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Post by John on Apr 2, 2020 17:15:19 GMT
I thought it might be good to talk about everything I do to optimise my digital playback system I currently use a ASUS Tinkerboard with a Topping D70 DAC I have a BT Hub 6 so I can stream music I have the Tinkerboard set up for Volumio I currently stream from Quobuz and Spotify I also play files. I tend to prefer files then Spotify and sometimes Quobuz I find quality varies between the services but as a general rule I prefer the mix on Spotify over Quobuz as the mid often has more depth and fluidity. I am using a Coherent supercap power supply to power the BT Hub and Tinkerboard. Perhaps a bit overkill but it all helps From the hub I am using the Melcord Ethernet cable I also have a Acoustic Revive Lan cleaner and a IFI USB silencer on the USB input as a active grounding solution. On the Tinkerboard I use 3 different USB silencers on the spare USB inputs I have a USB hard drive connected to one of the USB ports via the silencer. The USB cable is going to the Oehlbach master reclocker and then going into the DAC I am using the Carbon USB cable by Audioquest My DAC is placed on a Electricbeach platform with 3 Black Ravioli sticky pads I also have the SSG 1s grounding box connected to the Coax digital and AES inputs. I power out from the DAC balanced and RCA outputs RCA feeding the behringer and balanced feeding the Temple Monos. I pay a lot of attention to avoiding cross talk as can hear it affecting the mids.
Summary Everything is powered as clean as I can make this I use either active or passive grounding on every item in the digital chain. I isolate units the best I can I reclock the signal I use good quality cables at not crazy prices I avoid cross talk between cables. Especially mains and signal cables
This gives a deep sound with a lot of impact and fluidity that I find addictive
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Post by Pinch on Apr 2, 2020 17:26:59 GMT
Nice write up! Did you see that iFi have new iSilencer? Same price as the old version, but more effective, so they say: "We’ve upgraded the circuitry; low-ESR tantalum capacitors have been added for improved input and output filtering. Filtering capacitance has been increased 10-fold."ifi-audio.com/products/isilencer-plus/
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Post by John on Apr 2, 2020 17:40:46 GMT
Cheers I did not realise that
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Post by MartinT on Apr 3, 2020 23:57:23 GMT
How have I improved the Tinker Board S performance?
- 5V Coherent QP-1 supercap power supply (requires 2.5A minimum) - Akasa metal case for shielding - Black Ravioli Pads for isolation - Acoustic Revive RLI-1 LAN isolator - MeCord ethernet cable from router - AudioQuest Carbon USB output cable - AudioQuest Cinnamon microUSB power cable - Black Ravioli Eflos USB grounding box - Granite coaster on top
Further up the chain - Mutec MC-3+ USB reclocker
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Post by Tim on Jun 26, 2020 7:50:32 GMT
Has anyone tried a direct comparison between a Tinkerboard and a Pi. I suspect there might be a thread somewhere detailing the benefits of choosing this over a Pi, if there is can they point me to it? Or just a very quick line or two of why they prefer the Asus TB over a Pi?
I've done a search using 'Tinkerboard' but can't see a comparison thread/post. Just wondering the merits of one over the other, should I decide to buy a SBC. Am I right in thinking the Tinkerboard uses different buses for Ethernet and USB?
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Post by John on Jun 26, 2020 8:48:28 GMT
Alp who sometimes post here has written about his experience somewhere
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Post by MartinT on Jun 26, 2020 9:02:47 GMT
Has anyone tried a direct comparison between a Tinkerboard and a Pi. I had a Pi running when I first built the Tinker Board S. It's interesting to understand the problems with the Pi 3's USB subsystem, which is on the same controller as ethernet. So when you are streaming, you are inputting via ethernet and outputting via USB (unless you have a HAT board). Therefore, it may seem that you have a lot of spare bandwidth but that port sharing represents a true bottleneck, especially at higher sample rates. In reality, the difference in sound between the two could be summarised as 'authority'. The TBS has more substance and structure to the sound, there is greater vibrancy and rhythmic intensity. Music sounds more alive and interesting. Going back to the Pi, it sounded a little dull in comparison.
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Post by Clive on Jun 26, 2020 9:03:55 GMT
I'd be tempted to play with a Tinkerboard but I'm a little anti-USB currently so I'm using spdif which I don't think is a viable option with the Tinkerboard. My USB issues are that some DACs end up needing an external PS for the USB card to get the best our of them though my Qutest is ok in this respect...hmm, maybe I'll have a play with one.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 26, 2020 10:11:37 GMT
I'd be tempted to play with a Tinkerboard but I'm a little anti-USB currently so I'm using spdif which I don't think is a viable option with the Tinkerboard. My USB issues are that some DACs end up needing an external PS for the USB card to get the best our of them though my Qutest is ok in this respect...hmm, maybe I'll have a play with one. Even the Amanero USB input in my LKS DAC is not as good as S/PDIF AES input. I solved that by using the Mutec MC-3+ USB to convert and reclock USB to S/PDIF.
