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Sensible tweaks to an RPI4 based streamer?

miktec said:
The only real irk I have with the bog standard RPi design-wise is the connections being spread across two sides which makes a less obtrusive use just that bit more complicated.

Generally I have managed to get round that via modifications to the circuit board, component layout and related case modifications.
Quite easy to do with the RPi provided you are OK with cutting tin and surface mount soldering :eek:

Once you've crossed that bridge a much more amenable design is possible.
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When I had a Pi and Khadas Tone board I stuck the lot inside a eddy ardo case;)
 
Diminishing returns kick in almost immediately with CA , especially the last few years and much of it due to the Pi. It’s a hobby so for some chasing the rainbow is part and parcel, when I was overclocking PCs to wring every extra bit out of a benchmark there wasn’t a real world reason, same trying to get a couple extra horses out of a 500bhp engine, will you even notice it out on the road? Thing is you know in your own mind it’s there.

The fancy power supplies can make a noticeable difference in my experience and some want nice aesthetics, for me that’s important, I don’t mind in the office being a mess gubbins strung together, but in the lounge I want the HiFi to look the part, I’ve been chasing this rainbow for 40 years, for some it’s a waste of money for me it’s integral to the hobby and I feel good seeing it and listening to it.

Nowt wrong getting to a sweet spot and just sitting back enjoying the result/tunes, also imho nowt wrong with enjoying a prolonged journey with nice stops on the way.
 
Marchbanks said:
There’s a little peer pressure too. “You can’t tell the difference between a bog-standard Pi and another upgraded to Mega-blaster level 6 at ten times the price? Really? Well I’m sorry, but that simply means the rest of your system isn’t revealing enough and all needs to be upgraded too. I can let you have a price list...”
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Absolutely! It’s a huge factor too.
 
clownfish said:
Check out the Darko video review of the Pi based Allo DigiOne Signature. He thinks it sounds better than the Auralic G.1.

I have no experience of the Auralic but have to say it does sound very good indeed. Noticeably better than other kit I’ve used including other Pi technologies. Maybe you don’t have to wait for the new norm ;)
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Thanks. The Darko reviews of the Pi ( I think there are are at least 2) were what persuaded me to go the Pi route in the first place. So although I’m over the moon with my Pi4/Allo Digione Signature HAT, I appreciate that I simply don’t have the experience to know how it stacks up againt something costing (say) £1000_1500. Not that I could ever justify spending that much on a streamer, but one day I would at least like to know how big the difference is/could be.
 
I have a pi3, used as a file source via USB into a Gustard A18 it sounds identical to my macbookpro running Audivarna. Used as a dac with a huge battery power supply, fifopi reclocker with crystek clocks, dual ess 9038 dac board and a transformer output board, with all rails on their own regs it sounds great, but no better than the raw pi into the Gustard.

I guess my Bruno putzeys pre, nerochrome amps and ns1000m with RAAL ribbons aren't resolving enough, :rolleyes:
 
Amber Audio said:
Diminishing returns kick in almost immediately with CA , especially the last few years and much of it due to the Pi. It’s a hobby so for some chasing the rainbow is part and parcel, when I was overclocking PCs to wring every extra bit out of a benchmark there wasn’t a real world reason, same trying to get a couple extra horses out of a 500bhp engine, will you even notice it out on the road? Thing is you know in your own mind it’s there.

The fancy power supplies can make a noticeable difference in my experience and some want nice aesthetics, for me that’s important, I don’t mind in the office being a mess gubbins strung together, but in the lounge I want the HiFi to look the part, I’ve been chasing this rainbow for 40 years, for some it’s a waste of money for me it’s integral to the hobby and I feel good seeing it and listening to it.

Nowt wrong getting to a sweet spot and just sitting back enjoying the result/tunes, also imho nowt wrong with enjoying a prolonged journey with nice stops on the way.
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But when you can hide it and use your Ipad to control, it’s like magic. No aesthetics to worry about.
 
