I’m using three RaspberryPi devices (3b and 4 models) with Hifiberry HD DAC’s using the Max2Play software with Airplay. Each Pi is connected to an old 70’s integrated stereo - a Marantz 2270, a Sansui 661, and an Au-7700. Sounds fantastic and does multiroom streaming fine if I use Apple Music w/Airplay.

Mr.arrison wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 8:07 pm Sansui 661

I'm running a 771 in my main rig. My dad bought it new in ~1975. Recapped it a year ago and it sounds phenomenal once you get the EQ dialed in correctly.

Mr.arrison wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 8:07 pm I’m using three RaspberryPi devices (3b and 4 models) with Hifiberry HD DAC’s using the Max2Play software with Airplay. Each Pi is connected to an old 70’s integrated stereo - a Marantz 2270, a Sansui 661, and an Au-7700. Sounds fantastic and does multiroom streaming fine if I use Apple Music w/Airplay.

Whoa, old school forum member! Glad to see you back Mr.arrison!

tallchris wrote:
Whoa, old school forum member! Glad to see you back Mr.arrison!

Hey hey! Mostly lurking these days but it's cool to engage with y'all again!

What do people use for a digital music player/library these days. Every time I want to start down this road the bloat/invasiveness of something like iTunes makes me quit. But then what is the use of having a digital library if I can't take it with me on a phone/player. Is there something less obnoxious than stuff like iTunes, but still allows for a practical level of interoperability? I hate the future.

zorg wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 7:11 am What do people use for a digital music player/library these days. Every time I want to start down this road the bloat/invasiveness of something like iTunes makes me quit. But then what is the use of having a digital library if I can't take it with me on a phone/player. Is there something less obnoxious than stuff like iTunes, but still allows for a practical level of interoperability? I hate the future.

foobar2000, every time.

zorg wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 7:11 am What do people use for a digital music player/library these days. Every time I want to start down this road the bloat/invasiveness of something like iTunes makes me quit. But then what is the use of having a digital library if I can't take it with me on a phone/player. Is there something less obnoxious than stuff like iTunes, but still allows for a practical level of interoperability? I hate the future.

I wish I had a better answer, but I stick to iTunes for my digital library. This is partly out of laziness, partly because of how much it is inherently part of the iPhone, and partly because nearly all of my listening of digital music is done casually and not worth extra effort.

I agree on iTunes, though. It doesn't seem like it should be too difficult to make a simple, low footprint digital library app that also does a better job of managing a large library.

Pi 4 running as a Moode server > Schiit DAC > Schiit tube preamp (my friend got crazy good deals on the Schiit stuff) > old Yamaha CR-2020. You can use a browser to search for songs, make playlists, etc or use a 3rd party MPD player app to control it from a phone. You can also stream internet radio or select the Pi a bluetooth speaker for any phone or computer. It kinda times out every two or three weeks, so I scripted a weekly reboot and it's been pretty trouble-free.

Using it as a streamer/bluetooth speaker sounds pretty good, but playing off the hard drive sounds straight fucking awesome with this setup.

I have a very similar set up on two floors: a Google TV with Spotify, hooked up to integrated speakers through HDMI Arc. The main room has a pair of Klipsch The Fives with a sub woofer. Fits into our living room very unobtrusively. The Fives also have Bluetooth, but we rarely use it. Downstairs, the Google TV is hooked up to a Marantz integrated amp, powering a pair of Paradigm tower speakers. The Marantz has a buttload of ways to connect to it and it can be a central hub for devices. It had HEOS and Bluetooth. I generally use the Spotify on the TV, but every once and awhile HEOS is useful.

Spotify is the last man standing for a streaming service that doesn't provide HiFi audio. I can't really get my wife to switch, but as I understand it, Spotify should be coming out with their HiFi plans this year (about two years late). At any rate, the lossy compression isn't really that noticable on my systems, because we're so used to it. The Paradigms sound amazing no matter what you throw at them, so even when I'm playing my records, I don't look back and think I'm missing out when streaming.

In the end, convenience is important and my setups are better than average.

Right now I have a $20 Logitech Bluetooth receiver plugged directly into a pair of Fluid FX80's that I wasn't using. If I want to listen to records, i plug in my $15 RIAA preamp instead. I have a little line selector somewhere but I don't want to look for it. I'm getting less and less fancy with this stuff as I get older. I have 3 vintage receivers and a ton of old hifi speakers sitting around that all need something fixed in them and I just can't make myself care enough to do it anymore. Shit I'm on now sounds fine and takes up very little precious space.