Help for an Italian newbie

Help and Support Help
#1

Good afternoon,
I am new to volumio and this forum. I am in Italy and I have a little former experience with linux, enigma2, and hifi.
My wish would be to have volumio installed in an x86 machine, thin client that I will buy, and use it with a dac and an old amp with passive speakers (will improve amp and speakers later if things go as I hope).
I choose an x86 machine as I have seen that is difficult to find raspberrys, they cost more than in the past and I am not fully experienced in…assembly.
So, could you help me?

  • what will be a good thin client? Is there one reccomended? My budget is not huge but I can reach the amount of about 100 euro for it, I think. If a Raspberry or similar is to be preferred I can take that solution, but please in that case tell me also what are the improvings in order to decide.
    -as a dac I would buy a topping e30, first version I think. Also here the budget is not great, but if you can suggest something better for about 100 euros I will be happy to hear suggestions.
  • In order to have things working I can learn and improve, I like it, so will follow the guide section and study. Just asking what will be a good starting point for it. I am already reading the forum but with no precise direction.

I have seen that there have been some clients for sale as ready to go in the Bazaar in the past, one of them will be good for me I think, but as for I have seen none of them is available now

Thank you in advance, please clear my thoughts and let me in this world

#2

A cheap and perfect thin client, I think @gkkpch still have some left.

The e30 is a great DAC if you look at price/vs quality. You can even go for the E30II.
I’ve have a couple of DAC’s but my main source is the E30II.

#3

thank you for these info and for confirming that i was not totally wrong in thinking.

If a Wyse is still available I will really think about it but just two more questions if possible:

  • if I take a client with more ram etc will it be better or just not needed? (hp elite 800 for ex). Will this eventually be good enought to work also as a media player? It has no hdmi, I have seen, but was thinking of a usb hdmi adapter maybe with volumio in the ram and a bootable usb linux media player when needed.
    Or is it better to get just a simpler client to work only for volumio as other projects of use will not work well and cause problems for the original use?

  • If I take the dell wyse how long will it last? I mean, future version of the programm will be supported? Eventually adding some ram if needed… Maybe is difficult to answer jet but, a thought about it will be apreciated

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#4

More mem, not needed 2 till 4 GB is more than enough for Volumio.
Keep in mind if you’re going to render video, you can’t use Volumio or a low end device, you need more power.

Everything that is working now on the Dell, will remain working.

On the HP, bought 2 from Gé and they replaced the rPi’s. Great piece of hardware. Capable to run JRiver without sweating.

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#5

2 Elitedesks are in use here, one as a Roon Rock server (in a rack in a storeroom) and one as a Kodi install (libreelec).
I stopped using PCs with a fan for media. Maybe I’m too picky, but at some point (even when nearly silent) I start hearing them and then I get annoyed. So the Kodi box gets chucked as well, for anything with audio I now prefer fanless.
Whereas with the Dell (and similar thin clients like HPs), audio is excellent, but for video completely useless.

#6

Tanks a lot for the replies sirs.
I have decided to go on with the dell as it seems to me a good solution and opportunity.

Just one more strange question, does the dell stream at the same time from audio out and usb?
I have a little Chinese fm transmitter in board format with aux in. I can maybe connect it and stream music around the house in a free FM frequence. New life to old radios.
If not maybe the DAC have this option…

#7

No, Volumio only accepts one output.
Either the audio jack or connected DAC.
Some amplifiers have a monitor out, to which you could connect such transmitter.

In order to do what you want, with a paid subscription, you can group Volumio devices. Then you can connect the transmitter to a grouped device and use that audio jack.

#8

Ok, will follow the hints and try to understand what is grouping and study better volumio.
It is not an important thing just an interesting solution (maybe for bathroom) if I can manage it in an acceptable way

#9

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If I start a track on the rPi3 the audio is also available on the VolumioE30II.
Off coarse we are not going to give credits to Volumio :rofl:, but between you and me, they did a great job with this functionality.

#10

Oh I am here from yesterday, can not give credits to anyone even if I want, know almost nothing

The function seems interesting but I think I should have two systems with volumio to use that, if I understand how it works

#11

I tend towards high end stuff, so you may want to ignore my comments, but . . . I have Volumio running on an RPi4 and on a mini-PC. The RPi4, even overclocked to 2 GHz, does not support my DSD256 music with sufficient quality. From what I can see, the Dell Wyse 3040 is too weak for audio with sample rates upwards of 700 KHz, like DSD256. If you plan to use lower sample rates, it should not be a problem. My AWOW mini-PC has a base frequency around 2 GHz, and it handles the higher sample rates with no issues. You have to decide what music formats you will want to play. Or you can upgrade if you change your mind.

#12

Thank you for pointing out this possible issue Jack. I have already take the dell solution, also because with the budget I have in mind can not reach a recent mini pc with right characteristic. If there is one with perfect specs…haven t understand this point. There is also the fan problem that I can not evaluate myself at the moment with no experience.
I don’t know how much quality I need, the highest maybe, but I think I can deal with less, as I am starting now with some files, streaming and radio contents.
Will in any case test out the possibility of playing that files with the dell, if I am capable to

#13

Interesting claim, my Dell Wyse 3040 streams a DSD128 to a Khadas Tone2 Pro with no issues whatsoever. My DSD tracks are all DSD64 and DSD128, I’ll try to find a DSD256 track to try.
On the other hand, yes the Dell Wyse is an Intel Atom with a cpu burst frequency of 1.9Ghz, not a speed wonder, but fast enough to play most formats glitch-free.
Ofc it cannot compete with Intel NUCs, it isn’t supposed to either.

#14

6 posts were merged into an existing topic: For Sale: Dell Wyse 3040 x86 Thin Clients with pre-installed Volumio for 50€!