2017, 11:57 pm
I'm seeing this device come my way sooner than I had expected, I have major back surgery this Friday and really don't know how long I will be down and out. I don't know if it makes since to change up the order or I should just not do this tour. I would like to but I don't want to mess up everyone else and my life is definitely up in the air right now. 
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 3 May 2017, 12:50 am
So I went back through the thread and did not find a list of names for the order in which the Pi would take and therefore do not know where I am in that order.  I am still trying to finish up moving and have two good weeks of working after work and on weekends.

Letitroll98 could you post the list and give us some idea of when this is going to arrive?
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 3 May 2017, 12:59 am
So I went back through the thread and did not find a list of names for the order in which the Pi would take and therefore do not know where I am in that order.  I am still trying to finish up moving and have two good weeks of working after work and on weekends.

Letitroll98 could you post the list and give us some idea of when this is going to arrive?

It's in post #21- p.2

natureboy

GentleBender
charmerci
Wayne1
gregfisk
SFDude
JakeJ
LesterSleepsIn

I was going to send it to Wayne but he's not around the 5th-12th, greg's going to so maybe I send it to SFDude like originally planned?
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 3 May 2017, 01:48 am
Oops...must've scrolled too fast.  Thanks, chamerci.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: SFDude on 3 May 2017, 04:29 am
Well, good thing I'm around most of the time to fiddle and test this thing out! Out for work trip next week Wed-Fri but otherwise, I should be able to sneak time in to fiddle and set this up.

Sorry to hear that other folks had LIFE happen. If Letitroll98 and JohnR are ok with changing the order up a little, and we provide them updated info on the whereabouts of this PI streamer, hopefully this works and everyone can still partake in the tour.

I wish nothing but positive outcomes and vibes for everyone being caught busy.  :thumb:

-dave
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 3 May 2017, 09:17 am
Okay, the order has been changed, moving SFDude up in to 4th.


natureboy
GentleBender
charmerci
SFDude
Wayne1
gregfisk
JakeJ
LesterSleepsIn
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 3 May 2017, 12:10 pm
Great!  That works well for me and much thanks for keeping us posted.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: charmerci on 3 May 2017, 05:21 pm
Well, good thing I'm around most of the time to fiddle and test this thing out! Out for work trip next week Wed-Fri but otherwise, I should be able to sneak time in to fiddle and set this up.

Sorry to hear that other folks had LIFE happen. If Letitroll98 and JohnR are ok with changing the order up a little, and we provide them updated info on the whereabouts of this PI streamer, hopefully this works and everyone can still partake in the tour.

I wish nothing but positive outcomes and vibes for everyone being caught busy.  :thumb:

-dave


+1


Hope all goes well for Greg this Friday!
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Wayne1 on 13 May 2017, 02:39 pm
I just am letting folks know I am back in town. I am very much looking forward to trying out the Pi stack as a possible replacement for my SB Touch.
Thanks to John and Letitroll98 for putting this tour together.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: SFDude on 13 May 2017, 05:49 pm
I just am letting folks know I am back in town. I am very much looking forward to trying out the Pi stack as a possible replacement for my SB Touch.
Thanks to John and Letitroll98 for putting this tour together.

It's going out to you possibly on Wednesday (or maybe earlier) Wayne! I'm just going to wrap up when I have some extra more time to actually sit down and listen to it (I managed to get it set up but have had zero time to actually critically listen to it).

-dave
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Wayne1 on 14 Jun 2017, 02:02 am
I received the Pi stack almost a month ago and just recently sent it on it's way to gregfisk.

I had a great deal of fun with the Pi stack. It opened my eyes to the world of Single Board Computers and all the various Hardware Attached on Top devices.

As mentioned, the Raspberry Pi came with the Allo Kali reclocker and Piano DAC HATs.

I first ran it with the Rune software that JohnR loaded. It had no trouble playing the USB stick and it sounded very smooth and natural.

I normally use a SqueezeBox Touch with EDO. I stream from a desktop with multiple hard drives over ethernet into the Touch. I attempted to connect the Pi into my network with the software JohnR suggested but I could not get it to see my drives.

I contacted JohnR to see if it would be okay if I used different software. He said it would be no problem. I recently tried out Roon and now that is all I will use. I found a newer image of Roon bridge called Ropieee which is very easy to install.

