DIY Phono preamp
DIY Headphone Amp
DIY Hi Fi Streamer
Diy HiFi Streamer
Strawberry pi 3 and HiFiBerry digi plus board
2016
Perhaps I better start at the beginning.
A streamer might better be described as a digital music file player, whether those music files be from a computer, usb stick, or played over your network from a server and or from a live stream over the internet. A 'Streamer' is a lot more catchy than 'Digital file player'.
If your thinking of buying a commercially built Streamer device, look at its features, what it can play, what it doesn't and what you need to get it working. It varies widely from model to model and brand to brand. In some cases they need a particular brand of mobile phone or tablet to control them and often a separate DAC.
What's a DAC? (Digital Analog Converter)
DAC's have been around a long time, even the earliest cd players had them, you didn't notice them because they were built into the circuits. A DAC is the circuit that changes the digits to an analog signal that your average Hi Fi equipment can play back. DACS are often built into devices, but separate DAC's have become popular as well, and as most Hi Fi enthusiasts know, separates are often better then intergrated equipment.
If you want to know more about DACs I suggest you google it before continuing.
Okay enough techno babble and on to the project at hand.
To build this streamer, is actually quite easy because it's basically a mini computer and as most people know that's all you need to play back your music files.
Yes, you say; I've been doing that on my ipod and or laptop for over a decade or more now, so why do I need to build another pc to do it?
There are mainly two reasons, one is the possibility of yet even better Hi Fi sound and two, it's fun to build your own hi fi.
Some of you no doubt have tried to get better digital sound playback by connecting said device; perhaps a laptop to your hi fi, but it wasn't...well the best sound. Some of you may have even connected you're devices to a separate DAC you bought and connected via usb. It was better, but you still hankered for that real hi fi experience and perhaps a little more conveniance that a dedicated player should provide and to be honest with you so was I. So I found a mini computer available at a very reasonable price and it even has dedicated hi fi add on cards available for it from companies serious about Hi Fi sound.
This mini computer is called the Rasberry pi. The model I'm going to use is the pi 3b and it is easily obtained from local electronic suppliers or the internet along with add on sound cards. These are not technically sound cards as in computer speak of old, but rather supply ports to get a high quality digital signal from this computer. Okay for the newbies the ports are coax; a wired digital connection and a toslink connection; a light transmitted signal by (Fibre) both can output a digital signal from this mini computer to most DAC's with the same connections. You can also buy an add on card that includes the DAC and then of course it's analog output can be connected direct to your hifi line level inputs, no separate DAC needed.
Why do I need two types of digital inputs? Well most DACs out there can accept both and often a usb as well. A lot digital outputs are often one type or the other. Your television often only has a toslink output, laptops can often only use the usb port for digital output, and most hi fi prefers coax. Some audiophiles prefer the sound of wired (Coax) others prefer the more electrically isolated idea of using light as a digital transmit medium (Toslink). There's usually not a lot of difference on the whole, but they do sound different; in the end you be the judge.
In case you're wondering do you really need a separate DAC? After all this a DIY project and you were hoping to save a few pennies. Well the version of the add on card that comes with an inbuilt DAC I'm told is pretty good. I'm not using it for this project because I already have a hi quality DAC, but no you don't need to purchase a separate DAC and the HiFi Berry card with Dac is very reasonbly priced.
PICTURE
The Rasberry pi I'm using in this project is going to have installed a dedicated Linux OS Hi Fi distribution. What's an OS? OS stands for Operating System; every computer needs one, whether it be, Windows, Apple, or in our case Linux. The version of Linux we are going to use is available as a free download from the internet.
Linux you say hmm...been there done that and don't wont really want to return. Well don't worry this installation of this Hi Fi version on a Strawberry pi's SD card is a breeze.
All you need is a micro sd card. I purchased one at the same time as the pi. You will need another pc and an SD card to usb adaptor to install Linux onto the SD card. Then all you need to do is to plug the sd into the micro sd slot of the Rasberry pi and turn it on. The rasberry pi has ports for usb mouse and keyboard, and HDMI for a video display. It also has an ethernet,(Wired network connection).
It will need a power supply. Any wallwart putting out 5v and around 2amps with a usb micro power connection will power it on. However for best audio sound stay away from the cheap ones, they output loads of distortion. ifi make a very good one dedicated to the rasberry pi, it's not real cheap, but is well worth it.
Otherwise you could make your own linear power supply, like i did.
The Hi Fi version of Linux I am using is Called Rune. There are other Hi Fi Linux OS out there if you want to try. It will then boot up as a usable computer and all done in about 15-60 minutes, depending on your computer skills and with no soldering needed, but of course any DIY audiophile won't leave it there and there are lots of upgrades possible to release its full Hi Fi potential.
At the time of purchase I recommend purchasing the sd card from the pi supplier because some compatibility problems can exist between different brands of sd card, and sometimes usb sticks that you have loaded with all your music, but most should work.
