04-30-2021, 11:11 PM
(03-24-2021, 03:11 PM)rebbi Wrote: Does anyone have experience comparing the on-board RP4 USB ports as a transport to a DAC vs. the sound quality of an add-on board like the Allo DigiOne or DigiOne Signature, or something similar?
Wondering if it pays to try coaxial (SPDIF) with one of those HATs.
I tried to find objective comparisons on the net, because I also plan to build a Moodeplayer and was looking at the cheap Pi4 vs other expensive options, but I failed.
And after some more searching I am 100% sure why there is no objective comparison. It would show no difference in the sound quality if you exchange the network streamer while leaving the rest (DAC, AMP,...) the same.
My conclusions: an objective difference is when you use SPDIF and not USB. Different encoding/decoding mechanisms are used here (afaik also the bitrate is different), resulting in a different sound. If you use USB, it doesn`t matter at all, because the digital data stream which is generated and sent over the cable is identical.
Power supply is not relevant on the streamer but has an influence on the DAC, because here you have an analog output signal and not a digital one, and a digital one doesn't care about jitter or noise. Just buy a halfway good cable and you are done.
Think I am wrong and the digital signal can be influenced by the quality of the cable other noise? Check the video here, take the 13 mins and watch it. Might save you some hundred dollars.
I also planned to buy the bridge plus a shanti, but after some research it's a pi4/2gb, an oehlbach usb cable and plus the standard power supply. I will spend the saved money on a LPS for the DAC.
