klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Mar 22, 2019 14:04:53 GMT -5
I know several of us have experimented with Raspberry Pi's. I am currently listening to Yes from my R-Pi3 to my DC-1 to my BasX A100 (via Roon...sounds GREAT).
I have been wondering about the HifiBerry DAC+ and thinking of trying it. Has anyone here tried it? My initial plan would be to get one, add it to my R-Pi3 and see how it sounds replacing my DC-1.
If it's good enough, I'd sell the DC-1 and buy another BasX A100 and another R-Pi3/HifiBerry DAC+ to have a 2nd headphone station in my home.
But, I would only do that if the HifiBerry DAC+ is close enough to the DC-1 as a DAC.
The HifiBerry DAC+ does have a nice Burr Brown chip in it...same as the BlueSound Node 2.
Some reviews I read were quite good, others...not so good. But, for $40 to try it...no big deal really.
Mark
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Post by cburbs on Mar 22, 2019 14:16:09 GMT -5
I use that dac it does well but I still prefer the HiFimeDIY Sabre U2 Asynchronous USB DAC ES9023 one. Just a preference though. I want to try a new dac on my PI but trying to find one I want to try at a decent price but nothing has said BUY me yet.
Which Dac is in the DC1?
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klinemj
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Posts: 14,744
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Post by klinemj on Mar 22, 2019 16:25:52 GMT -5
I use that dac it does well but I still prefer the HiFimeDIY Sabre U2 Asynchronous USB DAC ES9023 one. Just a preference though. I want to try a new dac on my PI but trying to find one I want to try at a decent price but nothing has said BUY me yet. Which Dac is in the DC1? I think it's an Analog Devices DAC, IIRC. I generally don't like the Sabre DAC's, except the one in my LH Labs Geek DAC. Mark |
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Post by unsound on Mar 22, 2019 16:47:51 GMT -5
I use Volumio on the Rpi and purchased the Allo Piano 2.1 with Allo Kali Reclocker (both available at volumio.org/product-category/dac/i2s-dac/). The main reason was to get the option of using a sub, if necessary. It's also easy to switch the DSP to process each channel on a separate DAC, if not using a sub. I've been pleased with the results. The Rpi, to me, was quite poor with a USB dac. So, in short, I haven't answered your question just added some vaguely connected information  |
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klinemj
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Posts: 14,744
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Post by klinemj on Mar 22, 2019 17:20:54 GMT -5
I use Volumio on the Rpi and purchased the Allo Piano 2.1 with Allo Kali Reclocker (both available at volumio.org/product-category/dac/i2s-dac/). The main reason was to get the option of using a sub, if necessary. It's also easy to switch the DSP to process each channel on a separate DAC, if not using a sub. I've been pleased with the results. The Rpi, to me, was quite poor with a USB dac. So, in short, I haven't answered your question just added some vaguely connected information What USB DAC's did you try the DC-1 with (before you went with the Allo)? Mark |
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Post by unsound on Mar 22, 2019 18:01:09 GMT -5
I use Volumio on the Rpi and purchased the Allo Piano 2.1 with Allo Kali Reclocker (both available at volumio.org/product-category/dac/i2s-dac/). The main reason was to get the option of using a sub, if necessary. It's also easy to switch the DSP to process each channel on a separate DAC, if not using a sub. I've been pleased with the results. The Rpi, to me, was quite poor with a USB dac. So, in short, I haven't answered your question just added some vaguely connected information What USB DAC's did you try the DC-1 with (before you went with the Allo)? Mark It’s been close to 3 years so I don’t remember but I think I’d already sold my DC-1 (damn the lack of a trigger input) so didn’t try it with that. I’m pretty sure I tried with with an XDA-2, though. I tried the Allo stuff on a whim and have been happy with it. It’s not in my main system so I don’t listen to it too frequently but I have used it both with subwoofer and with LR playing on separate DACs. BTW, have you tried running the DC-1 in both synchronous and asynchronous modes? I’m now wondering if my issues were due to the clock on the RPi. |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Mar 22, 2019 18:08:17 GMT -5
