Flawless high-quality audio output on a Raspberry Pi Single Board Computer! All is achieved by the IQaudio DAC+ HAT. This dedicated DAC lets you enjoy high-quality, distortion-free, artifact-free, low noise, and high-bitrate audio playback from your Raspberry Pi single-board computer. A DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) is a device that takes digital audio (like an MP3 or WAV files) and converts it into an analog audio signal that can be readily understood by headphones or external speakers.
The IQaudio DAC boards (there’s more than one type!) are the simplest and Raspberry Pi Foundation Officially Supported way to add crispy, refined, honey-dripped audio to any Pi project. In combination with Volumio, an open-source Audiophile Media Player OS, you can be up and running with a high-quality music playback system really quickly. So come learn all about it in this new guide!
Thanks for the tutorial. I have a couple of questions:
Raspberry Pi: would an RP Zero W do the job and have enough performance to play audio files?
Case and heatsink: are there any cases for an RP (4 or ZeroW) and IQaudio DAC Pro? I currently have my RPI4 in a FLIRC case that has a good heatsink for when the RPI4 is used for playing games. That works fine now sitting under my telly but will look pretty daggy once it has a 40pin ribbon cable hanging out the side with the IQaudio DAC attached. Can a CPU heatsink fit between the Pi and the IQaudio DAC?
Yep your PR Zero W will be perfect to run Volumio. I would recommend using another more powerful Raspberry Pis if you’re planning on running the official screen as well. There is a DAC version specifically for the Raspberry Pi Zero
If you’re interested in cases for this system I would recommend the HighPi Pro Case as it ticks all your boxes.
And you can definitely fit a CPU heatsink between a Full-sized Raspberry Pi and the IQaudio DACs no problem.
Hi,
I have seen your guide and became very much interested in this project. I have about 500GB of flac music. So far I have listened to them on my computer, but I really would like to enjoy them on my old-fashioned but good quality Hifi system via my Rotel RA 02 amplifier. I am not interested in streaming, I would like to store the music on an external hard drive, connect it to a music player and DAC, and then to my amplifier. Unfortunately, I am not a technical person, but I hope I could do this DIY project.
I have three questions. Can you tell me how much this project costs? Are all the necessary parts available in your shop? And, finally, would I need a more detailed guide, or this one is enough?
I tried sandwiching RaPi4b + Waveshare Type C 3.5 inch Resistive touch display.I installed RaPi OS from a SD Card and typed all display configuration also.But Touch display was not working though I typed configuration for touch display from WS Wiki. Also the black bar in screen dint go even if I changed preferences…I need to get back to big screen also and that explanation how to do is not known from videos.
Then I installed Volumio Pi image using Balena Etcher in another SD card and tried and configured Volumio App through a LAN cable inserted …both your videos helped lot.But Volumio doesn’t allow me to install touch display plug in…it says devices which has hdmi can’t be using this plug in and needs separate Screen to activate this.Can you help?
Would your config.txt instructions for iqaudio-dacplus card be enough to work on a new installation of raspi os 64bit with desktop:
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=audio=off
dtoverlay=iqaudio-dacplus
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d,noaudio
I am trying to get a iqaudio dacplus which I bought in 2015 which to work (unsuccessfully) with Volumio. After selecting the correct DAC card I can’t get any headphone output.
I purchased the /proc/device-tree/hat/product:Pi-CodecZero Hat sound card from Core. I have having no luck getting audio into the Aux port on a Rpi 4 8 Gig. Running latest software. I am using the DigiPi Software but not just relying on it for configuration. grep -a . /proc/device-tree/hat/* can see it so can alsamixer . I have the Green Board.
Hi @David41202 - how confusing!
I took a look at a product on shelf. Rest assured the connector is there, on the underside of the board. Standoffs are included too.
The pictures provided by Raspberry Pi didn’t really reveal this critical information
I see. Thought maybe you had to add your own connector. Not having through connectors is a problem though, Is there a male 20 pin connector that can be soldered to the top to allow a display hat to be added?
Looking at using it for an audio in/out in a radio project. See my previous posts with the Pimoroni display.
That would work. Either way soldering is required. The SMT version would be nicer I guess. Shame the audio board doesn’t have through holes. I’m game though! Don’t have a SMT reflow workstation. Maybe it’s time to get one. I’ve got a microscope!
@David41202 that’s the spirit! I don’t even think you would need any special SMT gear - the pads look quite generous, i I imagine you could sit the header onto the footprint and solder each pin individually with an iron.
