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Post by terrybooth on Jul 20, 2014 13:20:06 GMT
The issue is going to be finding a Linux distrubtion which supports the Advent hardware. I've had Ubuntu running on a netbook - although not an Advent. However, I would recommend looking at Ubuntu or Ubuntu derivatives first. A list if linux distributions is available at distrowatch.com. Note that you'll probably need another PC to create a bootable USB to install Linux. SSD - adds to expense and complexity. Quick booting maybe convenient but you could also resolve this by never turning off. Sonically, the only thing it does is take away some mechanical noise but they you'll have CPU fan noise as well. You certainly don't need the throughput you can get from an SSD. I've had Ubuntu running on a music PC. Sonically, I felt that Ubuntu (and Mac OSX)has a slightly soft presentation when compared with a Windows 7 based music PC.
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Post by Dave on Jul 20, 2014 13:25:25 GMT
Hmmm, that's food for thought Terry, thank you
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Post by terrybooth on Jul 20, 2014 18:01:12 GMT
I've realised that I am assuming that you have a DAC box. If you don't already have a DAC box, I'd advise a different direction.
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Post by Dave on Jul 20, 2014 18:25:30 GMT
I have indeed, a Rega DAC which I drive with my current server. Just spotted these on fleabay and they look quite promising although they are in the US. I like the fact I could use a linear psu with it if I choose to.
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Post by terrybooth on Jul 20, 2014 21:08:12 GMT
I'm using one of these (well, actually two, the other has a different case). Music for one is on a NAS device over a wired network. For the other on a usb stick. I can't make 'em work using wifi to connect to the music file. It needs a few more bits to make it work (the advert tells you). You can make it yourself and save a few quid. You will need a bit of patience to get it going (and many give up). But I think it is an interested (and different) approach to digital music reproduction. I did look at all manner of mini PCs (Intel NUC and so on) but decided to try the Raspberry Pi with a Dac Card to see if it live up to this argument.
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Post by Dave on Jul 20, 2014 21:13:44 GMT
Honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin with that...
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Post by Tim on Jul 21, 2014 22:30:32 GMT
Get a RaspberryPi B+ (under 30 quid), put Volumio on it and off you go, cheap as chips and simple as. It will recognise a Rega DAC too. If you want serious sound quality, attach a USB plugin board to the Pi for S/PDIF out to the DAC. Isolate the two data lines (white & green) from the USB power output from the Pi, then power the S/PDIF board with its own 5V linear supply, cheap from Item Audio and then you have a bit perfect hi-res data feed going to the REGA, with its own linear power on the board. Remember to keep a common GND connection between the two. Use a portable USB hard drive with your music library on, or connect to a music library on your home network. Control via smartphone app, tablet or PC. Voilà . . . sound quality than can potentially equal or better some very highly tweaked (and expensive) Windows Music Servers, for the price of an SSD drive!
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Post by Dave on Jul 21, 2014 22:53:44 GMT
Wow Tim that is EXACTLY what I am looking for, good man....
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Post by Dave on Jul 21, 2014 22:56:32 GMT
Quick question, will I be able to stream Spotify on it?
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Post by Tim on Jul 21, 2014 23:57:08 GMT
Dunno, Google it . . .
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Post by John on Jul 22, 2014 4:17:05 GMT
I do like the idea of the Raspberry Pi Its a neat solution but far to happy with my Blue ray player using files, just as cheap and pretty flexible in its use. Its a alternative way to do it but certainly worth considering
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Post by MartinT on Jul 22, 2014 6:37:44 GMT
The Raspberry Pi is great fun to play with. I might get serious and try this, too.
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Post by Tim on Jul 22, 2014 10:23:27 GMT
If you go to the Volumio website Martin and click around there's some good info. This will give you SPDIF/Toslink out with little or no hassle www.hifiberry.com/hbdigi
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Post by welder on Jul 22, 2014 11:16:58 GMT
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Post by Tim on Jul 22, 2014 11:33:00 GMT
Stop worrying about whether a few grand spent on a special build music server will sound much better. +1 indeed John. I found myself going forward then I stopped, took stock of what I had learnt and I'm now going backwards with a much simpler (and cheaper) approach
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Post by terrybooth on Jul 22, 2014 19:24:47 GMT
Quick question, will I be able to stream Spotify on it? Not so far as I know. Volumio will play Web Radio and create libraries from USB disk and Network disk out of the box. I'll do airplay and DNLA stuff but Spotify needs a client and I'm not aware of one tha runs on Volumio. Note Volumio is Linux based and there are other Linux distro for the Pi.
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Post by Dave on Jul 22, 2014 20:56:29 GMT
Thought about this further yesterday Terry and actually it's not going to be a problem at all. I can in fact continue to use this machine to stream Spotify as I will have a spare spdif socket on the Rega to play with, even with a Pi in play
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