Listening Hardware

jkelly30

Hi,

I am new to the Rpi etc, and am planning to use my newly acquired Rpi + HifiBerry running RuneUI beta 0.3 (when released) to create a headless Hifi system. I have an old Bush Valve radio that I love the looks of (old valve radio), and my plan is to remove the internals, maintain the external look of the radio and to fit some high end speakers along with the RPi etc...
That being said I am undecided as to which speakers to use.. I have a set of Harman Kardon Soundsticks II which I love the sound of but will probably not be able to fit the Sub in my "radio" box.. the next option I am looking at is getting some Creative Labs Gigaworks T40 II's which seem to get a good write up on performance...

My questions really is what is everyone else using to listen to the magical sounds emanating from their RuneUI projects??

Thanks & Regards

ACX

Hi jkelly30, I can tell you what I'm using in my home. I own two different setups:

1) Living room setup
RuneAudio player (BeagleBone Black) > M2Tech hiFace Two > ultramodded Zero DAC > Korsun KS99 integrated amplifier > Tannoy Sensys DC2 loudspeakers

2) Office setup
RuneAudio player (Raspberry Pi) > Schiit Modi USB DAC > DIY TA2024 based amplifier > Indiana Line HC 206 loudspeakers

ACX

I forgot to say that I'm listening from I2S output in these days, using HifiBerry DAC and npejcic's DAC in my office setup, with good results with both boards.

tux

My setup is the following:

Speakers: Monitor Audio Bronze B2
Speaker cable: Bandridge Superflex OFC 2x2.50
Aplifier: Ιndeed TA2021S with external pdu from the same manufacturer
Interconnect cable: Van Den Hool D-102 MKII
Dac and PDU: HifiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC2 + External PSU PSM3+ + cheap usb cable

Player: Raspberry Pi + Modmypi PDU + Sandisk Class 10 Sdcard /Runeaudio
NAS: Archlinux/Openbox (Manjaro) desktop pc running Samba server

I have it on a small room where i spend 8-10 hours per day working and it's a killer combination for my needs. My only problem is that i still can't get rid of occasional pops and clicks when hearing my 16/44.1 Flac collection. I really hope that beta 3 will be the solution!

ACX

tux wroteDac and PDU: HifiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC2 + External PSU PSM3+ + cheap usb cable
-skip-
My only problem is that i still can't get rid of occasional pops and clicks when hearing my 16/44.1 Flac collection. I really hope that beta 3 will be the solution!

Do you own the asynchronous version? I've tried this one on my Raspberry Pi:
http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=123
and it works flawlessly up to 24/96.
Are you using a decent quality 5V 2A PSU for your Pi?

EDIT: I've just seen that you replied here about that, so let's continue there this conversation, without going OT here.

Orion

MAIN SETUP
Speakers: Aurum Cantus Moon River (OEM version of RedRose Classic Speakers)
Speaker cable: DIY by Orion

Pre-Amplifier: YBA-3 / Xindax XA3200 MkII (heavily modded by Orion

)
Power-Amplifier: YBA "L'amplificateur" (pre-release of YBA-2 power amplifier)
Interconnect cable: YBA DIAMOND Interconnect (line) + VanDenHul The Second (pre)
DAC: AKM4396 + BursonAudio OPA
Player (CD): YBA CD1 + SuperPowerSupply (1 unit)
Player (CD2): Marantz CD85 (TDA1541AS1 @NOS MOD)
Player (liquid): BBB + CMedia 6631A / Runeaudio
Turntable: RegaP3 + RB300 + Gotham Incognito Silver Rewire Mod + GarrotBrothers P77 + Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE
NAS: Synology DiskStation 214

STUDIO SETUP
Speakers: Kef Coda7 SE
Speaker cable: VanDenHull The Skyline
Amplifier: CREEK Audio CAS4040s3
Interconnect cable: DIY by Orion

DAC: AKM4399+XMOS
Player(CD): Marantz CD40 (TDA1541)
Player(liquid): Raspberry Pi + iPad PSU / Runeaudio
NAS: Synology DiskStation 214

skrodahl

I'm a firm believer that good sound shouldn't have to cost a fortune, and RuneAudio has been a great catalyst to reaching that goal.

