[GunGrave]

Hello fellow music enthusiasts.
I have a computer on which most of my music resides and LG Smart TV paired up to my dac and speakers.
I know that there are many options for music streaming but many involve hardware components (roon compatible players, music streamers, NAS ) etc.
I was looking for something simpler like a DLNA server installed on the computer.
I have tried:
UMS - simple to use but problems with big flac files and cue
Ampache - horrible performance
Plex - lots of features but can't really find many settings for audio quality

Has anyone found a DLNA server that can stream high quality audio and works with wma, large flac anc cue files ?

 

[Sterling2]

Hello fellow music enthusiasts.
I have a computer on which most of my music resides and LG Smart TV paired up to my dac and speakers.
I know that there are many options for music streaming but many involve hardware components (roon compatible players, music streamers, NAS ) etc.
I was looking for something simpler like a DLNA server installed on the computer.
I have tried:
UMS - simple to use but problems with big flac files and cue
Ampache - horrible performance
Plex - lots of features but can't really find many settings for audio quality

Has anyone found a DLNA server that can stream high quality audio and works with wma, large flac anc cue files ?

Here's all I know: I have an OPPO-205 which can be used as a Network Player. It's lousy in that role. 1.It does not process multi-channel. 2. It places files in alphabetical order for playback rather than presenting files in order as they are arranged on album, and 3. It does not do gapless playback; therefore, some classical music is silenced between movements. That's no good listening to The Firebird from some labels. So, my suggestion is research the wi-fi device regarding these anomalies to avoid disappointment.

 

[Roseval]

I wonder if the question is about servers only.
In UPnP speak
Server: the one containing the audio files.
Control point: the one enabling you to browse the server and send audio to thr renderer.
Renderer: the one that plays the audio.
I have the feeling that you are looking for a server and a control point.

As simple one to try is Windows Media sharing. It is a fully certified server.
Servers:
Asset UPnP https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Streaming/Asset.htm
MinimServer: https://minimserver.com/

If you have Android phone , have a look at BubbleUPnP, a popular control point
On Win maybe Kodi.
Probably the LG has a interface (control point) as well.

 

[jcn3]

In my opinion, best way is to :

* Install minimserver on a NAS or computer (functions as server -- you'll also need minimwatch for configuring)
* Use a Raspberry Pi 4 as an endpoint/renderer (connect your DAC to this) running a Linux distro -- I'd start with Moode (very easy to do even if you don't know Linux)
* Use Lumin or Kazoo or Bubbleupnp app as a control point

 

[Knightsfan11]

Have a look at TuneBlade: http://www.tuneblade.com/

If your device is compatible, could be the simplest option.

 

[GunGrave]

Sorry for the radio silence, been busy exploring other audio issues with my PC setup.
I am back on this topic.
I have successfully used various DLNA software in order to publish the music on my PC.
The problem now has become by LG TV, in that is recodes the music I send to it and it is limited to 16bit/48Hz even on optical out to my E30 Dac.
So, I am now looking into getting a proper streamer which can use DLNA but also Spotify and Tidal.

I explored the RaspberryPi router but I think it is just too expensive (board + HIFI hat board with optical out + case + power supply).
I was looking into getting this : https://advance-acoustic.com/en/multimedia-and-wireless/wifi-network-player/130-wtx-microstreamer for about 150 Euro but the pandemic is slowing down all imports.
The shop offered me this instead https://www.avshop.ro/streamer/streamer-elipson-connect-wifi-receiver.html which seems a bit weird as I can't even find it on their website.

 

[Jandu]

Sorry for the radio silence, been busy exploring other audio issues with my PC setup.
I am back on this topic.
I have successfully used various DLNA software in order to publish the music on my PC.
The problem now has become by LG TV, in that is recodes the music I send to it and it is limited to 16bit/48Hz even on optical out to my E30 Dac.
So, I am now looking into getting a proper streamer which can use DLNA but also Spotify and Tidal.

I explored the RaspberryPi router but I think it is just too expensive (board + HIFI hat board with optical out + case + power supply).
I was looking into getting this : https://advance-acoustic.com/en/multimedia-and-wireless/wifi-network-player/130-wtx-microstreamer for about 150 Euro but the pandemic is slowing down all imports.
The shop offered me this instead https://www.avshop.ro/streamer/streamer-elipson-connect-wifi-receiver.html which seems a bit weird as I can't even find it on their website.

You do not need a HAT to use a RPi. Just connect the RPi using USB A to B. The RPi can directly access your PC files, as long as the file appears on your network. Or you can use a USB drive.

 

[GunGrave]

The HAT is required for a USB/SPDIF out so you can get sound to an external DAC. The USB on the PI is supposed to be very noisy.
Or use a DAC HAT.
Either way...it needs a HAT.

 

[Jandu]

The HAT is required for a USB/SPDIF out so you can get sound to an external DAC. The USB on the PI is supposed to be very noisy.
Or use a DAC HAT.
Either way...it needs a HAT.