I got the Pi up and running using USB out to an iFi microDSD BL on loan from Pez. It sounded fantastic. I then contacted the author of the image to see if he could add the Allo Piano DAC to the devices used with the Pi. He was able to get the new image made and loaded the next day.

Here is where the unit really starts to come into it's own. Roon allows upsampling via software. The DAC chip in the Piano is the PCM5122 which will accept up to a 384 kHz/32bit signal. I set Roon to upsample to 384/32 and the best sound I have heard to that point in time started to come out of my system. Imaging was so much better. More precise. Highs were quite a bit cleaner. I have read others discuss benefits of upsampling but I have never had a piece of gear that would allow me to do it. Now with the Pi stack and Roon I could hear what everyone was going on about.

For most of the time I had the Pi Stack I just listened to my collection with an amazed look on my face. This $200 stack and software truly re-energized my interest in my music and gear. I tried running the Pi into the iFi but it was not at all happy with the upsampling with lots of stuttering. Without upsampling it played fine. I did prefer the sound of the Pi Stack with upsampling to the Pi going into the iFi with no upsampling on 16/44 material. The iFi started to get closer with higher resolutions.

I did try a different power supply with the Pi Stack and I did easily hear differences. The linear PS that JohnR sent along in very well built and sounds very good but better sound is able to be squeezed out of the stack but at a much higher cost.

I also ran an image of the Logitech Media Server called SqueezeLite designed for the Pi. I compared the Touch analog out to the Pi stack and the Pi was clearly superior in all ways. Better image, deeper and tighter bass and clearer highs.

For the $200 the Pi Stack is an absolute bargain in today's audio world. For a Cheap and Cheerful system, I cannot think of a better piece of gear to use.

The Pi Stack opened my eyes into the world of SBC and HATS. I really think this is a way for people to move into very high quality digital audio at a very low price. It is also a way to keep your system up to date at a very low price. In the very near future their will be quite a variety of different DAC boards along with reclockers and isolators. Allo is rumored to be working on a R2R DAC boards along with one using the AKM 4490 series. Another project I have heard of is using the ESS 9018K2M. Perhaps a HAT could be made for just the analog section so you could choose between solid state or tube outputs. This way if a new DAC chip comes along you can easily swap out the DAC HAT without having to change out the software or analog output section you have grown to love.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: SFDude on 14 Jun 2017, 02:35 pm
This. Will echo the same and if you're inclined to actually put in some effort to build a Pi Stack, get the software installed and configured appropriately, you'll be rewarded for that effort. And be upgradeable too in the future!

-dave


For the $200 the Pi Stack is an absolute bargain in today's audio world. For a Cheap and Cheerful system, I cannot think of a better piece of gear to use.

The Pi Stack opened my eyes into the world of SBC and HATS. I really think this is a way for people to move into very high quality digital audio at a very low price. It is also a way to keep your system up to date at a very low price. In the very near future their will be quite a variety of different DAC boards along with reclockers and isolators. Allo is rumored to be working on a R2R DAC boards along with one using the AKM 4490 series. Another project I have heard of is using the ESS 9018K2M. Perhaps a HAT could be made for just the analog section so you could choose between solid state or tube outputs. This way if a new DAC chip comes along you can easily swap out the DAC HAT without having to change out the software or analog output section you have grown to love.

Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: gregfisk on 14 Jun 2017, 06:02 pm
I do have the unit in the house and the box seems to be in good shape. When I get a change I will take it next door and see if I can get it running, probably not until this weekend.

Greg
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: rotarius on 19 Jun 2017, 04:25 am
Too late to join the tour?  I just bought the Allo Boss and would love to compare to the Kali/Piano stack!
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 19 Jun 2017, 09:38 am
Just send a PM with the required info.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 22 Jun 2017, 04:44 pm
Roon allows upsampling via software

 :thumb: I wasn't aware of that until reading your post. Makes the Pi even more viable.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 3 Jul 2017, 03:09 pm
Note that we've added a couple of members to the tour detailed on post 21.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 14 Aug 2017, 03:26 am
I do have the unit in the house and the box seems to be in good shape. When I get a change I will take it next door and see if I can get it running, probably not until this weekend.

