My next DAC will definitely be from http://taudac.com/
check them out!
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I added the Orchard Audio PecanPi Dac streamer to my rig just as the Covid pandemic struck. You can choose the software you’d like to use from a selection of options offered when the unit is purchased.
I chose the PecanPi after considering other Dac Streamer combos. I felt that this unit offered the most bang fir the buck under $1k.
Out of the box the unit sounded amazing and for anyone looking for a streamer that does not require an external dac to improve performance, look no further. The Orchard Audio PecanPi Dac will not disappoint.
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I keep thinking about buying one of these. I wonder how it would sound compared to my Meridian Prime headphone DAC and/or AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt? I would not want to spend $500 if it’s not a reasonably significant improvement.
I am not qualified to offer my opinion on how it compares to either unit. Though I did try to compare specs of the meridian vs the pecanpi, it simply reinforced that I’m not qualified to compare them.
I have not listened to the Cobalt but I own a Dragonfly Red and in IMO the PecanPi bests it by a milestone. Based on the reviews of the Cobalt that I have read, I would guess the PecanPi would have an edge but others might feel differently.
Perhaps they do different things better. I find the the PecanPi to be lush, detailed, controlled and laid back (kind of elegant) and it also delivers the right amount of dynamics when its called for.
Order up and test it out. If you don’t like it you can return it for the cost of shipping.
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I have an AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt and a Red. I also have a Raspi 4 with a HiFi Berry DAC 2 HD HAT connected to my main stereo (McIntosh solid state preamp and amp, Dynaudio Confidence C2 speakers). The HiFi Berry DAC 2 HD is way superior to either of the Audioquest USB DACs. Raspi 4 is about $50, the DAC 2 HD is $100. You can add a display for another $60 and a case is under $20. You need to assemble it but it’s very close in performance to my Chord Qutest but for 1/20th the price.
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Thanks. I have assembled 3 RPi4’s, one with a screen. I might give the HiFi Berry DAC HAT a try. Thanks.
I have the Pi2 design 502 DAC and am very happy with it’s features and sound quality.
I can’t compare with the Pecan Pi DAC but perhaps somebody else has tried both ?
What is the return policy of Orchard Audio on the Pecan Pi streamer and/or DAC?
14-days. Items must be returned in resalable condion. Customer is responsible for return shipping.
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To anyone using PecanPi DAC with Raspberry 4, how do you cool your Raspberry 4 CPU since the DAC is on top of the CPU?
I am very tempted by the Orchard Audio PecanPi as I’ve yet to see any review or comment that suggests it’s anything other than wonderful. I have one burning question though, how does the volume behave with Roon?
I will be using it solely as a headphone amp and it will be positioned out of reach (I’ll be listening with a 3m headphone cable). I would still like to control the volume from my seat via Roon (it’s not that i’m lazy, it’s just that my cat sometimes prevents me from moving for long periods 
)
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Best reason EVER to not move… Dogs are also an equally valid reason.
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With dogs you can try and train them to change the volume, with cats the training is the other way round…
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You can control volume using using DSP volume control.
@ZZZ
If you use DietPi on Pi4 and all you do is run the roon end point you will not need additional heatsink as long as the device is in an area with good airflow.
Roon bridge takes very little processing and dietpi is the same.
Since Pi4 is so power hungry and adds no benefit to SQ I recommend to use either a 3B+ or 3B.
So important to include what speakers are connected to your Onkyo and do you use a power amp between speakers? As this might limit the SQ improvement you hear.
Like you I started with a Digione Sig and my Marantz SR7012 as a DAC bla.
So sold it went for a Allo Katana SQ on a Rasp 3b (due to heat). Then upgraded to a ChiFi LPS and sound improved again. Had some issues playing DSD files which Allo sorted around end of 2019.
The wife still uses the Katana on her setup. Sold a friend the isolator board I bought for Katana for his Boss 1.2 he said it made some difference hard for me to tell, more resolution in my Wife’s system than his.
Myself I fell down the rabbit hole so to speak and am at a Bryston BDA-3 connected via USB to a Win10 clone (both core and bridge) quite happy with sound not the software mute implemented by them. So my playback chain is Marantz SR7012 (as preamp) analog input is in Pure Direct, Bryston 3b sst2 power amp and Paradigm Studio 100 v3, SVS and Paradigm 12" subs. So heard difference every upgrade made. There was a RME ADI-2 in between too.
Regardless of this have you thought of buying a cheap DAC like Topping’s in your budget? An older DAC used? That Digone sig I sold sounds really nice connected my friends Bryston BDA-1. So nice I saved up for the 3…many older DACs would still sound great connected connected to Analog SPDIF. Allowing for 24/192 and DSD64 if you can find right one.
Hope this helps
On Cooling
This company makes great cooling gear that is sold on Amazon in North America anyway. The wife’s Katana runs at 35c on the hottest summer day using one of their USB powered cooling fans and is silent but not pretty sitting next to it. They also make a good component cooler that is above Marantz. I do suggest plugging any of these USB powered devices into a USB port that is not in playback chain. Mine are plugged into USB ports on Surge Protector. Could add noise
Ok that’s great. Would it then matter what position the volume dial was left in on the PecanPi? Is there an optimum position?
@Red_R
If doing the DSP volume control the knob should always be fully clockwise. This disables the the units internal volume control.
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Perfect, thanks 
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