ALLO Shanti Power Supply

[suzywong]

41 minutes ago, uniquesnowflake said:

Maybe I'm too quick to judge, but I don't think this would be a sonic improvement in my setup with Digione Sig+Audiophile Pi.

 

Just curious, because I’ve read references a couple of times on various forums.

 

What is an “Audiophile Pi”, and how is it different to a bog standard Pi?

[uniquesnowflake]

1 minute ago, suzywong said:

 

Just curious, because I’ve read references a couple of times on various forums.

 

What is an “Audiophile Pi”, and how is it different to a bog standard Pi?

 

It's an alias of the "USBridge Sig" used by those of us who didn't purchase it for the clean USB port 

 

https://www.allo.com/sparky/usbridge-signature-pcb.html

[matthias]

4 hours ago, uniquesnowflake said:

Thank you for the info. Looks like Sparkler made a nice workaround to make their DAC compatible with multiple types of Inputs.

It would probably work great with sources that have a high quality i2s output (can't say that about the RPi), take their S507 for instance. However, I'd much rather have the conversion unit built with proper power delivery and ample space inside the DAC compared to say, a small adapter on the digital cable.

Maybe I'm too quick to judge, but I don't think this would be a sonic improvement in my setup with Digione Sig+Audiophile Pi.

Interesting that the description of the new S512 is not DAC but DA processor.

AFAIK, the conversion units are powered from the main unit.

Would be nice to compare S512 to S504.

 

Matt

[suzywong]

7 hours ago, uniquesnowflake said:

 

It's an alias of the "USBridge Sig" used by those of us who didn't purchase it for the clean USB port 

 

https://www.allo.com/sparky/usbridge-signature-pcb.html

 

Oh, well it that case..... I’ve already got one. Use my DigiOne Sig on it. Bought the aluminium case as well. It’s very nice

[uniquesnowflake]

5 minutes ago, suzywong said:

 

Oh, well it that case..... I’ve already got one. Use my DigiOne Sig on it. Bought the aluminium case as well. It’s very nice

 

I agree, like it a lot better than the regular RPi. Intend on performing some power mods on my Digione+Audiophile Pi stack, and I’ll report back later with impressions.

[suzywong]

I run my USBS+ADS stack from a Cuinas Audio Supercapacitor dual +5V supply. Curiously, because the two outputs are wired in parallel, it negates the galvanic isolation between the “clean” and “dirty” sides; however it drives my Naim DAC exceedingly well!

 

I think that John now has an upgraded version with isolated +5V outputs aimed at the ADS (which I haven’t tried). He has a test version doing the rounds in the UK - if you are interested, then the Pink Fish forum is the place to look (the thread is called something like “Supercapacitor PSU grand tour”. Around 200 euros, same ball park as the Shanti (which I really must grab some time and compare).

[ambre]

Somebody compared the Shanti with the Sbooster 5v, 3A ? Ps
prices in the EU are approx €299,00 for the Sbooster.

 

curious the hear.

 

 

[suzywong]

@Allo  The USBridgeSig case has a grounding stud. I'm curious to know what I should do with it.... Is the thinking that it should be connected to the grounding stud on the Shanti?

[uniquesnowflake]

On 11/23/2019 at 8:59 PM, suzywong said:

@Allo  The USBridgeSig case has a grounding stud. I'm curious to know what I should do with it.... Is the thinking that it should be connected to the grounding stud on the Shanti?

 

Yes. Though I personally add a split wire so both would go to my "battery ground tweak".

[suzywong]

7 hours ago, uniquesnowflake said:

 

Yes. Though I personally add a split wire so both would go to my "battery ground tweak".

 

Seems I’d better buy a Shanti, then. 😃😃

 

Am I right in thinking that the stud is 6mm diameter?

[uniquesnowflake]

9 hours ago, suzywong said:

 

Seems I’d better buy a Shanti, then. 😃😃

 

Am I right in thinking that the stud is 6mm diameter?

 

Shanti offers great performance at a silly low price (in audio terms), I think it's worth buying.

 

I didn't measure it, but standard banana plugs work fine!

[Cundis]

On 11/19/2019 at 8:05 AM, ambre said:

Somebody compared the Shanti with the Sbooster 5v, 3A ? Ps
prices in the EU are approx €299,00 for the Sbooster.

 

curious the hear.

 

 

 

I picked up my Shanti today, and I have both the first and the second SBooster so I will compare them after some days of use. 

[Cundis]

Already after 35 hrs of streaming from roon I say wow! The Shanti tells the Sbooster MK 1 to go to bed and stay there. However, the performance from the Sbooster MK 2 is better, but it can't  compete with the Shanti. The Shanti is on another level, and I really look forward to having the Shanti completly broken in. 

[Cundis]

Now what can I say after some 200 hrs break in. It's just extremely good in every way. Ultrasmooth, quiet, clean, gives a black background with very good 3D feeling. It actually took about 200 hrs for it to break in, and before that it could be a little frustrating because it could be a little nervous sounding in the upper frequencies. But when it settled it did that for good. Now it is so entertaining Iistening to the USBridge / DigiOne Signature. 

Only downside is that it takes a lot of time to power down. 

