Streaming quality throught RPi

Streaming Audio
1

Hi All,

Need some advise:
I only used attached USB HDD to play music through my streamer and connect to SN2 from day I got the streamer (Pioneer N-70), until recently I install Minimserver on RPi 3B, with HDD attachedto the Pi, Pi wired connect to a switch (old cheap 5 ports one), the sound quality was poor, compare to direct HDD attached, the clarity and bass was mess.
I wonder is it due to low end switch and ethernet cable used, or Minimserver setup, just merely install Minimserver and get it startup without any further configuration.
Thanks in advance

Kwan

2

If you are only streaming music I would use RoPieee and Roon

3

Your post is not clear to me. Where is your transport? If you use the RPi to stream via UPnP into a network DAC/streamer, then it should be fine and the SQ and clarity will mostly be derived from your streamer running UPnP …
If you are using the RPi to create the synchronous or semi synchronous transport stream, such as with SPDIF or USB, then you SQ will be commensurate to the transport and clock quality of the RPi instead of relying more on the streamer, and so SQ will be a compromise.

4

Thanks for the reply.

I use RPi as music server only, where USB HDD is attached and use Upnp from my streamer to access music file.
The connection is all through Ethernet cable to a switch.
By the way, the switch I used (due to some constraints) is connected to AP, I suppose it is not the cause of degrade SQ.

Regards
Kwan

5

HDD IS only place I stored music file, so I think it is not necessary at the moment to run ROON, although I read some good functionality about ROON, but I am not likely to invest into it at the moment.

Thanks
Kwan

6

Ok, so the RPi will be largely out of the equation with your streamer then… so I would focus on your streamer if you are not happy with the SQ.

7

So you think Ethernet cable and switch should not cause of degrade of SQ, at least not the main issue.
Thanks
Kwan

8

Correct

9

I don’t know if can make a difference but you could try to disconnect usb HDD from RPi then make a network share to a laptop or desktop (if available), copy there some music from your external usb HDD ,configure RPi to serve from this new network share and listen.

10

I would be very surprised if the culprit was MinimServer or your network (cables, switch, etc.) as long as you do not experience dropouts.

Rather, I think the network interface of the N-70 could be responsible for the difference in sound quality.

You can easily prove or disprove this conjecture by running another UPnP server on another networked device, for instance a laptop or a mobile device: if the sound quality does not improve, then you are most likely facing the limitations of the N-70 as a UPnP streamer.

11

I will give it a try sometimes next week.
Thanks
Kwan

12

I will try it out next week.
Thanks
Kwan

13

I read from old forum, that you use Allo DS as transport and install MinimServer together with Upmpdcli.
I wish to try out DS, before fund permitted to buy NDX2.
Below is my question, hope you can explain it:
1: Did you install MinimServer on Dietpi or other OS?
2: Did you install Upmpdcli on the same device as MinimServer?
3: if I use MinimServer and Upmpdcli, what app can use to access from iOS devices?
Thanks
Kwan

14

  1. I run MinimServer and upmpdcli under a standard but minimal Raspbian Lite distribution. I have switched off bluetooth, the RPi sound card and its HDMI output, see /boot/config.txt below and added sudo /opt/vc/bin/tvservice --off to /etc/rc.local.

  2. Yes, I am running MinimServer and upmpdcli on the same RPi that hosts the DigiOne Signature (DS). I can of course stop MinimServer at any time and use the RPi + DS as a pure transport. I have not noted any differences in the sound quality.

  3. You can use any UPnP control point like Linn Kazoo, the Lumin app, mconnect, etc.

/boot/config.txt:

dtparam=audio=off
dtoverlay=i2s-mmap
dtoverlay=allo-digione
dtoverlay=pi3-disable-bt
force_turbo=1
arm_freq=1000
sdram_freq=400
gpu_mem=16

15

Forgive my ignorant, I tried to install Upmpdcli without success, need your help again.
What I read from Upmpdcli website and try to do the below:
To add source list :
sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list.d/Upmpdcli.list
at this point, I should add content as provided by the website, but I couldn’t add anything and save the file.
Thanks
Kwan

16

Managed to create the file.

17

upmpdcli is a MPD front-end. As a first step, you need to install, configure and run MPD. After this, you install upmpdcli following the instructions on https://www.lesbonscomptes.com/upmpdcli/downloads.html. After having pointed your sources to the upmpdcli archives, you only need to do

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install upmpdcli

After this, you have to setup upmpdcli by editing /src/upmpdcli.conf. This is straightforward and well explained in the upmpdcli documentation.

18

I managed to get all setup and play music, but only Mconnect is working, for Lumin app , it can access all music files, not able get it play, it prompts to select Lumin, probably I need to do some settings at config file.
However Mconnect is much better than N-70 UPNP service,
Thanks for the help.
Kwan

19

I have not used the Lumin app lately but Linn Kazoo works out of the box and is aesthetically more appealing than Lumin or mconnect, in my view. It also supports internet radio. By the way, upmpdcli also provides support for Tidal, Qobuz and Google music: just install upmpdcli-qobuz, upmpdcli-tidal and/or upmpdcli-gmusic. They all work out of the box, you only need to add your credentials to /etc/upmodcli.conf.

20

I did try Linn Kazoo, but it keeps showing “waiting for room”, when I click room, it shows room(0), cannot proceed further.
I live in Shanghai, so no access to Google, Tidal and many other popular services.
Thanks
Kwan