Raspberry Pi2 and Hifiberry Digi+: A cheap transport that made me happier

More an experiment... if you study the pic/video closely, everything is there that you need. Prefer not to spell it out too easy in case there's a mistake etc.

I have been using this as my main source to a PSAudio DL3 mk IV -- and it does bring some of the dense, focused details, subtle vol changes (similar when running it with the piano2.1).

All hifiberry's saying is EMI suppression, so you should trace it to see if it is indeed a 3.3V reg. Probably driving the digital, pll, clocks... no separation.

They also added a resistor/cap between the crystals/wm8804.

Where do you see the description re: low noise reg— can't find that.

(I still only have the beta 1.1 board)

Thanks!

 

I got RPi 3 with Digi+ Pro and set it up with Runeaudio accessing a NAS disk through wireless.It was a pretty stunning experience both in terms of how easy it was and the results in SQ. I am using coax interface to DACMagic 100, or rather I was until DACmagic just died yesterday of natural causes which is the Cambridge Audio famous build quality. I was comparing it to JRiver on Win 7 going to the same DAC, same headphone amp and RPi has roughly the same sound quality, although I did not evaluate it very closely yet, plus it is completely silent, both the unit itself and there is zero background noise.
I am getting a new DAC but RPi 3 with Digi+ Pro is here to stay. The total cost of was <$100 that includes a regulated power supply instead of the RPi power adapter. I do not know about any other applications of RPi but as a dedicated music server with Runeaudio it is a killer.

 

Hello!

Some of you guys might get a kick out of this... interesting uses of the digi+ PRO and normal digi+

This DAC's (PSAudio DL3 cc IV) been my reference for awhile. So decided to update it, time to let it utilize the great developments with pi, hifiberry, FPGA’s, extreme low jitter etc!

Basically this is 1 (very good) time domain driving transport and dac instead of 2 -- (i2s is a no go at the moment)

Full story here:
http://www.psaudio.com/forum/latest-ps-audio-news/dliii-dac-update/


Stock Digi+ PRO, but Master clock into the Dac:



My refined slaved digi+ to kali (related to this prev post: Raspberry Pi2 and Hifiberry Digi+: A cheap transport that made me happier ) Notice pin29 kali --> pin36 hifiberry MCLK in jumper, and hifiberry clock is removed.



New MCLK in above the USB:



Select 192KHz allows master clock in / selecting 96KHz is stock operation:



Complete w/LT3042 LPS power: 3.3V into the hifiberry, 5V into the kali -- could take it farther: power the pi, wifi separately

 

Thats very impressive! You think the Kali is worth the investment?

 

I bought a bunch of Cambridge Audio separates at one point for casual living room listening. All of the components died, except for the tuner. I gave the tuner to a friend- who died. I'm sure they're not related, but you have to wonder...

Seriously, all of their powered kit seems to be crap. They have made some nice sturdy good value cables.. but if it needs power, steer clear. At least now you have an excuse to get a better DAC!

 

Thanks so much! Interesting isn't it?

I do like the concept of the Kali, but it's connection options are limited... also I think only the Kali384 is avail now? This is the Kali192. Also a Kali2 is being developed.

I'll be testing big time the Digi+PRO, 502DAC, and Kali here... to see if it's needed to go as far as the Kali....

—Scott

Waiting for this isolator also! Mentioned it awhile ago... http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...t-that-made-me-happier.1970/page-9#post-89017

 

IQAudio has also added a digi+ to their line, has anybody tried this?
http://iqaudio.co.uk/3-audio (scroll down a bit)

I'm using a Raspberry 3 with Hifiberry didi+ transformer and an sbooster. I've not done the extensive experiments like Scott and others here have but I found that active wifi as well as an active ethernet port degrade sound quality.
I'm looking realy looking forward to get the new speed2 once it is released.

BTW I'm using moode audio which works without hassle for more than 6 months now. And it's very comportable to use.

 

I can't detect any degradation in sound quality because of wifi or active ethernet cables. I think I've read somewhere that if you use grounded ethernet cable it will connect your Raspberry PI's ground to the ethernet network which will cause noise. But using an UTP ethernet cable should solve this problem.

 

It depends a lot on the setup. I'm using an usb stick as storage. I can hear the difference since I'm using the Valhalla 2 as an amp. The difference was smaller with my old ss amp, hardly noticable.
I'll try a grounded ethernet cable but I actually think it's the activity of the ethernet port that adds noise (or whatever it is) into the system, same with the wifi.
It's simply a little bit more clarity and soundstage.

I know power, cables etc are quite esoteric sometimes.

 

I mean you should NOT use a grounded ethernet cable, but I looked up the site where I'd read that and from the comments it seems it is (or was) a problem with the Hifiberry DAC not with the Digi.
http://www.crazy-audio.com/2013/10/tracking-down-noise-sources-on-a-raspberry-pi/

Yeah I think it depends on a lot of things: cables, power supply, it might be a problem with the RPI board or you may have concurring access points on the same channel etc. On my system I'm quite sure it doesn't make a difference.

