Best way to run Snakeoil?

[fliptoback]

Hi,

I wanted to try out snakeoil. A couple of newbie questions plese:

1. Anyone managed to run snakeoil in a virtual machine in a Synology NAS? If so, is the sound quality impacted at all?

2. I see that snakeoil is also available for the Raspberry PI. Running on the PI vs running on a PC - which has the better sound quality?

Thanks
flip

[agent_kith]

Hi,

I wanted to try out snakeoil. A couple of newbie questions plese:

1. Anyone managed to run snakeoil in a virtual machine in a Synology NAS? If so, is the sound quality impacted at all?

2. I see that snakeoil is also available for the Raspberry PI. Running on the PI vs running on a PC - which has the better sound quality?

Thanks
flip

Best way is:
1. Native Ubunutu (This is because of custom kernel, e.g. Real Time kernel). Or Raspberry Pi via Raspbian
2. Via a Linux container (LXC). You get native CPU speeds, but lose the ability of a custom RT kernel
3. Run it as a virtual machine (this requires you to pass through some CPU features and hardware over).

As for sound quality. It's entirely subjective. Objectively the above is ranked in order, subjectively anything is possible.

[fliptoback]

Hi,

I wanted to try out snakeoil. A couple of newbie questions plese:

1. Anyone managed to run snakeoil in a virtual machine in a Synology NAS? If so, is the sound quality impacted at all?

2. I see that snakeoil is also available for the Raspberry PI. Running on the PI vs running on a PC - which has the better sound quality?

Thanks
flip

Best way is:
1. Native Ubunutu (This is because of custom kernel, e.g. Real Time kernel). Or Raspberry Pi via Raspbian
2. Via a Linux container (LXC). You get native CPU speeds, but lose the ability of a custom RT kernel
3. Run it as a virtual machine (this requires you to pass through some CPU features and hardware over).

As for sound quality. It's entirely subjective. Objectively the above is ranked in order, subjectively anything is possible.

Thanks Agent Kith. 

When u say linux Ubuntu do you mean i install snakeoil os on a pc? Or do i need to preinstall ubuntu first? 

I dont have a rpi. Would need to get one. But which rpi should i get for good result and how much ram? Would a rpi3 or rpi4 works better? 

A thin client used cost alot cheaper than an rpi. Would using this thin client be better? Since it can run the actual linux?

[Bromf]

Or do i need to preinstall ubuntu first?

Yes, install ubuntu 20.04 server then run the Snakeoil installation script.
https://www.snakeoil-os.net/wiki/Install...ller-shell

I use thin clients as players.  An HP-t520 3GB ram and 8GB mSata  and HP-t610 and Hp-t620.  4GB ram and a 16GB mSata. Works fine.

I can usually pick these up used for $50 or less complete with power brick and stand so about half the cost of a Pi4 with 4GB ram.

[hkphantomgtr]

Hi,

I wanted to try out snakeoil. A couple of newbie questions plese:

1. Anyone managed to run snakeoil in a virtual machine in a Synology NAS? If so, is the sound quality impacted at all?

2. I see that snakeoil is also available for the Raspberry PI. Running on the PI vs running on a PC - which has the better sound quality?

Thanks
flip

>> 2. I see that snakeoil is also available for the Raspberry PI. Running on the PI vs running on a PC - which has the better sound quality?

It really depends on what that PC is.  Tweaked CMOS for music playback already makes a undeniable audio improvement in the same PC.  Changing the PC to an fanless PC, powering it with a LPS will make a very huge difference in sound, too.  Replacing the RAM with lower latency PC and installing dual rows of ram according to the dual channels, and etc....... will produce sound quality, in terms of increased details, wider and deeper sound stage, more substance in texture....... 

Have fun.

[fliptoback]

Thanks guys. I will get the HP thin client used one. I think I saw one that is less than $50.

But will this thin client sound better than a RPI?

[Snoopy8]

But will this thin client sound better than a RPI?

Sound quality depends on many things, including power supply, BIOS settings, kernel, USB link etc. You will have to try for yourself to determine what works for you.

[Bromf]

Thanks guys. I will get the HP thin client used one. I think I saw one that is less than $50.

But will this thin client sound better than a RPI?

If you are comparing audio from the TRSS of each then the Pi is very poor compared to the Thinclient.

