I’m not aware of a way to use the Pi2AES streamer as a directly-connected DDC (i.e. USB in, AES out). That doesn’t mean there isn’t; I just don’t know of one.
In most cases, people just use a different input on the DAC for other sources (e.g. general PC/games sound output etc.).
There are a couple with similar performance, and are plug-and-play turn-key solutions, have proper casings etc. and can, in some cases, act as a music server, but they don’t have AES outputs and they’re a lot more expensive:
The ProJect Stream Box S2 Ultra ($899) is USB-output only, though it is one of the better USB outputs on such devices.
The Bryston BDPpi ($1,495) ups the ante a bit with a built-in screen (for “Now Playing” purposes) and both optical and electrical S/PDIF outputs.
Both of those are still based on the Raspberry Pi (the ProJect even lets you replace the software with other compatible systems) however, and neither outperforms the Pi/Pi2AES setup.
Metrum Ambre (~$1.3K) is also Pi-based, has AES and I2S outputs and allows operating system replacement, but in my experience is no better than Pi2AES.
Yea I’ll definitely do that, just looking into this, I think it’s more of a convenience factor. My room has turned into a snake pit with cables ever since this audio thing started. It was very tidy before cables wise, that’s where I see the benefits and mobility aspect.
I wanted to buy the ifi Neo iDSD strictly because of its Bluetooth capability, there has been some mixed reviews on it but it was more of a utility cause the only way I can stream is from my pc and even with Nano it’s not convenient with that whole daisy chain. So instead of spending 700 I can be set with what I have until later. Just to get why I would rather do this then spend nearly 800 with tax.
And things can change within a short time for the better we hope when it comes to dacs and more
Hmmmm I see you say performance. I am digging around as usual. Kind of crazy everyday something new got me investigating and expanding.
Audio is going to make me poor
But I was looking around, I see volumio is a suggestion to make this Pi2AES. I see volumio has its own streamer, now not that I think it’s great. Nor do I wish to buy that at nearly 750.
But I see they say it’s powered by an Asus tinker board. After looking into that you can get one, the same one in that volumio for 110 dollars. It has audio in and out, better memory, WiFi connectivity and a bunch of other crap vs I would assume Pi. You can see the information on their website. They don’t directly target Pi, but saying competitors.
Asus is definitely a reputable company, but it says it has HD audio via toslink at the max toslink output.
It has toslink in as well, so you could feed it and it will shoot out.
But my guess would be, and frankly I don’t know squat, that the AES is doing something to that audio signal which you probably need DIY to that tinker board to make it run at par.
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Now past this, is this pi2aes difficult to set up or is just merely plug and play. I realize you need to put data onto the micro SD card for the system to boot and be recognized as a music player. Like have you done it? Is there someone that does it for you? Is it unnecessary to pay someone to do it for you.
I was looking into the super beast forums about it. Just my typical overthinking running a muck
Irony in this is I build my own PC’s, ignorance creates fear
I’ve been monkeying around with various “value” streamers, a DDC, USB cleaners and cables in SPDIF and USB (PI, Allo + PI, Upboard SBC, PC, Mac Mini, Intona, SU-1) for the last while. I ordered and received a PI2AES about two months ago. It was easy to put together and doubly easy to configure with ROPIEEE XL.
To take a couple steps back, I recently (June 2020) started running a BF2. I sold my beloved Holo Spring LV2 to fund some system changes in couple rooms here. I found the BF2 really different initially. It was fun and engaging, but also a bit tiring and occasionally painful. Based on reviews I thought that the issue must be with my upstream gear.
The PI2AES was a bit of a revelation. It fed SPDIF in a way that let the BF2 render spacious, detailed, “3D”, open-sounding music without even hint of fatigue. This was using the stock PSU. After reading a bunch, I thought to try out an SoTM SPS-500 and found a used one for a good price online.
Apparently the PSU should not make much of a difference with the PI2AES, but it certainly did here. It gave me more of everything good that the PI2AES was delivering for me. Here’s the kicker. I replaced the stock DC cable with a reasonably priced, well put together DC cable from Ghent Audio (Nice connectors and Canare 4S8) on it and things improved again. I switched back and forth from the stock cable and yup - better. I do believe cables make a difference, but was sort of beside myself that a DC cable feeding a streamer could make a difference.
My takeaways from this:
the BF2 is source sensitive. I did tests with my RME and the differences are there but tiny. USB, SPDIF, AES, different sources - they all sound good on the RME. Not so with the BF2.
for source-sensitive DACs, USB is harder/more expensive to get right
Streamer really makes a difference
PSUs and DC cables to feed the streamer make a difference even despite an excellent product like the PI2AES.
The PI2AES is an amazing piece of equipment period. It just happens to be very reasonably priced.
If you don’t need DSD through USB, check out the PI2AES.
So in my home setup W10 Roon Server->LAN->PI2AES + SPS-500->BF2->Heed Obelisk SI 3->Harbeth P3ESR XDs + REL T7i
I’ve been considering a Pi2AES but have held back because of how/where I get my music. I’m currently using my iMac (and external drives) to send music to my BF2 via USB. This allows me to use any one of several players for my FLAC and other recordings on the external drives, and also any streaming service I might want. If I got a Pi2AES I know it would handle all the locally-stored music well, but I’d lose the web-based interface of Spotify, and if I wanted to use Tidal or Quboz or Apple Music it would be the same situation.
