Allo Sparky USBridge

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18 hours ago, mentt said:

USBridge is more dynamic and has more air. You can say that USBridge has bigger sound and is more

 

Thank you @mentt , very interesting feedback !

But from your signature why are you using USBridge ? Isn't NADC388 BLUOS / RoonReady ?

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3 minutes ago, k-man said:

You would have to purchase the BluOS module for £399. I think USBridge is nice to test the waters first .

 

Sure, understood !

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@mentt : Congrats , very good setup !

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Hi Johan, 

• I perfectly understand new OS is not auto-updating from the original DietPi but i hope that, from now, with the new kernel, it will autoupdate. Confirmation ?
   
• OK if new kernel is patched for DSD DACs and good if you successfully tried with native DSD 256, but i hope you will manage to get compatible DAC to also test DSD 512 !
  
  From the software side (DietPi, ALSA ... ) i’ve no doubt it is, or will be, DSD512 compatible but i would like to confirm Sparky / USBridge HW is OK too. 
   
• Patiently waiting for the alu case to order ...
   

Thank’s for your work.

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34 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

I was able to find a reader so I'll try it for giggles.  

...

 

Could you please give me a link to the  eMMC module reader + USB multireader you are using ? 

I probably will have to reflash Sparky OS (Dietpi) and I'm looking for one. Thank's

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2 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VQ2YUY/ref=twister_B0114MZS7W?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

Thank's.

Is this, cheaper, OK too ?: https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-microSDHC-Reader-TS-RDF5K-Black/dp/B009D79VH4/ref=pd_cp_147_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VFV04VSEGWQKHBEKXC37

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30 minutes ago, guiltyboxswapper said:

My 2nd USBridge arrived with v154 (upgraded to latest).  Contains the Amanero patches.  To my surprise it worked out of the box with Roon bridge at DSD 512 rates no problem.  Didn't need to add a USB ethernet adapter, either.

 

There's still a few glitches once in a while switching tracks, but that was happening without the USBridge, as Amanero have a few firmware quirks to work out when its in Native DSD mode.

 

Interesting !

So you succeed with ROON DSP >  DSD 512 upsampling > USBridge (Dietpi 154) > T+A DAC8DSD (native DSD) ?

- What is your DAC8DSD Amanero USB FW version ?

- How do you manage to update DAC8DSD Firmware ?

 

Quote

However, not managed to get HQPlayer at DSD 512 rates working, and that's despite the ethernet adapter not being saturated, nor the CPU.  Still, Roon is close enough these days.  Any suggestions here?   Will test at 256 rates later.

 

Did you asked @Miska ?

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6 hours ago, guiltyboxswapper said:

I'm not using the T+A, but an LKS 004.  It's possible to re-flash the T+A with the latest Amanero firmware, but you'll lose Windows support for now, and the firmware is currently has the odd glitch but otherwise stable.  

 

I think there's a PDF in the T+A thread how to reset the Amanero if you really wanted to try it.  

 

Not mentioned it to @Miska yet as I wasn't sure if its NAA or DietPi at this point, wanted to wait for latest update to DietPi that Allo have mentioned before drawing others in.  Now thinking about it, it could be CPU bound to a single core... I'll investigate further.

 

OK, thank's.
For DAC8DSD i've to wait a little more for Amanero and T+A to release new FW. I hope we are close.
However good news if you note Sparky+USBridge already play DSD512 correctly with RoonBridge. i was afraid about Ethernet bandwith or other HW issue. 

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2 hours ago, guiltyboxswapper said:

HQPlayer in DSD 256 mode, with Allo works fine with the Amanero.  Not as responsive as Roon, but it works.

So good news if NAA is working too but i hope native DSD 512 with ROON and HQP.
About ROON + HQP lack of responsiveness (2 or 3 sec latency) it is not at all an Allo or Diepi issue. 

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On 12/09/2017 at 8:13 PM, allo.com said:

 

Ok I just discussed with Dan , flow controls has a bug on the driver . Also on some DACs we have a

 

 

Hi Johan, what about Ethernet "flow controls" (see @Miska remarks) ?  
Nothing about that in V156 ?

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On 08/09/2017 at 6:05 PM, allo.com said:

Ok time for some updates.

 

  Ethernet problem was traced back to phy chip. Its sensitive to network noise (?!). Nothing we can do about it. We have 4 setups , on some setups it works up to 70Mbs , on some networks up to 40Mbs.

 

So at this moment we recommend (native ethernet) to use DSD 128 / Pcm 384Khz. Its stable.

 

So what we did is to use a Ethernet to USB dongle (that we will provide for free for all our USBridge customers) Gb ethernet to USB2/3

 

  On the USB 2.0 (remember the USBs buses are separated) we reached 260Mbs stable. Plugged into USB 3.0 we reached 610Mbs, rock solid.

 

Using the Ethernet to USB dongle , 256 DSD has no issues whatsoever .  512 should have no problems but we did not fully test. CPU usage  is low , logs show 0 errors.

 

Hi,

Any update about native DSD streams (not DoP) with USBridge. ?

Did you fully tested DSD256 and DSD512 with some compatible native DSD DAC's ?

Ethernet to USB dongle required and provided ? What about SQ differences with the dongle ?
 

Thank you.

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1 hour ago, allo.com said:

512 Native was tested with success on a few DACs but at this time we wont guarantee it.

 

 

Thank you.

