I have a problem when I listen to Qobuz in Hi-res.
It’s perfect in 44khz 16 and 24 bits but as soon as I go up in sampling, I hear little crackles.
I am on ethernet, I have a connection at about 600Mb/s. But at 96khz, I go crazy. I have a crackle, only one every 6 or 7 seconds.
My configuration: ethernet–raspberry p3 b+ --volumio with Qobuz sublim–breeze audio (one usb to spdif Xmos u8 interface (usb xCore)–Lavry DA11
I have bought a 3000mvA adapter. I thought it might have come from there. But, it’s continue.
I would like to point out that it worked with a PC with Windows. It’s not an Xmos or DAC issue.
I removed all the treatments that Volumio could offer (resampling…)
I’m a little disappointed, but I’m sure there’s a solution.
I bet the crackles are not from internet. I get crackles depending on the work the raspi is doing. I think they are glitches depending on little power fluctuations.
That’s what I was afraid of. There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m a little disappointed because I bought the Raspberry only for Qobuz and Volumio. And I had subscribed to Virtuoso for that too.
I agree with @michelangelo that it is very like the single OTG usb bus of the Pi, on which the ethernet interface is connected also, that can’t handle the higher ethernet bandwidth and usb throughput needed for 96k or higher audio streams.
You can try to use the Pi’s Wifi instead of ethernet freeing up resources on the usb bus. The Wifi has a different bus to the cpu.
I know it feels weird, but it has to do with the way the Pi’s hardware works.
When you think that your wifi network might be to crowded, consider using a dedicated wired wifi accesspoint which only serves the Pi.
I assume you unplugged the ethernet? Might be worth testing to reduce the amount of devices
that also use the same wifi.
Or maybe if your router supports more than one SSID, have the Pi as only client to an SSID. Or try 2.4Ghz if the Pi is the only one using that while other devices use 5Ghz.
One final thing to try and validate what is happening, copy a 96khz of more flac
or aac file to the Pi and play it locally. This to check if the usb transport to the DAC is the issue.
After a day of listening, testing: Wifi, Ethernet, Pine 64, Raspberry, Qobuz, Tidal, local files, etc…
I come to the conclusion that the PINE 64 is more suitable for Hi-End listening. Listening is more alive.
With Raspeberry (with resource sharing) is less clear.
The PINE64 in gigabit is instantaneous, it is also relatively reliable.
I had this PINE64 from the beginning, I ordered it from KickStarter. But the community is poor and less active. So it stayed in the closet. I found him again this weekend full of dust.
But I had a great surprise.
I think I bought the Raspberry for nothing.
I don’t speak good English and therefore can’t give you an interesting report.
I’ve been working in sound, hifi, image for years. And I can say it: It sounds better with the PINE64 via an XMOS interface than the Raspberry with the same interface.
QOBUZ–ETHERNET–PINE64–VOLUMIO is a top system. I hope that you will continue to update Volumio for this platform.
Hello
I use the excellent BOSS DAC with a very low-noise power supply with ifi power from ifi Audio.
I hear Qobuz Sublime + up to 192 KHz / 24 bit and have never had quality problems as you describe it.
The sound is fantastic!
Also, I join Michelangelo, with an I2S Dac (for example Allo BOSS) there are no problems.
But today, I wanted to make Volumio work. I have a dac non i2S. And I’m not going to change my Lavry right now. Let’s say I’m looking to buy a native R2R (real)DSD DAC. It will be done this year and it will have an i2S input (or directly an USB if my interface is less efficient)
`
I passed my weekend challenge.
In ethernet, in 96Khz, RPi did not satisfy me. And in Wifi, it’s better but it’s not clear enough for my taste.
I’m relatively picky.
And in USB to the Xmos U8 interface with its beautiful linear power supply, it works better with the PINE64. I didn’t plan on taking that old thing out of the cellar.
