Raspberry Pi I2S to SPDIF Hat

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Michael Kelly, Apr 30, 2016.

  1. blubliss

    blubliss Friend

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    @Michael Kelly is your build/delivery time still 2-3 weeks on the PI2AES and case?
     
  2. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Generally that is still true, however we have a small batch that I am currently testing over the weekend and will be ready for shipment tomorrow. So depending upon how many of those are spoken for, it is possible we could get one out right away. Otherwise it’s 2 to 3 weeks.

    Michael
     
  3. blubliss

    blubliss Friend

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    Thanks, order placed.
     
  4. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Great! I’ll check with my production manager tomorrow to find out if our backlog is more than what we just built.

    Michael
     
  5. cxb1

    cxb1 New

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    Just bought and installed your Pi2AES on top of a 2MB Pi4.
    As a 'newbie', I've decided to use Volumio as my Player app: it's simple and straight-forward.

    My observations, after a short time:
    1. The Pi2AES is very well designed and engineered: outstanding density of components in such a small space, and the flow-soldering looks exceptional.
    2. The acrylic case is superb. I thought the Pi4 might be too hot for it, but it's kept barely warm.
    3. The sound is GREAT!!! Thanks. I've tried XLR and Optical, and prefer (very marginally) XLR. Construction was very simple.
    4. I've not explored it's full capability: I'm running this into 24/96k equipment, a room correction system, followed by speaker management and into 4 stereo amp channels. There's a lot of tuning to be done, with several upgrade projects (eg repairing the ribbon tweeters.....hint: do NOT vacuum clean ribbon tweeters, or let anyone else near them....) To me, tuning the speaker stacks makes more difference than practically anything else: timing, phasing and removing resonant frequencies while maintaining a black background.
    5. Volumio also offers DSD support, and importantly for me, down-converting to 24/96k using 'Very High' Quality conversion. I was surprised the Pi4 handled this so easily.

    A small question which probably betrays a lot of ignorance. My input level meters pretty well max out on the digital input: I get 0db warnings quite often and have had to extend the input headroom by 10dbU (from +12dbU to +22dbU) - I've not seen this on other digital or analog inputs. I'm not actually sure where these levels are being set. Perhaps you can comment - it seemed unusual.

    Very happy listening to Joe Cocker..... I heard him once in Australia in 1976. An amazing voice.
    Regards,
     
  6. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    I am so happy that you are happy and are enjoying the music which is the point of all of this. Your question about levels is not necessarily one that I can answer. Because the output is digital,The analog level that is it output from 0dB input is dependent upon your
    DAC. Perhaps you need to adjust the volume from within Volumio?

    Michael
     
  7. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Finally got everything together with my new Pi2AES, which replaces a 502DAC on my work music setup. Testing it now at home: Pi2AES+Pi 3 + PiTouch screen + music SSD + Meanwell PS (for Pi2AES+Pi) + 5V PS for PiTouch. Latest moOde configured for HiFIBerry Digi+ Pro. Listening to Miles's Kind of Blue via best home setup: Yggdrasil A2>Eddie Current Aficionado> ZMF Verité headphones. It passes this listen test, for sure.
     
  8. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Pictures please! We need to get our audiophool porn fix!

    Cheers,
    Michael

    Edit: Also, even more important, how does it sound?
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
  9. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Pics below. A bit messy because this is not the ultimate place for the Pi2AES. I'll post next week with my (less phoolish) work setup. EC Af in the foreground. Apex Peak in the middle. In the back, Pi assembly on a plastic box on top of the Yggdrasil. SPL Phonitor XE behind. Blue AES cable from Pi2AES to Yggdrasil.

    The complete scene:

    [​IMG]

    Detail:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
  10. earnmyturns

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    My Yggdrasil has one of the beta Unison USB boards, which I've been driving with an Allo USBridge powered by an Sbooster LPS (Allo board) and a wallwart (Sparky board) configured as a Roon Bridge. I had compared this with the Pi 3+502DAC setup powered by an Audiophonics LPS, either coax or AES to the Yggdrasil. USBridge>USB>Unison Yggdrasil sounded cleaner, less etched. But with Pi2AES the story changes. I have to persuade my wife (who has better hearing) to do a blind(ish) test, but if anything Pi2AES might be cleaner. Given how much work Schiit put into designing Unison to fit their DACs, if this stands it would be very impressive for Pi2AES, given that this USBridge>Unison setup sounded better than AES from an Auralic Aries Femto when I compared them extensively (sold the Aries).
     
  11. Jeffjazzer

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    Received my Pi2AES last week and Raspberry Pi4b with 4gb ram. Prior to this I had the 502dac and Pi3. I was having occasional distortion with this combo and thought it was from the 502dac. Surprisingly the problem was with the Pi3 after I ran Usb into my Yggdrasil. I really enjoyed the clarity of the 502dac into my Yggdrasil A2 Dac. I must say from aural memory the Pi2AES has upped the game and I didn’t think it could get better. I’m not going to say it blows away the 502dac. I hate when audiophiles use this prose. These are nuanced improvements that require the right equipment to resolve. The Pi2AES images better with a fuller sound stage and detail is improved slightly. Overall it is just more musical, more coherent and the 502dac was no slouch! My Eminent Technology planar speaker never sounded so good.
    Can’t understand why audiophiles spend big bucks for streamers. I am running the latest version of Moode which is close to plug and play and running AES to Yggdrasil. More audiophiles need to know about Michael Kelly’s products, his excellent customer service and this small wonder. I’m a happy man and as a professional pianist I’m not so easily pleased!
     
  12. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Minor question: My Pi2AES is mounted on the back of a PiTouch touchscreen. Unfortunately, the DC barrel adapter that came with the Meanwell power supply is too long, so I have to stand the PiTouch assembly on an improvised setup (see pics I posted earlier) to have room for the adapter. I've been trying to find an elbow version of the adapter but so far no luck. Suggestions? Thanks!
     
  13. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Maybe this:

    https://smile.amazon.com/CGTime-5-5...2.1mm+female+2.5mm+male&qid=1572444556&sr=8-7
     
  14. earnmyturns

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    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
  15. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    I am not sure why, but the images are not showing. And earlier images you posted are also no longer showing. Maybe it’s just something I’m doing on my set up?

    Michael
     
  16. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Thanks, you are right. I normally check on an incognito in Chrome window to make sure, and they showed earlier, but they are gone. Looking into it now.
     
  17. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    I think I fixed the pic links, let me know. The intricacies of selecting stable public URLs for Google Photos (I should know, I work there, but I keep getting mixed up).
     
  18. Biodegraded

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    Good for me - but they were before Michael's post, too. Chrome, logged in to SBAF.
     
  19. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    I know this is rather extravagant, but given that my home amps and headphones are what they are, I have ZMF Verité Closed and ECP DSHA 3F on order to replace the Æon Closed and HP-1 on this system :D
     
  20. Baten

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    Really sweet combos :eek: congrats
     

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