ALLO USBridge Signature

[nbpf]

1 hour ago, blighter said:

thanks, I'll give it a shot if it's not over my IT capabilities.

I guess the more important question is still RPi 3B+ vs RPi 4B. Any thoughts on this?

I have a number of RPi 3B+ and one RPi 4B but I have not compared them as hosts for the DigiOne Signature. In my view the most important question is the software, not the hardware. Once you have settled on a software, you can run it on a RPi 2, 3 or 4 and check whether the hardware matters or not. I do not think it does but I might be wrong, of course. 

[suzywong]

The consensus on other forums (PFM, TAS, etc) is that the 3B+ is more than adequate for playing audio files.

[blighter]

16 hours ago, nbpf said:

I have a number of RPi 3B+ and one RPi 4B but I have not compared them as hosts for the DigiOne Signature. In my view the most important question is the software, not the hardware. Once you have settled on a software, you can run it on a RPi 2, 3 or 4 and check whether the hardware matters or not. I do not think it does but I might be wrong, of course. 

I won't be buying different versions of RPI, only one as Digione Sig Player (set), hence trying to decide which one. Once I have it, I can try experimenting with software. 

[nbpf]

3 hours ago, blighter said:

I won't be buying different versions of RPI, only one as Digione Sig Player (set), hence trying to decide which one. Once I have it, I can try experimenting with software. 

If you do not plan to run a server, upsample or transcode on the RPi that hosts the DigiOne Signature, then an RPi 3B+ is more than what you need, as @suzywong has pointed out. Upsampling and transcoding is anyway better done on a separated machine.    

[quanghuy147]

On 11/30/2019 at 5:42 AM, suzywong said:

Currently running USBridgeSig+DigiOneSig+MoOde from a Cuinas Audio Supercapacitor PSU, via SPDIF (Naim DC-1 IC) to a Naim DAC and thence to active SBLs (82+SC, SNAXO+SC, 2 x 250).

 

The Shanti is on order........could be interesting.

 

 

 

Hi Suzywong, 

Has the Shanti arrived yet? Do you have a chance to compare it vs Ciunas Supercapaciotr PSU? 

Thank you

Huy

[suzywong]

Yes, and I have compared the two, powering the USBSig/Digi1Sig in the Naim system. And they’re not too far apart in terms of SQ.

 

One of the reasons for buying the Shanti (apart from needing another PSU anyway, was to see whether the separation of clean and dirty supplies made a difference - the Cuinas has two outputs ports but they are paralleled from the same supercaps.

 

And it does appear to work. There is a tad more low level detail (maybe due to the restoration of galvanic isolation between the clean and dirty halves of the DigiOneSig?).

 

The Shanti is a in large case, which takes up a lot of space on my rack; OTOH, the Cuinas comes in two cases with an extra cable - so, swings and roundabouts really.

 

The Shanti is paired with the USBSig/Digi1Sig feeding the nDAC in the Naim active SBLs system. The Cuinas is now powerering an RPi3B+/IQAudio Digi+ feeding a Linn Numerik in the Aktiv Isobariks System.

 

They are both very fine PSUs, and I could happily live with either........come to think of ii......I do, LOL!

 

[quanghuy147]

7 hours ago, suzywong said:

Yes, and I have compared the two, powering the USBSig/Digi1Sig in the Naim system. And they’re not too far apart in terms of SQ.

 

One of the reasons for buying the Shanti (apart from needing another PSU anyway, was to see whether the separation of clean and dirty supplies made a difference - the Cuinas has two outputs ports but they are paralleled from the same supercaps.

 

And it does appear to work. There is a tad more low level detail (maybe due to the restoration of galvanic isolation between the clean and dirty halves of the DigiOneSig?).

 

The Shanti is a in large case, which takes up a lot of space on my rack; OTOH, the Cuinas comes in two cases with an extra cable - so, swings and roundabouts really.

 

The Shanti is paired with the USBSig/Digi1Sig feeding the nDAC in the Naim active SBLs system. The Cuinas is now powerering an RPi3B+/IQAudio Digi+ feeding a Linn Numerik in the Aktiv Isobariks System.

 

They are both very fine PSUs, and I could happily live with either........come to think of ii......I do, LOL!

 

 

Thank you Suzywong, I just ordered 1 Shanti PS. Can't wait for it to arrive.  

[uniquesnowflake]

On 12/17/2019 at 10:06 PM, blighter said:

I would like to get Digione Signature Player (+Shanti), but I have no clue which Pi verision to get: 3B+ or 4B? Could more knowlegable members advise please? Is there any reason to go with 4B? I have read that 4B might be affecting SQ negatively? Is this true with Digione Signature?

 

I'm not sure also which system to go with. My primary goal is Tidal integration so I guess Volumio is the best choice? SQ abviously also a huge priority.

 

thanks.

 

I went from a 3B+ to the USBridge Sig, and the SQ improvement is well worth it.

[blighter]

11 hours ago, uniquesnowflake said:

 

I went from a 3B+ to the USBridge Sig, and the SQ improvement is well worth it.

Did you go from 3B+ with Digione Signature hat or just RPI? I'm still debating USB vs SPDIF (Digione Signature Player vs USBridge Sig) as well but leaning towards Digione Signature Player.

[dontfeedphils]

7 minutes ago, blighter said:

Did you go from 3B+ with Digione Signature hat or just RPI? I'm still debating USB vs SPDIF (Digione Signature Player vs USBridge Sig) as well but leaning towards Digione Signature Player.

