Thanks for reporting Kyle! I’ll add it to the documentation but also to the configuration page so people can select it directly.
Regards Harry
No problem. Thanks for all you’re doing with this software.
Thanks for all the answers. Definitely RPi4 over RPi3
Hi, currently using dietpi on a Pi 4 and was thinking of switching to Ropieee given the nice grapahical interface. My understanding is XL does not come with HQPlayer NAA which would be a deal breaker for me since that’s what I use for most of my listening. Is NAA something I can install on my own? Does anything have experience doing so? Thank you!
XL does not support NAA, nor is it possible to install yourself.
Thanks
Thank you.
I see from https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/hqplayer-network-audio-daemon/ that it is supported in archlinux.
Will you be adding it in the future?
Thank you.
A few remarks about my experience with Ropiee on the Raspberry Pi 4. To cut to the chase, I am satisfied.
The following DACs are in my Roon system: Chord 2Qute, Marantz HD-DAC1, McIntosh C47 preamp. Cables are Cardas Clear USB and Audioquest Cinnamon. The HD-DAC1 is used for headphone listening and the 2Qute for speakers. The McIntosh’s DAC sees little use, but it’s hooked up anyway.
Before the Pi 4, DACs were connected by USB to an i5 NUC running Roon Server. Music is stored on a portable 1TB USB 3.0 drive attached to the NUC. The NUC system sounded a lot better than what I was using before: DACs connected by USB to a Ryzen desktop computer running JRiver. Adding two Audioquest jitterbugs to the NUC further improved sound. I still had concerns that the NUC’s fan, i5 CPU and connection a USB drive could cause noise. As we know, a better solution is to isolate the Roon endpoint from the server. I avoided doing so with a 3rd generation Raspberry Pi since USB and Ethernet share the controller. Also, I was not interested in building a number of Pi 3’s with SPDIF hats and their cumbersome dual power requirements.
When I learned the Raspberry Pi 4 had separate controllers for USB and Ethernet, it seemed worth a shot. After all, it’s so cheap to build one, so why not. My goal was to have a silent fanless system, so I enclosed the Raspberry Pi 4 in a Flirc aluminum case. The case also acts as a heatsink, so if you have concerns about temps and cheapo plastic cases with fans, just get the Flirc.
https://flirc.tv/more/raspberry-pi-4-case
Once Roon Server recognized Ropieee on the Pi 4, I configured the DACs. There is no upsampling on the Chord 2Qute. Whereas on the HD-DAC1 and C47, everything is upsampled to DSD128. The two AQ Jitterbugs are still in use. For the first sessions, I listened to the Chord 2Qute with a wide variety of music in PCM and SACD formats. What I can tell you is first impressions are very good. To my ears the Pi 4 running Ropieee was a noticeable improvement over connecting DACs to the NUC. There is an increase in detail, clarity, mid-range, bass, air and a wider soundstage. There has not been a dropout, crackle or any kind of extraneous noise, even when streaming DSD128 and 24/192 PCM.
The Raspberry Pi4 Ropiee project cost me $135 CAD and it’s money well spent. Improvements realized by isolating the endpoint from the server are easily heard and this solution costs less than many audiophile cables and yields arguably better results.
I cannot comment on whether a Raspberry Pi with an SPDIF hat would sound better. Nor can I say it is on par with a dedicated Roon USB solution like the MicroRendu. I have no experience with these devices. What I can recommend is building a Raspberry Pi4 Ropieee box if you currently attach USB DACs to a desktop computer or NUC running Roon Server. I also recommend using an AQ Jitterbug, or similar USB noise filter, between the Pi and your DAC.
3 Likes
It would be interesting to see how it is without the Jitterbugs. I suspect there would be little or no difference.
1 Like
It seems people’s mileage varies with Jitterbugs. Good thing is they are cheap and easily returned.
It’s possible the Jitterbugs had a greater effect on the noisier NUC box. I think I’ll just leave them connected to the Raspberry Pi 4. I’m enjoying the music a lot now, so I’m not going bother with trying before and after comparisons with the Jitterbugs, especially if there would be little to no difference.
Completely understandable. I tend to an engineering frame of mind, where I always want to remove components that have no effect. Increases the MTTF (mean time to failure).
Hi all, new user here!
I am in search of proper streaming solution of my RIPped CDs into flac files. I am currently fed up with DLNA and found Roon. I am testing during 14-day trial and I am delighted. However, my network streamer does not support it and I am looking for a new one. RPi looks appealing but I have no experience with it at all, so I would like avoid noob’s mistakes. Thus a few questions:
- All shops in my country offer RPi 4B while Ropieee mentions 3, 3B and 4. Is 4B not supported?
