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

When it was crashing, I tried both the Meanwell PS and a 24v LPS, with no change in the shutting down behavior. I do have another RPi board and the 5v RPi PS which I can try when I have a little more time. I'm kinda swamped with a work project right now. Thanks for following up. Since the issue seems to be intermittent, let me monitor it for a few days.

 

My friend, Qstik, pointed me to a discussion about RPi temperature issues. If he is around, maybe he can toss in a link. As I recall, the issue wasn't the RPi main processor, but another chip that was getting hot. I probably overreacted, but I tipped the RPi + Pi2AES on it's side (Michael's suggestion), removed the case end where the USB connections are (more air flow), added a stick-on heat sink to the CPU and the "hot" chip, and drilled holes in the case, especially between the RPi and the Pi2AES. I can't recall the temp difference, but it was not small. This might be overkill, but it's cheap, easy, and addresses a sometimes issue with the RPi, while the Pi2AES seems fine for temp.

 

The "other" hot chip is the wifi antenna.

 

I think I've deciphered what's going on. I was in the habit of having a web browser open with the Ropieee app running all the time when listening, and then shut down the RPi through the app when done. If I then rebooted with the browser still open, there would be a conflict between the Ropiee app and Roon, and Roon would connect for a few seconds or so and then drop the connection. The Ropiee app would not connect either. Shutting down the browser stops the app from conflicting with Roon, and things work normally.

 

To clarify this: if you shut down via the browser, the URL in the browser becomes .../shutdown and then if you visit that URL again after rebooting the Pi, the result will be another shutdown.

 

This could be a DHCP thing in your network - when you reboot, the PI is perhaps getting a new address from whatever device is assigning addresses in your network. If you're trying to connect to it in a browser tab that is resolving to the old address this might cause issues.

 

That's exactly it. I was overthinking this. Thanks!

 

Can the pi2aes be a preamp?
(connected to a power amp)

Also, is anyone using minidsp?

 

The Pi2AES has no analog outputs, so no.

 

Absolutely correct, the Pi2AES is a digital source to connect to a DAC. All outputs are digital.

You could use digital attenuation in your player software to avoid having a preamp, so a chain of Pi2AES -> DAC -> amplifier, but I would consider that risky if not dangerous considering the possibility of accidentally sending full scale signal.

You could also use a DAC with built-in attenuation control. They do exist.

 

Attenuation control - do you mean volume? Or its ability to also be an amp (I had a DAC that was also an amp without volume control, and now have one that is a DAC+amp, with volume)

 

Attenuation = volume. Volume controls don't turn the signal up. They attenuate the incoming signal down.

 

Hmm yea my dac has a volume knob. I'll try that

 

PI2AES Status update - 02/25/2022

As mentioned before our assembly person contracted Covid. Sick but not hospitalized for which we are grateful. But, their recovery took much longer than hoped and they have just come back to work. Covid is a mean and nasty virus, so please take care of yourselves as best as you can.

As of now, orders placed 1/1/22 to 1/15/22 should ship by the beginning of March, orders placed 1/16 to 1/31 ship about two weeks later, and all further orders by the middle of April.

Thanks so much to all our customers for the incredible patience you have shown us. We can only hope the end results are worth it!

 

1st post, so be gentle. I want to use a Pi2AES into a Gustard X26 Pro DAC via I2S, but am concerned the bass may be overwhelming. Anybody tried this combo, and if so, how did you find the sound quality, esp. bass. Thanks,

 

The pi2aes is a digital audio output device. As such it sends only the exact data from your audio file. Unless your dac does something to modify this data there can be no bass boost, or treble or balance, etc.

Perhaps someone was messing around with the source files or the dac filters.

 

Thanks Michael, I'll have to check into that. It's just that I've noticed when I switch out my Sonore MicroRendu for the Pi2AES, the bass seems to be deeper, more pronounced. Of course, I have to use USB out of the Sonore, and cannot do so with the PI2AES, so that may be making a difference, I don't know. Anyway, I'll keep experimenting. Thanks again.

 

Please post your results. It is an interesting behavior. It would be good to know where it comes from.

 

Could be the difference in the USB vs SPDIF implementation in your DAC. What protocol/software are you using for streaming/playback?

 

Compare with the USB output from the RPi (instead of Pi2AES).