Allo Digione Signature

[uniquesnowflake]

7 hours ago, Spenagio said:

quick 'computer' audiophile style question on using the DS as a Roon endpoint;

 

I currently use a MacBook pro as Roon core and control device (along with iPhone). The DS acts as the endpoint feeding the streaming signal to my DAC. Happy days, works a dream. 

 

I would now like to avoid having to use my laptop for every listening session, but as all my music files sit on the SSD that is not possible. Intention is to use an iPad Pro for control, but wondering if I would merely have to move my music files to a HDD connected to my router, or somewhere else on the network to avoid booting up the laptop. 

 

Dumb question I know, but I'm not the most tech-literate....any help appreciated.

 

No computer expert here, but to my knowledge the Roon core requires a computer with a fair amount of performance. I'd recommend getting an i5 NUC running headless as a dedicated music server.

[uniquesnowflake]

For fellow members who also own a USB Sig+Digione Sig combo, here are a couple mods that should be worth the effort.

 

While I applaud Allo for making the USB Sig backwards compatible with the Digione Sig, the excessive amount of adapters really bothered me. So I decided to bypass the Type-C altogether on the clean side. Also implemented is a CLC filter as recommended by cdsgames, Oscons and a CMC.

 

I really enjoy the improvement in liveliness and spatial information, though they were already very good in the first place 😁

[uniquesnowflake]

9 hours ago, Boleary3 said:

I found the Digione Signature mounted atop the USB Signature Bridge to sound significantly better than the stand alone Digione in the plastic case. Also, I prefer the Digione output over the USB output of the Bridge. YMMV

 

Another happy USB Sig+Digione Sig user here. USB Sig is much better sounding than the RPi3.

[uniquesnowflake]

2 hours ago, suzywong said:

technically, the USBridgeSig, is claimed to have better supply regulation, and more of it - IIRC, 30 low noise regs, each powering a specific part of the board. Also AIUI, the USB out is decoupled from the Ethernet input, which should help the output waveform timing. I believe this is now done in the RPi4

 

in the analogue audio domain, more and better regulation can improve the SQ - you only have to spend an afternoon playing around with Naim amps/CDPs/streamers/Crossovers in their various supply configurations to hear clearly the  audible effects as you go "up" the PSU hierarchy*

 

* I do have sympathy with the argument that "having paid several thousand for a shiny new Naim amp/CDP/streamer, one should not then have to fork out another few grand to make it sound best - but that's for another thread.

 

in the digital domain, it is less clear cut ( coz it's all 1's & 0s, innit?), but reducing system noise is still inherently beneficial, which appeases my elect. eng. sensibilities

 

subjectively, i found that replacing the rpi3b with a usbsig had minimal effect, but then again i am taking the audio stream from the HAT mounted DigiOneSig. It is intended for use in a USB centric streaming solution. My nDAC, is SPDIF only, which is why I use the DigiOneSig.

 

one day I'll do some experiments with my Musical Fidelity DAC which has both USB & RCA SPDIF inputs.

 

So I can't claim there's any SQ benefit to replacing the RPi3B with a USBBridgeSig.....but the case is nice, and sits sympathetically alongside my Naim active system.  

 

However I reiterate, that the power supplies have the greatest effect on SQ, so a Shanti, or similar, should be the priority.

 

There's one (big) caveat that I forgot to mention about my USB Sig+Digione Sig setup.

 

In Allo's stock configuration, the power for the "clean side" has to go through a Type-C extension cable that is connected to a DC socket at the back panel.

 

I suspect this has a noticeable detrimental affect to power delivery, which *may* be the reason why Digione Sig owners don't notice a noticeable improvement, especially since the clean side is critical to its performance. 

 

So instead, I skipped the cable and Type-C connector, and went directly to the board. The additional CLC filter is nice but not necessary, cdsgames said it could help so I thought why not

 

If you have decent soldering skills or can find someone who does, I strongly recommend this mod. You'd be surprised!

 

 

[uniquesnowflake]

On 9/15/2020 at 8:57 PM, dontfeedphils said:

 

 

Is there a how-to on this mod?  I've got a nice soldering iron and some free time, I'd like to give it a go and see what improvements there are to be had.  TIA!

 

I don't really remember the number of the SMD cap the wires are connected to, but it should be easy to tell through the photo.

 

Simply connect the positive and negative of the DC inlet to the respective poles on the cap, and you're done! 

 

If you're interested in adding the CLC filter like I did, here's a link to the "official" values recommended by cdsgames 

 

[uniquesnowflake]

19 hours ago, 2pacshakur892 said:

hi, my name is Fabio and i live in Brazil. I have a odroid c2 and a raspberry pi 3b+. I connect pi or odroid c2 at my DAC(wyred4sound DAC1) with usb cable and i have a little drop when i play 24/48,24/96 or 24/192 music. I power up my raspberry with a 20000mah xiaomi battery.  I want to say if its a problem with a driver of my DAC in linux, and if i purchased a allo digione and connect my DAC with coaxial cable the problem dissapear?

 

Hi Fabio, it's quite a common issue with the RPi3 since ethernet and USB shares bandwidth. You'd bypass that problem by going i2s->SPDIF through the Digione board.