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Digi + Line Out

hp1975

August 18, 2015 12:25

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Hello,

I'm this close [holds thumb and forefinger very close together] to buying a Pi2 and a Digi+ to replace my ageing Squeezbox Classic 3. The setup wil be as follows:

• Pi2 (loaded with OSMC) and Digi+


• Output to Cambridge Audio external DAC connected to Amp


• 3.5mm Line out to my Sennhesier Wireless Headphone base unit

It is the last point I'd like to ask a question about. Currently I use the 3.5mm Headphone jack on my squeezbox to feed the Sennheiser base station and I'd like to do the same with the above set up but I'd like to know:

• whether I can use the existing Pi 3.5mm jack (will the signal quality be rubbish?)


• whether i need to solder on a 3.5mm jack to the board


• Whether i then also need to add a headphone amp (i thought not as the Sennheiser basestation is doing the heavy lifting?)

Hope all that makes sense. The 3.5mm line out (or any kind of line out for that matter) is a dealbreaker as I use my wireless headphones every day!

I'm really looking forward to having a crack at this, been dying to get a Pi for ages and this seems like a great excuse.

Thanks in advance.

H

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11 comments

• 0
  
  Adrian Walker August 18, 2015 12:38

  The RPi 3.5mm output in audio quality terms is poor. You should feed your headphones via your Cambridge external DAC
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  hp1975 August 18, 2015 13:03

  [slaps forehead] believe it or not I didnt think of that AND of course the the Digi+ doesnt have a DAC! However, unfortunatley the Cambridge Audio DAC is an older one and only has a single analogue output which is already being used for the amp. I suppose the next best solution is to use a second DAC fed by the unused Digi+ output?
  
  Cheers
  
  H
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  DCLXVI August 18, 2015 15:29

  unless your plan is using both outputs on the DIGI+, isnt the DIGI+ and Cambridge a step too much? I think your solution would be ditching the DIGI and Cambridge and use a DAC with RCA out and build in headphone amplifier. unfortunately hifiberry doesn't make boards with that option (yet I hope). I don't know if I'm allowed to point you in the direction of another brand dac on this forum, I don't feel like I should :P.
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  HiFiBerry team August 18, 2015 15:46

  Hi,
  
  while we see that some users might be interested in an headphone output, we feel that it does not make sense to add it as a default option. For great headphones, I would recommend an external headphone amplifier. Let's see what's coming in the future...
  
  Best regards
  Daniel
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  DCLXVI August 18, 2015 16:33

  I agree it should be a choice, not a default option.
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  hp1975 August 18, 2015 20:43

  DCL - well I already had the Cambridge from the Squeezebox setup and wanted to reuse it, i didnt see the point in ditching a perfectly good DAC just to replace it with another one. I realise now that a 'neater' solution would be to use a RPi DAC with a 3.5mm Line Out. Can someone explain why I cant therefore use the HiFiBerry DAC+ and solder a 3.5mm on as it says you can do on the product page. Why wouldnt this work, I wont be driving the headphones from the Line OUt, just sending the signal to the Wireless Base Station - same as I did on the Sbox?
  
  CHeers
• 0
  
  Adrian Walker August 19, 2015 00:08

  Of course you could use an adapter, 2 x photo to 3.5mm jack - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Mountain-Plated-3-5mm-Phono-Dark-Blue/dp/B002IRRISK
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  HiFiBerry team August 19, 2015 05:02

  @hp1975: On the DAC+ (not the Digi+) you can solder a phone jack and connect to devices in parallel, e.g. an amplifier and a headphone amplifier. It basically works like an Y-cable, both outputs are driven parallel.
  
  Best regards
  Daniel
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  DCLXVI August 19, 2015 05:23

  Adaptors, DAC+'s and a good headphone amplifiers can be costy as well, thats why I though replace it with a DAC that has RCA out and a build in headphone amplifier. ditching wasn't the right word, you can never have enough audio players in the house. :D
  
  isn't there a good headphone output on the amp you use by any chance?
  
• 0
  
  hp1975 August 19, 2015 08:26

  Thansk for all the responses, I do appreciate the guidance. I wont drag this out and I apologise for what might seem a daft question but as my headphones are wireless, i am assuming the base station has a built in amplifier that does the 'driving' and therefore I would have thought soldering the 3.5mm jack to provide the Y output would work?
  
  I have had a Google and understand that there is another product out there that will provide the solution I am looking for but I did have my heart set on the HiFiBerry! I also wanted to hang onto the Cambridge but the these Rpi DACs get such great reviews I might just sell it (eventually.....maybe...). :)
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  DCLXVI August 19, 2015 11:52

  Thats the product I meant ;) but if your headphone base station has a build in amplifier, soldering a 3.5mm jack to the Hifiberry DAC+ RCA would work as well. but indeed either way, the Cambridge will become obsolete in your set up. maybe you can find another good use for it.