 

I'll check the ethernet cable issue.

Thanks for the link, very interesting. Could be the reason why I have a difference.

 

@Vastx has been great in helping me to get started. But I have hit a problem that has me stumped. I am trying to use foobar as a controller, using upnp to send to mo0de and/or rune. 16 bit works fine. But when I try to set my foobar upnp output to 24 bit and play a hi-res file all i get is white noise, even if I play a 16 bit file. If I play the same file after mounting the disc on the pi through usb or through a NAS it plays fine. I want to use foobar, because its much better/faster at managing several Tb of files. Also I have everything set up for foobar already. Anyone else have this problem or have a suggestion?

 

I'm thinking of buying Raspberry Pi 3 and HifiBerry Dac+ or IQAudio PI-DAC Pro, but I'm not sure, should I hook it up to my computer SPDIF or directly to LAN? All my music are stored on my NAS.

 

Umm, I don't think you quite understand how it works. The Pi is a computer, and you'll be configuring it as a tiny headless server on your network, with an SPDIF out (or analogue, but eh).

Your computer's SPDIF is irrelevant, and indeed to be avoided like a nasty case of bum disease. The Pi won't generally have an SPDIF in, or any use for it, as it will be getting all the audio over the network, via SMB/CIFs, UnPnP or whatever else.

I would suggest picking up a Digi+ Pro and a Modi Multibit if you can afford it, connect it to the Pi with a good quality coax cable- it will sound much better than using a minature Pi DAC. There are other choices, but this is probably the best currently widely-available and sensibly-priced option. It's not supported in all the distros yet, but quite easy to get working.

I am having to repeat these really basic points so often that it's making me a little crazy. People really seem to have an allergy to searching, and the blind are avidly misleading the blind. f**k it, I'll try and pull a basic explanation of the whole thing together to try and reduce the burgeoning noise problem in discussions around this. It's getting quite frustrating, having to say the same things endlessly, and I can see me getting pretty rude soon otherwise. It's more helpful than calling people lazy arses and spamming them with dislikes

 

Thanks for your reply. I know PI is a computer but more than that I know nothing about it. Maybe there should be a thread about how it's suppose to be used? I'm guessing I'm not the only one that have read about PI on the net. To avoid further issues on this matter I wont post anything here no more. I got your message loud and clear. Gonna use GOOGLE next time for sure.

 

Don't worry, just blowing off steam. I'll try to pull something together to help.

 

I've tried an UTP ethernet cable but it didn't have any effect compared to other ethernet cables I have. I had hoped it might solve an issue I have with the ifi ipower, which generates a humming noise into my telephone when the Raspi is connected to the router, but that didn't change (I'm actually using a sbooster which doesn't behave like this).
I also went back switching the wifi on and it's quite noisy on my system. Still better than any computer USB though.
Well, it's audio and it's so esoteric and it's always interesting to experiment with the Raspi setup.
Just thought I would add my findings to the thread.

 

Interesting, thanks for the feedback. I have no other ideas. I've just tested my system and I have no noise at all, nada. It is night here, I'm alone in a really quiet home and no difference turning off the wifi or pulling out the ethernet cable, no noise either way.
Well that's not entirely true, I managed to get some kind of a noise plugging in my apple earphones. On the Jotunheim I got a high pitch noise on high gain when I turned the knob almost maximum but only when I was holding the knob. When I did't touch the knob I had no noise. With the Vali 2 I got a strange noise, like when you're tuning a radio, but only when the knob was between 2 and 3 o'clock. Before and past that it was completely quiet.

 

I'm just talking about a slight increase in soundquality, no strange noises and no problems in sound reproduction. It's maybe close to diffences in DS DACs. It's a bit more clarity and better soundstage.

What setup do you use?

I'm using:
-Pi3 with Hifiberry Digi+ transformer
-sbooster 5V
-USB sticks as storage
-Moode audio with wifi and hdmi "of"
-coax to Corda Daccord DAC, Valhalla 2, HD650

 

Hah!
I forgot that I was powering the Pi with an iFi iPower that I've just bought on the weekend.
Changing back to my ordinary power supply I'm getting a little noise. I can't hear it with the HD650 but I can with sensitive iems/earphones. Changing back to the iPower I don't have that noise at all. At least it seems it was worth it! But I understand now that you are not talking about this kind of noise.
I'm using NAS->network switch->Pi3 with Digi+Pro ->BNC cable->Yggdrasil->Saga->Jotunheim/Vali 2->modded HD650
I have a non transformer version Digi+ too at hand. I'm gonna compare these with the 502DAC next week, I might include USB stick vs Ethernet, wifi on/off etc. to the comparison too.
@pedalhead just shared an interesting link in an other thread about underclocking the PI for better sound quality, you should check it out.