Volumio vs Balena Sound

Struggling to choose between Volumio and Balena Sound? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Volumio is a Audio & Music solution with tags like open-source, audiophile, raspberry-pi, linux.

It boasts features such as Web-based UI for browsing music library and playback control, Supports a wide range of audio formats including FLAC, WAV, MP3, AAC, Plugins allow integration with streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Multi-room audio streaming to synchronize playback across devices, Supports a variety of audio output options like USB DACs, HDMI, I2S, Open source software based on Linux and pros including Intuitive and easy to use interface, Great sound quality with support for hi-res audio, Active development community adding new features, Works on low-cost platforms like Raspberry Pi, Completely free and open source.

On the other hand, Balena Sound is a Audio & Music product tagged with opensource, wireless, streaming, music, audio.

Its standout features include Turns old speakers/audio equipment into wireless streaming devices, Works with computers and mobile devices over WiFi, Supports audio formats like MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, Open-source software, Web-based UI for setup and management, Multi-room audio streaming, Compatible with Raspberry Pi and other SBCs, and it shines with pros like Revives old/unused speakers, Wireless streaming capability, Free and open source, Easy setup, Web UI for management, Multi-room audio support.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Volumio

Volumio

Volumio is an open source audiophile music player that runs on Linux hardware platforms including Raspberry Pi, PCs, and mini PCs. It has a user-friendly web UI for library browsing and playback control.

Categories:
open-source audiophile raspberry-pi linux

Volumio Features

  1. Web-based UI for browsing music library and playback control
  2. Supports a wide range of audio formats including FLAC, WAV, MP3, AAC
  3. Plugins allow integration with streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz
  4. Multi-room audio streaming to synchronize playback across devices
  5. Supports a variety of audio output options like USB DACs, HDMI, I2S
  6. Open source software based on Linux

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Intuitive and easy to use interface

Great sound quality with support for hi-res audio

Active development community adding new features

Works on low-cost platforms like Raspberry Pi

Completely free and open source

Cons

Setup can be tricky for non-technical users

Limited native support for some music services

No built-in touchscreen interface

Requires external DAC for best audio quality


Balena Sound

Balena Sound

Balena Sound is an open-source software that allows you to turn any old speakers or Hi-Fi into a network-connected wireless streaming device. It works with computers and mobile devices to stream music over WiFi.

Categories:
opensource wireless streaming music audio

Balena Sound Features

  1. Turns old speakers/audio equipment into wireless streaming devices
  2. Works with computers and mobile devices over WiFi
  3. Supports audio formats like MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV
  4. Open-source software
  5. Web-based UI for setup and management
  6. Multi-room audio streaming
  7. Compatible with Raspberry Pi and other SBCs

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Revives old/unused speakers

Wireless streaming capability

Free and open source

Easy setup

Web UI for management

Multi-room audio support

Cons

Requires compatible hardware like Raspberry Pi

Setup can be tricky for non-technical users

Limited to audio streaming only

No native mobile apps

Dependency on Balena Cloud