Pi2 Design Idiot-Proof Ready-To-Go RPi/AES Streamer

Just another request for the I2S settings on the Merc V2 to connect the Pontus II, please

 

The internal architecture of the raspberry pi, and thus the raspberry pi compute module used in mercury, is such that there are multiple, distinct audio output paths. They are HDMI, I2S, USB and analog audio out. The last one is on the pi only

The software players can enable any of these individually, but only HDMI can be used when any of the others are also enabled. So USB and I2S are exclusionary to one another. So yes, you can use USB output for audio but you have to disable what makes mercury mercury. That is the I2S path.

 

[Edit] Michael responded above.

 

If you run a full os like Raspian and install a media player like J River, you can use every output. I can compare the Pi2Aes AES or BNC output to the Yggys unison usb input easy enough.

 

Thank you Michael.

 

How do you switch between the USB and PI2AES outputs?

 

JRiver allows the user to set up multiple playback zones. I set one Zone to use the the Pi2AES and another to use the usb dac input. I can actually play to both zones at the same time and make comparisons by simply cycling through the dac inputs. There is a reason I haven't sold my Pi2AES...

 

Well I stand corrected. I thought the limitation was hardware driven, but clearly not if jriver works that way. Thank you for the info!

 

Mercury update - 01/19/2023

All back orders are complete. We are now shipping with less than one week lead time and should have 20 units on the shelf after next week. So if you’ve been holding back, do so no more!

 

Roon has zones as well... I wonder if I can do the same thing... never thought of that before!

 

However, PI2AES and USB out are not simultaneous, correct?

 

Simultaneous Mercury V2 USB & Coax success with RopieeeXL & Roon groups:









edit: Pi2AES simultaneous USB & coax as well:









-Ron

 

well that proves I know nothing!

 

Hi @Michael Kelly :
I am happily using GentooPlayer on Mercury V1 and playing DSD (over DoP) via I2S to my Holo Spring DAC.
But there is a rude person saying nasty things (on multiple forums) about me and about Mercury being incapable of DSD over I2S--for many months and I am tired of it.
He wants it proven with Volumio. I recall making DSD (over DoP) work with that OS long ago, but I overwrote my Volumio microSD card some time ago.
So I figured I'd just download the current Volumio image from your website and give it a go. However, when downloading I keep loosing the network connection to your DropBox and so the image is not complete. Maybe it is my slow (20Mbps on a good day) ADSL internet connection. And my own DropBox account is just a free one with 2GB space so I can not try first saving to that.
Do you have some alternate means for me to obtain your pre-configured/licensed Volumio image?

Many thanks,
--Alex C.

 

I feel you can download from Volumio directly and just select right HAT for audio output and should work. I don’t think any special configuration is needed for Mercury except for right HAT setting.

 

I believe that Roon considers them two separate outputs and is outputting the same music on both simultaneously. It is possible to use this with two separate receivers (multiple rooms, for example), and I've used it to compare different DACs or streamers connected to the same amplifier in the past. In a sense you're correct and incorrect at the same time.

 

You also need to enable usb host and external antenna (which is a new thing we just updated to our image).

 

Although I use Ethernet but did we have this configuration done in the OS shipped with V1?