Could CI-board be an alternative for GCA?

[Rob]

I follow DC for quite a while with great interest. This is my first serious post.

My present set up to stream Qobuz Studio (High-res subscription) is via Google Chrome Cast Audio and optical to my Dev 440 CI and IPad + Qubuz app as remote. Sound quality is pretty OK. However, after last FW update by Google, CCA doesn't always process high-resolution of 24bit/96khz anymore. Above was never possible. Further, GCA will no longer be supported. I have been looking at Raspberry PI + various HAT solutions and to all kind of high quality bridge streamers with "interesting" price tags. Looking at the simplicity of the hardware of both Raspberry+HAT-low jitter streamers and GCA, I wonder whether the Core Infinity hardware + some Linux programming has the potential of a high quality streamer-bridge? Does someone know? If so, any idea if Devialet has planned this?

Note: I have tried Qobus / Roon via "Roon-ready" implementation running Roon core on a powerful PC, but found upper mids too harsh / dominant. Also sound quality via MConnect player is worse (less dynamic and limited 3D) compared to the GCA.

Thanks for your replies!

Rob

[Rob]

I follow DC for quite a while with great interest. This is my first serious post.

My present set up to stream Qobuz Studio (High-res subscription) is via Google Chrome Cast Audio and optical to my Dev 440 CI and IPad + Qubuz app as remote. Sound quality is pretty OK. However, after last FW update by Google, CCA doesn't always process high-resolution of 24bit/96khz anymore. Above was never possible. Further, GCA will no longer be supported. I have been looking at Raspberry PI + various HAT solutions and to all kind of high quality bridge streamers with "interesting" price tags. Looking at the simplicity of the hardware of both Raspberry+HAT-low jitter streamers and GCA, I wonder whether the Core Infinity hardware + some Linux programming has the potential of a high quality streamer-bridge? Does someone know? If so, any idea if Devialet has planned this?

Note: I have tried Qobus / Roon via "Roon-ready" implementation running Roon core on a powerful PC, but found upper mids too harsh / dominant. Also sound quality via MConnect player is worse (less dynamic and limited 3D) compared to the GCA.

Thanks for your replies!

Rob

Are there any users of Raspberry Pi + HAT for streaming high res and high quality audio on this DC who want to share their experience?

Rob


Devialet 440 Pro CI; AudioQuest Castle Rock; B&W800D3; Meridian 507, GCCA, MConnect

[Antoine]

Hi Rob, I myself have no experience with the RPI as a streamer to Devialet. I did play with a Cubox several years back but am “full into” computer audio using regular computers.

I do believe @Hifi_swlon is happily using an Allo Digione as a streamer. Perhaps he’ll chime in or you could search the term for some of his experiences.

[JohnnySix]

I am taking delivery of a HiFiBerry Digital Output board (Pro version, £32) for my RPi3 this week, and hope to compare it with direct DLNA streaming this weekend.

I am sceptical, as I fail to see how offboard streaming can be better than sending data directly to the UPNP renderer built into Devialet Experts' CI boards.

Need to investigate what this "HAT" business is though; hopefully I can just attach it to the GPIO pins.

[Rob]

I am taking delivery of a HiFiBerry Digital Output board (Pro version, £32) for my RPi3 this week, and hope to compare it with direct DLNA streaming this weekend.

I am sceptical, as I fail to see how offboard streaming can be better than sending data directly to the UPNP renderer built into Devialet Experts' CI boards.

Need to investigate what this "HAT" business is though; hopefully I can just attach it to the GPIO pins.

JohnnySix,

Have you had time to compare sound Q of UPNP renderer direct to Dev and HiFiBerry Digital Output board?

Thanks,
Rob


Devialet 440 Pro CI; AudioQuest Castle Rock; B&W800D3; Meridian 507, GCCA, MConnect

[JohnnySix]

Didn’t realise it had to come from Sweden. It hasn’t arrived to me here in the UK yet.


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