From Rpi4 to Aries G1...is there real improvement?

Were you using a good quality PS with the Pi?

No basic one

That may have made a difference, a noisy SMPS will probably detract. Certainly comparing it to something with a quality (presumably LPS) wouldn’t be “fair”… Just worth commenting. I could be wrong but great emphasis is put on power supplies when chasing the dragon.

I know but honestly spending money for a PS for a Rpi, to me, doesn’t make any sense. I got it to test it basically while waiting to upgrade to a proper streamer. Really happy with my choice.
But I got your point

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Congrats on your purchase. It’s a big decision. Will you be testing out the Lightening DS program?

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Perfect choice, I also read comments about a non switched PSU for the RPi. I have tested this and though there is some improvement it never matches the sound quality gain you get with an Auralic Aries G1. Even when testing the RPi connected to an Audioquest Niagara 1200 the Aries G1 is the winner. Congrats with your purchase of the Aries G1!

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Congratulations, enjoy it.

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Yes I will in the weekend. First impression is very good

Lots of variables to consider in this scenario. What sort of PS was it? Sounds like you may have bought an Aries? There would be natural bias there…

Sure, of course there some bias like psycho accoustics. However, the PS I used for testing is an IFi which is one of the better PS’s available. For me and according to my ears my personal experience is as I wrote before. There’s no right or wrong just listen and decide for yourself what is the best. As I also wrote before, if the other parts of your audio chain is of different quality the choice for an RPi might be the best.

My personal experience is that switching from RPi(3B+) with iFI PSU to a Auralic Aries was a considerable increase in SQ. Both connected to DAC using USB.
Due to the increased price I very much wanted it to sound better :slight_smile:

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I do agree with you, in the end I switched too and the difference is HUGE.

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I have both the Aries G1 and a RPi 3 with a HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro Hat using an Allo Shanti power supply. I have tried both via the same optical cable into a Chord Qutest (powered too by the same Shanti PS). The difference to me is not huge. The SQ to me is similar however I seem to be able to listen to the Aries G1 for longer periods. Ultimately the G1 is better (less fatiguing?) on my ears overall, so it stays. The RPi is on a second system now and sounds very good there.

No issues with fattigue, I remember liking the RPi a lot :slight_smile:
When switching to the Aries (almost two years ago so it is a bit vague) what i remember best is an increase in details and better separation. I have since upgraded all my gear expect the Aries and i feel it still does an excellent job :slight_smile:

It may not be fatigue so much now that I think more about it. It seems that my mild tinnitus (ringing) acts up when I listen to the RPi for a while. I find the HifiBerry Digi+ Pro or the Allo DigiOne Hats which I both own cause the issue more than the Aries G1 into the same DAC. I can’t explain why that is so. Maybe there is some hi frequency noise (total guess on my part) introduced that I don’t hear but it is there never the less. As mentioned, I think the SQ I get out of my speakers is similar from all 3 going into the Chord DAC, there is no huge winner other than that the G1 treats my ears better in the long run (which I suppose is huge).

And if you were certain it wouldn’t but still felt it very much did? :thinking:

Welcome back, no sarcasm intended.

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Only true if your wife, who could care less about audio, also called out from the other room, saying “what did you do to the stereo, it sounds so much better.” That’s the number two item on the audiophile list after “I didn’t think it would make a difference but it did.” :wink:

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Maybe I should get myself a wife then. :sweat_smile:

Thanks! I appreciate unintended sarcasm also :ok_hand:t3: Hope you have a great start of 2021

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