ALLO Shanti Power Supply

[suzywong]

I have no issue with 10 years, lifetime; indeed my own Naim PSUs run on that schedule. And they are intended to be left powered up 24/7, although mine aren’t.

 

Our Meridian DSP 5.1 system is constantly powered up (albeit in standby mode). I has had no issues over a dozen years plus.

 

It’s the 4 years - Allo’s own figures - that concern me.

[allo.com]

Our figure was made for "general lytic caps"

 

  Our caps are rated at 2000h at 105C...every 10C less doubles the life of caps

 

 Take the temp of your case , add another 5C (inside temp) and then do the math

 

     I do  not think its a concern.

[Cundis]

My calculation tells me it will last for more than 40 years at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius? Am I way out now? 

[suzywong]

With your new figure of 2000 hours at 105C, then derated accordingly, I would agree.

 

However your post 115 stated 1000 hours at 105C, then derated accordingly. Hence by your own maths in that post:

 

  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

 

I suggested in post 116, that 10 years was more likely (which I consider acceptable for consumer electronics). Your maths now appears to agree. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[uniquesnowflake]

11 hours ago, suzywong said:

With your new figure of 2000 hours at 105C, then derated accordingly, I would agree.

 

However your post 115 stated 1000 hours at 105C, then derated accordingly. Hence by your own maths in that post:

 

  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

 

I suggested in post 116, that 10 years was more likely (which I consider acceptable for consumer electronics). Your maths now appears to agree. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have pretty different expectations. I’d be quite happy if my flatscreen lasts over five years.

[allo.com]

suzywong

 

 The 1000h at 105C is a rather normal number for lytics.

 

   My point was that :

 

1. We spoke about the life of Shanti internally and designed accordingly

2. Using a "normal" caps you should theoretically get 4-8 years

 

  We have used lytics at 2000h for 105C,

 

 

It is wrong to look at life expectancy only from one component  point of view . You have LDOs, Mosfets etc.

 

   Enjoy your Shanti .

 

 

 

[dtossan]

Hi allo.com

Is it valid to assume that Shanti has overload protection.

If a load attempts to draw more than 3A on the 3A rail, what happens? Does Shanti shut down? Or limit the output current by sagging the output voltage? Or what?

 

What does Shanti do if I attach a very large UltraCapacitor to the output, say a pair of 3500F Maxwells in series? Does this cause a current surge and damage the Shanti? Or does Shanti protects itself?

[Superdad]

12 hours ago, dtossan said:

What does Shanti do if I attach a very large UltraCapacitor to the output, say a pair of 3500F Maxwells in series?

 

Why would you even want to do that? Great way to completely ruin the output of a decent LPS. 

[dtossan]

3 hours ago, Superdad said:

Why would you even want to do that? Great way to completely ruin the output of a decent LPS.

Dear Superdad, a number of people have been experimenting with adding ultracaps to the output of LPS and found sonic benefits.

Several LPS have UCs as part of the design, including Allo's Shanti and Farad's Super3 etc. IanCanada has done a lot of work and reported SQ benefits with UCs. See https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/power-supplies/327105-develop-ultra-capacitor-power-supply-lifepo4-battery-power-supply.html

Greg Stewart has found that increasing the capacity of UCs delivers better SQ. See #430

Of course, we must not forget the venerable LPS-1.2.

Denis

[RX8R3ROD]

In my limited experience I would say that, generally but definitely not always, super caps tend to sound better than standard varieties.

 

But, ‘better’ is pretty subjective.

 

Some larger supercaps I’ve experimented with, at only around £100 - £150 each, sound rich and warm and very smooth, with great bass weight and imaging. But at least some of these also have, to my ears, shall we say less-than-optimal timing - at least in my system.

 

Some smaller (and cheaper) super-caps have sounded somewhat ‘rougher’ and less full-bodied, etc (which some would quite rightly describe as ‘worse’) but have sounded seriously grippy and bang-on-the-money on the timing front (which others, equally rightly, would describe as ‘better’). I’m firmly in the latter group, BTW ;-)

 

As ever, it all depends what aspects of music or sound are important to you.

 

What I personally think is particularly helpful in these forums when we talk about improvements and so on, is to try and be clear about the criteria by which we judge improvement ...

 

 

[uniquesnowflake]

10 hours ago, dtossan said:

Dear Superdad, a number of people have been experimenting with adding ultracaps to the output of LPS and found sonic benefits.

Several LPS have UCs as part of the design, including Allo's Shanti and Farad's Super3 etc. IanCanada has done a lot of work and reported SQ benefits with UCs. See https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/power-supplies/327105-develop-ultra-capacitor-power-supply-lifepo4-battery-power-supply.html

Greg Stewart has found that increasing the capacity of UCs delivers better SQ. See #430

Of course, we must not forget the venerable LPS-1.2.

