[fedora-arm] Best hardware for Fedora/ARM Audio "Server"?

[Robert Moskowitz]

On 05/14/2014 09:44 AM, Derek Atkins wrote:
> Hey All,
>
> I'm looking to build a Fedora-ARM-based Audio server (actually several
> of them).  The idea is that I would plug the ARM box into my network and
> connect it to an amp to drive speakers, and then run something like
> Shairport on the device in order to send audio to different zones in my
> house.  Why Fedora?  Well, I like it!  :)

Hey, Derek!

Look at:  http://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=cubieboard

For people that have built cases for Cubieboard2 and particularly:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:151160

I am thinking this for a NAS etc box.

If you go with the Cubietruck, the Ewell case posted on cubieboard.org 
not only supports the 2.5 drive, but also a battery if you want!

>
> My current plan (goal?) is to use the onboard analog audio output, not
> TOSlink or a USB DAC device.  I would plug the audio output directly
> into the amp to power the zone speakers.

See: http://docs.cubieboard.org/products/start for specs.  The 
Cubieboard2 has analog audio and also HDMI (but I don't know if audio is 
included).

> So here's my question for you: What's the best hardware platform for the
> money to solve this?  (I.e., what's the cheapest solution that works
> "well"?)  In my little bit of research I've boiled it down to a
> Raspberry Pi, Wandboard, or Trimslice.  Of course the RaspPi appears to
> be by far the least expensive of the three ($60 for a full system
> including case, power, and SD Card), but if the other options are
> significantly better in terms of performance and audio quality, they may
> be worth the additional cost.

RPi is a v5 and needs remixes.  I have been told many times to go with a 
V7 board.

> So here I am asking the experts....

I am not an expert, but have been asking them here for some time.  I 
will actually buy a Cubie2 next week to get started.

THough I would REALLY like to have a 4 port ethernet board for it so I 
can do router/firewall as well...