 

I went from a DigiOne Sig hosted on a 3B+ to a DigOne Sig hosted on a USBridge Sig and the upgrade was noticeable.  Not to the same degree that switching power supplies influenced my setup, but noticeable nonetheless.

[blighter]

13 hours ago, dontfeedphils said:

 

I went from a DigiOne Sig hosted on a 3B+ to a DigOne Sig hosted on a USBridge Sig and the upgrade was noticeable.  Not to the same degree that switching power supplies influenced my setup, but noticeable nonetheless.

Is one Shanti PS sufficient in that setup (you only need one output going into USBridge Sig and the other one into the hat (clean power)?

[dontfeedphils]

5 minutes ago, blighter said:

Is one Shanti PS sufficient in that setup (you only need one output going into USBridge Sig and the other one into the hat (clean power)?

 

Correct. One Shanti powering both devices. 

 

What a difference that LPS makes too. Well worth the money. 

[uniquesnowflake]

On 12/21/2019 at 3:16 AM, blighter said:

Did you go from 3B+ with Digione Signature hat or just RPI? I'm still debating USB vs SPDIF (Digione Signature Player vs USBridge Sig) as well but leaning towards Digione Signature Player.

 

Digione Sig is the HAT of choice in both instances. Switching to USBridge removes all the switching elements from the streamer!

[blighter]

On 12/12/2019 at 9:50 AM, allo.com said:

Yes USB hard drives are very noisy . The easiest way is to use another USB hub between Usbridge Sig and noisy device

 

  Best solution In case of HD , I would suggest move the HD anywhere on network (does not have to be attached to USBridge , data can be anywhere on the network( think a pi4 with HD or PC with HD attached) ,  ethernet acting as a galvanic isolator)

 

 

would this apply to ssd or pendrive as source of music files as well (i.e. should not be directly connected to Digione Sig player or USBridge Player)? 

[clipper]

For anyone who is interested - 

antonellocaroli, the developer of GentooPlayer, posted download links to versions of GentooPlayer that work well with Allo's great USBridge Signature.

 

 

There are also some installation/setup instructions later in the thread.  

 

My personal recommendation is to try the 32-bit version, because antonellocaroli is still working on adding features to the 64-bit version.  The 32-bit version is currently more full featured.  For instance, ramdisk mode is fully implemented in the 32-bit version.  When the 64-bit version is done, that could likely be the one to use. 

 

[Judelow]

Does it work with roon? 

[clipper]

30 minutes ago, Judelow said:

Does it work with roon? 

Yes, very well.  

 

You can run RoonBridge on it.

 

Or you can run Squeezelite (or Squeezelite-R2) on it and have Roon output to Squeezelite.  That's what I do because I think it sounds a little better.  Just set Enable Squeezebox Support in Roon (Settings, Setup).  Also, in Device Setup (in Roon) for your player, go into the advanced settings and set Use FLAC Compression to No (if you use Squeezelite).

[zackthedog]

I got Gentooplayer up and running on my USB Sig with Audirvana and it's very nice, very transparent.

[alecm]

4 hours ago, Judelow said:

Does it work with roon? 

 

yes it does, but through roonbridge only. I was not able to get roon sound via Squeezelite. 

 

unfortunately, almost all real-time kernels are playing with cracks to hugo 2
 

 

[clipper]

I'm not sure about your hugo 2 issue...  

 

For sound via Squeezelite - run the Wizard configuration to set up the proper squeezelite config file (which will include the correct output device).  At a command prompt, type gp-menu, then choice 8.  Then go through the various screens and answer appropriately.

[the_bat]

23 hours ago, clipper said:

My personal recommendation is to try the 32-bit version, because antonellocaroli is still working on adding features to the 64-bit version.  The 32-bit version is currently more full featured.  For instance, ramdisk mode is fully implemented in the 32-bit version.  When the 64-bit version is done, that could likely be the one to use. 

 

 

I installed the 64 bit version before reading this.  It seems to work very well - actually very well indeed..  If I use "home" it tells me it's Ramsystem Mode 1 with 532 of 969 Mb of free memory.  Presumably that means it's working in ramdisk mode.  Am I missing anything compared to the 32 bit version?

 

Thanks

 

Alan

[clipper]

50 minutes ago, the_bat said:

 

I installed the 64 bit version before reading this.  It seems to work very well - actually very well indeed..  If I use "home" it tells me it's Ramsystem Mode 1 with 532 of 969 Mb of free memory.  Presumably that means it's working in ramdisk mode.  Am I missing anything compared to the 32 bit version?

 

Thanks

 

Alan

The latest 64-bit version, which is still being worked on, will go into ramdisk mode. 

 

However, once you're in ramdisk mode, I don't think you'll be able to do much.  The scripts don't work (for instance, typing gp-menu results in an error), and I don't think you'll be able to start a player.  I think antonellocaroli has to map the files that get written to memory.

 

When antonellocaroli is done, this will all work properly...

[naum]

Has anyone tried Ifi IPower 5v with USBSig? Will 2.5A be enough? 

[bobfa]

26 minutes ago, naum said:

Has anyone tried Ifi IPower 5v with USBSig? Will 2.5A be enough? 

I have the feeling that it might be a little weak.  I have not tried it though.  I am using the Shanti.

[suzywong]

3 hours ago, naum said:

Has anyone tried Ifi IPower 5v with USBSig? Will 2.5A be enough? 

Yes, got one, used it, it does work.

 

What I found interesting was that the Cuinas Audio ISO-PS and Shanti actually sound better. This is, as we know, impossible coz digital is perfect and “bits iz bits”.