Audiophiles Question High-End Streamers After Finding Raspberry Pi Boards Inside

For years, audiophiles opening premium music streamers have been surprised to find a familiar component inside: a Raspberry Pi, a low-cost single-board computer more often associated with hobbyist projects than luxury audio gear. The discovery has sparked recurring debates about whether high-end streamers are overpriced or simply repackage inexpensive hardware.

The answer, according to engineers and measurements from independent audio analysts, is more nuanced than accusations of corner-cutting. While the Raspberry Pi often serves as the digital “engine” in these devices, most of the cost lies elsewhere—in power design, digital interfaces, system integration, and long-term support rather than raw computing power.

Raspberry Pi in premium audio streamers

The pattern is well documented across audio forums and teardown posts. Enthusiasts open an expensive network streamer and find a Raspberry Pi board mounted inside, sometimes paired with an add-on card known as a HAT. These findings are occasionally presented as evidence that network streamers are fundamentally overpriced.

Bryston provides one of the clearest and most transparent examples. Its BDP-π network player, sold for $1,295 before being discontinued, openly used a Raspberry Pi paired with a HiFiBerry Digi+ HAT to provide bit-perfect S/PDIF output up to 24-bit/192 kHz. The company made no attempt to conceal the design choice, even naming the product after the Pi itself.

At the top of its range, Bryston’s $6,795 BR-20 integrated DAC and preamplifier also includes a Raspberry Pi 4–based streaming module as part of a much larger audio platform supporting high-resolution PCM and DSD playback.

Other manufacturers follow a similar approach at various price points. Orchard Audio’s PecanPi Streamer, priced around $550, is built around a Raspberry Pi 3B running Volumio software. Pi2Design’s Mercury V3, selling for roughly $400 to $450, combines a Raspberry Pi 4 with advanced digital outputs such as AES and S/PDIF, as well as an onboard DAC for analog output.

Given that Raspberry Pi boards typically retail for around $35 to $75 depending on model and availability, the presence of the same core hardware in products costing hundreds or thousands of dollars naturally raises questions about value.

What the Raspberry Pi actually does

In modern audio systems, the Raspberry Pi’s role is largely limited to data handling rather than sound shaping. Acting as a networked transport, it retrieves audio from streaming services or local storage, buffers the data, and sends a bit-perfect digital stream to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) via USB or S/PDIF.

Playback software is handled by lightweight operating systems such as Volumio, piCorePlayer, or Raspberry Pi OS running applications like MPD. From a technical standpoint, this workload is well within the Pi’s capabilities.

Independent measurements back this up. Audio blogger Archimago compared a Raspberry Pi 3 feeding a USB DAC against other small computers and a standard PC, using the same DAC throughout. Across sample rates from CD quality to high-resolution audio, the results were effectively identical, with any differences far below known thresholds of audibility.

Audio Science Review has reported similar findings. Tests of a Raspberry Pi 4 used as a network endpoint show performance matching direct USB playback into a modern DAC, including comparable jitter and multitone measurements.

The underlying reason is architectural. Most modern DACs use asynchronous USB inputs, meaning the DAC—not the streamer—controls timing. Audio data is sent in packets, buffered internally, and converted using the DAC’s own clock. As a result, the quality of the streamer’s internal clock has little influence on the final analog output.

Where the money goes in high-end streamers

If a Raspberry Pi can already deliver a transparent digital stream, the price difference between DIY builds and premium streamers is largely explained by everything surrounding the board.

Power supply design is a major factor. High-end manufacturers typically avoid generic wall adapters, opting instead for custom linear or multi-stage power supplies. In integrated components like the Bryston BR-20, digital and analog sections are electrically isolated to minimize noise and interference.

Digital output stages also add cost. Products such as Pi2Design’s Mercury V3 include professional-grade AES and S/PDIF outputs, enhanced clocking circuits, and power conditioning designed for long cable runs and studio-style equipment compatibility.

Beyond hardware, there is also the cost of polish and ownership. Commercial streamers are usually supported by dedicated apps, controlled firmware updates, and customer support infrastructure. For many buyers, the assurance that updates will not break functionality—and that someone will answer support emails—has tangible value.

While these elements do not always translate into measurable improvements when feeding a modern asynchronous USB DAC, they contribute to reliability, usability, and system integration.

When expensive streamers matter—and when they don’t

In many setups, a Raspberry Pi–based streamer can be functionally equivalent to far more expensive transports. When paired with a modern asynchronous DAC over USB, a basic Pi build can deliver the same digital signal as premium alternatives. This is especially true in single-room systems and headphone-focused setups.

There are, however, scenarios where higher-end streamers may make more sense. All-in-one streamer, DAC, and preamp units can simplify complex systems by reducing the number of separate components. In multi-room installations used daily, long-term reliability and manufacturer support may outweigh the flexibility of DIY solutions. For older DACs relying on S/PDIF rather than asynchronous USB, the quality of the digital output stage can also play a more significant role.

Ultimately, the choice reflects priorities rather than deception. Listeners seeking turnkey convenience, cohesive industrial design, and long-term support may find premium streamers worth their asking prices. Those focused purely on transparent digital transport can achieve comparable results at a fraction of the cost.