• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

DAC for Raspberry Pi?

Ziradog

Ziradog

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I have a Pi set up with a HiFiBerry DAC+ to stream music in one of our bedrooms. I am going to do a similar set up for the garage. I was wondering if anyone could suggest another low cost DAC to try? I like teh HiFiBerry but I want to take this chance to explore. Thsi being a garage system, I don't want to spend big $. Suggestions?

Thanks.
 
Register to hide this ad
The audio output from the Pi is just slightly worse than a 1970's transistor radio. My standards for the garage are a little better than that. The Pi with the HiFiBerry DAC I have in the one bedroom is pretty decent - at least as good as a basic CD player. It was $30-ish. Thinking something along this line (<$50 - $60), either USB DAC or a "Pi HAT" DAC, just to try something different.
 
Ziradog said:
The audio output from the Pi is just slightly worse than a 1970's transistor radio. My standards for the garage are a little better than that. The Pi with the HiFiBerry DAC I have in the one bedroom is pretty decent - at least as good as a basic CD player. It was $30-ish. Thinking something along this line (<$50 - $60), either USB DAC or a "Pi HAT" DAC, just to try something different.
Click to expand...

Get Audioquest Dragonfly then.
 
Ziradog said:
I was wondering if anyone could suggest another low cost DAC to try? I like teh HiFiBerry but I want to take this chance to explore. Thsi being a garage system, I don't want to spend big $. Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Allo Boss.

I prefer using the RPi as player only using a digital output to feed my choice of DAC. I began with a HiFiBerry Digi+ and replaced it with the significantly better Allo DigiOne.
 
I use the Topping D30 slightly above your budget but it can decode DSD. I had no luck with the HifiBerry module I purchased. I could not get it to work for some reason - I suspect it was a hardware issue as I tried several Pi player distributions. The Topping connects through USB and my RuneAudio recognizes it and they play along nicely.
 
Ziradog said:
Interesting. What makes it better that than other i2S Dacs?
Click to expand...
First of all, the DigiOne is not a DAC. It outputs a digital signal over either coax or BNC, the latter of which I use for my Music Hall DAC 25.3.

ncore3.jpg
 
If you are looking for cheap and to use in the garage the Behringer UCA-202 fits the bill at $30 for a new one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom