A Free Audio Streamer

dcmeigs

I’m setting up a garage bar for the pandemic era and it needs tunes. The Bluetooth speaker is just not cutting it. I’ve got enough spare amps and speakers to get the job done but I need a source. I’m using Zigmahornets for speakers and I’ve settled on a stereo push pull EL84 amp because it’s small, unusual, rugged and it sounds great. Needless to say it’s not Bluetooth capable. I’ve tried some Bluetooth adapters and they all sound... well horrible. The Apple AirPort is good but I’d prefer not to drag the iPad out to the garage. And I’m not really wanting to buy a streamer for the garage. I need something cheap, simple and good.

I had an old Roku LT just setting in a drawer. I discovered to my surprise that it will continue playing after the HDMI cable is unplugged. I added the Tunein app, moved it to the top of the menu list and plugged it into the amp with a 1/8” by RCA cable. It works just fine without the TV as a stand alone source. One need only visualize the five required keystrokes to start it and you’ve got a quality analog wifi source for internet radio for a vintage amp. The price is right and it sounds pretty darn good; a lot better than Bluetooth.

It lacks flexibility but I have it tuned to my favorite internet radio station (Gulch Radio, Jerome AZ). As long as the power supply is on, it outputs continuously. There has been no need to restart it. How cool is that? A free audio streamer!

audioluvr

I'm using the BluDento in my garage and barn. For the price it gets the job done. No it's not TOTL / critical listening material but for a garage or shop it isn't bad. I use them (one upstairs and one down stairs to stream Tidal via my phone so I can have the same music playing simultaneously wherever I'm working.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BluDento-True-HiFi-Long-Distance-Bluetooth-Music-Audio-Receiver-aptX-Low-Latency/153609505518?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=225086&meid=eeeb99e3e5b0449396fd178b6a43e370&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=12&mehot=sb&sd=333627213868&itm=153609505518&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV2bDemotion&brand=BluDento&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

spongebobsquarepants

Make something with a rasberry pi!

dcmeigs

spongebobsquarepants wrote: »

Make something with a rasberry pi!

Tell me more.

spongebobsquarepants

I've been using mine with ropieee with roon, but theres a million options for how to set one up.

The board, memory card, and power supply were about $55.

Theres add on chips called "hats" for the rasberry pi board, so you can add a higher quality dac all in one box, or you can use a USB dac, or the built in dac on the board.

This one looks like it might do what you want to do:
https://www.balena.io/blog/turn-your-old-speakers-or-hi-fi-into-bluetooth-receivers-using-only-a-raspberry-pi/

EndersShadow

Or buy an old chromecast audio....

I’ve got one in my garage and I use it to listen to Pandora or Spotify..

DaveHo

Chromecast audio for the win. And if you don't like the built-in DAC, the output is also SPIDF.

spongebobsquarepants

Chromecast does look like a good option for a garage system. It's probably easier to set up, and cheaper!

dcmeigs

I actually have a chromecast on order. It should be here any day now. I have an AirPlay also but if it's not cabled to the modem it needs to be rebooted about every third day. I hope the Chromecast does better.