ALLO USBridge Signature

[rael71]

3 hours ago, clipper said:

My best suggestion is to try different software (running on the USBridge).

 

I recommend GentooPlayer.  Go to http://gentooplayer.com.  Click on Download.  Download the most current version (which, as of today, is 2.10).  

 

If you need help, just ask.  In your case, you should be able to get going just by setting the audio output to USB DAC, and starting RoonBridge.

 

I don't normally run like this, but I just tried running RoonBridge and upsampling everything to DSD256, and it's working flawlessly.  

 

GentooPlayer has the latest Ethernet driver built in (ASIX v2.0.0).  

 

 

Thank you, I will try it!

Bye

Andrea

[ambre]

56 minutes ago, rael71 said:

It's the version I installed but after that I updated OS. So I can't update the OS?

 

I can't understand if the last part is for me. If it's for me do you mean that I can use 6.28 updating the driver with thay procedure?

 

Thank for your help

Bye

Andrea

Correct

[richard_crl032]

On 3/12/2020 at 2:02 AM, Mycenius said:

 

Can't comment myself Richard - but often devices like the Aurender music servers are essentially a 'Vortexbox' (linux based running LMS and some peripheral streaming apps like DLNA, PLEX, etc) with a software face lift and a custom hardware build. Their smaller transports/converters I'd assume aren't dissimilar to Allo's in that regard - but have not seen any in person, and to be frank I'm a bit sceptical these days of most music server vendors (I think there is too much smoke and mirrors). I originally built my own Vortexbox for this reason about 2011-2012 (only moving part was a conventional HDD, and I eventually relied on a SoTM tX USB Card for my output, originally having ASUS Xonar Essence STX providing S/PDIF - I planned to have a custom LPSU built but never got around to it). If you are bored you can read my numerous blog posts on it here: The Auricular Antipodean: A Dedicated Music Server Journey (Part 1)

 

I like that Allo are clear and open about their logic/design, the proven measurable tests/outcome, and that the final output result from their components despite that, is still subjective - something many music server & transport manufacturers gloss over or obfuscate.

 

Hi Mycenius and pl_svn,

 

Thanks thanks for the sharing of your experience and comments ... guess I will stay put with my usb bridge signature for now from Aurender etc. as they are quite a big jump in $ until I can find a loan unit locally to compare.

 

I now have a himedia q10 pro as nas but SQ is inferior to usb hdd connected directly which is again bested by usb sdcard via sgd5 adaptor (without cable) in my system.

 

Mind blowing to read euro4k + Jcat, usd Melco or even euro 800+ switch improvement solution while using a 10 yr old dlink ssg 1005A rev 1.  Frankly dun understand galvanic isolation of network's advantage but never like the idea of 2 more ethernet cables and a busy switch as well as power supply.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

 

[bokko]

Good Day:

 

I have a USBridge Sig with a Digione Sig on top.

 

Have installed dietpi supplied by Allo named DietPi_v6.26m1_RPi-ARMv7-Stretch_AlloGUI.img from:

https://http://3.230.113.73:9011/Allocom/DietPi/

I did not do any updates offered by dietpi. Ran dietpi-software installed Roon Extension Manager rebooted. I also uninstalled O!MPD rebooted.

 

when I SSH into dietpi I ran:

modinfo ax88179_178a | grep version 

which reported

 

version:        v2.0.0
srcversion:     B33FD47EF63890F490EED33
vermagic:       4.19.73-v7 SMP mod_unload modversions ARMv7 p2v8

 

Only further setting changed from default is static IP, renamed hostname from DietPi, of course installed alsa audio and selected my DigiOne in audio setup. Of course I had to visit Settings Audio in Roon to enable device.

 

Listening to it now, no dropouts on DSD 64 or 24b/192k audio files through Roon Coax SPDIF output from Digione sig to coax SPDIF input on RME ADI-2fs. So after listening for 20-30 minutes I disconnected my USB output of my DAC (from my win 10 NUC) and connected to USBridge sig. Reconfigured as above but enabling Any USB DAC in Dietpi-config and Roon Settings Audio...I still get intermittant drop outs listening to DSD files. So even with updated driver above dropouts continue...from my research many have had this since October 2019???

 

I noticed posts were people are blaming the RME ADI-2 DAC well I can tell you with it's USB output connected to a Celeron based Windows 10 NUC and a iFi iDefender3.0 (to lift minor ground hum) it plays back right up to DSD256 absolutely fine. (Sounding MUCH better with Native driver support) than either the Digione sig or USBridge Sig (to be honest how can I tell when it's dropping out every 30-60secs).

