Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Tinkering with Diretta

I’ve used both AudioLinux and GentooPlayer, the latter only because I want an existing Pi3 device as an additional Target which is not possible with the former. For many reasons I prefer AL over GP -whose website happens to be down today.

Diretta does not have its own sound the way that my beloved 568.2mm might have, depending on which filter was loaded. You can change various configuration parameters from the default settings, but the Diretta network process doesn’t have any sound of its own.

I’m a longtime fan of our Meridian “sound” and thrilled that I’ve found a source that can tap more of what the fantastic DSP9’s have to give.

Well I am saying exactly that. But as I said above, there are many threads where people just try and unpick or invalidate one's experience and I ask for better here. I am not expressing a preference for a colour or a flavour. I am describing a SQ where detail and placement is improved. I can follow harmonic details more easily. Separation of instruments is far more impressive. Subtle tones in voices and acoustics are more obvious. I think the XE sound even better than ever. But this is not just because of preference for a different shade or saltiness.

Hi Nick,

Do you mind me asking which Audio HAT you used please?

thansk,

Tim

None. Have a read of the guide. All hardware required is listed right up top.

ah, ok, so it's only for USB DACs.

In standard form it is USB output but you could add bits to the setup to output to other devices. Olddogcan mentions this above as an example.
I haven’t tried it but maybe a good HAT on the target pi could be simply added. Maybe ask David Snyder directly as he has quite a few pals running the setup. Maybe it’s already been covered.

thanks Nick.

I am currently running an Allo Digi One Signature using RoPiee so it would be great to see if I could get this working.

thanks for the recommendation of contacting David Snyder.

Tim

Not so much just for USB dacs. More that the USB out from the final raspberry pi can be cleaned up by a DDC or digital to digital converter. If you look at the various DDC’s out there, which can quickly get eye wateringly expensive, have various outputs available including SPDIF which could then be routed like any other digital signal.

Before I bought Sooloos, I used to run a Weiss FireWire DDC from an old Mac mini straight into DSP6000’s which worked exceptionally well. Back then I don’t think the term DDC had actually come into play at that point.

Hi Tim,

Is your DigiOne Signature using a Pi3 like mine is, or is it a Pi4? If the former, you will need to purchase GentooPlayer. Enjoy!

Brad

Thanks Brad - I am running a Pi4, so seems to work ok.

thanks,

Tim

I recently set up a $50 ECHO Diretta Target for a friend, and found it to be at least as good as the RPi4 I've truly enjoyed for the past year.

This is a reminder that their special €25 license fee is said to disappear on the 1st of September. Instructions HERE

A quick update.....

Almost 3 months since I posted the initial message above. In that time I can honestly say that I continue to be really surprised at just how good this Diretta front-end setup is. I have done a few back-2-back tests vs the ID41. Each time the ID41 sound somewhat flat compared to the diretta Rpi's. The precision, detail and 3-D is presentation just so much better.

MQA material feeds in with 1st unfold in Roon and render in the XE. DSD gets fully converted and sent as 352k. Everything else goes as native FLAC/pcm rates.