I have also a licence for Audiolinux. Is it easy to make this run as a host for Diretta? I think mini pc with 2 ehternet port works in that case the same as a Raspberry pi.
A few minor changes will be required because network device names will be different. At least Steps 1 through 9 should work without many modifications on Intel hardware. The optional appendices and QA scripts will probably not work without significant changes.
Where can I find instructions for setting up a host in Audiolinux?
See David’s instructions….
https://github.com/dsnyder0pc/rpi-for-roon/blob/main/Diretta.md
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First, I downloaded the latest RPi image from Piero using instructions from my Audiolinux purchase in December’23, then followed your excellent guide to create a new Host and Target with my two RPi4s. The sonic jump in clarity and 3-dimensionality literally scared me last night when I first got everything configured.
Diretta 148’s enveloping soundstage kept me up late to savor one great recording after another, and still makes me shake my head in disbelief this morning.
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If you have such a DAC, you can either get a better one (like the D70), or:
- Get another RPi 5 (assuming you’re using one as streamer), with case, power supply, SD card and an extra Ethernet cable.
- Get an Audiolinux license.
- Get a Diretta license.
- Go through a few pages of instructions on how to set up Diretta, IP forwarding, subnets, interrupt affinities, core isolation etc.
- Hope that Diretta does the trick.
Not a though choice if you ask me.
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But… the science!!!
Aren’t you even a little bit curious if there might possibly be one, just one, obscure edge case where Diretta might actually do something, anything noticeable?
I was curious enough to go through the whole process and evaluate it. It didn’t do the trick.
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I certainly am! I want to be scared by the 3 dimensionality! That’s why I hold out hope for some kind of evidence, some nugget of plausibility, or at least a guide for how and when Diretta might work (in bananas?)
Oops, must stop. St. Vincent is taking the stage…
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You know that it can’t do anything,I know that it can’t do anything, but some people do claim that there’s just one ingredient missing here 
I guess sarcasm is usually lost online…
Now that’s what I am talking about! I want to know what an enveloping soundstage is!
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@David_Snyder fantastic work and documentation!
I understand on the host side you are using Roonbridge + ALSA.
An alternative is to shortcut these with a very lean and straighforward implementation based on the LMS/slimproto protocol, that Roon can handle in “Squeezebox emulation” mode.
It’s brand new, developed by cometdom (not on this forum), and should be available pretty soon “natively” in Audiolinux and Gentooplayer. Installation and doc are here GitHub - cometdom/slim2Diretta: Projet slim2Diretta · GitHub .
Initial feedback is very promising, your expert view is much welcome!
Note that there is a current limitation to 192kHz/24bit and DSD DoP due to the version of LMS implemented by Roon. There is a feature request to have it updated for higher rates, votes are welcome!
You may never experience this, as I have, because you just can’t suspend disbelief to fall under the spell of stereo music reproduction, an illusion. I feel very fortunate to be so suggestible that a great recording can carry me away, into the performance.
Of course there aren’t really any musicians in my living room, even though I can “see” them performing within a 10’ W x 10’ D x 6’ H space -3 dimensional!- which only exists in my brain. Visitors have always heard it here also, so far. We feel the emotional content which often elicits a very satisfying emotional response.
Too bad you aren’t subject to this wonderful expectation bias. My hi-fi snake oil tastes great!
Even if there were actual musicians in your living room, the experience would still exist only in your brain.
Anyway, I wonder what produces the illusion of stereo that carries you away: the great recording, the lack of disbelief, or Diretta? Or is it Diretta that suspends the disbelief? If so, what’s the difference between using Diretta and other ways of suspending disbelief (e.g. magic mushrooms)?
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I prefer to get my placebo effect from something that has at least some side benefit. Like speakers that not only sound well (and really, unless your amp has no channel separation whatsoever, speakers are the only piece that affects soundstage) but also look good.
Funny thing is, even if Diretta did what its developers claim it does (it does not though), even if it did, it would not affect the soundstage at all…
Diretta is just another process in the signal path that seems to more faithfully transport a great recording from network packets to digital audio, with fewer complications. My goal is to someday hear 100% of what was captured in the recording while seated in my comfortable chair, and Diretta makes an affordable contribution toward that effort.
the amps are built in to my active speakers (six of them in each floorstander, 2,520 watts total), so I assume that they are directly coupled and well matched to each driver. They also look good to me, but that could be just another aspect of my self-delusion. Meridian DSP9:
How would you know you’ve reached that goal? Or, what makes you think you’re not already there? You must have some way of quantifying self-delusion, as it sure seems expensive; those speakers are around $100k.
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That it is.
But that it quite demonstrably isn’t, although it does seem to supply some pretty stronmg placebo effect.
Looks good. And in this case there is no possibility for Diretta to affect the soundstage in any way.
If Diretta actually affected what it claims to affect it might have possibly removed some extra noise, but it does not even do that. Soundstage, on the other hand, isn’t affected by what Diretta claims it does.
Oh, and even if Diretta did anything, whatever infinitesimal difference it makes would be completely drowned out by all the digital moving of bits around that these speakers do internally.
About the best thing that can be said about it is that as far as audiophile snake oil goers, Diretta is comparatively cheap so if it does provide some psychological benefit, it’s not a tremendous waste.
I don’t know. I already had great-sounding source when I installed the speakers in January’24 and thought I’d gone to heaven. Then perfect just got perfecter every time I tried a successful change such as a better power supply or vibration control.
I’ve heard, and owned, many different speakers since I went to work selling hi-fi after college and then opening my own home entertainment stores. I consider these Meridians a bargain for their outstanding performance in an acceptable form factor, and know that I will reach a plateau at some point where I can’t squeeze much more out no matter how many $$$.
Diretta 148 delivered another boost to a system already realistically open and dynamic. Will the next innovation pay similar dividends?
So 100% (i.e. perfect) is not the end. The audiophile mantra that it’s a never ending journey is true. Your goal is unachievable.
Diretta 148 delivered another boost to a system already realistically open and dynamic. Will the next innovation pay similar dividends?
Most probably. I’ll reiterate my previous observation (now flagged as inappropriate) that new Diretta versions will remove a veil or two every few months, on the cheap.
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I hope so. We highly suggestible audionaughts always love another cheap thrill to feed our expectation addiction.
In the meantime, the music sounds even more “right”. That word captures it better than trying to explain how v.148 struck me as frighteningly good at first listen. Scary!
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