Best easy HIFI alternative to SBT +EDO? With widely compatible sync USB 192k/24b out?

[diego]

Hi there everybody!

I have a SBT with EDO, but it does not work with my Soekris 1101 USB DAC. I tried EDO with all available experimental Kernels and of course an additional power supply added to the USB (which works on the pc), however, no sound comes out of SBT.

My conclusion: SBT (which I love) will not work.

So, I am searching for a squeezebox transport that will work. Basically, everything based on a recent Linux distribution shoult be (according to Soekris) natively compatible to the Soekris 1101 USB DAC.

My priorities:
- Easy and quick and thumb-adapted assembly and configuration in case of DIY-projects
- Audiophile streaming quality with asynchronous USB output capable of 192khz/24bit
- if possible, no recurring license fees (like it is the case for "Raspberry Pi 7'' Touch Display Bundle with HiFiBerry")
- Display is optional, as long as configuration remains easy anyway

That HIFIBerry with display looks fine. "This bundle is a Max2Play solution simulating the previously available Logitech Squeezebox Touch Player." is written on the homepage. However, there is a license that has to be renewed periodically and I wonder, if I reamin with a brick if one day this company is not there anymore to renew my license. Therefore I wonder whether there are other good alternatives???

It is very well possible that this has been discussed in other threads. I found some, however, everything I found did not seem really easy to implement without spending days in experimenting and troubleshooting...

[Man in a van]

You can build your own version of

Raspberry Pi 7'' Touch Display Bundle

http://archimago.blogspot.com/2017/03/howto-building-and-installing-raspberry.html

The licence you refer to should not be required for any items in the build, it's for stuff developed by Max2Play.


Here is a suggestion; first check if you can use your dac wiith a linux OS

Download and burn to a usb stick (min 8gb) this image

https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspberry-pi-desktop/

It's a live usb image which is based on Debian.

Run it on a computer, (with persistance) connect the dac to your computer and see if it works.

You may need to install some player software (Squeezelite would be good, if you have LMS running somewhere, or even LMS and Squeezelite together).

This cost nothing and only uses time, plus you will learn stuff.

Or borrow a rpi3B and install piCorePlayer.

ronnie

[bz31]

You can try NanoPi NEO2. Here is my config : https://github.com/bz31/NanoPi_NEO-NEO2_Buildroot

[diego]

PiCorePlayer: USB out with loud noise...

Hi, thanks for your suggestions!

Well, my question was not really whether there is a juste some USB transport, but which one is good or better than a SBT with EDO. In "audiophile" terms - that's why I put it into the Audiophiles-Forum.

Anyway, I got myself a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ - Kit and installed piCorePlayer.

So... basically, it works. I gut up to 192khz-output to my DAC.

HOWEVER, connecting the DAC to the RPi USB port produces LOUD and clearly audible, disturbing white NOISE out over my speakers. I believe this must be some analogue interference as it is constantly audible even if no music is playing.

So... it's a pity HifiBerry is not available with a hifi-capable USB output...

Would there be another head you are aware of that gives a better USB connection, if possible galvanically isolated?

Or any other suggestions???

[Man in a van]

I don't know why you get the noise.

I have connected the rpi usb to several different dac without any noise.

I never hot plug the usb connection, always connect without any power, then power the dac first, then the pi.

What is your set-up

can you try another dac?

[MikeSlim]

Hello,
this hat from allo is isolated and sounds fantastic:

https://allo.com/sparky/usbridge.html

[diego]

I don't know why you get the noise.

I have connected the rpi usb to several different dac without any noise.

I never hot plug the usb connection, always connect without any power, then power the dac first, then the pi.

What is your set-up

can you try another dac?

Thanks for that.

I got a Soekris DAC1101 that goes (directly) into two monoblock Crimson 75W (continuous) power amps that feed two Rehdeko RK125 speakers with 102db / 1W / 1m efficiency.

The power Amps and high efficiency speakers make the system probably particularly sensible also for noise. And given that the soekris DAC has only a digital volume control, so I assume that it attentuates the volume of what gets digitally into it, however, analogue noise seems to get through the DAC and fully amplified, thus its really loud.

The thing is, when the RPi is shut off, this noise is not audible and starts sounding when the RPi is powered on. Which means, it comes from there.

I will get myself a passive analogue attentuator (simply a good poti in a box aka a "passive preamp"), which will hopefully reduce the issue, as the DAC will then play at full volume and not alter the digital information at all. Anyway it should sound better.

