Source
r/RASPBERRY_PI_PROJECTS•
clamskittles

Is there a good way to Multi-room audio in 2021?

I am new to the world of Raspberry Pi, coding, networking... all of it. So bare with me. I am looking for a way to stream music (Spotify) to multiple rooms. All the information on ways to do this seems to be very old.

I would love to be able to use an Ipad or a small screen on a Pi 3+ to run the Spotify app or web UI then cast the audio stream to multiple Pi's (ideally the two zero w's w/ DACs that I have already purchased).

Things I have tried..

Volumio - Does not support multi-room connection, and the UI is just not good for spotify.
Balena Audio - I just can not for the life of me understand their cloud based system to set up the network.

IS there a good way that people are doing this??

Posted Feb 19, 2021, 2:55 PM UTC

1521
BrewNo_o•

Hi You should try picoreplayer (picoreplayer.org). Super easy to install. You will install LMS (Logitech media server) on one pi and squeezelite on the other pis. In the plug-ins section you can install Spotty and you have Spotify. Install also material skin for the UI. Give it a try! I am really happy with it.

5
PhealC•

I agree with this post, the LMS server is IMHO is the easiest and most flexible streaming solution.

1
fabsmusicjunkie•

I use mpd with snapcast. You could also use mopidy instead of mpd for spotify support.

3
joschplusa•

I used snapcast for a while as well. Once it worked it worked. But it didn't always work out and the setup on different Pi versions wasn't always easy. I wouldn't recommend to use it in combination with volumio. Volumio was really buggy and destroyed my configuration many times. Had to do a reinstall every few months.

1
Thejaybomb•

I have been pulling my hair out with snap for the last few weeks, admittedly i was trying to use snapcast server as an add on for hass.io rather than on something more well supported.

I have finally managed to work something out, a kodi box is handling the snapcast server part and a snapcast client add on for hass.io is hooking up to kodi nicely. I hope the config holds strong.

Its pretty good as the snapclient on kodi can be configured to the headphones rather than hdmi, so it can go straight into my amp without the TV being on.

1
NeKapS9•

While researching, I found some people had same issue for Hass.io. There is now an integration: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/media-player-platform-for-mopidy/265836

2
Thejaybomb•

Nice, thanks for the recommendation!

1
noizenheimeramous•

I've been fiddling with hifiberry-os and love it. I don't know a direct way to do multi-room with the base install currently, but if you can already run snapcast you can connect to it (no embedded snapcast yet), and it already provides an mpd server. e.g. if you install snapcast manually onto a hifiberry-os system, it may be all you need to get started. Disclaimer: I use neither mpd nor snapcast, so your mileage may vary. A lot.

2
Appletower-EU•

Have a look at Roon Labs.

1
clamskittlesOP•

Looks like an awesome service - but I'm already invested in the Spotify world and don't want to move to a new pay-service. I need a way to play spotify on multiple devices over bluetooth or WiFi if possible

1
RetAF-Eddie•

found this: maybe along the lines of what you are looking to do

https://www.balena.io/blog/diy-raspberry-pi-multi-room-audio-system/

1
abebotlinksyss•

I know this is in the pi sub, but my solution to your question was to buy some Chromecast Audio devices. They are officially discontinued but you can still get them on ebay. When you set up groups in google home, you can adjust latency between devices. I think they were less than $50usd when I bought them a few months ago. Before that, I had tried to rig up a solution with pi's or airplay or vlc network streaming, and eventually setting up a dedicated audio server. Unfortunately none of that worked as nicely for spotify as the chromecast does now.

1
lespliegle•

I have used http://www.tuneblade.com from a pc an cast audio to multiple rpis running volumio. Its mainly using airplay. You could open spotify on PC and cast. there is a remote app that can be installed in phone to control it.

1
hamsamich55•

Sonos

1
culo_de_mono•

Raspotify is a pretty nice spotify api service for pi. You can use any device to set the music (e.g. phone) and then set it to play in one specific device running raspotify (name can be customized per device). I've been using it for a while, as a service, connected to denon amp, no big headache, very low ram (so pi zero might be fine).

https://dtcooper.github.io/raspotify/

1
beankylla•

Volumio does support multi room connection with the snapcast plugin. Pretty easy to setup and works just fiiiiiiiine :)

I believe you can also stream the music straight from your phone to all speakers provided you install snapcast on your phone (there's an app for that)

Don't know about the spotify UI though.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

0
RetAF-Eddie•

https://blog.bestbuy.ca/tv-audio/how-to-use-multiple-bluetooth-speakers

0
clamskittlesOP•

Ok so new Bluetooth speakers are able to be paired together... Nice. I am asking for a solution so that I can use the multiple sets of speakers I already have without buying new hardware.

1
RetAF-Eddie•

your question didn't say that you already had speakers.

1
RetAF-Eddie•

and this https://www.computerworld.com/article/3171743/add-bluetooth-5-to-raspberry-pi-3-or-create-gadgets-with-this-new-chip.html

0
clamskittlesOP•

You are suggesting I would add another device to the Pi's to give it bluetooth 5 capabilites? Then it would be able to be paired (like the speakers you linked above)?

1
RetAF-Eddie•

not necessarily another device, but to program/upgrade? to Bluetooth 5.0. That version of BT is capable of streaming one signal to multiple devices. Timing/synchronization may be an issue though... but in different rooms it won't be noticed.

1
RetAF-Eddie•

basically, do a web search for raspberry pi & bluetooth 5.0 & multiple speakers

1