What USB DAC's did you try the DC-1 with (before you went with the Allo)? Mark It’s been close to 3 years so I don’t remember but I think I’d already sold my DC-1 (damn the lack of a trigger input) so didn’t try it with that. I’m pretty sure I tried with with an XDA-2, though. I tried the Allo stuff on a whim and have been happy with it. It’s not in my main system so I don’t listen to it too frequently but I have used it both with subwoofer and with LR playing on separate DACs. BTW, have you tried running the DC-1 in both synchronous and asynchronous modes? I’m now wondering if my issues were due to the clock on the RPi. The HifiBerry DAC+ that I am looking at has its own clocking system...different that standard RPi. So, the question for me ends up being whether the combo of the chips, the output section, the power supply, the clocking, etc. come in sounding about the same or not. I am likely going to buy the HifiBerry DAC+ and if it's good...I'm going to convert it to external power supply to go linear. Mark |
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Post by unsound on Mar 23, 2019 20:05:25 GMT -5
It’s been close to 3 years so I don’t remember but I think I’d already sold my DC-1 (damn the lack of a trigger input) so didn’t try it with that. I’m pretty sure I tried with with an XDA-2, though. I tried the Allo stuff on a whim and have been happy with it. It’s not in my main system so I don’t listen to it too frequently but I have used it both with subwoofer and with LR playing on separate DACs. BTW, have you tried running the DC-1 in both synchronous and asynchronous modes? I’m now wondering if my issues were due to the clock on the RPi. The HifiBerry DAC+ that I am looking at has its own clocking system...different that standard RPi. So, the question for me ends up being whether the combo of the chips, the output section, the power supply, the clocking, etc. come in sounding about the same or not. I am likely going to buy the HifiBerry DAC+ and if it's good...I'm going to convert it to external power supply to go linear. Mark Ok, so just for you, I pulled out the Pi 3 that was sitting in a box in the basement and plugged it into the XMC-1 via USB. I also plugged in my Pi 3 + Kali + Piano 2.1 to XMC-1 via analog. Both Pi’s are using Wall warts but are plugged into a CMX-2. I needed to increase the analog trim 1.5 dB to level match by ear. The USB input did have a pop when starting/stopping playback. The other difference was that the Kail + Piano 2.1 combination sounded softer and more rounded out. Essentially, a warmer signature than the USB stream playing through the XMC-1 DACs. I prefer a more neutral sound and would, on average, prefer the XMC-1 signature. However, there are many recordings which would have me prefer the Kali + Piano. So, it looks like the differences are really just due to the DAC implementations and nothing more. |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Mar 23, 2019 20:14:12 GMT -5
The HifiBerry DAC+ that I am looking at has its own clocking system...different that standard RPi. So, the question for me ends up being whether the combo of the chips, the output section, the power supply, the clocking, etc. come in sounding about the same or not. I am likely going to buy the HifiBerry DAC+ and if it's good...I'm going to convert it to external power supply to go linear. Mark Ok, so just for you, I pulled out the Pi 3 that was sitting in a box in the basement and plugged it into the XMC-1 via USB. I also plugged in my Pi 3 + Kali + Allo 2.1 to XMC-1 via analog. Both Pi’s are using Wall warts but are plugged into a CMX-2. I needed to increase the analog trim 1.5 dB to level match by ear. Other than the pop when playing and pausing via USB, I wasn’t able to pin-point any consistent difference between the 2 sources. So, I’m not sure what I experienced before that led me to think the USB output from the Pi 3 was poor. But, in the current set up, I’m unable to identify anything different from the Kail + Piano 2.1 combo. Please do let us know your findings with eh HifiBerry. I will be leaving the PI 3 plugged in via USB as it can do more good here than sitting in a box. Are both the wall warts plugged into the microUSB on the Pi cards? Or, did you do a mod to have an external power supply on them? And, it's interesting that the Pi3 USB out (so, using the XMC's DAC) is sounding equal to the Pi3/Kali/Allo 2.1 setup. Decent DAC section, for sure, in the Allo. Mark |
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Post by unsound on Mar 23, 2019 20:51:54 GMT -5
The Kali actually has the wall wart plugged into it. It supposedly provides clean power to the Pi and the Piano in addition to reclocking. Where I”m just using the Pi with XMC-1 DACs, the wall wart is plugged into the microUSB. Not sure if an external PSU will help. I’ll wait to hear the results of your experimentation before trying that mod.
I did make an edit to my post. There is a difference between the XMC-1 and Allo with the Allo sounding warmer. I just needed to go a few rounds before honing in on the difference. I do prefer the XMC-1 but the Allo combo is also enjoyable.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Mar 23, 2019 21:44:31 GMT -5
Cool - I am heading to Atlanta this week, but I will order the parts to arrive when I get back home.
Mark
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