Greg

Hi, any updates?
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 14 Aug 2017, 12:19 pm
The Pi is now in my possession.  Have yet to carve out some time to get it going.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: gregfisk on 14 Aug 2017, 07:55 pm
Hi, any updates?

Hi John,

Sorry for not getting to this earlier, I could explain why but not really a point in doing so.

I had fun with the little guy with the limited time I had to play with it, I only got it running using the thumb drive and thought it was pretty slick.

The sound is really good for the low cash layout and I'm sure if the full feature set was used it would be a great device, even at a much higher cost.

Since I didn't get a lot of time with it I don't really have anything to add other than if you are on a budget this thing is pretty special. In fact it's pretty special anyway for sure.

Hopefully JakeJ will be able to get more of the features working and report back more thoroughly than I am able to. 

Thank you very much John for making this happen and hopefully you have given people some food for thought.

Take Care,

Greg
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 14 Aug 2017, 11:32 pm
Thanks Greg :)
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 17 Sep 2017, 07:51 pm
Pi Peregrination Tour -

My turn with Sparky the PiDACStream-a-saurus from Allo.com

I had a chance to play with the PI/DAC/Streamer that JohnR put together for this tour.  Consisting of a Pi Raspberry 2 single board computer mated to a Kali Reclocker and a Piano DAC, all from www.Allo.com.  All packaged in Allo’s minimalist case it is a tiny but quite capable package.  If you are on the tour I recommend you spend some time browsing Allo's website to learn more about this little jewel.

I set Sparky up on my main rig as it is the only working stereo I have.  The instructions John provides are all you need to get going.  Don’t do what I did and try to read between the lines on the setup.  You don’t need a keyboard, mouse or monitor because you just need to hang this off your network router and add power, open the browser on your PC, and simply type in the IP address your router assigned to it.  You will be presented with the Rune Audio interface and from there it’s mostly downhill.  Your PC becomes a remote terminal.
I mention again not to plug in a monitor, even though an HDMI port is available,  it's possible to damage the MicroSD card that is Sparky's HDD.  Sparky's power supply is only 8 Watts and does not supply enough power to drive I/O. 

I began with the USB stick with music files already installed plus I put some music I was familiar with on my Lexar 3.0 USB high speed memory stick to play.  This was easy to get working.  Next I tried to get a network drive attached to Sparky and had no success.  One needs to know what path and the format Rune Audio wants to connect to the network drive.  I tried several methods but no luck.

I made a feeble attempt to stream a source from the internet but since I have not started one of the services I failed miserably.  I tried a web radio station and signed up for Tidal but in hindsight probably should have tried Spotify as there is a button in the Rune app for it, but not Tidal.  Unfortunately I was too busy when I first got Sparky and tried it out in a last minute situation.  Not fair to Sparky and I apologize for that.

The sound quality of this little streamer was surprisingly good.  I noticed the music on the provided USB stick was a bit edgy but when I played files from my Lexar the sound was much smoother and cleaner.  I suspect I would have been rewarded with better SQ had I been successful at mounting a network drive or getting a streaming service working.  As it was Sparky acquitted itself quite nicely and I would say the quality of playback falls between my Adcom GCD-750 cd player and my old Perpetual Technologies P1a/P3a combo.

Perusing Allo's website I found their latest products which includes the new Vana plug-n-play player for a mere $169.  Allo bundles Sparky (Pi), Kali reclocker, the new Piano 2.1 DAC, Volt a TPA3118-based audio amp that provides 50 WPC (probably ~25 Watts of clean power), the Capacitance Multiplier (a sub-board to clean up power), and last is a 5 Volt wall wart, to create Vana.  This looks like the heart of a great little desktop system solution and certainly fits the Cheap and Cheerful HiFi mandate.  I would probably opt for a PS similar to what John included just more robust for sonics.

Thanks again,
Jake Jacobson
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: rotarius on 10 Oct 2017, 01:10 am
I got the stack last week and got it up and running in no time since I have been using the RPI/Allo Boss combo for a while.  Initial impression is very positive.  I will make direct comparison between this stack and the Boss as well as my Sony UHP-H1 universal.  Detailed review to follow....
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: rotarius on 15 Oct 2017, 11:08 pm
Pi Peregrination Review:
I received the Allo stack which consists of the Pi board, Kali reclocker and Piano Dac all powered by a linear PSU.  I already have the Rpi/Allo Boss dac combo with Moode so patching it in my system was relatively easy.  My other high resolution source is a Sony UHP-H1 BDP (MSRP $350).

