I have been using a Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB version) as a PiHole Machine, Plex Media Server, Deluge Seedbox and SAMBA Network drive. Seeing how people had been using RPi for audio streaming too and made a viable business out of it, I wanted to try something similar yet different myself.
I was looking for creating a Balanced Streaming Setup. For that, I had everything; Balanced DAC, Balanced Amps but a Source was still missing. Was confused between Mi Box 4K, WXC-50 or something RPi based. As already had a RPi 3B+ and Zero W with me, decided to go for something unique and ultra-portable. Besides this other reasons for such consideration were:
Upon initial boot-up, it was a normal Volumio setup, configured the Network share in Volumio and also assigned the MAC of Pi a Static IP in Network Router's table.
Now came the Trial and Error part.
As the Data port of Pi Zero is capable of powering the board too, first try was to connect the Pi's Data port with DAC's USB input port. No Dice. Pi didn't power up so guess the Type B input port of DAC is Data only.
In next attempt, connected the Power port of Pi with DAC's Ext port and the Data Port with USB input port of DAC.
Pi did boot up but Volumio didn't recognize the DAC, even though the DAC is in USB DAC Compatibility list of Volumio. SSHed into Volumio and ran lsusb -t and aplay -L. Neither the USB device was listed nor did ALSA listed any compatible hardware. Thought it to be some config error so decided to pause it and hit the hay.
Next morning tried it again but this time with a different Micro USB OTG adapter.
Voila! Volumio recognized the CA DAC and Audio was streaming from Network drive to it without any issue. In Bubble UPnP, Volumio was showing up as UPnP Renderer so was able to stream music from my Android phone to Volumio to CA DAC. Didn't try the Bluetooth streaming but I'm optimistic that it too would work.
Now as this "jerry-rigged setup" doesn't bodes well for cables and connectors involved, I decided to use a Customized USB Type A board for Pi Zero which provides a full sized Type A male port replete with Power and Data lines as it taps into both from the Pi board. While this provides a direct and better connection of Pi Zero to Ext port of the DAC, getting the Data out from Pi to the DAC still required connection from Micro USB port to type B input port through various adapters/dongles.
As a proof of concept, it worked. In next phase, to make it practically viable, I intend to solder the GPIO headers and go for a Digi ZERO Hat and feed DAC with Optical signal from HAT. Currently sourcing this HAT is an issue as it's available only with Element14 and I have no GST ID. An Element14 authorized reseller FidesElectronics has it in stock but don't know if it can trusted. Moreover Fides have shifted to new domain, Components4u.in and have listed a Whatsapp contact number so will talk to them to work something out.
In phase 3, I will try to see if providing cleaner power to both Pi and DAC from a powerbank have any improvement in SQ. Along with this I will try to have a Hotspot based streaming in Volumio so that it can be a truly wireless streamer, capable of operating in even no network scenario(such as in my village where there is no WiFi).
Will keep posting updates.
I was looking for creating a Balanced Streaming Setup. For that, I had everything; Balanced DAC, Balanced Amps but a Source was still missing. Was confused between Mi Box 4K, WXC-50 or something RPi based. As already had a RPi 3B+ and Zero W with me, decided to go for something unique and ultra-portable. Besides this other reasons for such consideration were:
- Small Physical footprint
- Very Low Power Consumption
- Singular solution for WiFi and Bluetooth based streaming
- High Customization potential
Upon initial boot-up, it was a normal Volumio setup, configured the Network share in Volumio and also assigned the MAC of Pi a Static IP in Network Router's table.
Now came the Trial and Error part.
As the Data port of Pi Zero is capable of powering the board too, first try was to connect the Pi's Data port with DAC's USB input port. No Dice. Pi didn't power up so guess the Type B input port of DAC is Data only.
In next attempt, connected the Power port of Pi with DAC's Ext port and the Data Port with USB input port of DAC.
Pi did boot up but Volumio didn't recognize the DAC, even though the DAC is in USB DAC Compatibility list of Volumio. SSHed into Volumio and ran lsusb -t and aplay -L. Neither the USB device was listed nor did ALSA listed any compatible hardware. Thought it to be some config error so decided to pause it and hit the hay.
Next morning tried it again but this time with a different Micro USB OTG adapter.
Voila! Volumio recognized the CA DAC and Audio was streaming from Network drive to it without any issue. In Bubble UPnP, Volumio was showing up as UPnP Renderer so was able to stream music from my Android phone to Volumio to CA DAC. Didn't try the Bluetooth streaming but I'm optimistic that it too would work.
Now as this "jerry-rigged setup" doesn't bodes well for cables and connectors involved, I decided to use a Customized USB Type A board for Pi Zero which provides a full sized Type A male port replete with Power and Data lines as it taps into both from the Pi board. While this provides a direct and better connection of Pi Zero to Ext port of the DAC, getting the Data out from Pi to the DAC still required connection from Micro USB port to type B input port through various adapters/dongles.
As a proof of concept, it worked. In next phase, to make it practically viable, I intend to solder the GPIO headers and go for a Digi ZERO Hat and feed DAC with Optical signal from HAT. Currently sourcing this HAT is an issue as it's available only with Element14 and I have no GST ID. An Element14 authorized reseller FidesElectronics has it in stock but don't know if it can trusted. Moreover Fides have shifted to new domain, Components4u.in and have listed a Whatsapp contact number so will talk to them to work something out.
In phase 3, I will try to see if providing cleaner power to both Pi and DAC from a powerbank have any improvement in SQ. Along with this I will try to have a Hotspot based streaming in Volumio so that it can be a truly wireless streamer, capable of operating in even no network scenario(such as in my village where there is no WiFi).
Will keep posting updates.
It's clear now!