 

Anyone knows how long the capasitors used in this will last? Do you guys leave it on 24/7?

[allo.com]

The capacitors (elec) working temp was something that we took in consideration since beginning. In fact more caps are rated at 1000h 105C. Every 10C less doubles the life of caps

 

  Shanti at full load is around 45C inside ...so 1000 x 2x2 x2 x2 x2 = 32k H = 4 years

 

  However at no load Shanti is at 35C (dont remember the exact number) = 8 years

[suzywong]

The lifetime of Supercapacitors is obviously 201 hours..........

 

.......so just make sure you really, really enjoy that last hour!😁😁

 

*cough* seriously though, I understand that 10 years is more likely.

 

And I leave both Shanti and Cuinas Audio PSUs (and therefore, their attached RPi streamers) on all the time.

 

Edit: I see that Allo have come up with 4-8 years, which is somewhat disappointing.

[Cundis]

Will it be possible to change those caps when they die?

 

I guess I will turn off mine when I don't listen to music for a longer period of time. 

[Cundis]

2 hours ago, allo.com said:

The capacitors (elec) working temp was something that we took in consideration since beginning. In fact more caps are rated at 1000h 105C. Every 10C less doubles the life of caps

 

  Shanti at full load is around 45C inside ...so 1000 x 2x2 x2 x2 x2 = 32k H = 4 years

 

  However at no load Shanti is at 35C (dont remember the exact number) = 8 years

 

Are those caps common and easily available 8-10 years from now you think?

 

I guess it's important to turn it off when not in use for a longer period of time. 

[dontfeedphils]

3 minutes ago, Cundis said:

 

Are those caps common and easily available 8-10 years from now you think?

 

I guess it's important to turn it off when not in use for a longer period of time. 

 

There's really no reason to turn off power supplies or network streamers.  Just leave them on and let them be.

[gstew]

LOL... capacitors such as these weren't even available 8-10 years ago. Who knows what technology will be available in 8-10 years and if it will even be compatible replacements for the caps in the current Shanti? Maybe Dilithium crystals or zero-point energy?

 

BTW, still loving my Shanti! I have 2 setups and a Shanti in each. Each powerw a USBBridge Signature with a somewhat modified Katana in one setup and a somewhat modified Ian Canada GB FiFoPi/Dual-Mono ES9038Q2M combo with a modified version of his IVStd output stage using a couple of NewClassD Ultimate discrete opamps in the other. 

 

Both setups sound very good with the base Shanti, but in the last 6 months I've been using a MUCH larger Ultracap pair as additional output buffers for the Shanti's... originally 350F UC pairs, then a lower-ESR 325F UC pair, and currently a MONSTER 3000F UC pair in each. Those UC pairs have to be carefully pre-charged with a current-limiting setup before connecting them into the setup (they are nearly a dead short for much of the charging time), but the sonics are definitely worth it!

 

For as great at the Shanti are (and they are bargains for the SQ, they compared well with some of my best DIY'd supplies I have here with parts costs up to and over $1000), it is still amazing what you get with roughly 100x the 3.5F UCs in the Shanti. AND even better 1000x!

 

AND except when there's severe storms predicted (such as earlier this week and early next), I leave my Shanti and the rest of the systems on ALL the time too (except for the tube/solid state hybrid amps, which I leave in standby mode when not listening for tube-life purposes)!

 

Greg in Mississippi 

[dtossan]

16 hours ago, gstew said:

currently a MONSTER 3000F UC pair in each. Those UC pairs have to be carefully pre-charged with a current-limiting setup before connecting them into the setup (they are nearly a dead short for much of the charging time), but the sonics are definitely worth it!

 

For as great at the Shanti are (and they are bargains for the SQ, they compared well with some of my best DIY'd supplies I have here with parts costs up to and over $1000), it is still amazing what you get with roughly 100x the 3.5F UCs in the Shanti. AND even better 1000x!

Fascinating as usual Greg. Thanks.

Where do you get the UCs - from Mouser? Have you tried the AliExpress ones?

Besides bigger is better, do the UC brands make much difference?

How to get a current limiter?

Best rgds,

Denis

[allo.com]

Shanti electrolitics are rated at 2000H at 105C

 

 

 However I will not claim Shanti will last 16 years. My point is that we taught about long life since the start of Shanti design..

[suzywong]

5 hours ago, allo.com said:

Shanti electrolitics are rated at 2000H at 105C

 

 

 However I will not claim Shanti will last 16 years. My point is that we taught about long life since the start of Shanti design..

 

I fully accept that we're not in "Telecoms Satellite territory" where 15 years lifetime is the norm, but 4-8 years is a bit on the low side of acceptability, even for consumer electronics - 8-10 years would be be expectation.

[suzywong]

3 minutes ago, suzywong said:

 

deleted - double post

 

BTW - how do I delete posts on these forums?

[RX8R3ROD]

Clearly the longer it lasts the better, but I for one just plan to enjoy it whether it’s 4, 8, 16 or however many years. :-)
 

After all ... re-capping isn’t entirely unknown (nor especially difficult) in some other audio communities, where it seems to be accepted as the norm, albeit at perhaps 10 years or so with non-super-capped supplies.