 

So both my Allo Digione sig and USBBridge sig are up for sale. If you are in Ottawa Canada look me up on KiJiJi 

 

Allo seems absent which is fine with the present state of Corvid-19 guess not everyone there can work from home.

 

PS

With my RME ADI-2fs USB connected DAC Ropieee works fine but in comparing the sound of USBridge sig (DOP) to my Win 10 Celeron NUC (native) the sound of NUC using Native drivers blows anything Pi based AWAY. I have had a friend who has spent more on stereo than I have on my car and he concur's the Win 10 solution using RME Asio driver in Native mode provides more depth, more thump, midrange and high end is clear and exceptional.

 

Stay safe.

 

https://ropieee.org/

 

 

[naum]

Does anyone know if RopieeeXL can passthrough mqa tidal format in dlna mode (without roon)?

[clipper]

23 hours ago, bokko said:

Good Day:

 

I have a USBridge Sig with a Digione Sig on top.

 

Have installed dietpi supplied by Allo named DietPi_v6.26m1_RPi-ARMv7-Stretch_AlloGUI.img from:

https://http://3.230.113.73:9011/Allocom/DietPi/

I did not do any updates offered by dietpi. Ran dietpi-software installed Roon Extension Manager rebooted. I also uninstalled O!MPD rebooted.

 

when I SSH into dietpi I ran:

modinfo ax88179_178a | grep version 

which reported

 

version:        v2.0.0
srcversion:     B33FD47EF63890F490EED33
vermagic:       4.19.73-v7 SMP mod_unload modversions ARMv7 p2v8

 

Only further setting changed from default is static IP, renamed hostname from DietPi, of course installed alsa audio and selected my DigiOne in audio setup. Of course I had to visit Settings Audio in Roon to enable device.

 

Listening to it now, no dropouts on DSD 64 or 24b/192k audio files through Roon Coax SPDIF output from Digione sig to coax SPDIF input on RME ADI-2fs. So after listening for 20-30 minutes I disconnected my USB output of my DAC (from my win 10 NUC) and connected to USBridge sig. Reconfigured as above but enabling Any USB DAC in Dietpi-config and Roon Settings Audio...I still get intermittant drop outs listening to DSD files. So even with updated driver above dropouts continue...from my research many have had this since October 2019???

 

I noticed posts were people are blaming the RME ADI-2 DAC well I can tell you with it's USB output connected to a Celeron based Windows 10 NUC and a iFi iDefender3.0 (to lift minor ground hum) it plays back right up to DSD256 absolutely fine. (Sounding MUCH better with Native driver support) than either the Digione sig or USBridge Sig (to be honest how can I tell when it's dropping out every 30-60secs).

 

So both my Allo Digione sig and USBBridge sig are up for sale. If you are in Ottawa Canada look me up on KiJiJi 

 

Allo seems absent which is fine with the present state of Corvid-19 guess not everyone there can work from home.

 

PS

With my RME ADI-2fs USB connected DAC Ropieee works fine but in comparing the sound of USBridge sig (DOP) to my Win 10 Celeron NUC (native) the sound of NUC using Native drivers blows anything Pi based AWAY. I have had a friend who has spent more on stereo than I have on my car and he concur's the Win 10 solution using RME Asio driver in Native mode provides more depth, more thump, midrange and high end is clear and exceptional.

 

Stay safe.

 

https://ropieee.org/

 

 

If you have time, I would try GentooPlayer and test each available kernel it makes available (before giving up on USB).  It's very easy to switch between kernels.  Just choose one and the device reboots within 60 seconds or so.

 

Current version (as of today) is 64 bit, 2.10.

 

[naum]

5 hours ago, naum said:

Does anyone know if RopieeeXL can passthrough mqa tidal format in dlna mode (without roon)?

??

[naum]

^^ This morning i found a solution. As usual, little things are at stake.I didn’t see that in mconnect app volume wasn’t on 100, but on 98. Now everything is ok. Purple dot is here  🙂

[allo.com]

Hi Bokko

 

 

  sorry for the delay but we are under confinement in both India and EU

 

I sent your question to the main engineer but to explainsome DACs are compatible with DSD under windows and not under Linux , This is because of the DAC not because of the transport . Still in most cases there can be a patch that could resolve the issue.

 

 Please wait a few days as our main engineer does not have access to the lab and its working from his personal house.

[rael71]

On 3/21/2020 at 6:09 PM, clipper said:

My best suggestion is to try different software (running on the USBridge).

