Is this possible?

Hi,

i am am using a Pi as a streamer in a second system in the kitchen.  I installed volumio on it, a specific OS image for audio.  It is extremely easy to install and set up,  you do not need much technical experience. You can use this with attached storage or upnp, and I believe iRadio.

I use PlugPlayer on i phones, android phones, iPods etc to control it, which is fine, with one bug bear when retrieving the playlist after the device goes to sleep it not able to get the details of the items in the playlist.

you can also control it via a web browser (on the iOS device or a laptop etc).

if you want to use UPNP you can use another Pi as a media sever, others on this forum can provide more details on how to do this.

A great simple, low cost solution for my second system.

Good Luck

I have not tried this solution but it is certainly possible and it is what I would start from if I would start right now. You should be able to run MPD on the Raspberry Pi and control it with MPoD on iOS devices. There are control clients for MPD for virtually every device, see

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Clients

For MPD configuration, see

http://lacocina.nl/audiophile-mpd

or just install a dedicated "audiophile" OS that runs MPD in the background (I think Volumio does, for instance). Have fun, nbpf

I have a simpler system

Synology NAS -> Ethernet Switch -> ND5 XS.

It works very well.

Huge, I understand (Synology NAS -> Ethernet Switch -> ND5 XS) is a viable alternative to (Raspberry Pi + Digi+ -> Naim nDAC), but in which sense is it simpler? Best, nbpf

First:

If you use an appropriate NAS with an integrated Media Server (such as Synology Media Station, Asset on Asset NAS, Vortexbox) then it's a plug and pray solution: you don't need to configure so much as when using a Rasbery Pi.

Second:

Three components rather than four, and just linked with Ethernet cables instead of the complexity of getting a well balanced RCA to BNC S/Pdif digital coax cable (unless you just pay the premium for the Naim DC1 and order the RCA -> BNC variant).

Of course there are many ways to skin a cat.

I prefer the character of the sound of the nDAC to the streamers. Neither my budget nor my pragmatism for a low box count allows for both.

Therefore, in my case, the Pi solution is indeed the simplest. And yes, I will invest in the DC1.

I agree on your first remark although with restrictions. In a UPnP based solution one might have less to configure. On the other hand, this solution is also less flexible: it lets you at the mercy of a propritary UPnP client on the player side and requires a wired connection between NAS and player. This is, in many households, a more severe limitation than a wired connection between a Pi and a DAC.

I do not agree on your second remark. It is rather a three components vs. two than a three component vs. four and you do not need a well balanced RCA to BNC S/Pdif digital coax cable or an expensive DC1 to connect the Pi + Digi+ to a Naim nDAC: a simple optical S/Pdif is enough.

EastEnder, I suggest you first try an optical SPDIF connection to the nDAC (the Digi+ has both electrical and optical SPDIF outputs). This provides full electrical isolation for little money and is not necessarily worse than an electrical connection via DC1.

What do you think about: SSD USB drive -> Mac mini -> nDac?

This is something I am considering right now. Box count is low and an optical connection between Mac and DAC would keep the computer generated noise out of the HiFi. The Raspberry does cost a lot less than a Mac, but I know my may with most things from Apple. Not so sure about everything else, like Windows things, NAS software and Raspberrys.

Sure, why not ? There are quite a number of users in this forum who have successfully setup replay systems based on mac minis. If you feel comfortable with OS X, go for a mac mini. If you are acquainted with Linux systems, go for a Raspberry Pi or for whatever fanless microserver certified for a Linux distribution. I very much like Debian because -- with this distribution -- I know how to set up a minimal system with no graphical user interface and no window manager. I also know I can upgrade a Debian system over years without being forced to reinstall. But you could also start from the application side: you select the software you want to use and then pick up the OS that better supports that software. What matters is not what you do but that you know what you do. Best, nbpf.

I considered this as well. However, with the Mac Mini only having optical out, I'd be limited to 96/24. Not that I have a large quantity of material in 192/24 but I'd rather avoid any potential roadblocks. That darn nDAC does not have asynchronous USB (unlike its younger sibling the DAC-V1) and so the only option is a USB - SPDIF converter which I am not fond of conceptually.

So, for myself I look to the Raspberry Pi -> Digi+ combo.

But of course, that is for me. If all of your listening is 96/24 or lower, then I would argue that the Mac Mini is indeed a simpler, plug-and-play solution. My only other question would be: does the Mac Mini through more noise back into the mains than the Pi would?

and so the only option is a USB - SPDIF converter which I am not fond of conceptually.

