Help a Newb build a "Roon Ready/RAAT" Network Player/streamer and DAC
Hi, I am a newb to building really anything electronic. I have rewired a guitar and put new pickups and a switch in. But, that is about it. So I hope this question is not dumb. I am moving away from SONOS and want to build a network player/streamer out of a Raspberry Pi of some variant, with a HAT to separate the sound output, that has USB out for at least one unit. I may need some other units that have digital out, but I seem to find more information readily available about those. Separate power supplies could be cool. Don't think I will go as far as batteries like Allo does. I want to run Ropiee and have it be RAAT compliant and "Roon Ready" so I can combine all my devices throughout the house via Roon. Ultimately, I will be running around 5 or 6 of these. I am using a Mac Mini with a swapped in SSD as my Roon Core. (currently just on the free trial).
I do want hi-rez and to be able to finish "unfolding" MQA in a DAC. I have a Meridian Explorer 2 to start (thus the USB) but will probably build some others. I guess that would be a separate thread or something I would find in the DAC section.
Is there a thread or a how to somewhere that will tell a guy who normally is a Mac user and though can figure out networks and setting stuff up doesn't normally pull apart his PC and swap stuff out and build stuff how to do this?? 🙂. Thanks!!
Hi, I am a newb to building really anything electronic. I have rewired a guitar and put new pickups and a switch in. But, that is about it. So I hope this question is not dumb. I am moving away from SONOS and want to build a network player/streamer out of a Raspberry Pi of some variant, with a HAT to separate the sound output, that has USB out for at least one unit. I may need some other units that have digital out, but I seem to find more information readily available about those. Separate power supplies could be cool. Don't think I will go as far as batteries like Allo does. I want to run Ropiee and have it be RAAT compliant and "Roon Ready" so I can combine all my devices throughout the house via Roon. Ultimately, I will be running around 5 or 6 of these. I am using a Mac Mini with a swapped in SSD as my Roon Core. (currently just on the free trial).
I do want hi-rez and to be able to finish "unfolding" MQA in a DAC. I have a Meridian Explorer 2 to start (thus the USB) but will probably build some others. I guess that would be a separate thread or something I would find in the DAC section.
Is there a thread or a how to somewhere that will tell a guy who normally is a Mac user and though can figure out networks and setting stuff up doesn't normally pull apart his PC and swap stuff out and build stuff how to do this?? 🙂. Thanks!!
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A simpler recipe without a hat or separate power supply I found included: Raspberry Pi 4, CanaKit USB-C Power Supply, FLIRC case, and SanDisc Ultra 16GB Micro SDHC. In order to add a HAT, I presume I need to order a different hat type board and a different case. and another power supply. Preferably a clean one. Maybe I am going too far with that.
So basically, it is like I am wanting to build an Allo DigiOne Signature with clean supply, but with USB out instead of SPDIF.
Or am I thinking about this all wrong? As I said, my goal is a high-rez streamer with USB out that can be "Roon Ready" and feed a DAC that can unfold MQA fully.
So basically, it is like I am wanting to build an Allo DigiOne Signature with clean supply, but with USB out instead of SPDIF.
Or am I thinking about this all wrong? As I said, my goal is a high-rez streamer with USB out that can be "Roon Ready" and feed a DAC that can unfold MQA fully.
As a first step, why not try just a Pi 4 with the official power supply ? Install ropiee and have it output the audio via USB to your DAC. I feed a Khadas Tone Board DAC this way and all sounds good to me.
You can then always look at adding a HAT for SPDIF. Elsewhere in the house I use a Digi+ Pro to feed a DAC via coax SPDIF. I power the HAT from the Pi, but adding a separate power supply is something that can be done as a next step.
You can then always look at adding a HAT for SPDIF. Elsewhere in the house I use a Digi+ Pro to feed a DAC via coax SPDIF. I power the HAT from the Pi, but adding a separate power supply is something that can be done as a next step.
Ok. I did not know there was an official power supply. Why not a 3+ rather than a 4? I have been looking at the Allo USBridge or USBridge sig as an example.
The Pi 3 has a shared USB/ethernet bus, which could be a potential bottleneck if you are using wired networking and a USB interface to the DAC. I am not sure if anyone has shown that this causes an issue in real life, but the redesigned Pi 4 circuit does not have this.
There is an issue with the first/current generation Pi 4 USB-C power connector not recognising all USB-C power supplies, which is why I mention the official PSU which is known to work and is cheap enough.
You could go the Allo route, but it may be cheaper and simpler to try with just a Pi 4 alone as a first step. It may be all that you need. Having said that, if you want to go the whole hog with the Allo setup, then why not.
There is an issue with the first/current generation Pi 4 USB-C power connector not recognising all USB-C power supplies, which is why I mention the official PSU which is known to work and is cheap enough.
You could go the Allo route, but it may be cheaper and simpler to try with just a Pi 4 alone as a first step. It may be all that you need. Having said that, if you want to go the whole hog with the Allo setup, then why not.