I noticed the writeup has your output set at +4db. That implies it’s substantially overdriving the output, which will cause obvious distortion. I have a rpi plugged into my high-end-ish stereo for other reasons, and find the output to be more than good enough.
If you’re complaining about audiophile nuances like warmth and presence, and also using 24-bit, high sample rate audio files, then fine, but if you’re encountering obvious distortion or buzzing then something’s wrong with your setup.
(Thanks for writing this up, by the way; it didn’t occur to me that I could set up an AirPlay server with stuff I have laying around.)
[edit: I forgot that I’m using hdmi audio. Still, the +4db thing is a red flag]
HDMI audio from the Pi is fine. It’s analogue audio from the 3.5mm TRRS connector where the sound quality is poor, quiet and hissy.
I first discovered how bad it was building a bespoke car stereo out of a Raspberry Pi 1 - and ended up buying a USB DAC because of it. But it seems to still be an issue even in the later boards because emulation forums are often talking about using HDMI or an addon board for RGB+Stereo if your display doesn’t support HDMI.
If you’re complaining about audiophile nuances like warmth and presence, and also using 24-bit, high sample rate audio files, then fine, but if you’re encountering obvious distortion or buzzing then something’s wrong with your setup.
(Thanks for writing this up, by the way; it didn’t occur to me that I could set up an AirPlay server with stuff I have laying around.)
[edit: I forgot that I’m using hdmi audio. Still, the +4db thing is a red flag]