Roon Endpoint - Allo USBridge-RoPieee-i2s

Audio Gear Talk RoPieee
1

Hi everyone, I want to build an Endpoint for a headphone rig, using Allo USBridge-RoPieee, but also hope to explore the possibility of i2s connection to a compatible DAC.

I have no experience with Rasberry whatsoever, can someone share your experience and point me to the right hardware / direction please? Currently using ROCK for my main system, cannot be happier.

Much appreciated.

2

You have two options for I2S:

  1. Use a HAT, something like the PI2AES
  2. Use a USB to I2S adapter, like the Matrix Audio X-SPDIF-2

In either case, run RoPieee as the OS on the Pi.

(Those are singular examples of the two approaches. Others exist, but I don’t have an exhaustive list as I personally put I2S connectivity in the “snakeoil” category. Sorry.)

1 Like
3

Thanks, no problem, just like the option to compare, not a must. Will look into that. :slight_smile:

4

It is interesting that you state that you have no experience with RPi implementations, and yet you’ve already decided that you want i2s connectivity. What led you to that conclusion?

The Allo USBridge Signature has no external i2s port of any kind, so as cwichura suggests, you’d have to use a compatible DAC HAT connected via the internal 40-pin GPIO. Allo’s own Katana DAC would likely work here (check with Allo to be sure). The result would unfortunately look like a high school science project, however. As for using a USB to i2s converter…I can’t imagine any benefit from this. The same thing happens inside any USB DAC.

I would strongly suggest that you start by reading the below-linked article as well as the numerous comments…it will shed some light on i2s and how it became an audiophile darling, as usual without any sound technical basis:

Study: Is i2s interface better for DACs than S/PDIF or USB?

5

Thank you for your suggestions.