You won't garanteed DSD512 because Ethernet bandwith limitations ?

On which DSD 512 DAC's did you succeed (for example) ?

 

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Please wait until the end of the month as we have placed an order with the manufacturer on a Axis Usb3-Gb Ethernet dongle (best bandwith Sparky

 

Future Sparky SBC release will integrate Axis Usb3-Gb Ethernet chip or we have to use the external dongle ? 

 

 

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17 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

Where will the Ethernet to USB dongle come in here? The USBridge takes an ethernet input from your network and then has a USB output to the DAC correct? So where does the Ethernet to USB dongle come into play?

 

From my undestanding provided Ethernet to USB dongle replace (bypass) native Sparky low bandwith ethernet input and use its USB (2/3) inputs to enhance available bandwith from Ethernet (useful only for DSD512 streams). Confirmation from @Allo ?

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1 hour ago, ttimon said:

When we can expect kernel upgrade in Dietpi for Sparky/USBridge?

 

Hi @ttimon

Why do you need Sparky / USBridge kernel upgrade ?

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8 minutes ago, allo.com said:

We will have it as a separate buy. Alternatively you can buy from your local market.

 

Hi @allo.com

Why Ethernet / USB dongle a separate buy after 1-oct and free of charge before ?

Thank you ...

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1 hour ago, allo.com said:

We droped the price on the USBridge to 150$. We hope to expand further the market for the USBridge since every audio system (with USB ) needs one.

 

Thank you @Allo, understood !

Any news about alu case availability ?

Seems also a good way to "to expand further the market for the USBridge" ...

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5 hours ago, shadowlight said:

@Allo, any plans to release Sparky with updated gigabit Ethernet to support higher DSD speeds with out using external USB dongle?

 

Hi @shadowlight, any inconvenience using external ETH / USB dongle ? Did you tried with DSD512 streams ?

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1 hour ago, allo.com said:

 

  We plan on releasing a new USBridge...but without  the SBC. You can use any SBC on the market or your laptop .

 

Really ? Very exciting, some details ?

How the USBridge card will be linked to any SBC and laptops ?

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10 minutes ago, allo.com said:

We are still at design stages. It will be a full solution in a box , with USB in/out to DAC . Galvanic isolation on USB AND galvanic isolated power in the same box.

 

   Please note that it will take a while , we are only at design stage.

 

Thank's, early stage for naming but from your description seems not a "Bridge" but rather "USBCleaner", "USBIsolator" isn't it ?

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Just now, shadowlight said:

Just trying to avoid additional cables/connectors hang of the system.

 

Sure ! same for me !

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1 hour ago, 4est said:

Before I place an order, I wanted to double check. I want an HQPlayer NAA to run DSD512 into an AmaneroCombo384 DIY board (bought directly from Amanero, not one of their OEM models). As I understand it, I might need a USB>Ethernet dongle, but I do not see one on your site. My questions are:

 

Are you suggesting we wait to order until the Ethernet dongles arrive to you?

What is the approx percentage likelihood that I can attain 512 with the original Combo384 and dongle?

And now that you have a GUI update available, will that make other means of future updates unnecessary as I am linux ignorant?

 

Hi @4est ,  i'm quite in the same situation and with same questions.

I own an AMANERO 384 USB equipped DAC (T+A DAC8 DSD) and would like to feed it up to DSD 512 from USBridge (via Roonbridge or HQP NAA).

1) Is USBridge-Sparky  HW/SW perfectly reliable to stream DSD 512 data rate >6MB/sec with or without ETH/USB dongle ?

2) Is new firmware with DSD512 "native" on Linux capabilities tested / released / available from AMANERO (current released FW support only DoP on LINUX), see: https://github.com/lintweaker/xmos-native-dsd/issues/12 ?

3) Is USBridge-Sparky OS (DIETPI) ALSA updated or patched to use new AMANERO native DSD Firmware ?

IMHO Question 1 is for @allo.com, question 2 is for AMANERO (not easy to talk to them), and question 3 for DIETPI / ALLO @Daniel Knight. 

 

So happy to get some insights on these points.

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2 hours ago, aqs said:

Hi

LMS update to 7.9.1 (7.9.1 - 1504317335) on NAS, DSD player NAS enableit De

Bit Depth 32 Bi

Dietpi - Sparky USBridge - LKS 004 Amanero Combo 384, file DSD no play

 

Hi @aqs

- DoP or Native DSD ?

- DSD 64, 128 , 256, 512 ?

- Amanero USB receiver FirmWare version ?

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4 hours ago, allo.com said:

1. It should be capable on native ethernet , on USB to Ethernet dongle its perfectly capable

3. Yeap all done

 

So USBrige as capable as concurrent solutions (SOtM, Sonore ...) regarding DSD512 but with dongle isn't it ?

To sum up my current understanding:

- DAC USB Firmware is the key point.
- Hopefully AMANERO will update firmware (XMOS seems more reactive)

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@aqs: Current AMANERO USB FW is OK up to DSD128 (DoP) so you might succeed with LMS feeding USBridge 

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57 minutes ago, aqs said:

 

Hi

Problem with DSD then likely my DAC LKS, that not play DSD native, it not blame sqeezelite or LMS

By Gmrender - bubble server - LKS 004 - Linn kazoo file DSD also not play

 

Are you OK playing DSP (up to 128 max) via DoP: LMS > USBridge (SqueezeLite) > LKS004 ?

You should ...