However, this setup allows me for now to detect this noise issue and I hope to eliminate it, too.

[diego]

Hello,
this hat from allo is isolated and sounds fantastic:

https://allo.com/sparky/usbridge.html

Thanks Mike!

I had indeed come over this before. However, this runs on another board than RPi, called "Sparky", unknown to me. I guess that PiCorePayer won't run on that one...? How would you suggest to convert it into a convenient and hifi Squeezebox-Client? I'm unfortunately to little into Linux to be sure I will get the clue...

[MikeSlim]

Sorry, it's only for the Allo Sparky Board.
In order to get Allo Sparky and Usbridge running, similar steps as with the Rpi are necessary.

Download Dietpi as operating system, install it on SD card and make some settings as described in the link.

https://dietpi.com/#noAction

https://dietpi.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9#p9

By the way, I already had several Rpi, but never white noise.
Maybe something seems to be broken or incompatible.

Greetings

Mike

[Man in a van]

@diego

Some ideas:

What you could try, is a different OS in the pi, either MoOde Audio or Volumio.

Or install Raspbian Lite with Squeezelite (and LMS, if needed).

Is the dac a pre-built model or did you put it together yourself?

ronnie


Nice system by the way (it's a bit old skool, in a good way ).

[diego]

Sorry, it's only for the Allo Sparky Board.
In order to get Allo Sparky and Usbridge running, similar steps as with the Rpi are necessary.

Download Dietpi as operating system, install it on SD card and make some settings as described in the link.

https://dietpi.com/#noAction

https://dietpi.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9#p9

By the way, I already had several Rpi, but never white noise.
Maybe something seems to be broken or incompatible.

Greetings

Mike

Thanks for this!

It looks like SqueezeLight can be installed on sparky, however, all command line based, which might be fine but I am a bit afraid of a weekend lost in trial and error... Anyway, I wait for my passive preamp first, that might at least solve the noise problem. I believe that the noise is probably dificult to solve totally given that the USB port has no galvanic isolation at all. However, the fact, that it is so notable in my setup must be due to the particularly high amplification through the 103db-speakers and the powerful amps. So attentuating all the sound linearly (not only the music, but music and noise togehter) will already help with no doupt.

I see then whether I give the Sparky with the Usbridge a try.

Cheers! Urs

[Man in a van]

I have experienced pink noise with a set up.

I have a NorthStar Essensio dac which works faultlessly with Optical or Co-ax inputs.

The Linux usb driver is completely pants.

I have tried it with raspberry pi, and Raspbian Desktop on a PC.

The Windows and Mac OS drivers are hardly any better

It plays fine (using the usb input) then when I select another station to stream I get a blast of white noise.

Quickly stopping and starting the player suceeds in faultless playback, until it just peters away into choppy distortion and silence or I change the station again.

I think it's deffo the driver, as I have tried tweaking the Squeezelite setting to no avail.

Other dacs don't have the problem at all.

Not all linux drivers are equal and not all guaranteed to work on a pi

edit : got me noise colours mixed up

[diego]

@diego

Some ideas:

What you could try, is a different OS in the pi, either MoOde Audio or Volumio.

Or install Raspbian Lite with Squeezelite (and LMS, if needed).

Is the dac a pre-built model or did you put it together yourself?

ronnie


Nice system by the way (it's a bit old skool, in a good way ).

Thanks, indeed I will try this. Anyway, I wait for my passive preamp first, I believe this will at least greatly reduce the issue. However, these OS might be a nice try anyway, maybe whe I find a moment I will just give them a try anway.

The Soekris-DAC1101 is pre-built. It's a very nice multibit-dac, all built with resistors, no chips involved, and it sounds fantastic in differents setups I have tried, in particular for it's size and prize. Only disadvantage: There is no separate power input, power comes only through USB. And that might be the issue right now. However, I have box that takes power from a linear psu and puts it together with the usb signal, so in theory the noisy power from the RPi should not get through to the DAC. So I can't explain that noise issue totally...

And yeah, thanks, the system is old school indeed. The amps are a bit outdated and oversized for the speakers and I might think about replacing them. Not the speakres. I have searched many times but never found anything that gets close to Rehdeko according to my taste, not even if rediculously expensive

[diego]

Not all linux drivers are equal and not all guaranteed to work on a pi

Thanks for this! I feel less alone with my issue. Maybe indeed a driver issue then. Although the DAC is said to be fully and natively compatible and tested with newer Linux distributions.

[Man in a van]

The amp mfg is still around

http://www.crimsonelectronics.com/about_us.html