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Post by user211 on Jun 26, 2020 10:41:50 GMT
I think the SQ of the Amanero card is questionable. My Lampizator (so massively modified it is hard to call it that now really) uses one. Both coax and optical sound considerably better. Check this out: jlsounds.com/Was going to have one put in. Actually it's just not worth it now as my projector outputs coax and I can also extract HDMI data to optical if I bypass the projector using an HDMI switch I bought. BTW: ayrn.io/toslink-optical-connections-support-24-192khz-audio/
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Post by Tim on Jun 26, 2020 12:01:59 GMT
It's interesting to understand the problems with the Pi 3's USB subsystem, which is on the same controller as ethernet. That was one of my concerns with the Pi early on. In my very brief play around with one I was underwhelmed by it in comparison to the board I'm using now, so never went any further. I wasn't prepared to mod the hell out of it, or invest in HATs and multiple power supplies either - that was taking it beyond the joy of just playing music, so I was happy to 'stick' as it were.
The Tinkerboard however seems more likely to fit my needs, especially the S with eMMC (a decent case by Akasa too). At some point I'm either going to want to replace my Atom board, or it's going to die being 8 years old now.
Thanks for the replies chaps
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Post by MartinT on Jun 26, 2020 12:14:16 GMT
The 'S' version should be better but I must admit my attempts to install Volumio onto the eMMC have failed so far because my SD cards are 16GB in size and I get a warning that the eMMC is 14.7GB max. I therefore need to get my finger out, find an 8GB SD card, put Volumio on it and see if I can get it onto the eMMC.
I've held back for a long time because my OTA updates weren't working so I feared being 'stuck' with an old version of Volumio and having to change jumpers to boot back from an SD card. Now that that problem has been fixed, I'm willing to give it a go.
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Post by Clive on Jun 26, 2020 13:12:50 GMT
John, have you tried the Tinker with a Temple Supercap 5V PS? I'm assuming it'll be fine for 2.5A.
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Post by Tim on Jun 26, 2020 13:26:08 GMT
I therefore need to get my finger out, find an 8GB SD card, put Volumio on it and see if I can get it onto the eMMC. Yes, come on Martin pull your finger out. I'm starting to get the feeling you're not taking this seriously and not pulling your weight
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Post by John on Jun 26, 2020 14:08:05 GMT
John, have you tried the Tinker with a Temple Supercap 5V PS? I'm assuming it'll be fine for 2.5A. Yes needs to do 2.5a I have another power supply for the Tinkerboard and hub I am using the Supercharger with the reclocker and gives a deeper sound
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Post by MartinT on Jun 26, 2020 15:51:17 GMT
Yes, come on Martin pull your finger out. I'm starting to get the feeling you're not taking this seriously and not pulling your weight Having been smacked on my botty I have removed said finger, blasted an 8GB SD card with Volumio 2.779 for TBS and fired it up. Upon attempting to install Volumio to the eMMC, I get an error message "Install to Disk failed: undefined", which I'm sure you'll agree is less than helpful. I've now raised it in the Volumio forum and await a response. Meanwhile, the 64GB card has gone back in and music has resumed.
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Post by Tim on Jun 26, 2020 16:15:15 GMT
Hmmm, that is less than helpful. I wouldn't have though eMMC compared to mSATA would be an issue. I'll be interesting in the outcome, as the TBS is on my shortlist, but I would prefer to run Volumio from the eMMC
I'm assuming Slinger has an M.2 SSD in his Cubi? I do rather like those too, seem good value compared to NUC.
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Post by Slinger on Jun 26, 2020 16:45:04 GMT
Hmmm, that is less than helpful. I wouldn't have though eMMC compared to mSATA would be an issue. I'll be interesting in the outcome, as the TBS is on my shortlist, but I would prefer to run Volumio from the eMMC I'm assuming Slinger has an M.2 SSD in his Cubi? I do rather like those too, seem good value compared to NUC. The Cubi has a 32GB mSATA SSD.
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Post by Tim on Jun 26, 2020 18:00:58 GMT
Interesting, exactly the same as my board
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Post by Tim on Jun 27, 2020 1:01:26 GMT
Yes, come on Martin pull your finger out. I'm starting to get the feeling you're not taking this seriously and not pulling your weight Having been smacked on my botty I have removed said finger, blasted an 8GB SD card with Volumio 2.779 for TBS and fired it up. Upon attempting to install Volumio to the eMMC, I get an error message "Install to Disk failed: undefined", which I'm sure you'll agree is less than helpful. I've now raised it in the Volumio forum and await a response. Meanwhile, the 64GB card has gone back in and music has resumed. Just a thought Martin, if you plugged the TBS directly into your PC via the micro USB input, wouldn't the eMMC show up as a drive in Windows? If so I'd have thought your could use Etcher to flash the Volumio image direct to the eMMC, negating the need to do it from within Volumio. My mad brain tells me that should work. Of course you wouldn't have all your settings from the O/S on the microSD, but that shouldn't be a problem. Anyway .... I'll get my coat
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