Set-up:  The stack along with the other sources were connected to the Jolida 3502 power amp via a BTE designs passive/stepped attenuator.  The amp has high input impedance and needs 1V for full power and so a good quality passive results in a clean and highly resolving sound without loss of dynamics.  The Jolida drives a pair of KEF R700.  Interconnects for all sources were Belden 8412/8402.

Listening:  I first listened to the supplied samples briefly and although I enjoyed Bach, Nine Inch Nails are not my cup of tea.  For serious listening, I started off with Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances, Eiji Oue/Minnesota.  It is one the best recorded orchestral pieces I own and playing the 24/96 files through the stack was a pleasant surprise.  I was greeted by a large-scale sound that had some serious authority and power.  I knew right away this was a step up from the Pi/Boss combo I have.  Although the Boss is bassy, it did not have the same impact as the Peregrination stack.  Perhaps this was due to the linear PSU vs the SMPS of the Boss.  Overall, the Kali/Piano combo was tad cleaner and more detailed than the Boss.  Both easy on the ears but the Boss was a bit rounded at both extremes.  Now I was curious about how the stack compared to the Sony UHP-H1.  Switching to the Sony, the sound was a bit more forward with more detail and layering but with less bass heft.  The Sony just seemed more neutral and behaved like a true high rez source.  The Sony was just a tad better with layering an instrument separation than the Allo units. 
Next up was a bit of Jazz, Stimela by Hugh Masekela from the Dali Demo CD.  This is my reference track for a live recording.  Here the Kali/Piano stack was step up from the Boss with more dynamics.  The Sony was more detailed and projected the soloist a bit better.  The Sax and trumpet sounded more brassy with the Kali/piano than with the Sony.  To test vocals, I played Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow is my turn.  Really all three units did well here and my general impressions about them remained the same so I will not repeat.  Basically, the Kali/piano stack is not too far behind the Sony and if you have bright speakers, you might very well prefer it.  My KEF R700 are laid back so the Sony is a great match.

One thing to note, I did not upsample the files because the Rune version supplied did not have the feature or I just did not figure it out.  The Sony does have the DSEE upscaling turned on at all times, without it the player just sounds flat to me so it is my default.  I also tried my Boss with the linear PSU and the results were very nice.  The bass had more impact and overall the presentation was almost the same as the Kali/piano.  I would still give the edge to the Kali/piano, it just retrieves more detail I think.

Conclusion :  This stack offers a lot for the money.  It really is not embarrassed by anything under $500 or so.  I have tried quite a few budget dacs and currently have the MF V90 so I can speak from experience.  I plan on upgrading my pi source and will definitely get the Kali.  From what I heard, the linear PSU feeding the dac with good clean power without the PI micro usb port in the mix certainly helps a lot and is well worth the added cost.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 30 Oct 2017, 01:59 pm
Thanks again for this tour.  I've wanted to hear a modern dac to compare it to the older ones in the system and this was the perfect chance.

There's lots of audio gear in the house and it gets mixed and matched based on sonic signature and mood.  Currently there's a pair of 2 Pi Towers in the mix because there was a mistake when putting them together 10 years ago and once fixed they sound good - so I'm enjoying them for the first time.  Here's an explanation of how to put speakers together wrong:  https://audioroundtable.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=21360&start=0&

Currently there's a Jef Larson 2a3 amp in the system.  It's got a bit of a bump in the mid bass that makes the 2 Pi's sound a bit warmer than they do with other amps but it's very pleasant sounding.  The digital source has been a Pi/Hifiberry digi feeding a Bel Canto Dac2.  That combo is a tad bass shy which makes it seem a bit more open in the midrange and treble.  The treble also can get a bit strained as the music gets busy.

There have been about 3 extended listening sessions so far to get feel for the kali/piano.  It's got more bass than the Bel Canto and that bass is very nicely textured and nuanced.  Treble is down from my dac although that might be the increased bass in the Kali/Piano setup.  It's able to handle busy music without congestion far better than my old setup and it's treble doesn't get strident.  The dynamics are good and there's a nice sound stage.  It's a nice combo.