 

I recommend GentooPlayer.  Go to http://gentooplayer.com.  Click on Download.  Download the most current version (which, as of today, is 2.10).  

 

If you need help, just ask.  In your case, you should be able to get going just by setting the audio output to USB DAC, and starting RoonBridge.

 

I don't normally run like this, but I just tried running RoonBridge and upsampling everything to DSD256, and it's working flawlessly.  

 

GentooPlayer has the latest Ethernet driver built in (ASIX v2.0.0).  

 

 

Hi, I downloaded 2.10 version and flashed the microSD with Etcher but i can't get my USBridge to boot. When it starts with the flashed SD monitor stays black and the USBridge orange LED keeps blinking with these sequence 3 dhor and 1 long. The usbridge doesn't get an IP address so I think it just cannot boot.

 

Can you hell me?

 

Thanks and bye

Andrea

[clipper]

1 hour ago, rael71 said:

Hi, I downloaded 2.10 version and flashed the microSD with Etcher but i can't get my USBridge to boot. When it starts with the flashed SD monitor stays black and the USBridge orange LED keeps blinking with these sequence 3 dhor and 1 long. The usbridge doesn't get an IP address so I think it just cannot boot.

 

Can you hell me?

 

Thanks and bye

Andrea

Hi.

 

Is there any way you might have downloaded 2.10 from the Raspberry 4B section instead of the Raspberry 3B/3B+ section?

 

Can you try to burn a fresh download of 2.10 from the Raspberry 3B/3B+ section and try to boot again?

[rael71]

1 hour ago, clipper said:

Hi.

 

Is there any way you might have downloaded 2.10 from the Raspberry 4B section instead of the Raspberry 3B/3B+ section?

 

Can you try to burn a fresh download of 2.10 from the Raspberry 3B/3B+ section and try to boot again?

I don't know what happened. I just downloaded again the same file and re flashed it and now it works. I configured it for roon bridge and HQplayer and for now it seems all OK:

 

Thank you again!

Andrea

[Northern Light]

Good evening,

 

I hope everybody here on Audiophilestyle is in good health in these disturbing times! 

 

Does anybody know as to whether Uptone's Ultracap LPS 1.2 (with 1.1A) provides enough juice to run the USBridge Signature? And, has anyone tried the Ultracap with the USBridge Sig -- recommendable?

 

Many thanks!

[clipper]

1 hour ago, Northern Light said:

Good evening,

 

I hope everybody here on Audiophilestyle is in good health in these disturbing times! 

 

Does anybody know as to whether Uptone's Ultracap LPS 1.2 (with 1.1A) provides enough juice to run the USBridge Signature? And, has anyone tried the Ultracap with the USBridge Sig -- recommendable?

 

Many thanks!

The LPS 1.2 is a great power supply, but it can't power the USBridge Signature.

 

Per Allo, the USBridge Signature needs 5 Volts and at least 3 Amps (5V/3A).  The Allo Shanti works really well with the USBridge Signature.

[zacho]

Has anyone compared the USBridge Sig + Digione Sig stack to other products like a Metrum Ambre? 

[uniquesnowflake]

20 hours ago, zacho said:

Has anyone compared the USBridge Sig + Digione Sig stack to other products like a Metrum Ambre? 

A good friend and dealer was kind enough to offer me a home audition of the dCS network bridge. I think it's an excellent device, but the money would be better spent elsewhere for upgrades. 

 

Just one man's opinion, but that's how incredible I think my slightly modified stack+Shanti sounds in my system.

[nbpf]

4 hours ago, uniquesnowflake said:

A good friend and dealer was kind enough to offer me a home audition of the dCS network bridge. I think it's an excellent device, but the money would be better spent elsewhere for upgrades. 

 

Just one man's opinion, but that's how incredible I think my slightly modified stack+Shanti sounds in my system.

Could you elaborate a bit on the comparison between dCS Network Bridge and USBridge Signature + DigiOne Signature? I am very interested in the dCS Network Bridge but it is not easy to demo a device in Germany. Thanks, nbpf

[uniquesnowflake]

2 hours ago, nbpf said:

Could you elaborate a bit on the comparison between dCS Network Bridge and USBridge Signature + DigiOne Signature? I am very interested in the dCS Network Bridge but it is not easy to demo a device in Germany. Thanks, nbpf

Sure.

To be fair, I’m not saying the Allo transport is the dCS’s equal. The dCS is clearly hi-end through and through, and the performance is excellent. No questions there.

