Rennschnecke
The Linksys NSLU2 is a USB based NAS device released in 2004. It was rather cheap, equipped with well known parts and already running Linux. Soon it had a pretty active community with several alternative firmwares (up to a full blown Debian) and a some neat hardware modifications. I never had one when they where the Thing™, but i got one at the 31C3 for a bottle of Mate.
Though it might be a bit outdated by now, it can play all kinds of audio formats flawlessly. So i decided to use it as a mpd-based audio player. Just add a USB DAC and go!
But i got carried away. Again. See, some time ago i got that really nice amp from my father. Its the final stage from a dead Braun Audio 308.
Braun did some amazing Hifi stuff back in the 70s and 80s, and this one was especially nice. I love the sound of this amp. I used it some time in a crazy caseless installation together with a NAD pre-amp, a hacked VIP1710 and a minidisc player as a DAC.
Now was the time to consolidate. I do not need a pre-amp any more. I have only one input, and that input has its own volume control. I need a decent USB DAC, but for now i use a USB soundcard i lend from a friend. Just connect the amp to the player, and mix some relais, display and controls in. Lets go!
Evolution
I had it caseless for some days. "Kabelsalat ist gesund", as we say.
Then i bought a broken tape deck. Early testing installation, with the first interface:
Disposition
Disassembled because of many issues in 2017. Learned a a lot from this project. Replaced by himbeemusik. I kept most of the parts, though. NSLU2 still in storage. Amp reused in reused.