Both are able to output to a USB DAC.
The Pi has the option of using i2s HATs.

Pi previous to the Pi4 are memory constrained at 1-2GB
Pi4 can be got with 2/4/8 Gb memory.
Pi4 runs much hotter than earlier Pi though the load when used as an audio player is low so this is not so much an issue..
Pi4 has lower power consumption...
Library updates may work the Pi harder and hotter .
Pi4 is a Quad core CPU.  HP-520/610/ and early 620 are dual core CPU.  Later HP-620s and above are Quad core cpu.

SQ from either form factor running Snakeoil may have more to do with the upstream power supply and downstream DAC than the device itself.
I run both and consider them interchangeable....but have a preference for the Thinclients as they are a little easier to configure, run from ssd rather thansd-card, and respect ATX convention for powering on and off..ie a graceful shutdown can be set in bios for the power button operation.

One thing to note is the available video connectors if using a screen and keyboard for initial install...
Pi have full size HDMI. Pi4 has tiny HDMI
HP-520 has Displayport and VGA
HP-610 has Displayport and DVI
Later HPs are Displayport only...

[fliptoback]

Thanks guys. I will get the HP thin client used one. I think I saw one that is less than $50.

But will this thin client sound better than a RPI?

If you are comparing audio from the TRSS of each then the Pi is very poor compared to the Thinclient.

Both are able to output to a USB DAC.
The Pi has the option of using i2s HATs.

Pi previous to the Pi4 are memory constrained at 1-2GB
Pi4 can be got with 2/4/8 Gb memory.
Pi4 runs much hotter than earlier Pi though the load when used as an audio player is low so this is not so much an issue..
Pi4 has lower power consumption...
Library updates may work the Pi harder and hotter .
Pi4 is a Quad core CPU.  HP-520/610/ and early 620 are dual core CPU.  Later HP-620s and above are Quad core cpu.

SQ from either form factor running Snakeoil may have more to do with the upstream power supply and downstream DAC than the device itself.
I run both and consider them interchangeable....but have a preference for the Thinclients as they are a little easier to configure, run from ssd rather thansd-card, and respect ATX convention for powering on and off..ie a graceful shutdown can be set in bios for the power button operation.

One thing to note is the available video connectors if using a screen and keyboard for initial install...
Pi have full size HDMI. Pi4 has tiny HDMI
HP-520 has Displayport and VGA
HP-610 has Displayport and DVI
Later HPs are Displayport only...

apologies but what is TRSS?

thanks for your reply also - given that the sound quality is interchangeable (Thin client vs Pi), I will go get the thin client. It is a cost $50 vs $150 (for pi)!

[Bromf]

Thanks guys. I will get the HP thin client used one. I think I saw one that is less than $50.

But will this thin client sound better than a RPI?

If you are comparing audio from the TRSS of each then the Pi is very poor compared to the Thinclient.

Both are able to output to a USB DAC.
The Pi has the option of using i2s HATs.

Pi previous to the Pi4 are memory constrained at 1-2GB
Pi4 can be got with 2/4/8 Gb memory.
Pi4 runs much hotter than earlier Pi though the load when used as an audio player is low so this is not so much an issue..
Pi4 has lower power consumption...
Library updates may work the Pi harder and hotter .
Pi4 is a Quad core CPU.  HP-520/610/ and early 620 are dual core CPU.  Later HP-620s and above are Quad core cpu.

SQ from either form factor running Snakeoil may have more to do with the upstream power supply and downstream DAC than the device itself.
I run both and consider them interchangeable....but have a preference for the Thinclients as they are a little easier to configure, run from ssd rather thansd-card, and respect ATX convention for powering on and off..ie a graceful shutdown can be set in bios for the power button operation.

One thing to note is the available video connectors if using a screen and keyboard for initial install...
Pi have full size HDMI. Pi4 has tiny HDMI
HP-520 has Displayport and VGA
HP-610 has Displayport and DVI
Later HPs are Displayport only...

apologies but what is TRSS?

thanks for your reply also - given that the sound quality is interchangeable (Thin client vs Pi), I will go get the thin client. It is a cost $50 vs $150 (for pi)!

Oops a typo...should be TRRS... the 3.5mm headphone/microphone onboard audio.
https://monopricesupport.kayako.com/arti...s-and-trrs