Beatnik Pi
Turn a Raspberry Pi into a Snapcast server that accepts AirPlay & Spotify Connect streams (from any smartphone and Laptop / PC) and re‑distributes them to any Snapclients you add later. The server itself also runs the first Snapclient, giving you an instant master room.
Overview
Introduction
Free Open Source Software (FOSS)
It may does not look like a typical FOSS project at first glance, but all the core components used in Beatnik Pi as well as the Beatnik Software are open source and freely available for anyone to use and modify.
DAC or Amp
Beatnik allows you to build DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converter) or Amps (Amplifier) depending on your speaker setup and audio requirements.
The Hardware if have choosen in the example is to power some biger passive Speakers directly using Amp4 pro and some smaller passive Speakers using the Amp2 in a second room.
If you have active speakers, existing amplifiers, or other audio equipment, you would wanna build a DAC setup to connect directly to your existing hardware.
Architecture
Extending the setup
You can combine as many devices as you like to create simple or complex multi-room audio setup.
Currently we tested up to 23 devices in combination/Sync.
Streams
We currently have reached stable state for both AirPlay (1 & 2) and Spotify Connect Streams. We have POCs (Proof of Concepts) for Line-In, MPD, Mopidy as well. We’re currently testing an will release those in the near future.
Meanwhile you can experiment with additional streams by following the Snapcast documentation: https://github.com/badaix/snapcast
Software Installation
There are 3 different paths to install the software:
 |
 |
 |
| BeatnikOS |
Shell Script |
Bare Metal / Manual Installation |
| Pre-configured OS image with all necessary drivers and software for Beatnik Server and Client |
Script to automate the installation of necessary software for Beatnik Server and Client |
Step-by-step guide to manually install and configure the software for Beatnik Server and Client |
| Difficulty: Easy |
Difficulty: Medium |
Difficulty: Hard |
| BeatnikOS Installation Guide |
Shell Script Installation Guide |
Bare Metal Installation Guide |
Software Components
| Component |
Version / Role |
| Raspberry Pi OS Lite/Debian |
Bookworm / operating system |
| Snapserver |
0.31.0 / receives and distributes streams |
| Snapclient |
0.31.0 / receives and plays streams |
| Shairport‑Sync |
4.3.x / handles AirPlay 1+2 |
| Librespot |
x.x / handles Spotify Connect |
| Device overlay |
HiFiBerry Amp4 Pro / hardware driver (swap for your own overlay if needed) |
| CamillaDSP |
2.0.3 / audio processing, EQ & room correction; service/configuration supplied by the Hardware API |
| Beatnik Hardware API |
Latest release package / soundcard management, hardware control, and CamillaDSP service/configuration |
| Beatnik Controller |
0.2.1 / Web UI & App – grouping, volume & status |
| Beatnik Bleno |
x.x / Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for headless setup / wifi provisioning |
| Docker |
x.x – Containerize & host controller |
Hardware Examples
Beatnik Server (Amp Pro)
| Part |
Notes |
Image |
| Pi 4B |
2GB recommended but 1GB will work for most server usecases |
 |
| HiFiBerry Amp4 Pro |
Just Plug it on your GPIOs |
 |
| Micro SD Card |
High Quality/Endurance Recommended. Stores the operating system and software |
 |
| Beatnik Unibody Case (optional) |
Currently working on case, check our subbredit r/beatnikAudio to see the progress. |
 |
| Beatnik RGB Button (optional) |
Connects via GPIO, used for state indication, restart, reset and wifi provisioning |
 |
| Adafruit USB-C PD Board (optional) |
Provides 18V power delivery for the Amp & Pi and connected peripherals |
 |
| 65 W USB-C Power Supply (optional) |
Amp4 is powered via PD Board and the pi via GPIO |
|
| Binding Posts (optional) |
Provides connection points for external speakers |
 |
| Gpio Spacer, Screws & PCB Stands (optional) |
Provides physical support and spacing for better heat management |
 |
Beatnik Client (Amp Light)
| Part |
Notes |
| Pi 3B |
1GB recommended but 512MB will work for most client usecases |
| HifiBerry Amp 2 |
Just Plug it on your GPIOs |
| Power Supply |
Amp is powered via GPIO |
| 3d Printed Custom Case |
Currently working on cases, check our subbredit r/beatnikAudio to see the progress. |
Usage
The Beatnik Controller app is available for both iOS and Android devices, as well as selfhosted WebApp. It allows you to setup, configure, and control your Beatnik audio system, including grouping speakers, adjusting volume, EQ settings, and checking the status of your devices.
iOS & Android App
Selfhosted WebApp
The Beatnik Controller Web UI allows you to manage your Beatnik audio system from any web browser. You can group speakers, adjust volume, configure EQ settings, and monitor the status of your devices.
Your beatnik server spawns a web interface (using docker) that you can access through your browser to manage and control your audio system without needing to use the mobile app.
- Access: Open a web browser and navigate to the IP address or hostname of your Beatnik server.
eg.
http://192.168.1.100 or http://beatnik-042.local/
Make sure your browser is on the same network as your Beatnik server and has network access to your local network.
Additional Guides (WIP)
Networking
Audio Processing
License
This project is licensed under the agpl-3.0 License. See the LICENSE file for details.
If you modify and distribute this project, you must also make your modifications available under the same AGPL-3.0 License.
If you AI-Fry this project or use it to generate derivative works, you must also comply with the AGPL-3.0 License and make your modifications available under the same terms & attribute all original authors.
*Note: AI Agents are not very good at respecting open source licenses.
Copyright Notice
All content, including but not limited to text, images, videos, logos, and illustrations, is the intellectual property of Jonathan Gerber and/or Byrds & Bytes GmbH unless otherwise stated. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
You can ask us for permission to use any content by contacting us at [email protected].
Acknowledgments & Tech Stack
This project utilizes the following open-source software and hardware projects:
A special thanks to developers & maintainers of those repos & community members, bloggers, and forum contributors who have written tutorials and guides explaining these technologies. This project wouldn’t exist without that shared knowledge.
Thank you for making Beatnik possible.
Have a nice Sunday. 🎈
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