DIY HiFi Raspberry Pi Music Server.

RamZet

I wanted to do a project with the Raspberry Pi ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi ) and I have also been itching to build my own music server similar to an Audio ReQuest ( http://www.request.com/ ).
So I combined the projects int one.

I started with the $40 Raspberry Pi "B", $7 8GB sandisk SD card, Pi Case, and free Volumio operation system.
All parts can be found at Amazon.
OS can be found at http://www.volumio.com/

This had to be the simplest setup ever. I downloaded the OS and a suggested Win32 image writer, unzipped the OS image and flashed it to the SD card. Took about 10 mins to download and flash.

Unlike other Pi OS systems you dont need to setup anything with a monitor, mouse and keyboard. System is controlled from a web browser or app.
The app is even cooler. I downloaded Mpod for the iPhone ( droid users use, mdroid), click add device, entered the IP and that was it.
Audio and network setting options are awesome, loads of options.

So for about 55 bucks you get a system that can play FLAC, Mp3s, Wavs, AAC, ALAC, Musepack and some other stuff.
Unlit plays audio from Nas, USB and Ramdisk.

But what about sound quality? Just plug it into any USB DAC. I plugged mine into a Music Streamer II ( http://highresolutiontechnologies.com/music-streamer-ii ). Im going to try it on my Schiit audio stuff in a week.

Another cool feature is the Airplay. The Volumio comes up as a airplay device on my iPhone so i can stream my phones music ad well as Pandora, Spotify, an all other online services.

You can also link up to 5 of these players to create a multi room audio system (poor mans Sonos system).
User interface

Pi and DAC

iPhone App

Air Play option

EndersShadow

Thats pretty darned cool.

I keep waiting to be able to use XBMC on the PI without tons of difficulty as I LOVE XBMC's interface.

This is a pretty cool cheap option as well

For now I am going with the WD Live TV w External HDD attached to it for my movies and use my Squeezebox for my music.

RamZet

EndersShadow wrote: »

Thats pretty darned cool.

I keep waiting to be able to use XBMC on the PI without tons of difficulty as I LOVE XBMC's interface.

This is a pretty cool cheap option as well

For now I am going with the WD Live TV w External HDD attached to it for my movies and use my Squeezebox for my music.

XBMC looks awesome, Im going to order a few more of these Pis and SD cards and give a few different systems a run. Im going to do Android and XBMC next.
Cant wait to be able to do more with them.
Maybe I will try udoo and BeagleBone computers too.

bikerboy

Great job making it work. I have thought of getting one of those after reading about this:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/250583-building-open-embedded-audio-applicance.html
I want the I2S output to go into the TPA Buffalo III. It looks like a great small low power way to get high quality sound from the pc.

RamZet

bikerboy wrote: »

Great job making it work. I have thought of getting one of those after reading about this:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/250583-building-open-embedded-audio-applicance.html
I want the I2S output to go into the TPA Buffalo III. It looks like a great small low power way to get high quality sound from the pc.

300 bucks for the Buffalo III! No way. I think a $99-115 schiit or something like mine (music streamer II) makes more sense, only because it a low cost project.

check out the kernal options on the Volumio OS, I think they got everything covered. Here is a screen shot.

bikerboy

You don't know what you are missing! The Buffalo is a very good dac and will make any digital audio sound better. Nice work on the Pi. I think I will wait until the TPA guys get a cape for the BBB and go with that.