Will a Linear Power Supply improve my Pi 4 music streamer?
It’s unlikely based on my experience. I have a TP linear PS, an Allo Shanti linear PS, an Ifi wall wort, as well as the basic power supply. I’ve played around lots with the pi’s, have a few audio hats (hifiberry, DigiOne), tried direct usb out and as well several distros.
Your ears/system configuration may notice something. I’ve not been convinced that a PS as it interacts with the pi makes much difference in the SQ to your dac if the usb/Spdif on the dac is decent, I’ve tried.
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Thank you so much for your answer it’s the answer I wanted to hear I connect my Pi 4 directly to my Dac via USB as to keep the signal as short and direct as possible.
@dknk it is good to hear that opinion. It reinforces much of the research we’ve done recently having added a PI to get Tidal Connect and FLAC internet radio into our legacy streamers (272/SuperUniti).
Electrically speaking it appears the quality of the hat (clocks, isolation of SPDIF etc.) is what’s important.
The PI into a naim nDAC sounds excellent.
We will eventually move to a dedicated streaming transport (whether that be ND5XS2, Lumin U2 mini or other) but we’re now in no rush to do this as we realise that it might largely be a vanity project.
General consensus is that the Pi 4 unlike previous Pi doesn’t require a hat or ad on for USB out at least as the previously noisy USB out has been cleaned up significantly I use my Pi 4 directly into a Chord 2Qute and it sounds fantastic.
You mention Tidal connect which was what brought me back to using a Pi the previous workaround was too much of a faff but using the Volumio upgrade at £29a year is a game changer for me.
Can I ask how you are getting Flac radio stations?
We’re using the RadioDroid android app as an MPD control point.
Can’t you just add the stream URLs via web? Sorry, other than initial config we don’t use the volumio interface at all everything done via apps.
Other opinions regarding the effects of LPSUs on Pies (and their Allo derivatives) are available…………
Perhaps but when I bought the pi 4 I did a lot of research and the positive reaction from the forums I read regarding the USB led me to buy it
Of course if you have a Dac that has a noisy USB input then the Pi4 won’t cure it although why you would use a USB input in that situation I can’t imagine.
Yes that’s the way I use Volumio I will try adding the web addresses. Thanks.
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