Dummies Guide to Pi2AES! Throw away your PC or laptop.

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Jan 29, 2020.

  1. arboria

    arboria New

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    Ok. My question then is: can a real-time kernel on the PI improve the accuracy/reliability of the audio data clocked out to the pi2aes?
    What happens when the playback software or alsa mixer has latency delivering the audio data, does it fill the pi2aes clocks with zeroes?
     
  2. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Accuracy is determined by the PI2AES clocks. Latency is a whole different issue as are dropouts. If the PI has not data to send then it sends zero's. The PI2AES clocks just keep on clocking, it does not "fill" anything. Again, the PI2AES just sends clocks to the PI and receives whatever is on the data line.
     
  3. arboria

    arboria New

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    I didn't say the pi2aes fills with zeroes, but the software on the Raspberry PI.
    When I said accuracy/reliability of audio data I'm not talking about pi2aes clock accuracy now, but audio data.
    Since I'm discussing the convenience of rt-kernel from the start I am concerned about latency and dropouts with respect to fidelity of the signal to the pi2aes.

    I'm amazed whether there's not a software buffer that holds enough audio data in raspberry os audio stack for the output so as not to fill in zeroes in case of normal os latency..
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
  4. Dandou

    Dandou Acquaintance

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    I don't know the Linux distribution that you are using.
    But in GentooPlayer, MIN, RT and ST kernels work all very well with the RBi3 and RBi4 without any latency or dropouts issues.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
  5. arboria

    arboria New

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    I don't doubt it.. but how can we know there aren't any zeroes added regularly because of latency that we don't hear, i.e: a few samples per second or so. If there is a software buffer as in windows this can be discarded (we'd need a latency bigger than say a second buffer). I guess linux has one as well so we can discard a rt-kernel since it's not necessary...
     
  6. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Can I ask that you take this issue to another thread? This has zero to do with the PI2AES.
     
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  7. arboria

    arboria New

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    Yes I can, but I disagree it has zero to do with PI2AES. This is an audiophile-oriented board, specialized in accurate and clean digital signal. It needs the Raspberry Pi to function. I heard different audio OS perform differently sound quality-wise. So I think my question about the convenience or effect of a real-time kernel is relevant, and even you said dropouts or latency os-wise could have an effect.
     
  8. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Here’s the place you’re looking for: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/
     
  9. Dandou

    Dandou Acquaintance

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    Hello,
    Does anyone know if the I2S output of the PI2AES is compatible with the I2S input of Gustard DACs (the x26 Pro, and the R26 R2R)?
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2022
  10. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    PI2AES rev. P3.3 and earlier supports the Gustard pinout. P4 supports the PS Audio pinout. Mercury V1 supports PS Audio while V2 will have adjustable pinout supporting both, as well as most others.
     
  11. Dandou

    Dandou Acquaintance

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    Thank you.

    I ordered my PI2AES on February 2022.
    Is it revision P3.3 or P4?
     
  12. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    should be P4, but it is marked on the board itself next to the LEDs.
     
  13. Elleny

    Elleny New

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    Hello everyone and happy new year!!
    I have just ordered Pi2AES-Lite Audio Shield for DIY RPI4 Streamer. I have some questions about connectivity and power supply for this unit.

    i have to plug it to my Denon PMA800 Integrated Amplifier, which has SPDIF and Coaxial inputs. Which output is preferred on PI2AES or they should handle the job same ?

    Second question is about PSU. For now, i have cheap RPI Switching power supply. Could PI2AES Lite benefit from Quality LPS like Allo Shanti, if i connect it to RPI4 rather then shield itself?

    Thanks
     
  14. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Both the RCA (SPDIF) and the BNC (AES) have identical performance. But your dac might like one more than the other.

    As for psu, a linear driving the hat and a separate psu for the pi would give you the best results. Note that the difference may not be audible at all. The LITE has very low noise voltage regulators already.
     
  15. Elleny

    Elleny New

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    Thanks Michael for response!
    I'm planning to buy dedicated DAC with I2S input and will be perfect if board with I2S will be available any time soon.
    I have just emailed you from @hotmail.com (Purchase Mail)

    Thank you again.
     
  16. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    I'd thrown moode onto my pi since day 1 and was happy with it.. I was messing around with the settings today and was a bit annoyed by the fact that it wouldnt let me turn off resampling when using airplay (specifically in the airplay renderer options. SoX resampling in the MPD options was turned off), so after a lot of googling I gave up and figured I would try volumio (free). Did it an hour ago and I was surprised that it sounded a little different than I remember moode. Mid bass seems a touch less, stage is a touch wider.

    Is it just me or is this an actual thing?
     
  17. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

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    Went the opposite direction, Volumio to moOde. I thought Tidal Connect through Volumio Premium sounded slightly better than Tidal Airplayed via moOde when I first switched, but so slight a change I couldn't actually tell what was different. So small it also didn't put me off moOde either, with its superior stability, reliability, as well as the fact that it's subscription-less, it's one less monthly payment I have to worry about.
     
  18. haywood

    haywood Friend

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    Maybe? Assuming you like the change, don’t start comparing and ruin your free upgrade.

    As far as I know AirPlay always resamples to 16-bit 48 kHz. If Volumio doesn’t mention it then it’s not because it isn’t happening. DLNA or UPNP (I forget which) lets you stream at a higher bitrates.

    @caute it’s not Tidal connect but something like mConnect Lite or BubbleUPNP will let you stream in higher quality to moode (and presumably volumio) than airplay. Not as convenient last I looked but I’d been using tidal connect for a while.
     
  19. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    Ah, I had a feeling that volumio did the same - saying nothing does not indeed mean its not happening. but since the sound was a little different I had to ask. I dont really find moode or volumio an upgrade from each other in any other way except the web interface (which I dont really use). I always use Qobuz and i'm not paying for another subscription so I just need to figure out which of these two I end up sticking with based on sound alone.

    I did use bubbleupnp until a few months ago when I switched from Android to iOS. Since then I've just been using AirPlay since that was right in the native Qobuz app. I'll give mConnect player lite another try and see..
     
  20. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

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    Not sure if it's an mpd thang which they both use, but since version in December last year moode even sounded better than precious versions and I never noticed it before when updating.
     

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