Hi Eastender, isn't the HiFiBerry Digi+ equivalent to (albeit not literally the same as) a USB>SPDIF converter ?  I'm curious to know what might be the technical advantage of one vs the other.....

karlos:

My understanding (and I am willing to be corrected) is that the Digi+, while an add-on to the Pi, gets the digital signal in a more direct fashion, rather than through the USB interface.

At the very least, the connection itself is direct - no need for a cable, connecting to a box that requires its own power supply.

I am a believer in simple signal paths and so - as I understand it - this solution is simpler than others.

Anton:

Yes, I would use an external (SSD) USB drive that I presume is powered by the Pi.

Maybe useful for fine tuning: http://www.computeraudiophile....cs-20067/#post399306

True, the nDAC is limited to 24/96 via its Toslink inputs. I was aware of that, but obviously failed to include this in my post. The Meitner DACs are able to recieve rates up to 192/24. Meitner actually prefers the Toslink input to the asynchronous USB.

Most of my music from this setup will be ripped from CD. According to a quick search at Highresaudio, most of my purchases there would be 24/96. As virtually all microphones are unable to pick up anything above 30 kHz 192 seems like a huge waste of data to me. And yes, there are many good recordings at this or even higher rates.

I can plug the Mini into a different mains circuit and (hopefully) get rid of its noise this way.

I am looking for both amplification and digital source and my preference is a soloution from one manufacturer. The SN 2 opened my ears toward Naim, the nDAC/Mini or NDX/NAS beeing the likely sources.

It is hard not to notice the Hugo around here and my local Naim dealer carries Chord as well. But I never liked the the amps styling.

The MA-1 would stretch my budget, but might just be within its limits. The same can't be said about the EMM amplifiers, not to mention the box count.

Before anyone feelsa need to point this out: yes, box count and looks are not the prime objective when it come to HiFi. But they are important to me, so these considerations will play a part in my decision. Feel free to disagree as long as your money is involved

? I do not understand. Why should the nDAC be limited to 24/96 via Toslink? I am just playing 24/192 files through my nDAC (via a M2Tech hiFace Evo) and both the electrical and the optical SPDIF inputs work fine. Best, nbpf 

nbpf:

Is it not true that, when running Toslink directly out of the Mac Mini (not via a USB-SPDIF converter) that you are indeed limited to 96/24?

On a somewhat related note: I have read of the Mac Mini's excellent low-jitter digital output, however does this remain true for the latest revision of the Mac Mini?

Box count is important to me, however that is really tied to budgetary concerns. Aesthetically, I would prefer a system from one manufacturer. The Hugo is a popular piece and for good reason. However, it is not the only option and some may still choose from Naim's stable of DAC options - and there is merit in such a choice.

I prefer the synergy of an all-Naim system. To my ears - and for my system they are all that matter - it sounds better.

As far as I know, the amount of data representing a 192/24 datastream is beyond the specifications of the toslink interface. With the right (low jitter) source and a good reciever things can work.

I do not know. I have never used a mac mini. It seems that some optical SPDIF cables are limited to 96/24 and it is possible that some (or even all) mac mini SPDIF optical outputs are limited to 96/24 as well. But the nDAC inputs certainly are not. I have both the electrical (DC1 BNC to BNC)  and the optical (Supra ZAC) outputs of my M2TECH hiFaceEvo USB->SPDIF converter connected to the nDAC and both work fine at 192/24. The Digi+ is advertised to support both optical and electrical SPDIF up to 192/24. I would expect both to work fine with the nDAC. Best, nbpf

I see. Indeed, I had problems with some 88.2/24 files and a M2TECH hiFace Evo connected to the nDAC via a commodity optical cable. Strangely enough, the same connection worked fine on 192/24 files. With the Supra cable (10m !) which I use to connect to an iMac for videos, I have no problems with the M2TECH, no matter which files I play. Best, nbpf

According to the "Product Guide Fiber-Optic Devices" 2008-3 from Toshiba (the TOS in Toslink) Toslink is able to handle data rates up to 50 Mbit/sec.But those defined as general-purpose optical modules have a data rate of up to 6 Mbit/sec. These will be the ones usually found in computers and surely some DACs as well.

With a data rate of 4.6 Mbit/sec for 24/96 audio and twice as much for 192/24 this can be a bottleneck.

If you look at some of the DACs measured by John Atkinson from Stereophile, you will see some with the ability to lock 24/192 datastreams withs others limited to 24/96.

Thanks Mulberry ! EastEnder, if you go the Pi + Digi+ way, please report your findings. Best, nbpf