Though in *my system*, Allo does one thing right, and that one thing matters a lot to me. When paired with my Sparkler S512, everything sounds tonally correct, even toe-tap inducing to my ears.

 

Perhaps someone with a modern DAC with high sampling rate and/or DSD will be able to truly realize the network bridge’s full capabilities.

 

As of now, I’m perfectly happy with my old school 16/44.1 listening ☺️

[nbpf]

1 hour ago, uniquesnowflake said:

Sure.

To be fair, I’m not saying the Allo transport is the dCS’s equal. The dCS is clearly hi-end through and through, and the performance is excellent. No questions there.

Though in *my system*, Allo does one thing right, and that one thing matters a lot to me. When paired with my Sparkler S512, everything sounds tonally correct, even toe-tap inducing to my ears.

 

Perhaps someone with a modern DAC with high sampling rate and/or DSD will be able to truly realize the network bridge’s full capabilities.

 

As of now, I’m perfectly happy with my old school 16/44.1 listening ☺️

Thanks for the feedback! Is it possible to control the dCS Network Bridge with a control point like the BubbleUPnP Android app or with the Linn Kazoo app? One of the reasons I prefer the Allo approach to the dCS one is that, on a RPi (or, on a RPi compute module), I can run the OS and the applications that I most trust. On the other hand, my wife would not be able to manage the current system alone and I would like to have a more straightforward backup solution. The dCS Network Bridge is expensive but seems a very solid device. How would you describe the differences between the dCS NB and the DigiOne Signature, assuming that you have listened to the two devices connected to the same DAC via SPDIF?     

[uniquesnowflake]

13 hours ago, nbpf said:

Thanks for the feedback! Is it possible to control the dCS Network Bridge with a control point like the BubbleUPnP Android app or with the Linn Kazoo app? One of the reasons I prefer the Allo approach to the dCS one is that, on a RPi (or, on a RPi compute module), I can run the OS and the applications that I most trust. On the other hand, my wife would not be able to manage the current system alone and I would like to have a more straightforward backup solution. The dCS Network Bridge is expensive but seems a very solid device. How would you describe the differences between the dCS NB and the DigiOne Signature, assuming that you have listened to the two devices connected to the same DAC via SPDIF?     

 

Sure, glad to share. 

 

The dCS native app Mosaic is quite easy to use. It's no Roon, but good enough. My Allo stack runs picoreplayer 6.0 beta endpoint, and separate hardware configured with LMS. I used Tidal on both for the purpose of comparison. I had to use an adapter on the dCS, as my DAC only accepts BNC SPDIF. 

 

I'd say the dCS is an excellent all-rounder. The unit never fails to impress regardless of music type. While my Allo stack is no slouch, it doesn't match the network bridge in terms of sense of scale and incredible detail when playing orchestral music. Luckily, the Allo stack performs as well (sometimes even more involving) when it comes to genres I enjoy the most.

 

As for your lady, the easiest solution would be adding Shairport or Spotify Connect to whatever Pi OS you're running. My wife uses Airplay on my main rig with 0 issues whatsoever 😃

[sledwards]

Can somebody tell me what version of HQPlayer NAA is currently loaded on the DietPi + Allo GUI OS version?

[bokko]

On 3/22/2020 at 2:18 PM, bokko said:

Good Day:

 

I have a USBridge Sig with a Digione Sig on top.

 

Have installed dietpi supplied by Allo named DietPi_v6.26m1_RPi-ARMv7-Stretch_AlloGUI.img from:

https://http://3.230.113.73:9011/Allocom/DietPi/

I did not do any updates offered by dietpi. Ran dietpi-software installed Roon Extension Manager rebooted. I also uninstalled O!MPD rebooted.

 

when I SSH into dietpi I ran:

modinfo ax88179_178a | grep version 

which reported

 

version:        v2.0.0
srcversion:     B33FD47EF63890F490EED33
vermagic:       4.19.73-v7 SMP mod_unload modversions ARMv7 p2v8

 

Only further setting changed from default is static IP, renamed hostname from DietPi, of course installed alsa audio and selected my DigiOne in audio setup. Of course I had to visit Settings Audio in Roon to enable device.

 

Listening to it now, no dropouts on DSD 64 or 24b/192k audio files through Roon Coax SPDIF output from Digione sig to coax SPDIF input on RME ADI-2fs. So after listening for 20-30 minutes I disconnected my USB output of my DAC (from my win 10 NUC) and connected to USBridge sig. Reconfigured as above but enabling Any USB DAC in Dietpi-config and Roon Settings Audio...I still get intermittant drop outs listening to DSD files. So even with updated driver above dropouts continue...from my research many have had this since October 2019???

