Orchard Audio PecanPi Streamer

Hi-fi can be a maze of competing ecosystems with the capacity to confuse and coerce as much as connect on a bespoke level. But one that seems to be hitting the sweet spot with increasing real-world relevance is the low-cost, no-frills, function-first, high-performance, multi-tasking, software-flexible, plug-and-play little black (or silver) box. And Orchard Audio's PecanPi Streamer appears to be exactly that. 

The cute word play references the RaspberryPi 3B+ platform inside, replete with tell-tale input socket group poking through the back plate. A fully balanced, dual-DAC chip design, think of it as a kind of audio hardware hot-rod, with skinned-back bodywork and pepped-up engine to extract maximum performance bang for buck. For the true audio tinkerer prepared to forgo the streaming function, the PecanPi can be bought in raw soundcard guise and the streaming alternative's metal casework is reassuringly solid and well finished.

Externally, the PecanPi is as basic as it gets. The volume knob on the front is joined by two balanced outputs and the RaspberryPi sockets on the back (XLR-to-RCA leads are supplied). Apart from the RaspberryPi inputs (including the all-important Ethernet port as there's no built-in wi-fi), every other function is controlled by your smartphone, tablet or PC. I run the Volumio Primo interface app, though numerous other pre-configured UPnP/DLNA software options are available, including AirPlay, and the PecanPi can also be a Roon endpoint.