Denis

 

And since Superdad runs the company making the LPS-1.2, you may want to heed his advice  

[Kingpin]

Did anybody measured the Shanti ? I did with my analyzer but it seems that the 3A output isn't that 'clean', it's 'ripple' are square waves. Could someone confirm that ? The 1A output is indeed top notch !

[allo.com]

Yeap...we did 🙂

 

  What load are you using ? Definitely an issue if you see square waves

[Kingpin]

27 minutes ago, allo.com said:

Yeap...we did 🙂

 

  What load are you using ? Definitely an issue if you see square waves

Just an R at 1A.
The 1A output is very clean (measured at .5A), the 3A output i measure square wave ripples.

[allo.com]

It should not have those..whats the voltage level  ?

[Kingpin]

1 hour ago, allo.com said:

It should not have those..whats the voltage level  ?

5.17V

[Kingpin]

This is a 5V measurement -20kHz ripple ... 3A output @1A load.

 

 

 

[Kingpin]

The 1A output measured @.5A looks realy good ..

 

[Kingpin]

Both same setup, just switched the outputs.

[allo.com]

Please send me a PM with your order number

[uniquesnowflake]

On 11/13/2019 at 8:21 PM, matthias said:

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

 

This is long overdue, but big thanks to Matt for bringing up the S512. 

 

The S512 deserves "D/A processor" or whatever name Sparkler Audio deems appropriate, for it is deserving of its own category! 

 

I've auditioned a number of DACs at different price points over the past few years, including the highly regarded dCS Bartok and T+A DAC8 DSD. The S512 sets itself apart in terms of tonal correctness and involvement. Yes, there are hi-end DACs that can pump out more details and soundstage, yet somehow with the S512, the sound (especially vocals) is so "real" to the point that I can feel the emotions the musicians are conveying.

 

A recent trip to the local Focal dealer gave me an even better perspective of the performance of my electronics.

 

I've been itching for a speaker upgrade for quite a while, and the Sopra 2 seemed to be a good fit. The mids and imaging was full, and the bass performance was impressive for its size, but the treble didn't meet expectations despite the supposedly great IAL3 tweeter design.

 

The dealer recommended the Diablo Utopia, and I was immediately impressed. It was clearly a step up from the Sopra 2 in every way except for bass and the sense of scale. The clarity and amount of details was astonishing. However, fatigue starts to set in after a few songs, which immediately raised a red flag.

 

I did a bit of internet research after getting home, and there seems to be a consensus amongst users that the Diablo Utopia is "ruthlessly revealing" and "require expensive components and cabling". The dealer paired a YBA CDP and an Aavik integrated with the Diablo, which I believe qualify as expensive (at least relative to Allo and Sparkler). I felt discouraged and almost backed away from the purchase. 

 

Then my very supportive wife, who has little interest in audiophoolery but blessed with golden ears, told me what we had sounded great, and the new speakers should feel right at home.

 

And she was right again! My new system sounds open, fast, extremely detailed with pinpoint imaging and sparkling highs. Yet at the same time it felt natural, tonally correct, involving without a hint of harshness. Wow. From what I read, I was expecting a 100hr-500hr run-in period that's supposedly unlistenable, but I've been enjoying the music from the very first minute. 

 

I always knew that Allo and Sparkler products punch far above their weight, and now I'm certain their place is among the truly high end.

 

[matthias]

@uniquesnowflake

Congratulations,

superb set-up and a minimalist listening room, I like it.

 

Which version of the S512 do you have, I suppose USB?

 

Which Sparkler amp? Ether or Fluegel?

 

Thanks and enjoy.-)

 

Matt

[uniquesnowflake]

20 hours ago, matthias said:

@uniquesnowflake

Congratulations,

superb set-up and a minimalist listening room, I like it.

 

Which version of the S512 do you have, I suppose USB?

 

Which Sparkler amp? Ether or Fluegel?

 

Thanks and enjoy.-)

 

Matt

Hi Matt,

 

Thank you for the kind comments. I wish I had a listening room like that, my system is in an oddly shaped living space. I’ll upload more photos later and you’ll see what I mean

 

I ordered a custom spdif version with BNC connector. I own a Digione Sig mounted on a Usbridge Sig, and I’d take WM8804 over PCM270x any day of the week.

 

I asked Mr. Tsukahara the very same question, and he told me that in terms of SQ, the Ether is superior. I do wonder if my space and speakers can use a bit more power, and would like to try the Fluegel. 
 

The problem is my video shares the same system, and I don’t want to switch S512 modules or add a preamp/source selector. Oh well.

[uniquesnowflake]

This is what the space actually looks like. Asymmetrical shape, *huge* glass windows, and double height ceiling. 

 

I love this living space. But back when we were renovating, I dreaded that the space would make my system unlistenable. 

 

...yet it turned out fine. In fact more than fine. The little 7w Sparkler Ether somehow fills the entire space with great sound (barring torturous stuff like Mahler Symphony No.8 😉). 

 

[maelob]

Hello everybody first post in a long long time - planning to get the shanti and digione - just want to make sure I understand connections - 1A to clean side and 3A for dirty side.