 

I noticed posts were people are blaming the RME ADI-2 DAC well I can tell you with it's USB output connected to a Celeron based Windows 10 NUC and a iFi iDefender3.0 (to lift minor ground hum) it plays back right up to DSD256 absolutely fine. (Sounding MUCH better with Native driver support) than either the Digione sig or USBridge Sig (to be honest how can I tell when it's dropping out every 30-60secs).

 

So both my Allo Digione sig and USBBridge sig are up for sale. If you are in Ottawa Canada look me up on KiJiJi 

 

Allo seems absent which is fine with the present state of Corvid-19 guess not everyone there can work from home.

 

PS

With my RME ADI-2fs USB connected DAC Ropieee works fine but in comparing the sound of USBridge sig (DOP) to my Win 10 Celeron NUC (native) the sound of NUC using Native drivers blows anything Pi based AWAY. I have had a friend who has spent more on stereo than I have on my car and he concur's the Win 10 solution using RME Asio driver in Native mode provides more depth, more thump, midrange and high end is clear and exceptional.

 

Stay safe.

 

https://ropieee.org/

 

 

Good Day:

 

Crazy times we are in stay safe before all else.

 

So to follow up on my post I had purchased a Shanti for my wife who inherited my Kanata. So after posting above, just used Windows PC with Roon, until this all happened, being in house not even allowed out for photography I went back to this.

 

So connected Shanti to USBridge sig which has Digione sig installed (not by factory I keep lid off to run power to everything. At 53 not sure I want to remove the Diode I believe it is...In connecting Shanti discovered a poor connection with a USB C to pin connector adapter (that came with shanti). Had replacement and your included adpaters came in handy. This time I used same network cable as Windows computer that doesn't have this problem. Once replaced booted and was able SSH into DietPi was already running DP V.6.28 (card from above just dietpi installed and added Roon) ran audio options and setup to detect USB DAC automatically. Rebooted and just kept the DSD playback strategy to PCM. No problems for about 12 hours of playback. Just now changed DSD playback strategy to DSD over PCM the first 3-4 minutes of playback of a DSD256 file caused 4 dropouts. Started again follows the same pattern. So moved over to DSD128 dropouts also occur perhaps not as bad. Now occasionally when I keep listening it will stop playing completely with a error on screen that I haven't caught as yet. Now I have Ubiquiti network equipment and more importantly when connected to exact same cable/ port the Win 10 computer doesn't have a problem. Now to put in perspective the DSD256 2ch files are 11gb in size for 15 songs, the DSD128 2ch files are 5.52gb for 15 songs. Then last but not least I tried DSD64 2ch which is about 2.76gb for same 15 files. (all same music) These all sound fine as mentioned on other devices playing back with dac. All my music and video is on a NAS with 2 nics bonded together in a managed switch. So not likely a transfer rate problem as when one NIC saturates traffic moves to the other. So in my case just seems to affect DSD maybe a bit more frequent on higher rate DSD files. No problem on PCM right up to 24/192.

I will try to use my Celeron based NUC with Roon Rock I think they call it to see if it also occurs there. Roons Linux distro see if it happens there also.

My DAC is RME ADI 2 first version, German company.

 

Once you can safely return to lab could provide log files, etc. Sure this can be worked out eventually if everything was perfect in IT I would be out of work ;-).

 

[richard_crl032]

Hi,

 

Seems some users have many issues and not sure the advantages especially on sound quality in other use case and SW but never once had issue, inckuding dsd playback, with the digione signature in my car or usb bridge signature in my home system with moode OS.

 

For my usb bridge signature, 5TB is seen from the himedia q10 pro but sound quality cannot compared to 128gb sd card into usb port via sandisk usb card reader which to me make sense to avoid 5TB's  usb cable to himedia, ethernet cables x2 to and switch ... believer of no cable and shortest path beat all now.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[TomWoB]

Hi all,

 

have a look at my thoughts about "Audiophile USB-outputs" (e.g. USBridge Signature):

 

 

[cooltoad]

Hi, looking for a solution here. Usbridge signature does not detect Chord mojo or my other usb dac and only onboard device is shown. However, the dac is detected from one of the front ports and is working fine. Don’t know how to make the rear clean power port working. Anyway to hard reset or factory reset the device? or any other solution. Any help appreciated. Thanks.