Allo Digione Signature

[matthias]

1 hour ago, nbpf said:

But in order to compare USBridge and DigiOne with the same DAC, you have to use a USB to SPDIF interface between the USBridge and the DAC which makes the comparison a bit pointless. I would rather compare the DigiOne with other transports with SPDIF outputs.

 

No, I would compare with a DAC with both USB and SPDIF inputs without any additional interfaces.

 

Matt

 

[davide256]

3 hours ago, nbpf said:

But in order to compare USBridge and DigiOne with the same DAC, you have to use a USB to SPDIF interface between the USBridge and the DAC which makes the comparison a bit pointless. I would rather compare the DigiOne with other transports with SPDIF outputs.

??? All it takes is a good asynch USB converter that has coax out and a good coax cable.  Sounds more you only have integrated USB  so that you don't have that testing option. IME asynch USB solution obsolesces faster than any other element in the digital chain, be prepared to change every 18 months

[davide256]

On 9/1/2018 at 1:24 AM, Johnjc said:

Just to let people know got the signature up and running

I am feeding the dirty side with the supplied SMPS I might experiment later on as I have a spare battery I can use and could use a 12v to 5v dc converter Just need to find on with a USB C output or perhaps a adapter 

Sound wise it is a nice step up. The tonal colour is more richer, it gives more slam and micro detail. Both files and Spotify sound excellent. 

I need to come up with some way of powering them both up at the same time

Hmm, you may want to get the Hynes SR4 power supply and Ghent split DC power connector.  Then you can leave the split ends connected and just plug/unplug

at the power supply. Hynes should have the required current rating whereas while I find the Uptone Audio  LPS 1.2 works powering original Digione/RPI3b+ boards,

its technically only 1.5A, less than the max board current draw expected.

[Johnjc]

Cheers I have a very good custom built PSU but thanks for the thought 

[nbpf]

22 hours ago, matthias said:

 

No, I would compare with a DAC with both USB and SPDIF inputs without any additional interfaces.

 

Matt

 

That's of course possible but it means comparing a USB source + USB interface with a SPDIF source + SPDIF interface. This makes judgements about the sound quality of the sources difficult because, for a given DAC, the quality of its USB interface can be quite different from the quality of its SPDIF interface.  

[steklo]

On 8/31/2018 at 2:58 PM, allo.com said:

Hi Stelko

 

 you need to respect the current specs of DigiOne Sig. Dirty side needs 2.5A. LT3042 from the link you provided shows a max of 1A

 

Furthermore.. the dirty side does not care much whats feed to it. I would recommend a cheaper SMPS for dirty side and a battery like you have (7V is fine) for the clean side.

Hi,

 

you're right the manual says: "It needs 2 PSUs, one for 5V/2A-3A (RPI) and a second CLEAN power that can be (5V to 6V) 100mA." But the demand for 2-3A is probably not because the dirty side of Digione takes so much, this is probably because the specs of RPi say so. Actually the power consumption of an RPi that only acts as a streamer and which is free from further tasks (musicserver, upsampling, converting file formats) is below 500 mA. Thus 1A should be enough – unless you say the dirty side of Digione signature alone needs more?

Anyway it would be really nice if the soundquality of Digione signature would be completely independent from the way RPi is fed. Have you tried different PSUs with the RPi in conjunction with Digione signature to find a cheap SMPS is enough for the dirty side because it makes no difference?

 

Best regards

Stefan

[steklo]

On 9/2/2018 at 6:06 PM, matthias said:

 

The Ciunas devices use LiFePO4 batteries. These deliver voltage output of 3.2/3.3V or multiples of these voltages. 

I am wondering how they can claim an output of 7V without any regulator.

 

Matt

Hi Matt,

 

I asked back and John said: "I use Lifepo4 batteries. These can be charged up to 3.6V & I use 3.5V regulators before the batteries that keep them @ 3.5V"

 

Stefan

[Ampega]

Every regulator adds (lots of ??)  R&N.... doesn't it?

[allo.com]

12 minutes ago, steklo said:

Hi,

 

you're right the manual says: "It needs 2 PSUs, one for 5V/2A-3A (RPI) and a second CLEAN power that can be (5V to 6V) 100mA." But the demand for 2-3A is probably not because the dirty side of Digione takes so much, this is probably because the specs of RPi say so. Actually the power consumption of an RPi that only acts as a streamer and which is free from further tasks (musicserver, upsampling, converting file formats) is below 500 mA. Thus 1A should be enough – unless you say the dirty side of Digione signature alone needs more?

Anyway it would be really nice if the soundquality of Digione signature would be completely independent from the way RPi is fed. Have you tried different PSUs with the RPi in conjunction with Digione signature to find a cheap SMPS is enough for the dirty side because it makes no difference?

 

Best regards

Stefan

Hi Stefan , yes dirty side requiements are only for RPI (wm 8805 takes about 50ma on top)  However power consumption is dependent on what model of RPI you have , the latest RPI3B+ (that comes with our player) needs about 2.2A on boot for short periods of time. Of course you can tweak the RPI and get much lower than that...but we advise to have a good PSU with 2.5A. Our PSU (allo website) that comes with the player is perfect for it.

