Computer Audio Asylum

RPi as single computer solution (library and playback)

75.142.52.0

mike1127

A

In Reply to: RE: where should I get a Raspberry Pi 4? posted by mike1127 on April 04, 2024 at 20:37:36

Now that I've noticed playing from a USB drive can have some quality improvements over network playing (that's a tentative conclusion... will do more listening and let the Zen burn in) I'm wondering if there is software for the RPi like Foobar2000 or JRiver.. I would plug a USB Drive into the RPi and connect a keyboard and monitor and run it from there. Is there Foobar2000 for Linux? How stripped down, or full-featured, does the Linux need to be?

Follow Ups:

I just couldn't give up my Foobar2000 - Feanor 04:29:20 04/06/24 (4)
I tried RPi and got it running with PcP. Many thanks for a lot of help from Cut-Throat. However I decide to go back to Foobar2000 under Windows.

Difficulties with Windows running music players are probably exaggerated, at least if you run a dedicated Windows machine. I'm using this MeLE Quieter3Q N5105 running Window 11; note that it's relatively cheap and fanless. A small, cheap laptop would work as well I don't doubt.

With Foobar2000 I run MathAudio's Room EQ plug-in component which gives excellent results with minimum effort.

Dmitri Shostakovich
- Question - E-Stat 11:02:01 04/10/24 (1)
  Does it support remote control software on your watch/phone/pad?
  
  That would be a deal killer for me if not.
  - I can live w/o the Watch but..... - AbeCollins 14:52:05 04/10/24 (0)
    ....not having the iPad as a remote would be a deal killer here.
- my experience with Windows PCs - mike1127 19:16:26 04/06/24 (1)
  Since 2017 years I've been using a NUC, pretty low powered (2 core, runs at 30% CPU just to run Foobar2000). It's powered by a 19V LPS that I got from China. Both the LPS and the 2017 NUC have been custom modified by adding bypass capacitors and/or ERS fabric.
  
  The NUC provides USB output to my DAC, a Gustard X20. The Gustard has been modified with bypass capacitors, extra shielding, damping material, and ERS fabric.
  
  I'm running Fidelizer on the NUC.
  
  The sound is very good, although not very exciting compared to my recent experiments.
  
  �s an aside, I use a MacBook for work computing. I noticed when I got a much more powerful MacBook last year that the sound improved. I am running its USB output to an iFi Link (provides USB-> S/PDIF) and from there to the Gustard's coaxial input. This system doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the NUC (The Link isn't a high-end component) but the sound really did improve when I got the more powerful MacBook.
  
  So I thought, I wonder if the fact my NUC is running at 30% CPU between background tasks and playing a file, means a faster NUC would sound better.
  
  So I got a quad-core 4 GHz NUC a week ago from Amazon. I'm powering it with the same 19V LPS. But no ERS fabric in this new NUC yet.
  
  Well the sound was greatly improved over the old NUC. Much faster transients and more immediacy. Note: the new NUC runs at 3% CPU to do background tasks and play files. Also running Fidelizer on the new NUC.
  
  So I know this doesn't prove a faster CPU helps the sound, but I suspect it strongly.
  
  Do you power your PC with a stock SMPS or a LPS? I find that makes a huge difference. With a stock SMPS, the sound just turns to mush and loses all resolution.
  
  The most recent experiment was using an iFi Zen Stream, a network streamer that also has the capacity to play off an attached USB drive. Whoa... improved dynamics (micro- and macro-) to the point I've never heard my system this exciting or expressive. Also powering the Zen Stream off a 12V LPS, in this case a really expensive one that was custom built for me (for another use, and it was just lying around unused). If I use the stock switching PS the sound just turns to mush and loses all high-end extension.
  - Since you ask, I'm using the vendor-supplied 12VDC PS - Feanor 04:16:40 04/07/24 (0)
    No doubt it is SMPS but again, I nevertheless seem to be getting superb results.
    I try Fidelizer a few years ago but didn't notice any difference to the sound.
    
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    
    Edits: 04/07/24 04/07/24
RE: RPi as single computer solution (library and playback) - triode3 03:33:54 04/06/24 (0)
There is no direct FooBar2000 for linux, it runs under an emulator, but I am not 100% sure the Pi has enough horsepower to do that and decode HIFI.

A few alts are DeadBeef (https://deadbeef.sourceforge.io/) and RhythemBox (https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Rhythmbox) but I have not installed Rhythembox in so long, not sure if the Pi has the libraries for it without having to install a lot of other stuff. It has been said DeadBeef is the most "FooBar" like of the players.

Personally, I use a more stripped down player as I curate my own lists, so I use Audacious (https://audacious-media-player.org/) but it is really stripped compared to FooBar.

Keep in mind, all of these are available for the Pi and you should not have to download them from those sites, you can use the built-in package manager to get them and try them out.

Thanks.
RE: RPi as single computer solution (library and playback) - AbeCollins 22:18:50 04/05/24 (0)
Cut-Throat can help you setup PcP which should do most of what you want.

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