The Rune audio file is downloaded as a gzip file,
Link
You may also need to download a zip program to unzip the Rune image file.
I found 7 zip is best.
Link
You also need a pc software program called USB Image tool to write the OS image to the micro sd card available from this link
Link
The above all cost nothing, but you can donate to any of the above if you find them really useful and they most defiantly are.
If you pc does not have a sd card reader you will need to purchase a usb one, you're local electronics store should have one and it looks like this.
Picture
Install the USB image tool program on your pc and plug in the Rasberry pi sd card to the usb SD card reader.
In image tool click restore and browse for the Rune image you have downloaded and then extracted on to your pc. It only takes a minute or so to write the bootable OS image to the card. Then plug the micro sd card into the pi again and power on. You now have a dedicated music playing streamer.
You can listen via the usb ports to your external DAC at this point, but I had purchased the add card from HiFi berry called the digi plus. This gives a high quality dedicated coax and Toslink output. It simply plugs into the top of the Rasberry pi.
Before we get too technical in how to configure the Rune OS you might want to know how it sounds.
I copied some cd wav files and some downloaded hi rez files to the usb stick. The one I had on hand was a 32GB verbatim, but this was not recognised. I had to rummage through my pc bits and found a 16GB Dolphin and copied the files to it. Later I used a San disk brand that worked well too. I was set to sit back and listen for awhile. I also connected it to a network share from my pc server, and this worked as well; although I felt the usb stick was cleaner sounding.
It was good clean sound, pretty much like cd. I did experiment a lot with linear power supplies and the ifi wallwart, and they all make a difference and improve the sound somewhat, reaching for me at least to a hi fi experience.
You will need a little computer system network knowledge if you want to go down the pc server network file share path and again I suggest you google it... its really not that hard. Or if it is, call in your local friendly hi fi computer guy.
Ok so was it all plain sailing... well no. There were bugs.
After plugging the digi plus to the top of the pi, I could not get it to be recognised by Rune. I also found connecting the video via the HDMI to the telly, was something of an inconvenience. Fortunately Rune has an inbuilt browser page, just like your internet router has, but it could be a little difficult for non computer skilled people to get going, so I will explain more on this in a bit. It also seems the Rune OS was a little behind the times, with the latest hardware drivers for add on cars that are availalble, so I had to do a lot of digging on the Rune web site, to find a beta version that finally worked.
So if you got stuck... and that's no surpise in the land of computers,
here are the details that may hopefully get you going.
More info soon.
Diy Cavalli-Kan Kumisa III Headphone Amplifier 2015
This is a high performance headphone kit amplifier.
Although describing it as a kit amplifier is probably being kind.
How to build the Cavalli is described on the amb.org web site. The instructions are good, and support from AMB is also good.
Some of the parts can be ordered from AMB, such as the circuit board, volume control, and the matched JFET's. Other parts such as capacitors, resistors and other types of transistors must be sourced by you the builder. There is a very comprehensive parts list at the AMB site, and also some suggested suppliers. So although it is quite a lot of work, especially if you've never ordered electronic parts before, at least you have a lot of choice and it's all up to you to make the best piece of Hi Fi equipment you can possibly build. As for how it looks, well that's up to you too.
These are probably the major reasons for a Hi Fi enthusiast to go down the DIY path.
Sure you can save a little as well, or more than a little depending on your design against what is typically on offer at your local Hi Fi specialist retailer at around the same quality level.
Of course the one thing every audiophile wants to know after going to all that effort is, how does it sound?
Well it's clear, clean, slightly sweet, and tuneful. Guitars are a standout, having good texture and relaying of mood. There is a good wide stereo spread, or sound stage if you like.
Vocals sound real and articulation in the singing can be heard easily as well as being able to tell if the vocals are near or far from the mike. Piano also sounds real, with no ringing that can often be heard on less capable equipment.
Notice I mention "real", rather than accurate, because I think accuracy as a description for sound is a bit hit and miss, because no one outside of the recording engineer really knows how accurate or faithful a sound is to the original. Sweetness used to describe sound is also in the same basket, but to me sweetness is when the sound heads towards the colourful valve like sound, rather than the grey slightly hard transistor sound, although of course I'm being very general here.
Are there any minuses?
Some might find the bass isn't the heaviest they've ever heard, but it is tuneful, and not one noted, and of course this will vary a lot depending on the front end and headphones used.
I must admit when I put on the Telarc cd by the Cincinnati Pops called Chiller, I jumped when I heard the thunder sounds, I had totally forgotten how the cd started. So don't take my notes on the bass too seriously .
Oh, and as a side note, because I listen with headphones often late at night, I noticed for the first time in the dark the words Chiller on the cd cover were glowing, I kid you not! Must have been printed with some special ink.
How do I rate the sound?
Overall I would rate it towards the top end of high performance.
Is it easy to build?
If you have had a little previous kit building experience you should find this not too much of a challenge. Everything is through the hole, no smd parts, no winding of wire coils, and only 2 points to adjust the quiescent current, which can be easily done with a basic multimeter.
