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Topic: Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo (Read 4413 times) previous topic - next topic
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Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Hello guys,

I spent hours reading related topics and ended up with a major migraine...

I have a Carver vacuum tube ref PRE and the Carver magnetic field power Amp with a pair of Quart 360 speakers.  As much as I enjoy great sound I am not a “Golden ears” case which suits right my tight budget…
I’m seeking a solution for feeding FLAC files into my system. Currently I use XBMC as my Media Center running on Win7 for watching movies. I don’t use it for Audio.

I was thinking of building a solution based on an android box running XBMC with digital (Coaxial and/or optical) output that will be connected to a reasonable DAC and from there to my PreAmp.

I have several questions on which I would really appreciate your opinion:

1.   Has anyone tried this configuration before?
2.   Can I use XBMC as a player for the FLAC files with no impact on quality (would it send it to the DAC transparently? Like in kernel mode?)
3.   If the answer to the above question is negative, which SW can I use on Android to get the job done?
4.   I see a lot of low costs DIY DACs from China and others, some of them based on great DAC chips, can anyone comment from experience on those?
5.   In case I got it all wrong…. Some other recommended setup?

Thanks!

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #1 –
1. I'm pretty sure there was a thread on here recently talking about the various flavours of XBMC to run on a RaspPi or similar.
2. Why would it affect the quality?
3. There are some media players that now run Android I think but otherwise are you going to be running it from a tablet/phone as I'm not sure where else you'll be able run Android.

Why don't you use your Win7 box for this which already has XBMC on it?

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #2 –
Quote from: probedb on
Why don't you use your Win7 box for this which already has XBMC on it?

You know, I find using an Win7 box as a little more than a headless streaming client ruthless from an environmental perspective. (Of course, with a few exceptions, for example, the latest-gen Intel NUC draws only 5.5 W idle.) Even a stripped-down Windows box can easily consume like 20-30 Euro worth of energy a year, even if you shut it down at night. (That's nothing more than an extremely rough ballpark figure using German energy prices, I suppose the US may be slightly cheaper.)

My Raspberry Pi Model B consumes ~ 5 W (not idle but under load!) Considering it costs like 40 Euro, it will pay for itself after maybe a year or two (as compared to a typical Windows box).

If the OP built a solution around an Android smartphone (such as one purchased used on eBay), power consumption may be lower still.

On a different matter: there's nothing wrong with going for XBMC, a software that you're familiar with. However, if you'll use the box for nothing but audio, there are interesting alternatives to consider (e.g., Logitech Media Server, an AirPlay target other than XBMC, etc.)

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #3 –
Quote from: probedb on
2. Why would it affect the quality?
3. There are some media players that now run Android I think but otherwise are you going to be running it from a tablet/phone as I'm not sure where else you'll be able run Android.

Why don't you use your Win7 box for this which already has XBMC on it?


Well, maybe my misunderstanding, but I think I‘ve seen something about down sampling of the FLAC file due to HW/SW limitations.
As for the Android HW, I was thinking of a set top box something like this one- http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bluetimes-M.../832306431.html
(Just an example, still need to look into it)

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #4 –
Quote from: aztec_mystic on
You know, I find using an Win7 box as a little more than a headless streaming client ruthless from an environmental perspective. (Of course, with a few exceptions, for example, the latest-gen Intel NUC draws only 5.5 W idle.) Even a stripped-down Windows box can easily consume like 20-30 Euro worth of energy a year, even if you shut it down at night. (That's nothing more than an extremely rough ballpark figure using German energy prices, I suppose the US may be slightly cheaper.)


I guess it's because the OP never mentioned a headless solution and mentioned they already use XBMC on Win 7 for movies so it does depend on needs.

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #5 –
Quote from: dedy on
Well, maybe my misunderstanding, but I think I‘ve seen something about down sampling of the FLAC file due to HW/SW limitations.
As for the Android HW, I was thinking of a set top box something like this one- http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bluetimes-M.../832306431.html
(Just an example, still need to look into it)


I guess that would depend on HW, I don't think XBMC would downsample unless you told it to do so. I guess just check that the hardware you want to use doesn't downsample. You're unlikely to be able to hear any difference if it does.

There's so much out there at the moment, there's never really a wrong solution, getting the exact setup you want will take a bit of playing, which is half the fun

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #6 –
Quote from: aztec_mystic on
My Raspberry Pi Model B consumes ~ 5 W (not idle but under load!) Considering it costs like 40 Euro, it will pay for itself after maybe a year or two (as compared to a typical Windows box).

If the OP built a solution around an Android smartphone (such as one purchased used on eBay), power consumption may be lower still.

On a different matter: there's nothing wrong with going for XBMC, a software that you're familiar with. However, if you'll use the box for nothing but audio, there are interesting alternatives to consider (e.g., Logitech Media Server, an AirPlay target other than XBMC, etc.)


Never thought of that... thanks. BTW I would like to use XBMC for both applications- TV & Stereo, still I will not use Movies audio on my stereo but I'd rather connect it to a 2.1/5.1 speaker system.

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #7 –
Thank you "Aztec"  and "Probedb" for your comments. I appreciate it! I guess Probedb is right about playing around with the configuration.
Does anyone has any thoughts about the preferred digital output from player? (S/PDIF or optical etc.)

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #8 –
Quote from: dedy on
Thank you "Aztec"  and "Probedb" for your comments. I appreciate it! I guess Probedb is right about playing around with the configuration.
Does anyone has any thoughts about the preferred digital output from player? (S/PDIF or optical etc.)


S/P-DIF is either coax or optical, I shouldn't think you'd notice a difference in either so which ever is best for you

Android box based setup for Hi End Stereo

Reply #9 –
Quote from: probedb on
there's never really a wrong solution
There speaks an optimist! Reading various threads there are plenty of wrong solutions. If there was good+cheap+reliable+easy to use+logical+fast in one box I think everyone would have one.

Cheers,
David.