I got myself a Raspberry Pi Zero W, to use with a home automation project.
Before deploying it permanently for the intended purpose, I thought that I should just try it as a streamer since I've recently used a Raspberry Pi 2 with Volumio with great success.
I am quite pleased with the result. But there are some limitations that will be clear from the below.
Setting up the Pi Zero W with Volumio was a breeze. It all just worked and initial setup was easy over the web interface. The Zero is almost as neat as a Chromecast but with more options to connect a DAC. And it sounded pretty good, can't say better or worse than the Pi 2 or Chromecast Audio, as I did not spend enough time with it to compare directly.
My setup:
Music on network drive >> 2.4g WiFi to Pi (router very close) >> latest Volumio image on Pi Zero W >> Micro USB to USB A converter >> USB cable >> Modi Multibit DAC >> Magni 2 Uber headphone amp >> EL8 headphones. I also uploaded the same test music to the SD Card to test the WiFi bandwidth limits. Volumio was all controlled over network by the Android Volumio App. Imagine your garage remote control with just two micro usb wires attached to one side, and you have a pretty good idea how small and neat this is.
Results:
DSD - Let's just say there were sounds produced... miraculously.
24bit/192khz FLAC - Clipped severely over WiFi, but big improvement played from the SD Card with clipping still present.
24bit/96khz FLAC - Clipping almost completely gone over WiFi, no clipping playing from SD Card.
16bit/44.1khz FLAC - No issues at all and a very pleasing sound and nothing bothered me.
Note: At first I was sure the music played slightly slower than it should but the tonality was weirdly fine... So last night I timed the songs with a stopwatch and it was perfectly on time. It might have been the OS settling in initially or the library updating (it only has one core CPU), or I might have just been a bit hyperactive when I first listened.. don't know.
Verdict:
The Pi Zero W can be a super cheap WiFi streamer if you are not too picky about sound quality and don't have too expensive and revealing DACs and AMPs - the "golden ear" guys will shoot more holes through the Pi Zero than there are open GPIO pin holes on the PCB. And if only using WiFi you should limit your source files to CD quality (16bit/44.1khz) if you will be having a fit if you hear a pop or two in the music. Volumio also stream web radio like a boss! Even some local radio stations. If you want some background tunes produced cheaply, this is it.
I don't claim this device is sounding as good as more established streamers, but it certainly does not sound bad and I could listen to it, and enjoy it, with my modest Schiit Stack and a good set of headphones. The Pi Zero with built in WiFi (and everything you need to use it in a starter kit) costs less than a Chromecast in South-Africa (if you can find one), and with much more potential. In defence of the Chromecast devices, it is still the simplest no fuss plug and play solution that just works, for me at least.
I initially thought this would be a waste of my time. But I am certainly very impressed with the Pi Zero W's capabilities.
Hope this is useful to someone. Comments welcome!
Cheers,
W
Before deploying it permanently for the intended purpose, I thought that I should just try it as a streamer since I've recently used a Raspberry Pi 2 with Volumio with great success.
I am quite pleased with the result. But there are some limitations that will be clear from the below.
Setting up the Pi Zero W with Volumio was a breeze. It all just worked and initial setup was easy over the web interface. The Zero is almost as neat as a Chromecast but with more options to connect a DAC. And it sounded pretty good, can't say better or worse than the Pi 2 or Chromecast Audio, as I did not spend enough time with it to compare directly.
My setup:
Music on network drive >> 2.4g WiFi to Pi (router very close) >> latest Volumio image on Pi Zero W >> Micro USB to USB A converter >> USB cable >> Modi Multibit DAC >> Magni 2 Uber headphone amp >> EL8 headphones. I also uploaded the same test music to the SD Card to test the WiFi bandwidth limits. Volumio was all controlled over network by the Android Volumio App. Imagine your garage remote control with just two micro usb wires attached to one side, and you have a pretty good idea how small and neat this is.
Results:
DSD - Let's just say there were sounds produced... miraculously.
24bit/192khz FLAC - Clipped severely over WiFi, but big improvement played from the SD Card with clipping still present.
24bit/96khz FLAC - Clipping almost completely gone over WiFi, no clipping playing from SD Card.
16bit/44.1khz FLAC - No issues at all and a very pleasing sound and nothing bothered me.
Note: At first I was sure the music played slightly slower than it should but the tonality was weirdly fine... So last night I timed the songs with a stopwatch and it was perfectly on time. It might have been the OS settling in initially or the library updating (it only has one core CPU), or I might have just been a bit hyperactive when I first listened.. don't know.
Verdict:
The Pi Zero W can be a super cheap WiFi streamer if you are not too picky about sound quality and don't have too expensive and revealing DACs and AMPs - the "golden ear" guys will shoot more holes through the Pi Zero than there are open GPIO pin holes on the PCB. And if only using WiFi you should limit your source files to CD quality (16bit/44.1khz) if you will be having a fit if you hear a pop or two in the music. Volumio also stream web radio like a boss! Even some local radio stations. If you want some background tunes produced cheaply, this is it.
I don't claim this device is sounding as good as more established streamers, but it certainly does not sound bad and I could listen to it, and enjoy it, with my modest Schiit Stack and a good set of headphones. The Pi Zero with built in WiFi (and everything you need to use it in a starter kit) costs less than a Chromecast in South-Africa (if you can find one), and with much more potential. In defence of the Chromecast devices, it is still the simplest no fuss plug and play solution that just works, for me at least.
I initially thought this would be a waste of my time. But I am certainly very impressed with the Pi Zero W's capabilities.
Hope this is useful to someone. Comments welcome!
Cheers,
W
