FDX,

Probably not!   What may distinguish one Streamer from another will likely be in terms of it's features, connectivity, and app support.  Case in Point, my 2009 vintage Squeezebox Touch (with about the same CPU power as an Electric Toothbrush) has been a Super Hero for me seemingly forever.  It tests BIT PERFECT as well via the RME test feature.   You can't possibly be better than Bit-Perfect. 

These days?  Lots of folks are liking the Raspberry Pi streaming set up. 

No matter, choose what you like best, and be cautious of outrageous claims... 

Have fun!

Curt

Fdx,

Upsampling sounds Sexy, but how does it actually improve anything?

Whatever did not exist in the original file CANNOT be suddenly revealed by upsampling.  Fact!

Pizza Analogy:  I we had a Pizza.  How many Slices should we cut to give us the MOST!

Hint:   You cannot possibly somehow suddenly have MORE no matter how the Pizza is sliced.  More samples doesn't truly mean more.

Agreed: it is well-known that upsampling results in better quality in general even though no new info gets added. Though, whether or not that is applicable to the RME ADI-2 DAC FS, I do not know.

RE: streamers, I love my Auralic Aries (with dual Femto clocks and linear PSU). Streams Tidal and Qobuz (in addition to ability to play your server’s music) and has a fantastic iOS app (sort of the one that Tidal / Qobuz / Roon have). It does have filters and can upsample (so some features may be common to the RME ADI-2 FS DAC). It is a Roon Ready device and I found the SQ to be a big upgrade (earlier, I used the Chromecast Audio with Toslink output).

While not in production (they have been replace with much more expensive units), they do come up for sale in the used market once in a while.

Raspberry Pi with an Allo Digione sig hat and shanti power supply. Running with Roon.

Raspberry Pi Zero W with Justboom Zero Digi Hat (TOSlink to ADI-2) running mpd, upmpdcli and minimserver

What is the max Bitperfect with rasp?
http://www.rme-audio.de/download/bit_test_wavs.zip

@Vienna:

I didn't bother testing the 192khz/32bit .wav as I dont have any 32bit Music, nor a 32bit DAC

All else check A-OK!

Curt

Box Stock    I just used the supplied Wall Wart PS.  Works fine.

Cooling:  The device has Heat Sinks that you attach to the CPU, and Two other components.   There is
also a fan that I'm running on low speed (3.3V)   Cant hear a thing.  The need for the fan might be debateable.  Audio doesnt tax the CPU a great deal. 

Plug in USB direct (no HATS) to the ADI-2 Dac and Rock Out!

Best Part?  I added a 13" screen via HDMI, and can now SEE my Album Art/Info from across the Room!  Big Win.

Curt

There are many images that you can use - I would suggest Rune (not Roon), it's free and is a full UPnP streamer/renderer in a dedicated Arch Linux image. Boot that and connect directly from USB on Pi4 to USB on RME.

You do not *need* any heat sinks or fans, mine runs fine without and has done so for many months.

You control the whole thing from iPhone/iPad via Linn Kazoo app (it's free on App Store) or any other UPnP control point on the same network.

Total cost is < 100 USD and it's bit-perfect. If technology advances so much that bit-perfect can be bettered then your investment is small-enough to be throw-away, plus it's so small that even if WAF is a concern, it can be hidden out of sight.

With streamers, it seems that the only reason to spend any more is if you want more software features or something that looks expensive on the shelf.

Any Raspberry Pi 4 device (even with 1GB memory) is able to get bit perfect result with USB connection, for both signal formats (DSD, wav) and all sample rates the ADI-2 supported.
I am one of the developers of MPD and I have verified that the Raspberry Pi 4 running any supported Linux based OS with MPD can achieve the above result. The device is never throttled even with highest bit rates.
Normal phone charger is good enough to power the device.
Just don't buy Raspberry Pi version equal of smaller than 3 as they won't work.

Here's a sample mpd.conf works for ADI-2

audio_output {
type "alsa"
device "hw:CARD=Pro<insert your serial number here>,DEV=0"
dop "yes"
name "RME ADI-2 Pro FS R BE"
mixer_type "none"
}

@Curt962

Seems Picoreplayer/Squeezelite already works for you? Did you miss anything?

MPD is just another piece of software that does the same job as Squeezelite.
Usually it can be installed from the package manager of your Linux distribution. On Raspbian it's just
sudo apt install mpd
then all you need is to configure mpd.conf file.

An alternative to that is to use a user friendly pre-configured solution based on MPD technology,
such as the very popular volumio distribution: https://volumio.org/
it's similar to Picoreplayer but should be much easier to setup and use.
You don't need to have any Linux knowledge --- everything is graphical, you just need to click the button. documentation is here:
https://volumio.github.io/docs/User_Man … Guide.html
then you can remotely use it on any computing device through its web interface for free.
there are quite a few step by step instruction videos online, such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwVEx5y_teg

@Ning:

Thanks for your nice inputs.  For now though, I'm going to stay with Picoreplayer. I notice also
that it's developers are the same people that have kept the Squeezeboxes running in fresh, functional sftwr many years after those devices were EOL.   Very impressive, and it gives me great confidence!   Open Source, and FREE! (Donationware)

To the original poster (Fedex)...

Best Streamer?   I'm now sold on the RPI.   Purely Functional, No Fluff, with a Long, Bright Future almost certain. 

My RME likes it.  My Wife likes it.  Who am I to argue? 

Thanks again,

Curt

Vienna,

I can't answer that.  Check PCP's info pages. 

http://picoreplayer.org/

FWIW:  I'm using Squeezer via Android to run the show.  Seems Solid!

Best!

Curt

Hi RP!

Happy you dropped in! 

Curt

Pi is SO COOL!