Newbie rpi streamer question

I am wondering if any of the standalone rpi / dac units have a way to use just the dac and a hard drive plugged into it.....with no wi fi network?...ie At home I would use it as a streamer on my wi fi network.....but sometimes for work, I end up in locations with no network....just my laptop and head phones........is there an rpi configureation with a dac hat , that could be used as both a streamer when I am home, and as a portable dac when I don' t have Wifi?

 

Moode Audio will automatically start up a wifi hot-spot if it has no network connection, thus you can still connect to it to control it.

Still, wouldn't it be better and easier to have a capable phone for when you're out and about amd keep the pi at home?

 

I'm using RuneAudio on an RPi3 with a HiFiBerry DAC hat and I just have a flash drive plugged into it, formatted FAT32, that has music on it for a constantly repeated playlist (rain storm type sounds in our bedroom). I don't see why this couldn't also support a plugged in USB hard disk.

 

Most can do what you need. I'd start with Volumio, which supports most protocols like Roon, Airplay, Upnp. Others I use for roon are Ropiee and Dietpi. The latter two may need plug ins for what you need. Volumio, you can just plug in music in the USB port, or stream, and send through USB DAC (like Dragonfly) or a hat, which would need a double hi case.

 

I used RuneAudio for a long time with an attached 2T USB HDD loaded with music files. Power supply was sufficient for the RPi, DAC hat and the drive. (Since adding a second and third setup they all read from the same NAS). RuneAudio (and the user enhanced version - rAudio) will provide a hotspot for operating without a network. Volumio probably does likewise.

 

Thanks.......everyone....will now be deciding which rpi + hat to start saving for.......I have what I think of as a mid fi system....but in audiophile terms it is a lo fi system......onkyo 9150 amp.......jbl studio 530 speakers.....Onkyo 9030 cd player......Wondering if I would be able to hear the difference between the allo digone signature.....and just the allo boss hat on an rpi3......or the hi fi berry set up?

 

I use an external usb dac ... i think it's more future proof and if you don't need higher sound quality you can find something very decent at a lesser price compared to the hats. Much lesser.

 

I can confirm that Volumio does.

 

I would try to avoid tying a DAC to a Pi. You'll be limited case wise, and if you end up with a multi room situation with Roon, and end up having like 8 end points, you'll likely want to swap DACs around now and then. I just today swapped a Schiit Modi with an Audioquest Dragonfly black 1.5, which does MQA for some testing. With a rpi with DAC HAT, these swaps would be a bit more tedious.

 

Hi, Any idea why Volumio wouldnt show all files eg. shows albums from say A-S but rest are not displayed. Im running a usb stick on Pi 2 b via volumio to a DAC. I find Volumio tricky but perhaps I need the Pi4 with the better USB so I can connect a portable SSD but at the minute ive just switched back to laptop usb to dac.

 

I have no idea why Volimio would do such a thing. Perhaps, as you suggest, the USB on the older Pi models is to blame. I'm running Volumio on a Pi 4 with a hard drive attached. I bought a powered USB hub to go with the Pi but found that I don't need it.

 

thats good to know that you dont need a hub with the Pi 4. Not the tricky part of ordering one from Brexit Britain.