I had good sound at the first turn on, and have only built a few electronic kits before hand.
The best hint I can give is the old builders rule of measure twice cut once. In other words,
check it's the right part and it's the right way around before you solder it, and check it again after you have soldered it.
The kit does involve mains power which we all know is dangerous, if you have the knowledge and feel confident to do this part of the build, make sure all the mains areas are insulated, and triple check your wiring is correct before you turn it on. Or else save yourself the hassle and possible life destroying mistakes and get a qualified electrician to do it, or at least to check your work.
Well its been nearly a year now, and everything I said above still holds true and if anything I have found it to be quite transparent as well, a word I never gave much credit for in hi fi reviews in the press, but in this case yes a lot of the original sound source seems to come through with only small amount of its own contributing to overall sound quality.
The only problem is it gets moved around the house a lot, so I really need to build another one, or a different model if I can find something even better within budget.
Diy Phono Preamp 2012
This is a project I started about six months ago,(early 2012) putting the boards together and testing, went fairly quickly, working out the case and type of wiring to the RCA sockets took a lot longer.
So what is it exactly ?
Its a phono preamp, made from a board kit from BHL and a power supply kit from Glassware,
connected to an 18 volt transformer from the local electronics store.
How does it sound ?
Pretty good actually, certaintly one of the best sounds from vinyl records I've heard over the years.
I have a collection of about 80 or so vinyl records collected durring the 70s and 80s, and a few picked up at second hand dealers, and 1 new Brothers in Arms set purchased just recently.
Most of it is Pop Rock, with a few side steps to Jazz.
First thing I noticed was the sound stage, it was easy to locate the instruments and voices, from left to right, and even seemed to extend a little beyond. Things were a little up front, but the drumming was at the rear, and the frequency range was all there and even.
Sound was on the sweet side, but I found the wire connecting to the rca's played a part in this.
It was musical, rythmic, and just plain fun to listen to.
How would I rate it?
Well, my ears would say it borders on high end.
It was musical, rythmic, and just plain fun to listen to.
How would I rate it?
Well, my ears would say it borders on high end.
What are the details?
Ok, BHL stands for Booze Hound Labs. Don't let the name fool you this is serious hi fi stuff.
Here's a link for more info. http://boozhoundlabs.blogspot.com.au/
The power supply board is a voltage regulator kit from glassware part No. H-PS-1.
The link is http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/vore.html
This gives a smooth 18 volts dc, which seems to work well for the bhl board.
An 18 volt step down transformer from the local Jaycar store, completes the power supply.
This approach for the power is not real cheap, but it does seem to give a smoothness to the sound. I did try batteries , 2 x 9v, and they also sounded smooth and quiet, but found they went flat after around 8 albums or so.
A generic 18 volt plug pack will also work, and I must admit I could hardly tell the difference, compared to the glassware kit. It also means you don't need to wire mains power, which of course you should only try only if have or know someone with the correct electronic qualifications.
This project was started more to feed my Hi Fi habit than anything else,
Lacking funds, but not time, due to economic conditions, I thought it might be a good way to get top performance at a cheap, price. This only proved to be partly true, as the costs soon mounted, when I found I needed extra bits for this and that and in the end probably cost in the region of around $250.
I'm guessing but I suspect it's equal to a ready made product of around $400.
Wish I worked at a hi fi shop so I could find out.
Never less its been a lot fun, and with the costs spread well over 6 months its still good value.
So what equipment was used to test ?
A Thorens turntable TD 280, a belt drive budget design form the mid 80s, even better when the belt was changed.
Shure M75 Moving magnet cartridge with hyphereliptical stylus.
A Pioneer A400 intergrated amp.
There are a few other pieces collected over the years, stored in the cuboards, such as a, Denon direct drive from the very early 80's and a mid 80's Luxman amp but the above seemed to work best.
Most listening was done with a pair of Sennhieser 555 Headphones.
It was also compared to cd, as I have many of the same cd's as vinyl albums.
CD was played back on a Rotel RCD-971, at first listen there wasn't a great deal to pick between them.
Lets just say after extended listening the qualities of vinyl were starting to win through.
In fact I was at times amazed, at how good the sound coming from the Shure cartridge could be, symbols could shimmer and decay nicely, something I feel cd lacks.
When I finally finish the case hopefully in around, a few weeks or so, I will post some new pictures.
Now I've found with some accidental web browsing you can build your own ESL speakers, hmm I wonder.
Its Now a few weeks later and I'm battling with the case, which has taken considerably longer than I planned, certainly a lot longer than the assembling of the electronic boards and it's still not finished.
Here's a pic of the progress.
OK, it's pretty much finished now, and it's looks, puts the average commercial cases to shame.
The switch and sockets at the back have a quality feel about them, making my other ready to run commercial brand Hi Fi, seem almost toy like in their operation.
Just need to add some lettering, sit back and enjoy.
