Although I had previously tried to install Volumio on a non-mainstream single-board computer as a streaming music host due to its optical fiber output and native SATA hard disk interface, but the biggest headache at the time was that people who did not have computers were For the author who has the ability to modify programs, it is a bit troublesome to add instructions to mount the hard disk. At the same time, Volumio has developed to the second version, and support for this single board computer will no longer continue. Considering convenience and future, the author just saw When Taiwanese manufacturer Dian Guang Flint launched the Raspberry Pi expansion board FSAPiAMP with the Raspberry Pi 3, I bought a set and came back to play with it.
After all, in terms of single-board computer resources, the largest Raspberry Pi is the least to worry about. In addition to the original music systems such as Volumio, which can be expanded with USB interfaces and external sound cards, unified The GPIO design has also attracted many music module manufacturers to launch modules that can be connected via I2S. The options include pure DAC conversion, DDC conversion, and modules such as FSAPiAMP that integrate and expand the design. The author originally had idle Passive bookshelf speakers, lock this type of integrated module from the beginning for convenience.
Compared with using a USB external connection, the I2S interface communicates more directly, which can reduce the consumption of single-board computer computing performance. Secondly, this type of module with an amplifier function can reversely provide power to the Raspberry Pi. There is no need to consider the power supply issue. In comparison, when connecting an external USB sound effect card, you must also consider whether the sound effect module will use a higher USB output power. The author has previously encountered a situation where a specific sound effect card uses a higher USB power supply, resulting in the need to connect an external USB sound effect card. A HUB with additional power supply can be used stably.
This module uses the highly integrated TI TAS5756m, which can provide 24bit 192kHz PCM decoding support. It is also equipped with an electro-optical flint matching transformer and can output more than 20W x 20W power. It also boasts Stereo and momo mode, but the author still chooses Stereo mode as the main mode. The PCB is designed in a square shape instead of the rectangular shape that is common in small modules and is almost similar to the Raspberry Pi. The power supply and switch are separately connected to a small PCB instead of directly on the host computer. on the circuit board.
Compared with some integrated modules on the market, FSAPiAMP does not have a physical volume knob and needs to be managed through the system’s digital volume. Secondly, it only provides speaker output and does not provide additional features such as headphones and RCA. output, so it is suitable for people who listen directly with active speakers. For those who want to connect to an external headphone amplifier or directly connect headphones, it is recommended to find other modules that are more suitable.
Originally, I wanted to use the bare board, but considering the design of the power supply and switch on another PCB, I decided to go to an electronic materials store to buy a casing and use it. I didn’t bring a PCB with me when choosing, so I decided on the size based on intuition. In the end, I bought a larger case. In addition, in order to facilitate the connection of speaker wires, I bought an additional clip-on wire plug. In addition, in order to make the operation light on the FSAPiAMP visible , I also bought an LED lamp, and of course I also bought some more screws and copper posts to fix the components.
Fortunately, the author has quite a lot of modeling tools. I first put the PCB on the casing, pre-positioned the assembly positions of each part, and first drilled out the position of the fixed copper pillar with a hand drill. We also used paper tape to dig out the exposed position of the Raspberry Pi's IO. Since the memory card insertion and removal and HDMI will not be used, we did not consider the reserved holes from the beginning.
The next step is to use the model to process with a small electric drill, pen knife and other tools. In addition, desolder the power light of the FSAPiAMP and change it to a separately purchased LED. Otherwise, the LED originally soldered directly to the PCB is too far away from the case and cannot be seen even if the hole is opened. Too clear. I originally considered desoldering the speaker output holes on the PCB, but in the end I just locked the power cord and connected it to the clip-on cord because it was too troublesome.
In order to prevent the casing from being too monotonous, I happened to have some stickers before, so I used them to embellish it. After installing the entire PCB, at least I don’t have to see the bare board. Although the front looks relatively good, It's monotonous, but it still feels like a music streaming host. The only difference is that the weight in your hand will obviously shift to one side, but I'm really too lazy to buy a new case...
As for Volumio 2 The installation method is taught on the official website. Basically, you download the official IMG file, write it to the microSD card through the memory card burning software, plug in the Raspberry Pi, connect the Internet line, power supply, etc., and you can start using it; for the first time It takes a little longer to boot up. I personally recommend using iOS to make the first connection, which is more convenient because you can connect directly by typing Volumio.local in the browser, but Android still needs to find out the device address before setting up the connection. Certainly.
It is normal that there is no sound just after installation, because the default audio device of Volumio 2 is still the original 3.5mm output; Volumio 2 can be set to Traditional Chinese in the system, but there are still a few words It is Simplified, but for the sake of convenience, the author changed it to Traditional Chinese (although the English is not incomprehensible); in order to make FSAPiAMP sound normally, you must first enter the playback options, and turn on the I2S DAC item, and find IQaudiO Pi-DigiAMP from the menu , because the core chip used by this device happens to be the same as FSAPiAMP, and the sound will be normal after restarting.
Another reminder: In order to facilitate the settings for users without wired networks, the system planners set WiFi as a hotspot by default, but the author always uses Ethernet for settings. , so this function is not used. In addition, for friends who use WiFi to connect to the Internet, it is also recommended to turn off this function to reduce unnecessary interference.
On the Raspberry Pi, Volumio 2 can use USB external hard drives, network hard drives in the local network, and the function of listening to Internet radio stations. However, Spotify Connect was originally integrated in Volumio version 1.5. , this time it is to be loaded in the plug-in project. This function requires a Spotify Premium paid account to be used. The author has not used the Spotify service, so I have not tried it specifically, but according to colleagues, the Spotify function is in Volumio 2 Search Chinese The song seemed incomplete.
The author personally uses the network hard drive at home to store and play music. It is paired with a pair of DIY back horn cabinets purchased from Japan and Tang Zhilu's 1364SA. The 20W 20W power drives this Although the monomer cannot reach its limit, it is still usable. Due to the characteristics of the monomer, the author recommends that the volume should exceed 25 to be ideal. However, based on the author's home environment, Will you worry about disturbing your neighbors late at night...
In addition to network hard drives, USB hard drives, Internet radio stations and Spotify Connect, it also supports DLNA streaming on Android devices and Apple's AirPlay. Allow devices connected to the same LAN to stream music to Volumio 2 using these streaming standards.
Of course, there are many ready-made streaming music consoles on the market. However, in addition to enjoying the fun of DIY, choosing Volumio 2 can also enjoy the fun of streaming consoles at a low price, and those with audio DIY capabilities Friends, it should be possible to process components including power supply and audio circuits to achieve better music playback standards.