Since the 2a3 amp is warm sounding the addition of the kali/piano in the current setup pushes it a bit too far in that direction. That amp will get switched out for something leaner and we'll have another go at it.

In the mean time here are a couple of observations:

Comparing flac files on the flash drive compared to the same flac file on the network - the flash drive sounds better.  It may lead me to putting the music on a self powered hard drive in the future.

Comparing flac files to wav files on the network - the wav files sound better.  Yes, in theory they should sound the same.  The same thing was observed years back with the Squeezebox setup and I can't explain it but anyone who wants to come over to listen is welcome.

An older version of Moode software, on default settings, sounds harsher than the Runeaudio software.  Change the Moode kernel, it's scheduler policy, turn off the hdmi port, and set the cpu governor to performance and things sound far more similar to Runeaudio.  Not sure you could tell them apart at that point.

When you set Moode to over sample the music changes dramatically.  It gets more fluid and organic and warm.  Oddly enough it isn't something that sounds right with the 2a3 amp as it already sounds laid back.  But this is definitely something to listen to after switching amps.  Knowing this hobby it's either going to be magnificent or fail miserably. 

The other thing about Moode is that it was far more prone to having signal drop outs than the Runeaudio software.  Runeaudio plays flac and wav files off the network reasonably well but Moode has more drop outs with flac and can barely handle wav files.  The Moode software is over a year old so it probably isn't a fair comparison but it's still odd.

So far it's been mostly a win having the kali/piano dac in the system.  It may not be a giant killer (I'm not familiar with the sound of a modern, pricey dac) but it sure is a fine sounding combo for the money.

Hopefully the other amp will get to be in the system in the next day or so ...

Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 4 Nov 2017, 04:28 pm
TL:DR - It's a very good sounding music streamer.  Excellent given it's cost.  I'll buy one.

OK, some more notes on the Pi/Piano.

It turns out the the Rune and Moode software do sound a bit different. The Rune, as provided, is a bit more open in the mids.  The Moode varies depending the driver chosen for the dac.  So it's probably the selection of driver software making the difference in the sound between the different music players.

Swapped out the 2A3 amp for a conrad johnson preamp and a TPA3116 class d amp.  This combo is clearer sounding than the triode amp and gives a better viewpoint when changing back and forth from over sampling to non oversampling.  The oversampling adds a fluid, organic texture that's quite lovely.  The non oversampled tunes are more direct and precise.  It's almost like the difference between a traditional tube preamp and a solid state preamp - a huge difference in presentation but no clear winner on what is right.  It's worth hearing because you really might love it.

The clearer sounding electronics brought out the snap and dynamics of the Pi/Piano.  It'll do a thwack with the best of them.

My current setup is a Raspberry Pi with a Hifiberry Digi board driving a Bel Canto Dac2 or a tubed Paradisea.  The Bel Canto is clean and open sounding but it's a bit light on bass and the treble can be forward and a tad edgy.  The Paradisea tube dac is far nicer in the treble but a tad soft and rounded in the bass.  The Bel Canto listed for about $1300 in it's day and the Paradisea was in the $600 to $800 range.

In the defense of the two older dacs, the old Pi/Digi combo isn't being driven by a linear power supply and the Digi board is also a few years old (and newer boards have jitter reduction and power filtering on them).  It isn't really a fair fight but thats the gear that's been in the system for a few years.

As things are now the kali/piano sounds better than either of the older dacs.  Bass is strong and it's tight sounding for kick drums and loose and nicely textured on the upright bass.  Mids are clear, as is the treble, and the harshness during complex music isn't there like on the old dac.  It's a dynamic, nice sounding music player.

Kali/Piano Dac Pros

Nice, tuneful bass

Good sound stage

Nicely dynamic

Clear, clean presentation even during frantic music

Oversampling ability

Really affordable

Cons

It's not sweet sounding like tube gear, if that is your preference.

The linear power supply sent on the tour can get very warm.  It's not hot enough to be dangerous but it's probably not something you'd want to leave on when not in use.

Since my experience with modern dacs is limited it isn't possible for a direct comparison with other modern dacs.  But the kali/piano combo works far better than expected against the older gear in the system (and these were very well received dacs in their day).

