Tweaker's Rash

[jrling]

Maybe I should start trying to get Gordon to ditch all this faffing with Windows KS and get down to reworking Squeezelite on Linux. :-)

We don't have any evidence that Gordon has moved onto MQn KS yet. It does stand a chance of being the best achievable under Windows, but will take a lot of effort and expertise from Gordon to achieve.

I recall encouraging Gordon to rework Squeezelite on Linux some time ago and compile the player for the ARM platform. If I recall correctly, he was not keen on ALSA output for best SQ and declined. I have to say that I tried MpdPup way back, which is a dedicated minimal Linux-based player using MPD as the player and ALSA as the output driver. It had a 'Gordon' putting a lot of optimisation into the Linux kernel but still used standard MPD code as the renderer and TBH at the end of the day it was OK but not nearly up to MQn or JLP SQ.

I also tried Daphile, which uses standard Squeezeplay via ALSA on a dedicated Linux kernel; easy to set up and use and free. But ultimately it was disappointing compared to JLP.

I think that most Linux audiophile distributions either use MPD as the player (Volumio does) and my finding was that MPD is not a top notch player compared to MQn. Squeezelite outputting via Portaudio (JLP) on Windows is very good using WDM-KS as we all know. I have not been able to try 'standard' Squeezelite on Linux via ALSA to compare. Has anyone else?

Have to say that the Rpi seems to me to be unsuitable for our purposes and mainly attractive because of its price. BBB if you can get one is not that much more money and should be much better. My favourite (when it is ready) is the John Swenson/Triode Community Squeeze Project with dedicated PCM5102 DAC developed by JS and using Squeezelite on the ARM platform. Linux distro all compiled and ready to go. The hardware based on the Wandboard Dual or Quad should be stellar with the DAC being a 'carrier board' directly connected to the Wanboard. It is however taking a long time to come to market. But worth waiting for I reckon. JS really does know what he is talking about.

I am not sure if any of this helps, but it is just my experience. I admire all of you getting down to buying these SoC boards and giving it a go. Good for you and thanks for sharing your experiences.

Jonathan

[nige2000]

Think these Linux systems whether on bbb rpi and daphile on my audio pc
There was another Linux one can't remember what it's called
Now don't quote me cause I haven't done ab testing but this is my estimation
All Linux systems have a similar sound good
dynamics good
noise floor good
but lack heavily in detail
Which is great for bbb because it's not completely outclassed by daphile on my audio pc
Probably shows how noisy most pcs are
I'd imagine there's much work required in a player to solve this
I guess on paper these rpi bbb etc should be able to match our audio pcs or may even better them
I would even assume there are many lightly modified audio pcs that won't sound far off this quality at far more cost

Received sd card thanks Aleg

[jrling]

Hi Nige

As with Windows players, there is a wide range of SQ performance on Linux too. Then there is the player. MPD is average, I think.

But what we have got is Squeezelite - which is undoubtedly good as Gordon has demonstrated. And of course has the convenience of Android/iOS remote control.

There are a plethora of ARM-based platforms out there. Many are cheap and affordable. The best IMHO is the Wandboard Quad - a really good spec A9 Cortex available in Quad-core with 2GB RAM, Wi-fi, Bluetooth and SATA on board for £92. http://www.wandboard.org/index.php/buy Add a 5v 2A PSU of your choice and you are up & running. Dual-core only £62.

More to the point, the Community Squeeze Player Project http://www.communitysqueeze.org/ has Triode working for it and has a Squeezelite Linux distro for the Wandboard already to go. All sorted.

Even better, John Swenson will have a PCM5102 DAC custom made for the board and direct connection via I2S.

I personally can't wait for that to be available. For curing Tweakers Rash, it has to be the ultimate.

[nige2000]

Bbb and ciunas just got steamrolled my mqn 100000
Think a lot of fault in software

Have to get the bbb going on i2s
Timing seemed off on the rpi i2s

Wow makes mqn sound amazing

[LowOrbit]

I have to quietly (well not very!) disagree.

Last weekend I reinstalled my WaveIO interface, plugged back in my pc and fired up the latest incarnations of MQN. I gave it a fair listen, then returned to picoreplayer running I2S directly from RPi into the Buffalo. It was closer that I expected (Gordon has nailed it with MQN) but the little Pi came out well ahead, especially when I listened for detail retrieval. The RPi digs deeper. Not by a huge amount, but when you combine the SQ with ease of use, support for FLac and Wav in all flavours upto (current config) 32/192, low power (and ignoring the hundreds of pounds difference in cost) I won't be going back to MQN or any other Windows player again.

I have a BBB now (arrived today) and I can't get a configuration working yet that gives me a renderer and I2S. May be fiddling till late into the night!

My comment regarding Gordon turning his attentions to Linux weren't meant seriously.

But I will say again, this only makes a difference with a good I2S dac. Daphile fails, like most other Linux audio because it doesn't offer I2S. And that may be Windows biggest failing too. Embedded hardware with direct I2S short circuits most of the stuff that Gordon has been trying to code around. But you still need a top notch dac to make music out of it.

[Aleg]

...

Received sd card thanks Aleg

That was fast.
Did it boot your BBB?

Cheers

Aleg

[nige2000]

I have to quietly (well not very!) disagree.

Last weekend I reinstalled my WaveIO interface, plugged back in my pc and fired up the latest incarnations of MQN. I gave it a fair listen, then returned to picoreplayer running I2S directly from RPi into the Buffalo. It was closer that I expected (Gordon has nailed it with MQN) but the little Pi came out well ahead, especially when I listened for detail retrieval. The RPi digs deeper. Not by a huge amount, but when you combine the SQ with ease of use, support for FLac and Wav in all flavours upto (current config) 32/192, low power (and ignoring the hundreds of pounds difference in cost) I won't be going back to MQN or any other Windows player again.

I have a BBB now (arrived today) and I can't get a configuration working yet that gives me a renderer and I2S. May be fiddling till late into the night!

My comment regarding Gordon turning his attentions to Linux weren't meant seriously.

But I will say again, this only makes a difference with a good I2S dac. Daphile fails, like most other Linux audio because it doesn't offer I2S. And that may be Windows biggest failing too. Embedded hardware with direct I2S short circuits most of the stuff that Gordon has been trying to code around. But you still need a top notch dac to make music out of it.

i need a better i2s dac i know that
dont be mad at me all i mean is i havent got rpi/bbb sq that good yet

don't worry i've not given up theres definitely something here to be got

dunno if i want to get a buffalo 3 for this project
what other good i2s dacs is there out there

[nige2000]

...

Received sd card thanks Aleg

That was fast.
Did it boot your BBB?

Cheers

Aleg

yes first time

then it wouldnt, the it would, then it wouldnt unless i pressed the boot button , then it wouldnt unless i pushed the sd card in just before boot etc stc
then my sd card started to work
to be honest i nearly put a hammer through it,

i formatted onboard drive been working since touch wood

thanks again Aleg your a star

[taggart]

what other good i2s dacs is there out there

Have this one (with 4 DAC boards):
http://www.dddac.com/dddac1794_construction.html
I'm using it with WaveIO.

[nige2000]

what other good i2s dacs is there out there

Have this one (with 4 DAC boards):
http://www.dddac.com/dddac1794_construction.html
I'm using it with WaveIO.

wow
thats a whole lot of real estate

that would keep me busy for a while

assume the sq must be fantastic to warrant so many parts