A Steampunk High Quality MP3 Player

Hello and greetings from The North of Germany again.

As you mentioned I really love glas domes and the RaspBerry Pi is one of my newest toys. And yes, I love indicator tubes as well. So the idea was to put all these stuff together and build a high quality MPR 3 player.

Unfortunately the sound output of the RasPI is quite poor and the next question is: What kind of software? It must be a software that can be controlled via WLAN or home network.

And of course I like to make as much technology as possible visible.

This player was build in one night during the "Nuit pour le Ferite" (German link). A project that brought together 10 Steampunks in Germany and Switzerland. Each people build or finished a project during that night.

So here is the result: MSMD = "Mr. Steam´s Music Device"

Let´s have a closer look how to make it.....

Hardware:

• A RaspBerry Pi
• A 2 GByte SD - card
• A class D amplifier 2 x 3 Watt or similar
• A HiFi Berry digital to analog converter (you can use other USB - DAC as well)
• A magic eye indicator tube kit
• A 64 GByte nano USB stick or similar
• 2 wide range speakers
• 5V Power supply for the amplifier (low noise)
• 5V Power supply for the raspberry
• 12V Power supply for the indicator tubes

Software:

Volumio Music Player

Preparation:

Download the volumio image and flash it to the SD card.

If you are using the HiFiBerry you have to solder the additional connectors to your RasPi (see pic. No.3)

Fill the USB - nano stick with some music.

Insert the card into the RasPi´s SD card slot

Insert the USB nano stick to the RasPi

Connect the DAC (USB or HiFiBerry) to an amplifier

Connect the RasPi to you LAN

Connect the RasPi to power

Wait a couple of time

From any computer connected to the same LAN open your browser an type: volumio.local

Voilá! :-)

Follow the instructions on the volumio homepage to adjust the volumio.

The case for the speaker was made from MDF.

I used a circle cutter to cut the holes for the speakers, the mounting for the "MP 3 tube" and the mount for the glas dome.

With some ledges I covered the edges of the case and to stabilize case from inside.

I used mahogany glaze to paint the cover.

After the glaze was nearly dried I used a black glaze to make a vintage and used look.

With some brass applications I made the finish for the front.

The player was build to fit under a glas dome all components are mounted on vulcan fibre plates.

Please have a look at the pictures how its mounted together.

Some words about temperature:

The tubes are producing some heat but I measured only 32 degrees C under the glas dome.

The upper vulcan fibre plate protects the RasPi from the heat.

I used three power supplies to avoid noise from the DC / DC converter of the magic eye´s electronics and the RasPi.

Music is GEMA free music from Bianca Stücker.

Music from the album The Violet Steam Experience "Prometheus"

The Violet Tribe

Violet

Thank you very much, Bianca!

Yes, you can use a WLAN Adapter to connect volumio to the WLAN. But than you don not have an access point. Using the TPLINK MR3020 with the mode switch to AP you can connect direct to the WLAN provided by the TPLINK. If you switch to IFS the TPLINK can connect to an existing WLAN and provide an IP to the player and other WLAN devices.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Have fun,

Horatius Steam