RPi USB digital out to your DAC is not bad(not noisy). SPDIF out does require a HAT. Compared to a normal PC USB, the RPi USB is much better. If you have a USB cable, A to B type, try it and you can be the judge how good/bad it is. You get much better improvement if you upgrade the RPi power supply before adding a HAT.

 

[GunGrave]

RPi USB digital out to your DAC is not bad(not noisy). SPDIF out does require a HAT. Compared to a normal PC USB, the RPi USB is much better. If you have a USB cable, A to B type, try it and you can be the judge how good/bad it is. You get much better improvement if you upgrade the RPi power supply before adding a HAT.

Not even RPI 4B has optical out, only 3.5 mm jack. What model are you talking about ?
Wanted to avoid USB as it depends on OS if it has support for that DAC, optical out is generic.

 

[lostinthesauce]

Not even RPI 4B has optical out, only 3.5 mm jack. What model are you talking about ?
Wanted to avoid USB as it depends on OS if it has support for that DAC, optical out is generic.

You are correct that Raspberry Pi doesn't have optical out. He stated that "SPDIF out does require a HAT". Using a USB to SPDIF (such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/Douk-Audio-Converter-Interface-PCM192Khz/dp/B085XPRSGM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=37JCZAE1RYAJL&dchild=1&keywords=douk+audio+usb+converter+xmos+xu208&qid=1615529897&sprefix=Douk+Audio+USB+Converter+XMOS,aps,229&sr=8-3 ) has drivers in the kernel already. No muss, no fuss other than using alsamixer or whatever floats your boat (I'm assuming pulseaudio mixer nowadays on Raspberry Pi) to pipe the sound to the correct sink.

Alternatively you can utilize this HAT to get SPDIF out.
https://www.amazon.com/HiFiBerry-Di...aspberry+pi+hat+toslink&qid=1615530039&sr=8-3

**edit**
I'm a dunce and didn't realize I'm reviving a dead-ish thread. Sorry all.

 

[GunGrave]

It's not really dead, I just have not found a suitable solution and all stocks in my country are dead (Rpi, cheap streamers, etc).
The problem with the USB is not the format but that it is noisy so a usb-optical converted does not make much sense.
A HAT will bypass that, which is why it seems like a better option.

 

[lostinthesauce]

It's not really dead, I just have not found a suitable solution and all stocks in my country are dead (Rpi, cheap streamers, etc).
The problem with the USB is not the format but that it is noisy so a usb-optical converted does not make much sense.
A HAT will bypass that, which is why it seems like a better option.

Thanks for trying to make me feel not so bad.

Don't feel bad about stock levels; it's a worldwide problem. I won't claim to have golden ears so I am not sure where the "usb is noisy" comes into play. After all on a SPDIF connection the dongle is going to be converting the USB signal into a PCM signal unlike a DAC which would be converting the digital signal into an analouge signal. If there is any noisy signals to be had the closer the conversion takes place to the SOC/USB and ethernet controllers/power runs would, by necessity, be worst than those further away, no? So a HAT which is mounted a cm (?) away from the source of the noise would be worst than a USB dongle performing the same function that's 10 cm away wouldn't it?

Out of curiosity I did some quick research. Per the link below a USB connection from a Raspberry Pi 3B USB was exactly the same as from a regular computer in regards to THD. Both of the USB connections edged out the Toslink and Coax Raspberry Pi HAT's measurements (granted it was by 0.00003). And for graph peekers the intermodulation distortion + noise with swept frequencies had the Raspberry Pi's USB at up to 4x as good measuring as the HAT.

So as I said, I'm not blessed with super hearing nor the seemingly limitless pocketbook to chase audio nirvana where every purchase let's me hear stuff in the recording that I've never heard before (I always wondered if after enough upgrades does the song still sound the same with all those new things people discover in it? does it still provoke the same emotions?) BUT from a pragmatic point the law of diminishing returns kicks in and one really needs to check their sanity about what they can actually hear. Case in point; the OktoResearch dac 8 Stereo is a critically acclaimed streamer. Care to guess what it uses for its guts? A Raspberry Pi. Yes it is connected to a HAT, but it's also sitting less than 3cm from the unshielded power supply. Finally vis a vis the "usb is noisy" check to see what program the people who claim that are using. I would not be surprised if they are using Volumino; node.js has been demonstrated to stutter and send packets late causing pops and clicks.

https://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/12/measurements-intel-i7-pc-and-raspberry.html

 

[tesarpa]

It's a common and wide spread urban legend about USB on RPi being noisy. My experience is that it largely depends on USB receiver quality implementation on the DAC. When we are talking about budget solution, there is no real need to complicate things with HAT board. I was using Allo DigiOne, but after I got Benchmark DAC3, I found out that there is zero difference in sound quality between USB directly vs. SPDIF from DigiOne.

 

[GunGrave]

Really ?

Yes, I know it's with a Denafrips DAC but it is also youtube. I hear differences.