So, my setup (with approx prices in US$) has blown the mind of "proper" audiophiles who wouldn't even look at a cable costing less than my complete system. NAS excluded, btw, as I'm a CS engineer that is as stubborn about my IT equipment as they are about their audio gear. The speakers "disappear", and I get lost in the music when listening to my audio system.

Player: Raspberry Pi Rev B ($35)
DAC: NuForce uDac 2 ($99 on sale)
Amp: Topping TP-20 Mark 2 ($70)
Loudspeakers: Dali Zensor 3 (~$600)
Cables: No-name cables, with good connectors (~$30)

All in all, a grand total of below $850. When the HifiBerry is supported, that sum goes below $800. This is in a country with 25% VAT no less.

It totally rocks, in a 20+ sqm room. More than sufficient to make my neighbors complain, at a total of around 2x13 watts of super-clean amplification power.

I am thinking about getting a Little Dot Mk III/IV preamp, just to experience cheap but good tube sound. I'll give an update if that happens.

dopus

Speakers: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Symphony Edition
Subwoofer: SVS SB-1000
Speaker cable: Van den Hul
Amplifier: Xindak xa6950(09) 2x130W dual Mono with tubes in pre
Interconnect cable: Monster somthing (what i had laying around when I bought the ampl)
DAC: QNKTC v1.2 (based on open source design and software)
Streamer: Rpi with RuneAudio distro and 2T of storage through windows share from my PC)
RuneAudio GUI: Samsung galaxy tab 2

DAC 2:
Xindak 6950 have a buildt in dac type Burr Brown PCM2702:
This dac chip is supported by android. So I use this dac to stream WIMP HIFI (cd quality uncompressed musick streaming...like spotify only better audio quality), from my smartphone

skrodahl

skrodahl wroteI'm a firm believer that good sound shouldn't have to cost a fortune....

Player: Raspberry Pi Rev B ($35)
DAC: NuForce uDac 2 ($99 on sale)
Amp: Topping TP-20 Mark 2 ($70)
Loudspeakers: Dali Zensor 3 (~$600)
Cables: No-name cables, with good connectors (~$30)

Since then, the HifiBerry DAC has arrived. And (to my utter amazement) I was given a pair of Dynaco A25 loudspeakers. about 80 bucks was spent on refurbishing them (sandpaper, tung oil, capacitors and some grille cloth).

My ultra cheap, though thoroughly excellent, stereo setup now owes me less than $250.

bigme

Rune Audio > Raspberry Pi Rev B 256 MB > Behringer U-Control UCA222 usb DAC > Monoprice RCA cables > Harman Kardon 730 Twin > White Lightning DIY speaker cables > Polk Audio RTA 12C

Since Rune allows you to select how to send the audio signal I also connected the following:

Rune Audio > Raspberry Pi Rev B 256 MB > Amazon Basics HDMI cable > Denon 400E AVR > White Lightning DIY speaker cables > Polk Audio Monitor 5JR+ and an Infinity IL100S Sub

The vintage system clobbers the HT gear!

Devox

In my case, I split the Signal right after the DAC, deliver it to the Yamaha-Receiver in my Living-Room, and to an 32 Years old Philips-Amp in my Hallway/Kitchen.

After countless tries of getting the Signal through the Receiver, and from there to the Philips-Amp, which always resulted in hearable delay at the Amp, the splitting seems to be the best solution.

RuneAudio on RaspberryPI -> Behringer UCA 222 ->
Y-Splitted to:
-Yamaha RX-V473 -> Teufel Ultima 20
-Philips F4110 -> Teufel Ultima 20

thedavo

Linn LP12/Ittok LVII/Rega Bias 2
Musical Fidelity VLPS/VPSU
VDH D102 MKIII

Pi/Runeaudio
Audioquest Dragonfly
Audioquest Big Sur

Audiolab 8000A
Chord Epic Twin
Linn Majik 109 on matching stands

DustySeven

here is my current setup.

RUNE device; Raspi REV1 with 16gb Micro Center brand flashdrive for storage

Speakers; Paramount Home theater 3 way speakers with high/ultra high satellite speakers.

Amp; Marantz Symphonic Stereo Reciever model 2252

DAC; Schiit MODI usb model

RUNE kernel; Orion V2

skrodahl

Pictures of my setup and my Raspberry Pi enclosure.

