[b0bb]

  @b0bb,
 
The Amanero combo, does it need +/- 5V wires from usb cable?

Depends on who made the board.
 
If you got yours directly Amanero, it is by default bus powered and there are instructions on the site on how to remove the 2 inductors to allow for external power supplies.
You can also email Domenico directly for more info.
 
The Weiliang board is by default externally powered so you do not need the USB power, you can reconnect the external inductors for bus powering, the Volent is just a subset of the Weliang board.

 

[abartels]

 

   
I will check this with him, it's probably a software issue.
Thanks for the input!
 
Regards,
Alex

A couple of things, try to keep things stock (aka no overclocking) and use a wired connection.
 
The older 1.17 or 1.19 distributions are the most stable, I am in wait and see mode on the newer 2.x stuff.

 
Ok, thanks for the update!

 

[abartels]

 

  @b0bb,
 
The Amanero combo, does it need +/- 5V wires from usb cable?

Depends on who made the board.
 
If you got yours directly Amanero, it is by default bus powered and there are instructions on the site on how to remove the 2 inductors to allow for external power supplies.
You can also email Domenico directly for more info.
 
The Weiliang board is by default externally powered so you do not need the USB power, you can reconnect the external inductors for bus powering, the Volent is just a subset of the Weliang board.

 
Ok, I know there are versions which use external psu but need usb power too, will investigate more on this subject. Thanks again for the info b0bb 

 

[b0bb]

   
We probably will compare it's SQ with my diy usb dac, connected to dualpc ao / jplay / server2012

If I recall correctly, you attached your USB interface via I2S, converting it to use the PI is relatively straight forward.
 
As you have server 2012, there is a LMS installer for Windows, it will see PiCorePlayer as a client as soon as it is up and all you need to is point LMS to the audio directories on your server and it will pick up all the metadata like album covers, artist  and album info.
 
Point any web browser (pc, phone,tablet) at the server and you get access to your music.

You can also run a fat client like SqueezePlay on a PC or a MAC.
 
(Note the SqueezePlay app is talking to the Pi at the same time as the web version in the background, you can also see the song list in the background)
 
Here is what mine looks like

 

[abartels]

Hi b0bb,
 
Thanks for all the info!
 
Since Pi2 doesn't have separate clocks for audio, and only one 19.xxx mHz clock on board,
I've read that it's I2S output is rather "jittery". There seems to be an option to feed Pi2 with external clocks.
For Sabre dacs this is not that important because they have their own  clock on board, but my dac,
AK4495SEQ is slave, so this would be a drawback I suppose. Any thoughts on this?
 
 
Is there an iPad or Android app available for playing music from the library?
I use Jriver to play music, because of it's convenience to play all files from my phone.
 
I can't read anything about hi-res music, does piCorePlayer support samplerates up to 384kHz and native DSD?
 
 
Thanks for your time!
 
Regards,
Alex 

 

[b0bb]

  Hi b0bb,
 
Thanks for all the info!
 
Since Pi2 doesn't have separate clocks for audio, and only one 19.xxx mHz clock on board,
I've read that it's I2S output is rather "jittery". There seems to be an option to feed Pi2 with external clocks.
For Sabre dacs this is not that important because they have their own  clock on board, but my dac,
AK4495SEQ is slave, so this would be a drawback I suppose. Any thoughts on this?
 
 
Is there an iPad or Android app available for playing music from the library?
I use Jriver to play music, because of it's convenience to play all files from my phone.
 
I can't read anything about hi-res music, does piCorePlayer support samplerates up to 384kHz and native DSD?
 
 
Thanks for your time!
 
Regards,
Alex 

The 19.2MHz clock will not divide down exactly. Most of the low cost boards suffer this problem to one extent or another.
 
One option is to use a reclocker or clock re-alignment board. Twisted Pear makes one, the Chronos http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/cronus.aspx
I bought and assembled one but the need to use it has not arisen.
 
As you have the Amanero working on your DAC, a comparison between USB and I2S without any extra reclocking would be interesting.
 
The I2S connection layout for the Pi is here: https://hifiduino.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/i2spins-001.jpg
 
LMS clients are available on Android and IOS
I use iPeng on IOS on the iPad/iPhone: http://penguinlovesmusic.de/ipeng-8/
 
Android has the  SqueezeCommander: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.cedata.android.squeezecommander&hl=en
 
 
The official RPI kernels limit I2S output to 192kHz, there are unofficial patches to enable 384kHz, this is supported natively over USB.
DSD is supported via DoP so this works only with a compliant USB interface like the Amanero.
 
I use LMS on the server to do realtime DSD to PCM on my RPI running I2S, the precision is high enough that I cannot tell the difference with DSD over DoP.
I use a 48bit precision on the server.

 

[abartels]

Hi b0bb,
 
This will be a very interesting project to dive in to 

I will start as soon as possible with Amanero Combo384, and from there I will dive into RBP and compare with Amanero AND isolated diyinhk - fed with external 5V for XMOS - and cut usb power.
 
Today I will assemble a CAT7 based USB cable with small, built-in push-button for USB handshaking. This way usb signal wont interfere with usb powerlines from pc.
 
