HiFi DACs for Orange Pi

DigitalToys · Published in 2015-4-23 18:28:12

Hi Steven,

I am looking options to improve the sound quality of the Orange Pi. Are there any plans from your side to release a high quality DAC for any of the available models?

From what I saw so far, only OPi mini has I2S output, would that mean I can connect a DAC like this one: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Audiophonics-DAC-Sabre-ES9023-I2S-vers-Analogique-24bit-192KHZ-/221589376462?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item3397c18dce via the headers?

Regards,
Lars

gaara · Published in 2015-4-29 15:07:21

Edited by gaara at 2015-4-29 09:09

Hi !
I'm interested too, if you can share a photo of your build, it should be cool !(And thanks to write English, I can only read this langage... or french maybe ? ) ;)

Tyrannus · Published in 2015-4-24 03:53:51

Edited by Tyrannus at 2015-4-23 20:55

@Digi ..... I am sure that all actual OPIs have I2S ect. on the 40 Pin Header....
If you look in the H3 Spec you see .....

Overview
The I2S/PCM Controller has been designed to transfer streaming audio-data between the system memory and th
e
codec chip. The controller supports standard I2S format, Left-justified Mode format, Right-justified Mode format, PCM
Mode format and TDM Mode format.
The I2S/PCM controller includes the following features:

Supports industry-standard AMBA Peripheral Bus (APB) and it is fully compliant with the AMBA Specification,
Revision 2.0

Support different sample period width in each interface when using LRCK and LRCKR at the same time

Support full-duplex synchronous work mode

Support Master / Slave mode

Support adjustable interface voltage

Support clock up to 100MHz

Support adjustable audio sample rate from 8-bit to 32-bit.

Support up to 8 slots which has adjustable width from 8-bit to 32-bit.

Support sample rate from 8KHz to 192KHz

Support 8-bits u-law and 8-bits A-law companded sample

One
128 x
32
-bit width FIFO for data transmit, one 64 x
32
-bit width FIFO for data receive

Support programmable PCM frame width: 1 BCLK width (short frame) and 2 BCLKs width (long frame)

Programmable FIFO thresholds

Interrupt and DMA Support

Support loopback mode for test

DigitalToys · Published in 2015-4-24 15:25:58

Ok, thanks for the info. Then it's even more interesting to know if there are plans for a proper DAC.

If all models have the i2S controller, it should be possible to connect the DAC I mentioned in the first post, shouldn't it?

Tyrannus · Published in 2015-4-25 23:45:22

@Digi...
Dein Modul verlangt:
Jaune : GND
Blanc : DATA
Rouge : LRCK
Noir : BCK

und Orange : MCLK

Bei den MCKL (Timer) war es bisher so (zumindestens bei RPI und BPI gehts nur in eine Richtung) das dies nicht integriert war.
Der H3 hat dies aber nun laut Datenblatt. Mangels eines H3 OPI`s kann ich Dir aber nicht sagen inwieweit die vorhandenen Kernels der OPI-Distru kompeliert sind und ob der I2S Bus voll nutzbar ist.
(Nach meinen bisherigen Erfahrungen musste man dann zwangsweise auf einen anderen Bus verzichten: Can, Wlan oder .....Die Ursache liegt hier in der Pinbelegung des Expansionsports)

Schau mal im Tree /lib/modules/3.xx.xx/kernel/sounds/soc/sunix/ ob da Ordner für Spif und I2S vorhanden sind, andersrum Du wirst wohl nicht drum herum kommen Dir den Kernel im Zweifel einmal selber zu kompelieren.

sorry that I write in German, but I have a terrible migraine because of weather change

greetz bad Tyrannus

DigitalToys · Published in 2015-4-29 14:53:28

Ok, danke für die gute Erklärung... ich hoffe Deinem Kopf geht's wieder besser. Bin noch nicht dazu gekommen, die Ordner zu kontrollieren, das werde ich dann so schnell wie möglich machen... wenn ich Dich richtig verstanden habe, sollte es aber hardwaremässig auf jeden Fall möglich sein, ich denke ich werde mir mal so ein Ding zum Testen bestellen... wäre doch zu schön, wenn man aus dem OPi etwas besseren Sound rausholen könnte... ich ersteatte dann Bericht.

For the English speaking readers: Tyrannus gave me a hint where to check if the current builds support the I2S bus. Apart from that, it should be possible to connect and run the DAC mentioned above on the OPi. I will order it and give it a try. Results will follow...

Freliix · Published in 2015-4-29 15:27:12

because it does not use an audio amplifier?

DigitalToys · Published in 2015-4-29 19:47:53

@gaara: I just ordered the DAC, but it comes from HongKong, so it will take some time before it arrives... but pictures will follow.

@Freliix: not sure what you want to say...

Freliix · Published in 2015-4-29 20:59:33

DigitalToys replied at 2015-4-29 19:47
@gaara: I just ordered the DAC, but it comes from HongKong, so it will take some time before it arri ...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ ... lifier&_sacat=0

You have not used?

DigitalToys · Published in 2015-5-1 00:33:14

Freliix, we are not talking about amplifying the output signals from the Orange Pi, but how to improve the digital to analog conversion of outgoing sounds - so before you would even reach an amp. The onboard soundchip is not able to play back high resolution sound files (like 192kHz 24 bit flac for example). As I would like to build a media player, high quality sound is very important to me.