Introduction

Over the years, I’ve tried all kinds of computer setups for music playback—fanless Intel NUCs, Mac Minis, custom PCs… you name it. They worked, but they always had compromises: noise, heat, size, or just overkill. I kept coming back to the Raspberry Pi. It’s simple, silent, affordable, and—if you do it right—just works.

I’m not here to chase magical soundstage improvements or claim a Pi sounds better than a $5,000 streamer. I’m here because it’s good enough to let my DAC (currently the Eversolo DMP-A8 (advertisement link)) do the real work by hooking it up via USB. And for anyone looking to build an affordable, reliable streaming setup, this guide walks you through everything you need.

For the most part I have my PI running 24/7 with the occasional reboot. And because I love experimenting with various distros, I also own a stack of SD cards. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be up and running in minutes by inserting the original memory card.

I never bothered modding the PI because I think it is good enough on its own. For peace of mind, I purchased an ifi Audio 5V DC power supply (advertisement link) a couple of years ago which supposedly has better ripple specs than typical outboard wallwarts. To be honest, I cannot really hear much of a difference between a linear power supply, the ifi or any generic supply from Amazon. That is if you’re just using the PI as a USB audio source of course. However, power supply quality does have an impact on sonics if you’re using the Raspberry as an integrated streamer/DAC.

Common Audiophile Raspberry PI Use Cases:

Although everyone is using their own Raspberry PI in a different way, here’s what I’ve used it for:

Roon Endpoint – Minimal, Stable – Perfect for USB DACs

If you’re a Roon user like me and want to add a reliable, silent endpoint to your setup, the Raspberry Pi is a fantastic choice. I’ve experimented with various options, but two setups stood out in terms of stability and sound quality: Roon’s official RoonBridge install on DietPi, and Roon’s own dedicated OS image (Roon Optimized Core Kit – aka “ROCK” or RoPieee).

Option 1: DietPi + RoonBridge

This is my go-to because I prefer minimal systems with only the services I actually need. DietPi is a super lightweight Debian-based OS, and once installed, adding RoonBridge is straightforward:

1. Flash DietPi to your SD card and boot the Pi.
2. SSH into the Pi and let DietPi do its setup thing.
3. Use DietPi’s dietpi-software tool to install RoonBridge.
4. Plug your DAC into the Pi via USB. RoonBridge will auto-detect it.
5. Open Roon on your Core and you’ll see your Pi listed as a new endpoint.

This will get you a headless, rock-solid endpoint that outputs digital audio to your USB DAC – with bit-perfect playback, including DSD if your DAC supports it.

Option 2: RoPieee

If you don’t want to deal with Linux at all and just want a plug-and-play Roon endpoint, RoPieee is worth a look. It’s a Roon-optimized distribution made specifically for the Pi. Flash it, boot it, plug in your DAC – done. It even supports touchscreen displays if you want some visual control.

I’ve used both, but I still prefer DietPi because I like to fine-tune and keep things ultra-lean. But if convenience is king for you, RoPieee is the easiest path.

Click here to read my article on how to get the most out of Roon.

UPnP Client / Airplay Receiver

Sometimes I just want to grab my phone, press play, and have music come out of my HiFi system—without launching a complex app or messing with playlists. That’s where the Pi really shines as a universal audio receiver, whether you’re using AirPlay from an iPhone or UPnP/DLNA from something like Audirvana, BubbleUPnP, or JRiver. Running a little Raspberry PI is a smarter choice and a great relief for cable-ridden households. Heck, the PI costs less than Apple’s adapters ;) And I prefer using my laptop for real computing tasks. 

Option 1: AirPlay (shairport-sync)

With any Volumio, moOde, or DietPi-based install, you can enable AirPlay support via shairport-sync. It basically turns the Pi into an Apple-compatible wireless speaker—but with the hardware of your choice. Just enable AirPlay in the UI or install shairport-sync manually (on DietPi).Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac will instantly recognize the Pi as an AirPlay device.

It works reliably and sounds surprisingly good (ALAC, 16-bit/44.1kHz), which is perfectly fine for background or casual listening.I use this setup often when I want to play a YouTube video or Apple Music track quickly without switching contexts. 

Option 2: UPnP/DLNA Renderer

For more audiophile-grade control, the Pi can also act as a UPnP/DLNA renderer. I use this when streaming from my local NAS or from desktop apps like Audirvana.

• Volumio and moOde have DLNA/UPnP enabled by default.
• On DietPi, you can install gmrender-resurrect or use MPD (with upmpdcli) to achieve the same.
• Once set up, the Pi shows up as a playback target in apps like BubbleUPnP, foobar2000, or JRiver.

What I like about this: it’s lightweight, open standard, and doesn’t lock you into any one ecosystem. You can stream gapless FLACs, hi-res PCM—even DSD depending on your backend and DAC.

Click here to read my article on how to use your PI as a digital source using SP/DIF or USB outputs

All-In-One Integrated Music Server with DAC

If you’re looking for a super-compact system that handles everything—from local files to streaming to DAC output—then building an all-in-one Raspberry Pi streamer with an integrated DAC is a great option. I’ve built several of these over the years, and they’re surprisingly capable if you keep your expectations realistic.