Just got RuneAudio 0.3-alpha up and running:

My Raspberry Pi enclosure:

Peter

Hi Skrodahl
Please excuse my stupidity, but are you powering your Pi via the Hifiberry? Looks like it. Some details of your power supply would be appreciated.
Another question, do you link to NASvia wireless, or how to you access your music? The setup looks very polished. Well done.

Peter

ACX

@[deleted]: impressive showoff of the RuneUI on the TV screen!

Nice and clean enclosure too. If you have space left for it inside the case, consider to add a IEC filtered socket: it brings some improvements especially in the case of Rpi (which doesn't have the cleanest power circuitry ever built...). I had one left lying around like this one:

It's even suggested by TNT-audio

skrodahl

Peter wroteHi Skrodahl
Please excuse my stupidity, but are you powering your Pi via the Hifiberry? Looks like it. Some details of your power supply would be appreciated.
Another question, do you link to NASvia wireless, or how to you access your music? The setup looks very polished. Well done.

Peter

I bought a 5V regulated power supply, and connected it to the HifiBerry via the 5V input on it. You need to be careful to use a regulated power supply and measure the (slightly) variable output, or your RPi could be damaged.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5V-2A-10W-AC-DC-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Power-Supply-PSU-DVR-CCTV-LED-DIY-/231044263519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cb4fae5f

The enclosure is a 0905, also bought off the bay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/0905-Full-Aluminum-Enclosure-mini-AMP-case-Preamp-box-PSU-chassis-/221492154146?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item3391f60f22

I don't have the tools to drill rectangular holes, so the holes in the back for ethernet and USB are circular. That allows me to connect both a network cable and USB devices though. Right now, I'm using ethernet to access my NAS.

Otherwise, my setup is as described earlier in this thread:
* Amp: Topping TP-20 mkII
* Speakers: Dynaco A25

ACX wrote@[deleted]: impressive showoff of the RuneUI on the TV screen!
Nice and clean enclosure too. If you have space left for it inside the case, consider to add a IEC filtered socket: it brings some improvements especially in the case of Rpi (which doesn't have the cleanest power circuitry ever built...). I had one left lying around like this one:

It's even suggested by TNT-audio

Thanks ACX,
As the PSU itself is regulated, I wasn't sure if there was anything to gain by using an IEC filtered socket. Although this little player sounds better than ever before, it couldn't hurt. I'll have a look around to see if I can find any at a decent price.

Using the MicroSD adapter gave the space needed inside the enclosure:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400566001176?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

(Oh, and btw, I have no affiliation with the eBay sellers mentioned.)

Downunder55

tux wroteMy setup is the following:

Aplifier: Ιndeed TA2021S with external pdu from the same manufacturer

Did you make any progress on your review/decision on the Indeed TDA7498E ?

Currently looking for a little amp, and hopefully a similar sized case to mount the Pi etc in.

Looking at both these amps at present.

voxxonline

Well, I m in slow process of diy set up... so share what I have so far:
DIY Amplifier: MyRef Fremen edition with highest quality parts possible. Clean, impressive sound.
PRE: LDR based attenuator with remote controlled channel/volume selection. Absolutely transparent pass through sound due to LDR implementation.
DAC: AK4399 based dac with xmos, currently being modded with capacitor change and opamp upgrade.
Rpi itself: Linear psu is next phase with custom made box.
Speakers: Seas based speakers-monitors with flat frequency response, wave guide tweeter and distortion less er18rnx drivers in custom build enclosure- even overbuild- with rigid structure and massive weight.

ACX

voxxonline wroteWell, I m in slow process of diy set up... so share what I have so far:
DIY Amplifier: MyRef Fremen edition with highest quality parts possible. Clean, impressive sound.
PRE: LDR based attenuator with remote controlled channel/volume selection. Absolutely transparent pass through sound due to LDR implementation.
DAC: AK4399 based dac with xmos, currently being modded with capacitor change and opamp upgrade.
Rpi itself: Linear psu is next phase with custom made box.
Speakers: Seas based speakers-monitors with flat frequency response, wave guide tweeter and distortion less er18rnx drivers in custom build enclosure- even overbuild- with rigid structure and massive weight.

Very nice setup. I'm particularly interested in the MyRef Fremen edition and the LDR based attenuator, which I didn't knew before.
Did you buy a kit to assemble the volume control?
Could you post some pics of your setup?