I believe Roon would solve some (all?) of these issues but I’m not sure if that’s the answer. Based on what I’ve laid out would a Pi2AES make sense for me? I feel like I don’t have enough details yet to make that determination.
I don’t have Pi2aes . Been considering one myself but I do have Roon and it works with Qobuz & Tidal but not my Spotify or Apple Music library. Unless there’s a workaround that I’m unaware of.
So: there are a few different issues here. A Pi2AES is a physical interface. There will also be a software component.
Some Raspberry pi hifi software packages may support Spotify connect. Roon does not.
RoPieee XL will support both Roon, and Spotify, and airplay on a Raspberry Pi. - RoPieee | XL
I believe (but have not tested) Moode will also work - https://moodeaudio.org
You may also want to check Volumio. I can’t help you there, cause I don’t use it.
In all honesty, this stuff is harder to explain that to do. The problem is partially that Roon is both a database and a software package that streams local music, and talking about Roon in the context of other software and streaming blurs boundaries and requires extreme specificity to make sure everyone know which function of Roon you’re talking about.
This is also hobbies territory. If you are looking for simple, grab a Bluesound Node 2i or a Cambridge CXN2 and be happy. If you’re looking to experiment, and save a few bucks, grab a Raspberry pi and a Pi2AES or a HifiBerry Hat and try some different combinations of software to see what works for your setup.
Standard disclaimer: back up your music files in more than one place.
Thanks, that’s a good rundown of options. I remember looking at the Bluesound last year so I’ll give that another look. Ultimately I need to find value in a dedicated streamer. Right now I seem to have everything I need on my PC so I guess the major upsides are A) potentially better quality by eliminating USB issues (that I have no reason to believe I have… yet…) and B) the ability to use Roon to organize my music.
I have a bucket of Rasberry Pi’s laying around so it won’t hurt to load the software and see what it looks like.
100%. You can use a usb out on a raspberry pi to play with the software, and if you find a combo pack you like, add a hat to output the signal type you like.
My garage system is a rpi4 with hifiberry dac hat, running to an ancient Cambridge integrated, that has picoreplayer and a squeezelite server running on it.
The headphone stack has coax out of a hifiberry digi+ hat running ropieeexl. The pi2aes is stuck in a snow bank on the east coast and will replace the digi+ when it arrives so I can play with aes and iis outputs.
Dietpi, volumio, moode and VitOs are a few other distros to think about in deciding if one might work.
This seems to be the defacto network question thread (but mods, please move elsewhere if there’s somewhere better).
I’ve finally come around to the idea of subscribing to Roon and setting up a music network. After looking at the various video and music subscriptions I had, and consolidating and canceling some of them, paying for the Roon lifetime subscription is somewhat of a wash compared to my previous outlay.
My current setup is Windows PC → USB → Bifrost 2. I’m waiting for the Holo Spring 3 to come out, and will then decide between the Yggy and the Spring. Just mentioning that because the Spring and Yggy have more inputs than the BF2, so waiting for the DAC upgrade may help determine my Roon solution.
I’ve looked at Small Green Computer and I like the simplicity of their plug & play solution, starting with a SonicTransporter I5, into which I can put an 8TB SSD with all my flac files, and then use the MicroRendu, UltraRendu or OpticalRendu to connect to the DAC (see Option 1 picture below).
The only problem I can see with Roon networks (for my use case) is that I still want to play some audio from my PC to my DAC, and it seems the best solution is to directly connect from the PC to the DAC, as I do today. However, all the Rendu models only have a USB output, so I would need to buy a USB-to-IS2 or AES or SPDIF converter to convert either the Rendu or the PC USB (assuming I have an Yggy or Spring that can take one of those inputs). Small Green Computer offer a USB to Toslink convertor for $59, which I could use for the PC.
Alternatively, I think I can get a PI2AES instead of a Rendu, which will connect the network to the DAC using AES/EBU. Then I can continue to connect the PC to the DAC using USB. I would still use the SonicTransporter I5 as my Roon Core. (See Option 2 picture)
Did I get any of that right or am I very confused? Does one of those options look better than the other? Or am I missing an even better option?
Well, that is in the back of my mind, so I do wonder if I should put this whole network thing off for a while. But the Small Green Computer ecosystem is meant to be plug and play, so I thought I’d try it, and send it back if I had any issues.
I’m actually very happy with the sound from my PC. I’m guessing that’s because of the Unison USB interface in the BF2.
What was driving this was the fact that I’d like to cancel my subscription to Sirius XM, because I don’t use it enough to justify the expense (along with some unwatched premium cable channels I pay for and several hundred dollars a month I forgot I was still paying into my son’s college fund), and I thought something like Roon might be a good alternative for when I’m in the kitchen and wanted to play something while I cook. And obviously I’d use it when I’m at my desk.
And then I can become one of those “Roon this… Roon that…Roon, Roon Roon” people, because I’m feeling a little left out.
For Roon endpoint wired/wireless, will also solve 2 additional issues: send audio from computer to this device using Ropieee, amd also includes any needed SPDIF/AES output for DAC
I looked at the Zen Mini, and it looks cool, but outside of the CD ripper, is it any different from the Small Green Computer SonicTransporter I5? The specs and pricing looks to be about the same. The one thing that probably tips the balance for me is that SGC is based in the US, and it looks like Innuos is European? Just thinking about support.
This is where my networking ignorance kicks in, as I don’t quite understand that comment. Are you saying I can use the PI2AES to play non-Roon audio from my PC? So I wouldn’t need to connect the PC directly to the DAC?