HAT DACs

Instead of relying on USB, you can stack a DAC board (called a “HAT”) directly onto the Pi’s GPIO header. These HAT DACs use the Pi’s I²S output, which bypasses USB entirely. This is ideal because you don’t need complex power supplies and you end up with a minimalistic setup that you can update at any time. Digital volume control is also possible so your PI can double as a digital preamp, too. If you want to maximize value for money, start here. Here are some that I’ve tested or would recommend:

• Allo Boss2 – Clean, dynamic sound with onboard reclocking and optional display.
• HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro – Simple, reliable, and well-supported in most OSes.
• IQaudIO DAC Pro – Great if you want balanced output and a volume knob.

They’re not miracle workers, but for the price, these HATs deliver serious performance—especially in entry-level setups, office rigs, or bedroom systems. Some well designed ones even compete with high-end audiophile setups costing $2000 and more. And you can always upgrade later on to an external USB DAC if you feel the need.

What Software to use?

I’ve had the best experience using Volumio or moOde with these HAT DACs. They recognize most modules out of the box, and configuration takes under 10 minutes.

• Volumio gives you a polished UI with support for TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, and local NAS.
• moOde offers more tuning options if you want to tweak filters, upsampling, or output levels.

Both let you use the Pi as a full-fledged streamer with no PC involved—just power it up, open the web interface on your phone or tablet, and play music.

Where to Buy (Especially in Europe)

For EU-based readers like me, I usually recommend audiophonics.fr. They stock everything from bare Pi boards to fully assembled streamer kits with DAC HATs, linear power supplies, and aluminum cases. Their prebuilt Boss2 player is especially good value if you just want something ready to go. If you’re not in Europe, Allo’s own store or Amazon.com (advertisement link) often carry similar bundles—but prices and shipping may vary.

Drawbacks of using a Raspberry PI

Raspberry Pi DACs aren’t perfect though, and it’s important to manage expectations. I’ve tested a number of Pi-based DACs and while they’re great for casual listening or second-room setups, they won’t outperform a well-designed external DAC. The I²S implementation is decent, but often lacks the robust clocking and analog stage you’d find in higher-end gear. There’s also the issue of USB audio. The Pi 3 had known issues with shared USB and Ethernet bandwidth. The Pi 4 improves on this significantly, but it’s still not as pristine as a purpose-built streamer with galvanic isolation and dedicated clocks. That said, I’ve had excellent results with the Pi 4 and 5 when paired with DACs that handle USB input well.

If you’re using a sensitive downstream setup—or your DAC is picky about USB jitter—you may want to experiment with USB filters or consider a HAT with reclocking.

How to Stream Tidal, Qobuz or Spotify

This is one of the most common questions I get. Many users these days are not interested in streaming local content and have gone full-time streaming. And yes—streaming Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify on a Pi is not only possible, it works really well with the right setup:

Volumio is the easiest route. With a MyVolumio subscription, you get native support for Tidal and Qobuz, plus Spotify Connect out of the box but it will cost you about 6 Euros per month – not free but well worth it if you prefer a well-maintained software.

MoOde doesn’t have native integration for Tidal or Qobuz but works well with UPnP. You can stream from your phone or computer using BubbleUPnP or Audirvana. Moode is the brainchild of Tim Curtis who has done an amazing job to refine MoOde with the DIY community.

DietPi is more barebones, but you can install Roon Bridge (for Roon users), or set up Spotifyd / librespot for Spotify Connect.

Roon itself integrates Tidal and Qobuz if you’re using the Pi as an endpoint.

How I Personally Use My Raspberry Pi

My primary DAC is the Eversolo DMP-A8 (advertisement link), which I use for most serious listening. But I still keep a Raspberry Pi 4 connected via USB as a secondary source for streaming. It runs DietPi with RoonBridge, so I can switch sources easily within Roon or on the A8 itself. This setup lets me use the Pi as a dedicated Roon endpoint that’s silent, stable, and out of the way. If I’m doing more casual listening or running tests on filter settings or cables, I often route things through the Pi because it’s quick and flexible.

I also have a second Pi in my office using an Allo Boss2 DAC HAT and moOde, which plays music from my NAS. Both setups are rock-solid and serve different purposes—one as a reference endpoint, the other as a full music server.

The Future of Pi Hardware – What’s Next?

With the release of the Raspberry Pi 5, we’re seeing noticeable bumps in CPU power and interface speed, but also increased heat and power requirements. That means better performance for DSP-heavy setups or fast UI responses—but also more attention needed for cooling and power delivery. Still, for most audio use cases, the Pi 4 remains the sweet spot: cheap, cool-running, and widely supported. And with vendors like Allo and Audiophonics offering dedicated cases, power supplies, and DAC HATs, building a fully integrated streaming solution is easier than ever. For me, it’s hard to beat the Pi on price-performance. And that’s why it still sits at the heart of so many DIY audiophile setups—including mine.