Borgen Audio
Overview
Borgen Audio is a Raspberry Pi 4 audio project that combines network streaming and Bluetooth playback through a dedicated DAC. The project required integration and troubleshooting across Linux services, audio routing, and Bluetooth.
Hardware
- Raspberry Pi 4
- Raspberry Pi DAC Pro
- Existing amplifier and speaker setup
Audio Sources
AirPlay
AirPlay playback is provided by Shairport Sync, allowing Apple devices to stream audio to the Raspberry Pi and DAC.
Android Bluetooth Audio
Android devices connect over Bluetooth. BlueALSA bridges Bluetooth audio into the ALSA audio stack so playback can reach the DAC.
Troubleshooting Scope
Building a reliable appliance required investigation across several layers:
systemdservice startup, ordering, and logs- ALSA device discovery and output selection
- BlueZ pairing, trust, reconnect, and profile behavior
- BlueALSA routing between Bluetooth and ALSA
- Shairport Sync output configuration
- Conflicts between audio services attempting to use the same device
The result is a useful example of structured troubleshooting: verify each layer independently, confirm the audio path end to end, and make the working state repeatable through service configuration.
Skills Demonstrated
- Raspberry Pi administration
- Linux audio architecture
- AirPlay integration with Shairport Sync
- Bluetooth audio integration with BlueALSA and BlueZ
- ALSA device and routing diagnostics
systemdservice troubleshooting