Del monaco said:
But when you can hide it and use your Ipad to control, it’s like magic. No aesthetics to worry about.
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But I “know” it’s there, and it’s a computer so feels like I’m still at work :) I get the performance/£ and stick it out the way argument totally. Plenty options for folk to choose, so long as you’re happy and enjoying the music does it matter.

I wish Cyrus would stick a Pi in a case like Bryston did, the Cyrus streaming gear is pants, my OCD would be sated too as all the kit would match :)
 
sq225917 said:
Could you buy a bust cyrus item and re-use the case? Something with just a front switch.
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I saw a guy on here had reused a Flatcap as a Pi case and another had 3D printed a Naim case to use as a streamer housing and match in with his Olive gear which did make me toy with the idea of something similar for my Cyrus system. Maybe using a broken CD (should be a few judging by comments about reliability) or PSX/DAB/FM tuner case and decanting a Pi+HiFiBerry Hat from a case I no longer use, it has a 2 line lcd but that looks like a step too far for the effort. Maybe even putting a separate power supply into the same case or another broken PSX case.

Might get into it once I’ve finished a couple of IT projects, take a while to source a case cos I’ll forget to keep looking, pretty sure I can tap some old motherboard standoffs/risers into the base to take the gubbins, would need to split the Cyrus open and see whats what.

Don't recall seeing any similar DIY projects with Cyrus gear but I don’t read many forums, mainly here, need to do a bit of googling.
 
Amber Audio said:
But I “know” it’s there, and it’s a computer so feels like I’m still at work :) I get the performance/£ and stick it out the way argument totally. Plenty options for folk to choose, so long as you’re happy and enjoying the music does it matter.

I wish Cyrus would stick a Pi in a case like Bryston did, the Cyrus streaming gear is pants, my OCD would be sated too as all the kit would match :)
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Didn't Westlake use one as well?
 
Del monaco said:
What exactly is the Stream Box Ultra? I’ve seen it talked about.
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Pi CM3 module + PSU + tweaks + Volumio

https://www.stereophile.com/content/pro-ject-audio-systems-stream-box-s2-ultra-network-bridge

Designed by John Westlake (footnote 1), whom I believe was also responsible for the Pre Box S2 Digital, the Stream Box S2 is based on the industrial Compute Module 3 version of the Raspberry Pi processor and runs a customized Volumio operating system. The operating system is installed on 12.79GB of onboard memory, which also can be used to store audio files. The file system supports PCM signals of resolutions up to 32-bit/352.8kHz, and DSD up to DSD256; all audio data are fed through to the USB-connected DAC.

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There was the little one based off the dimensions of the Naim Headline case. You could swap between olive and black fascia:

49158722572_94dfcb1b34_z.jpg

49158211177_1498e6da88_z.jpg


I also used a spare sleeve to make an enclosure for a Beresford 7510 DAC to go with my Nait 2:

43751084720_9f759962a1_z.jpg


Once I sold off all the Naim gear I made some generic ones:

50837283448_30f9833847_z.jpg


Fun projects!
 
I’m playing with Pi with all its inherent ugliness. Once I’ve settled on something( or abandoned it) it would be nice to either bury it or find a nice box. 3D printing comes to mind..
 
booja30 said:
There was the little one based off the dimensions of the Naim Headline case. You could swap between olive and black fascia:

49158722572_94dfcb1b34_z.jpg

49158211177_1498e6da88_z.jpg


I also used a spare sleeve to make an enclosure for a Beresford 7510 DAC to go with my Nait 2:

43751084720_9f759962a1_z.jpg


Once I sold off all the Naim gear I made some generic ones:

50837283448_30f9833847_z.jpg

50837283403_6ea3bebcf2_z.jpg


Fun projects!
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And very cool :)

Going to start a pic thread for peoples pies - hope you post these ;)
 
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