[steklo]

@ Ampega:

Right, that is why I would prefer to have 7V directly out of battery for the clean side – no regulator engaged in that part at all. But for RPi / dirty side it needs a regulator to come down to 5V. Here I would prefer the 1A LT3045 regulator  instead of the 2A XRP6272 regulator (which would be implemented by Ciunas if a 5V outlet is ordered) as the latter seems to have significantly more noise wheres LT3045 is known as one of the lowest noise regulators available at the moment. I can't see how it might work with no regulator on the dirty side.

[steklo]

6 minutes ago, allo.com said:

Hi Stefan , yes dirty side requiements are only for RPI (wm 8805 takes about 50ma on top)  However power consumption is dependent on what model of RPI you have , the latest RPI3B+ (that comes with our player) needs about 2.2A on boot for short periods of time. Of course you can tweak the RPI and get much lower than that...but we advise to have a good PSU with 2.5A. Our PSU (allo website) that comes with the player is perfect for it.

No need to buy a Nirvana PSU for the dirty side?

[allo.com]

Dirty side is galvanically isolated from clean side . No need for the IFI

[steklo]

21 minutes ago, allo.com said:

No need for the IFI

Isn't "Nirvana" the upcoming super SMPS made by Allo? ;-)))

[ALLOaudio]

On 9/2/2018 at 6:08 PM, Cortes said:

@ALLOaudio

 

Is it possible to use the Digione Signature and Katane with Tinker board instead of Pi board?.

We have not tested..

We do give the pin out diagram, but I am not sure of the results.

It would be a true DIY project you would take on.

Regards

[allo.com]

1 hour ago, steklo said:

Isn't "Nirvana" the upcoming super SMPS made by Allo? ;-)))

Nirvana is not ready yet.

[steklo]

51 minutes ago, allo.com said:

Nirvana is not ready yet.

Anyway – from what you said before I guess Nirvana would be a good choice for the clean side of Digione signature but would not at all be necessary for the dirty side. That could still be fed from your most recent 5V SMPS which comes with the player, right?

[allo.com]

yes thats correct

[matthias]

13 hours ago, nbpf said:

That's of course possible but it means comparing a USB source + USB interface with a SPDIF source + SPDIF interface. This makes judgements about the sound quality of the sources difficult because, for a given DAC, the quality of its USB interface can be quite different from the quality of its SPDIF interface.  

  

Both devices are network bridges. You can stream the same files to either and decide which one is more musical with your DAC. 

 

Matt

[matthias]

12 hours ago, steklo said:

Hi Matt,

 

I asked back and John said: "I use Lifepo4 batteries. These can be charged up to 3.6V & I use 3.5V regulators before the batteries that keep them @ 3.5V"

 

Stefan

 

That means they must be permanently connected to the charger which is not a good idea. 

 

Matt

[steklo]

8 hours ago, matthias said:

 

That means they must be permanently connected to the charger which is not a good idea. 

 

Matt

Yes it's a trickle charge concept – why would that not be a good idea? In case of being afraid of any noise getting through the the battery from the charging PSU you can easily disconnect it during listening sessions. You might even use an LPSU for that purpose. Anyway I would doubt one can hear it.

[steklo]

18 hours ago, allo.com said:

yes thats correct

So that would clearly distiguish the new Digione signature from the old Digione, where a lot of people reported an obvious influence of the PSU feeding RPi despite of all the galvanic isolation of Digione and voltage filtering?

[allo.com]

Its a very hard question to answer. Galvanic isolation is one thing , but DC/DC convertor on board of digione is a 2$ component that its inherently noisy.

 

  Of course a very good PSU will beat a 2$ part and furthermore on Digione signature we implemented a cascading network of LDOs (series) + different bypass caps (film) that make the Sig..better.

 

 

[Ampega]

5 minutes ago, allo.com said:

Its a very hard question to answer. Galvanic isolation is one thing , but DC/DC convertor on board of digione is a 2$ component that its inherently noisy.

 

 

 

This is not what you said so far regarding Digione. I always read from you "a better PSU would have no effect on Digione". Now you tell us a different story. Not nice .......

[steklo]

13 minutes ago, allo.com said:

  Of course a very good PSU will beat a 2$ part and furthermore on Digione signature we implemented a cascading network of LDOs (series) + different bypass caps (film) that make the Sig..better.

 

 

Did you evaluate the idea to implement an option for feeding 3.3V directly into Digione signature from an external battery? That would possibly take a number of more or less noisy LDO's out of the game.

[allo.com]

Yes thats correct and I still say it . A better PU on DigiOne HAS to pass through the DC/DC convertor and thus it nullifies whatever clean PSU was used. Yes we used heavy filtering on DC convertor

 

  DigiIOne Sig was implemented using diffrent power supply and as such its a different design and PSU to clean side will have an impact on the sound.