- Assuming 4B is fine, I am going to buy it together with HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro, 16GB Sandisk microSD, USB C 5V/3A charger. Is this all I need or am I missing something?
- Does Ropieee support WiFi? I saw a post saying in 2017 that no. Is it still a case?
- What is advantage of Ropieee over RPi running Raspberrian with Roon Bridge installed?
I just did the same sort of thing, trying a Pi and Ropieee for the first time last week. My goal was to try to turn an old receiver into a Roon Endpoint for minimal cash investment, gaining experience along the way. Like Rob, I’m a very happy camper.
I followed the advice of others and went with the 2GB Pi4, 16GB SD card, FLIRC case and the Allo audio wall wart plus USB-C adapter cable. Taxes and shipping included, this was $138CDN.
I had a bit of a hiccup on initial launch - not sure if I waited long enough for things to finish, or if I somehow sent the system into a tail spin by turning on wifi and leaving it connected to Ethernet after the reboot - but I didn’t see anything appear as a new Endpoint in Roon. But a clean re-start, including updating the USB Firmware via the RoPieee web interface and taking things easy fixed me right up. Very simple and very satisfying overall experience.
For now, I’m using it with a COZOY thumb-drive sized USB DAC that I had originally purchased to use with my iPhone… same sort of idea as a Dragonfly but it may have come out a bit earlier and takes a mini USB input (and came with a family of adapter cables, including the Lightning version for use with iPhone). Anyway, it’s cheap and cheerful and works okay so far.
Thought I’d join this growing thread just to echo the praise and satisfaction of others: it was a fun project and my ancient small system has just taken a step out of the discard pile and entered the modern streaming era in my home. Inevitable next steps include trying out one of the HAT solutions for better digital output from the transport and adding a better DAC for use as a bedside headphone amp. System proliferation alert…
I hope this helps anyone else surfing around and checking out what might be possible - I know that I was reassured and assisted by the record of other people’s choices and experiences… thanks!
Regards, alan
2 Likes
I’ve decided on Allo Digione Signature with their linear power supply. (Seems it a Hi-Fi Berry + with two boards (Pi and Spdif) being isolated). About $500. (BTW, if you are in the states, do the faster shipping. Less expensive shipping takes much, much longer!) These two are for a headphone listening area and my main system. I don’t need anything this good for other areas of the house.
I have a little extra cash so I want to do it once and forget about it. I buy the fastest, newest microSD, install RoPiee, boot up ethernet wired, configure through WebGUI (including wifi), reboot and then power down. Boot up with ethernet unplugged.
Solid performance. It is faster than the Sonos system I’m replacing. I might try Allo’s DAC since it’s using the very latest current gen digital to analog chip.
WiFi is supported by RoPieee. Ethernet is generally preferred, though, for any streaming endpoint.
For current features, you can always check Harry’s website: https://ropieee.org/.
1 Like
i have a similar setup, but use an iFi iUSB instead of the jitterbug. i listened both ways, and felt the raw Pi was “hashy”, and adding the iUSB cleaned things up a bit.
1 Like
Allo is in the process of releasing a new DAC called the Revolution. No firm date yet, and it’s not on their web site yet. My understanding is that it will be USB only.
Edit:
Two recently shipped Allo DigiOne Sigs. Both pi 4 versions.
Wifi solid. No sound quality issues.
(BTW, had the ‘mute’ feature pressed on my Benchmark DAC3, so that’s why music was a little quieter. My mistake.
Good to hear about a new DAC from Allo. I researched and they are using the curreng gen digital to analog chip (Benchmark hasn’t started using it, yet).
I am afraid my experience this evening has not been like yours. I have a 4GB Raspberry Pi 4, a 16GB micro sd card flashed with the latest version of Ropieee. I get to the first stage of the install, save and reboot as instructed and then nothing. I have re-flashed the SD card twice and still no dice.
When setting up, the PI is connected via ethernet directly to my router. I am connecting to the Ropieee web interface using by MacBook Pro over Wifi.
Any ideas?
Thanks
What do you mean exactly with ‘and then nothing’?
1 Like
What do you mean by “nothing?” Can you still connect via the ropieee web interface? What type of audio output did you select in the setup, a HAT, or USB? If it was USB, do you have a DAC connected? I found that if no DAC is connected to the Rpi4, Roon will not recognize it as a device (but I could see the Airplay option since I had RopieeeXL).