Life of Pi

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

All it needs is to have one person to have the gumption to say "this, this, and this" stick it in a box and go on the forums (and eBay) and say £100 or what ever with a 30 day return. Stop waffling on about things most people don't understand give them *a finished product*. Ok those of you that understand you can keep playing, out of which will come the upgrades.

[Fretless]

True, Doc, The whole Raspberry Pi scene is far more the territory of the computer-geek hobbyist than the average Hi-Fi enthusiast.

[guydarryl]

No problem, Guy. I think this is fun

But you might want somebody like Terry who is a 'real' technician - I just try to tell what I know in layman's terms.

Not at all, those terms would be best for me

[terrybooth]

All it needs is to have one person to have the gumption to say "this, this, and this" stick it in a box and go on the forums (and eBay) and say £100 or what ever with a 30 day return. Stop waffling on about things most people don't understand give them *a finished product*. Ok those of you that understand you can keep playing, out of which will come the upgrades.

Not that simple I'm afraid. It can't be made fully self contained (unlike the TFS). Really needs to go into a home with some other computer stuff around. The most 'self cotained' I can think of making it, is to use it with a keyboard, mouse and screen to operate the thing. But this would require another PC to rip/download music and copy to a USB drive which would them be plugged into the Pie. No doubt with some work, someone clever could make a touch screen work with this to make the user interface a bit slicker but that wouldn't give you internet radio or remote control or spotify - you would need a network of some kind for those.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Well bloody well get on with it then, I want one by the end of the year

Until then my early 90's Sony CD and DAC masterpieces being fed by a BMU are quite seriously the best thing musically and HiFially I have heard in my life.

[Fretless]

All it needs is to have one person to have the gumption to say "this, this, and this" stick it in a box and go on the forums (and eBay) and say £100 or what ever with a 30 day return. Stop waffling on about things most people don't understand give them *a finished product*. Ok those of you that understand you can keep playing, out of which will come the upgrades.

Not that simple I'm afraid. It can't be made fully self contained (unlike the TFS). Really needs to go into a home with some other computer stuff around. The most 'self cotained' I can think of making it, is to use it with a keyboard, mouse and screen to operate the thing. But this would require another PC to rip/download music and copy to a USB drive which would them be plugged into the Pie. No doubt with some work, someone clever could make a touch screen work with this to make the user interface a bit slicker but that wouldn't give you internet radio or remote control or spotify - you would need a network of some kind for those.

But as a cheapo Sonos alternative it's brilliant!

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Nope I will not buy ripoff retailed products as a matter of principle, and anyway why should I accept the inferior when something better is just around the corner.

BTW Terry do you run the TFS off the BMU, did it improve it.

[Welder]

Whoa! Lets get give some proportion to this.
The PI is a computer; it’s not some magical bit of electronics that outshines any other computer when it comes to audio; all computers can deliver bit perfect audio to a dac.
What is special imo is the price and the simplicity of the motherboard. It’s still just a computer.

The dacs; yep they give outstanding performance for the money but there are better dacs in just about every respect.

I’m not knocking the PI and\or the many dacs that can be stacked directly on the PI board.
but the hype is more than the product and that’s not so good.
The point for me at least is you would be very hard pressed to equal the two combinations I’ve heard for the money and that I am afraid is as far as it goes.

I’m listening to my my music centre and Benchmark dac still because it’s better. Yes it costs ridiculously more money but it is better without a doubt.

If others prefer or consider the PI equal or better than their flagship CD players and tweaked dacs then I say this says more about the shortcomings of the original kit and not so much about the PI and dac combo.

[Fretless]

That certainly puts things into perspective. Yes, we/I am limited by the comparisons we can make out of our first-hand experience. And the Pi is just what it is and not more. But as a hobbyist, it's the search for improvement and the little surprises on the way that give that kick that you have discovered something new for yourself.

Listening via the Pi/Hifiberry now and my humble system has attained a new level of clarity. I'm a happy hobbyist this evening.

[terrybooth]

BTW Terry do you run the TFS off the BMU, did it improve it.

Not yet. Need to make up some extension cables so Icon plug more things in.