More kudos for sending this out on tour.  These Pi/dac combos had gotten my attention but I'd never pulled the trigger on them because of their low price tag.

I like it and will buy one.  No idea if it'll be this exact setup or if it'll be the Piano 2.1 (that some claim sounds great in dual mono mode) or the Boss dac that is also mentioned frequently.  Anyone have a preference?  Please chime in as it's a brave new world out there.

Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 11 Nov 2017, 06:50 am
Thanks JakeJ, rotarius, barryso, great reviews  :thumb:

I knew right away this was a step up from the Pi/Boss combo I have.  Although the Boss is bassy, it did not have the same impact as the Peregrination stack.

Interesting to read that, I imagined from reading the Boss copy it would be the other way :o (glad I was wrong  :lol: )

Quote
One thing to note, I did not upsample the files because the Rune version supplied did not have the feature or I just did not figure it out.

I'm not sure if it's in Rune Audio but in the past I've found the RPi doesn't really enough grunt for this kind of task.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 11 Nov 2017, 06:55 am
Comparing flac files on the flash drive compared to the same flac file on the network - the flash drive sounds better.  It may lead me to putting the music on a self powered hard drive in the future.

Interesting.

Quote
When you set Moode to over sample the music changes dramatically.  It gets more fluid and organic and warm.

Oh, I guess my earlier comment about the RPi not having enough grunt for upsampling was wrong...  :scratch:

It turns out the the Rune and Moode software do sound a bit different. The Rune, as provided, is a bit more open in the mids.  The Moode varies depending the driver chosen for the dac.  So it's probably the selection of driver software making the difference in the sound between the different music players.

Interesting. Thanks for taking the time to compare!

Quote
The linear power supply sent on the tour can get very warm.  It's not hot enough to be dangerous but it's probably not something you'd want to leave on when not in use.

Yes, perhaps I was a little too frugal with that (trying to keep Int'l postage cost down). The same vendor has units with more power.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: rotarius on 12 Nov 2017, 12:38 am
JohnR, I now have a 2.5A linear PSU feeding the Boss/PI stack.  I also have a usb hard drive connected to the Pi via a powered hub.  Bass is definitely tighter with more slam but I still feel it is has a tad less impact than the Kali/Piano.  I am convinced powering the dac via the Pi is a drawback of the Boss.  The next step is to try Rune with this setup although I am quite happy with Moode.  Absolutely no issue with sox resampling to 32/384.  Sounds sweeter that way but does not sound as crisp as the original sample rate.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 4 Dec 2017, 02:50 pm
OK, it's been several weeks and there have been a flurry of updates.  They will be outlined in a few posts to avoid getting too wordy in any single post.

Why so much time and effort spent trying out all this stuff?  Long one short, I did something to my back so was pretty much spending time on the couch.  Might as well make use of the down time, right? Luckily my back has been getting progressively better each day.

Unrelated to the Allo products - the generic (unmodified) Chinese TPA3116 (powered by a laptop power supply) was replaced with with a Texas Instruments TPA3155 evaluation board.  The new amp is running off a 350 watt, 7amp, 48 volt Mean Well switching power supply.  It's a pretty amazing amp for what it costs and really outdoes the generic 3116 amp.  The bass is more textured and the mids and treble are cleaner.  Had to give the amp some real burn in time, though, as it sounded pretty hot at first.

The music files have been moved from the upstairs computer (connected through wireless) to a self powered USB external hard drive.  There were too many drop outs and slow downs with the wireless and listening tests showed the local drive sounded better.  So the music is local now.

After trying a lot of things that didn't help fix the wifi issue Tim @ Moode posted about wifi issues caused by the Kali.  Evidently the oscillators on the Kali are too close to the wifi antenna.  His solution is to add some distance between the Pi board and the wifi dongle.  So a 3" extension was put between the antenna and the Pi and there is a real speed increase when using the web browser.  It's not been tried with streaming tunes, though, but it's really improved the speed of the music server interface.

Even with the music local there are still dropouts in the music from time to time - but it isn't frequent.  Increasing buffers generally fixes the glitches but also changes the sound a bit. 

