I’ve recently started using Roon and it’s been a gamechanger for me now I’m spending more time working and generally being at home.
Most of my current listening is done at my laptop, using AKG712 Pro Headphones plugged into a iFi hip-dac (USB DAC). However, I’d like to also listen with these in other rooms without lugging around my laptop.
I’m currently started using a Chromecast Audio and plugging my headphones directly in, which is fine, but sounds slightly off and less clear compared to through the hip-dac. I also can’t get bit-perfect through the CCA.
Would a RoPieee work well in my case, and provide any audio benefit? From the iFi website, they don’t officially support Linux drivers but should be compatible. I also need the device to be available over WiFi. I can use my Android phone to control Roon so don’t necessarily need a screen.
From reading around, I could try either of the below 2 scenarios requiring the purchase of either a Pi or another DAC but not sure which would be best for performance/quality or general usability.
RoPieee (on Pi3+/Pi4 for wifi) > iFi hipdac > AKG 712Pro
CCA > some desktop headphone amp (Zen DAC?) > AKG 712Pro
Any other suggestions gratefully received!
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
2
A lot of us use a fourth option:
RoPieee (on Pi3+/Pi4 for wifi) > some desktop headphone amp (Zen DAC?) > headphones
For instance, I sometimes use RoPieee > Mytek Liberty DAC > Sennheiser HD650s.
The built-in DAC and amp in the CCA is somewhat minimal. If you use the optical output of the CCA and run that into the optical input of some outboard DAC, you’ll do better. But even then, with the CCA, you’re limited to 48K bit rates, I believe. That’s not a problem for me, but you may see it differently.
Similarly, using a USB-powered DAC (with no separate power feed) can sometimes couple electrical noise from the computer or bridge into the DAC through the power feed. Another reason to use an outboard DAC.
You mentioned you will be using your phone to control Roon. Why not use your phone as an endpoint and connect a USB DAC to the phone. I don’t know if the iFi Hipdac supports this as the Dragonfly DACs do.
This is how I use my Samsung tablet as a portable Roon endpoint.
Though I still suggest you try a RPi (with a HAT DAC) with Ropieee at some point as they make an incredibly good Roon endpoint.
Thanks, from what I’ve read Roon will always use the inbuilt Android DAC so will not make the most of any connected external DAC when connected to a phone. I have been using USB Audio Player Pro on my phone previously which bypasses the internal DAC and sounds great but it’s a bit glitchy and doesn’t have the metadata of Roon which I love.
Will look into the RPi more (I work in IT so like a geeky project!), although now tempted to sell my hip-dac for a dedicated desktop DAC which I can move between my study and bedroom - bought the hip-dac for commuting primarily but that’s probably not going to be happening on a regular basis now.
Currently using android phone and Cyrus Soundkey. This requires OTG (on the go) to be set, but seems to work fine with USB-C otg adapter and usb-A to usb-micro cable.
Have you checked in the CCA settings that full dynamic range is switched on? I have found this makes a bit of a difference even when listening through headphones.
Certainly for the type of listening I do through the CCA I don’t feel the need for anything more
