PI streamer / Roon recommendations for Naim DAC

I am running roon server off a custom NAS running in virtual. On the hifi side I just have a Pi3 running Roopie. Works fine to my ears.

If you want Roon, you could consider an Innuos server. These support Roon, iRadio, Tidal etc. as well as being ripper/servers, so you get a lot more functionality that you get with the Core. 

If you're comfortable with it, just get a Pi and do your thing . . . otherwise the Allo solution is good for those who want something closer to plug and play.

If you looking to use Roon. Then I would use Ropieee as the base software on the pi. It supports most DACs or Digi hats for the pi is designed purely for Roon, has touch screen support for now playing and remote control. It's pretty much plug and play and the developer is active on Roons website. 

If your not going Roon then go for dietpi as the os for the pi and again it supports most DACs and digi hats. It's a bit more fiddely to setup but has a wide amount of other players you can use. 

Recommended HATs come from HifiBerry, IQAudio and Allo. Some rave about Allo but I have found the HifiBerry stuff to be great.

Thinking of going back down the Pi >>2Qute route again and the plug and play option really appeals to me as the last time I had a HifiBerry Digi+ /Pi I was really happy with the sound I just could not get my head around setting it up to run by itself without my laptop being on and couldn't do even the very minimal amount of programming it required and every forum I went on for advice really wasn't for people with my level of skills.

So a plug and play option is very good for me I briefly read the Ropiee website and liked the idea of the touch screen Pi running totally independently. Can these Ropiee Pi solutions be purchased as a built unit inc screen ready for use or do they have to be built and programmed?

Ropieee is only for creating a Roon endpoint from a Pi. Do you have Roon in your setup already? 

There is only one ready to go Touchscreen solution that I know  off and that's Audiophonics RaspTouch. You can choose the os to install on the SD card or it comes with some i think. Not sure how well supported there own hats are, they used to supply IQAudio stuff with it but know it's branded as their own. So you would need to check with the author of Ropieee to ask if they are supported. You can contact him easily enough from Roon forum in the Audio products section.

Ropieee itself is all configured by a simple web browser UI where you set the soundcard (hat) your using , what Roon Zone you want the display to control and setup wireless etc. Go got a pi3 b+ as they now have 5ghz wireless built-in .

Hi Lino, it might be a slight variant of what you are asking, but I like to keep things really simple... usually the best SQ follows. I use a Naim streamer, but I then use my Pi as UPnP proxy for Tidal and Qobuz .. and this way, especially with Qobuz many masters sound just about indistinguishable from home rips on the NAS... I use some software on the Pi called BubbleUPnP Server.. it’s currently free. There is no Roon etc but it’s nice and simple and sounds superb... it can also transcode Qobuz and Tidal to WAV, just like how Naim prefers it... and because you  are delivering the media via Ethernet to the streamer the vast majority of the SQ issues involved with USB interfacing are avoided.

Thanks for that SPARNOLD very helpfull I'll check that out later.

thanks for all the replies on this, i've got some thinking to do before i go ahead

cheers

You might also want to have a look at Volumio for the Pi and the new service MyVolumio (in Beta) which provides Qobuz and Tidal integration for a small monthly fee. 

I decided to go for the Allo DigiOne / Pi3 B+ with Ropieee and I must say I am pretty impressed with it already, I am using Roon server on my imac  and it all seems to be really good. I would say this is great value for money considering the sound quality..