More to come ...
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 4 Dec 2017, 02:52 pm
Power Supplies

There are now 3 power supplies for the Piano and Kali.  The Allo switching supply, the 1.5 amp linear sent with the tour and a 3.8 amp linear that was mentioned in the 5th post of this thread.

The 5v 3a switching supply from Allo is really pretty fine sounding - a tad more open with less bass than the linear units but it's pretty good.  It's only after a few songs with it after listening to the other units do you realize you're missing anything.  For $11 it does a very good job.  If it's what fits your budget you'll be very happy.

The tour linear supply with 1.5 amps adds a bit of richness to the mix.  The 3.8 amp unit takes that a bit further and adds a bit more bass to what was already a pretty good presentation.  It seems to be a tad louder and a tad more coherent sounding.  Or it's just the bass making it seem that way.  The bigger linear is not a night and day difference but it's clearly audible.  If you're going to order something from China and can handle the extra $25 or so go for the bigger supply.

The larger linear also generates less heat than the smaller linear so it's a bit better from a practical standpoint, too.  The switching unit never seems to get warm.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 4 Dec 2017, 02:55 pm
Upsampling

Going from no upsampling to 32 bit 384 high quality sox resampling is amazing as the music gets a more rounded tone.  I can't tell you which is "better" as it also loses a bit of punch.  The resampling runs fine on the Raspberry Pi B in both Volumio and Moode, although there is occasionally a click when a new track starts.  I have no idea if a Raspberry Pi 3 (with a faster processor) would help fix this issue.

Of all the resampling settings I'm quite fond of 32bit 352.8 as it adds some of the 384 resampling magic without decreasing dynamics.  It doesn't seem to overdue the effect and instruments and voices just seem more realistic and more "there" than with no resampling.  It's superb.

It's almost like there's a tad of tube magic added to the mix without losing grip or dynamics.  Really worth giving a listen.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: Letitroll98 on 8 Feb 2018, 03:43 pm
Okay folks, after much deliberation a winner in the Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest has been chosen.  So with no further adieu the winner is.....

barryso   :dance:

All the submissions were great and it was just about impossible to say one was better than another.  So going back to the op we judged on who provided the most information and that had to be barryso.  Thanks to everyone that participated, it's really enlightening to see how much quality you can get from a small investment.  Lastly thanks to JohnR for providing the Pi stack and impetus for the tour, much appreciated.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JohnR on 9 Feb 2018, 01:58 am
Excellent!  :banana piano: :bounce:

Just read through the last few posts. Congrats to barryso, and thank you to all who participated and also a particular thanks to Dan (Letitroll98) for organizing and managing the tour details  :thumb:
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: JakeJ on 9 Feb 2018, 02:28 am
Congrats, barryso!  You definitely put it through the paces.  As a fellow back injury sufferer you have my sympathies.  If you didn't see a doctor then do and find out what's going on.  Then you can learn how to take care of it.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 13 Feb 2018, 01:21 pm
JakeJ, thanks for the sympathies.  My back has been OK after a week or two of touchiness.  What's going on is that I need to lose weight.  :o

Thanks to all who started this tour and for selecting me to keep it.  It's a nice piece of gear.  It's currently in a system that has a pair of John Busch's Manzanita Ultra speakers and it sounds great.  The Ultra baffles were updated a few weeks ago and a few things that weren't done properly at build time were fixed.  They now sound better than ever.

Oddly enough since having the Piano dac in the house there's been a strong pull to piano music this winter.  It's probably just a coincidence.  Current favorites are The Lynne Arriale Trio - Live and Abdulla Ibrahim's African Magic.

Thanks again for the tour.
Title: Re: Pi Peregrination 2017 C&C Tour and Contest
Post by: barryso on 6 Aug 2018, 12:10 pm
There have been a few software updates that seem relevant to this old thread.

Moode Audio v4 Beta 12 has been updated to version 4.2.  There's an increase in bass and a nice increase in midrange texture.

A few of the tweaks from the Moode forum were tried and definitely change the presentation.  The changes remove a bit of hash from the mids and highs and the sound stage improves.  The music is more 3d and it's smoother.

These changes may or may not work in your system but the changes are made by editing text files so you can always copy the originals and put them back if the new sonics don't mesh with your system.

These tweaks are summarized on the Moode forum under Sound Quality.  The thread is labeled System Optimizatons?  http://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=102