 
Regards,
Alex

 

[hgpsemaj]

Professor Simon Cox, University of Southampton, connected 64 units of Raspberry Pi together with LEGO as a low cost super computer:
 

 
Regards,

 

[abartels]

Hi,
 
for the ones who are interested, I started a new thread about USB interfaces since U12 thread was closed.
Feel free to subscribe 

 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/797881/digital-usb-interfaces-xmos-or-amanero-combo384-based-reviews-comparison-modifications-and-usb-audio-in-general
 
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex

 

[norrest]

Hi! Do you have  clicks/pop with DSD? 
I use some XMOS DAC`s and hear clicks/pop 
Windows/ Linux - nevermind! 
 
The topic was about Audio GD  - but Kingva hiding as a partisan, and that's okay! 

 

[abartels]

 

  Hi b0bb,
 
Thanks for all the info!
 
Since Pi2 doesn't have separate clocks for audio, and only one 19.xxx mHz clock on board,
I've read that it's I2S output is rather "jittery". There seems to be an option to feed Pi2 with external clocks.
For Sabre dacs this is not that important because they have their own  clock on board, but my dac,
AK4495SEQ is slave, so this would be a drawback I suppose. Any thoughts on this?
 
 
Is there an iPad or Android app available for playing music from the library?
I use Jriver to play music, because of it's convenience to play all files from my phone.
 
I can't read anything about hi-res music, does piCorePlayer support samplerates up to 384kHz and native DSD?
 
 
Thanks for your time!
 
Regards,
Alex 

The 19.2MHz clock will not divide down exactly. Most of the low cost boards suffer this problem to one extent or another.
 
One option is to use a reclocker or clock re-alignment board. Twisted Pear makes one, the Chronos http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/cronus.aspx
I bought and assembled one but the need to use it has not arisen.
 
As you have the Amanero working on your DAC, a comparison between USB and I2S without any extra reclocking would be interesting.
 
The I2S connection layout for the Pi is here: https://hifiduino.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/i2spins-001.jpg
 
LMS clients are available on Android and IOS
I use iPeng on IOS on the iPad/iPhone: http://penguinlovesmusic.de/ipeng-8/
 
Android has the  SqueezeCommander: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.cedata.android.squeezecommander&hl=en
 
 
The official RPI kernels limit I2S output to 192kHz, there are unofficial patches to enable 384kHz, this is supported natively over USB.
DSD is supported via DoP so this works only with a compliant USB interface like the Amanero.
 
I use LMS on the server to do realtime DSD to PCM on my RPI running I2S, the precision is high enough that I cannot tell the difference with DSD over DoP.
I use a 48bit precision on the server.

Hi B0bb,
 
I plan to use the HifiBerry DAC+ Pro on I2S out.
It has it's own clocks on board (switched seperately by driver,,,,,) which sounds fantastic to me. It can be powered externally, that's a good thing too 

 
 
Yesterday my ControlPC (Server 2012) died, old hardware, so, I think now is the time to try RPi
Just have to think about how to connect my drives with music files, maybe use the AudioPC since it will render obsolete anyway,,,,
 
To be continued....

 

[b0bb]

  Hi B0bb,
 
I plan to use the HifiBerry DAC+ Pro on I2S out.
It has it's own clocks on board (switched seperately by driver,,,,,) which sounds fantastic to me. It can be powered externally, that's a good thing too 

 
 
Yesterday my ControlPC (Server 2012) died, old hardware, so, I think now is the time to try RPi
Just have to think about how to connect my drives with music files, maybe use the AudioPC since it will render obsolete anyway,,,,
 
To be continued....

HifiBerry is natively supported on the RPi Linux distribution so it is almost plug and play.
 
If you are planning on putting the music server on the RPi, take a look at Volumio
https://volumio.org
 
The other option is a client-server model which is what LMS is.
The RPi runs a very stripped down Linux kernel, this keeps the noise coming into the DAC down and avoids the expensive USB or I2S isolators.
Its main function is to receive the audio stream as data, reclock it and send it out I2S or USB.
 
The noisy part of the file handling functions resides on a server isolated behind an ethernet link

 

[abartels]

Hi B0bb,
 
Can you provide me with an image for RPI (preferable with option for 384kHz)? I downloaded LMS and will install it today.
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex

 

[abartels]

Hi B0bb,
 
I installed LMS and Picoreplayer.
I can get sound from HDMI and analog, but there's no setting to use I2S output from RPI itself, only Hifiberry, IQaudio, raspidac, rpi dac
How did you manage to use rpi's own i2s output?
 
Also tried to connect XMOS usb dac, not working either.
 
Can you shine your light on this please?
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex

 

[b0bb]

  Hi B0bb,
 
I installed LMS and Picoreplayer.
I can get sound from HDMI and analog, but there's no setting to use I2S output from RPI itself, only Hifiberry, IQaudio, raspidac, rpi dac
How did you manage to use rpi's own i2s output?
 
Also tried to connect XMOS usb dac, not working either.
 
Can you shine your light on this please?
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex

The RPi has a built in webserver. Point your web browser to its IP address to get to its config webpages.
 
Click on the Squeezelite settings tab and select the I2S option.
The I2S device type has to be manually specified as it is not auto detected
 
This screencap is from my Soekris R2R DAC via I2S

 
USB is auto detected but you have to check the software is selecting it correctly
 
USB to my LKS MH-DA003

 
If you change the DAC the descriptions will change, this is the one from my Schiit Yggdrasil

 
 
The RPi will do 384KHz out of the USB port, for I2S the linux kernel ALSA modules need to be patched and the RPI linux kernel rebuilt.
 
Here is the link with the instructions and patch: http://tinyurl.com/jtokvhy
 
NOTE: This is experimental and not officially supported and is specific to the kernel version the patch was created on.