ALLO USBridge Signature

[al2813]

On 9/26/2020 at 4:47 AM, Isaacc7 said:

 

The D90 MQA version is not compatible, the regular one is fine. Playing DSD on it fro my USBridge right now with no problem. 

 

question: have you compared you USBridge sig + D90 with a high end streamer? I currently use the Allo Revolution, and yesterday I had the opportunity to compare it with a higher end streamer DAC (costing a lot more indeed). Differences were very audible. 

. 

[neukrisz]

Hi,

I'd like to feed my USBridge Signature directly with two cells of LiFePO4 battery which connected serial is around 6.0-7.2V DC.

Is the board could handle this few extra volts or I have to add an extra LDO to set this voltage to 5.0V DC?

 

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

Chris

[Audio_Allo]

14 hours ago, neukrisz said:

Hi,

I'd like to feed my USBridge Signature directly with two cells of LiFePO4 battery which connected serial is around 6.0-7.2V DC.

Is the board could handle this few extra volts or I have to add an extra LDO to set this voltage to 5.0V DC?

 

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

Chris

USBridge signature supports 5V only. you have to set to 5V

[purehifi192]

👋 Allo, I'm a bit confused and hoping you can help me out... what's the benefit of adding DigiOne Sig on top of USBridge Sig?

 

And would those benefits only be outputted through DOS Sig coax/bnc, through the USB on, or through all sets of outputs?

 

Thank you,

[purehifi192]

Meant to add, that's in respect to redbook 16bit CD quality.

[uniquesnowflake]

1 hour ago, purehifi192 said:

👋 Allo, I'm a bit confused and hoping you can help me out... what's the benefit of adding DigiOne Sig on top of USBridge Sig?

 

And would those benefits only be outputted through DOS Sig coax/bnc, through the USB on, or through all sets of outputs?

 

Thank you,

 

Not Allo, but I'm a happy user of USBridge Sig + Digione Sig.

 

If you prefer SPDIF like I do (the BNC input of my DAC is great), then the stack makes perfect sense. I simply use USBridge as an audiophile version of the Raspberry Pi for my Digione HAT. I feel that the improvement is more than significant in my system to justify the expense.

 

If you only use the USB out, then there's no reason to buy the Digione Sig.

 

[purehifi192]

Appreciate the response. As I understand the specs, the USBridge can go up to DSD 512 whereas DOS "only" goes up to 24/192. As I'm more interested in 16bit CD quality, that difference doesn't mean much to me. What I want to know is if the audio signal path goes through the DOS at all if I output through USB... does it take advantage of any DOS magic or is there no point in that?

 

In going back and reviewing this thread, including my questions early on, I see similar questions asked, but nothing firm on the answer.

 

And I assume the output is set by the HAT selected in the OS? I'm using Ropieee which shows DOS only so is the signal being outputted to all 3 outputs simultaneously or would I set the HAT to DOS or "No HAT configured"?

 

Thank you,

[uniquesnowflake]

1 hour ago, purehifi192 said:

Appreciate the response. As I understand the specs, the USBridge can go up to DSD 512 whereas DOS "only" goes up to 24/192. As I'm more interested in 16bit CD quality, that difference doesn't mean much to me. What I want to know is if the audio signal path goes through the DOS at all if I output through USB... does it take advantage of any DOS magic or is there no point in that?

 

In going back and reviewing this thread, including my questions early on, I see similar questions asked, but nothing firm on the answer.

 

And I assume the output is set by the HAT selected in the OS? I'm using Ropieee which shows DOS only so is the signal being outputted to all 3 outputs simultaneously or would I set the HAT to DOS or "No HAT configured"?

 

Thank you,

 

No, you wouldn’t benefit from DOS while using the USB output. The DOS basically takes the i2s from RPi, reclocks it, and converts the signal to SPDIF.

 

Wish I could help, but I use pcp and have no experience with Roipeee.

[purehifi192]

Ok, and that makes a lot of sense that USB output.

 

In reading the comment by @nbpf 

it appears one can connect coax and usb outputs to their DAC to switch between and compare. So my outstanding question is does/can the USbridgeSig+DOS combo output all simultaneously or one at a time, and if simultaneous, do I need to configure USB output as well as the DOS HAT?

 

It looks for my purposes the USBridge won't make a difference except for the Gigabit ethernet on the board and a more attractive aluminum case.

 

Plan on ordering it anyway to tool around with.

[Heckyman]

14 hours ago, purehifi192 said:

👋 Allo, I'm a bit confused and hoping you can help me out... what's the benefit of adding DigiOne Sig on top of USBridge Sig?

 

And would those benefits only be outputted through DOS Sig coax/bnc, through the USB on, or through all sets of outputs?

 

Thank you,

I have that combo. My DAC at the time was SPDIF only, so I started with the DigiOne Sig and later added the USBridge which improved the sound quality over the basic RPi 3B. My current DAC accepts both inputs. 
 

I narrowly prefer SDIF over USB but that could be just as much down to the cabling or my DAC inputs as any difference in the 2 Allo boards.

[antonellocaroli]

I wonder if @allo.com @Allo is thinking, if it is possible, of an adapter to use the module "Compute Module 4"

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/compute-module-4/?variant=raspberry-pi-cm4001000

[allo.com]

Completely new architecture , even connectors. Sorry but not possible

[seeteeyou]

https://www.cnx-software.com/2020/10/19/gumstix-introduces-cm4-to-cm3-adapter-carrier-boards-for-raspberry-pi-compute-module-4/

Quote

But the company has also worked with third-parties, and Gumstix, an Altium company, has unveiled four different carrier boards for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, as well as a convenient CM4 to CM3 adapter board that enables the use of Raspberry Pi CM4 on all/most carrier boards for the Compute Module 3/3+.

 

[dssme]

A question for Allo

 

Is the USBridge Signature compatible with the original DigiOne? And is the backplate with both cutouts compatible? Would an Ian Canada FIFOPi also work with the standard DigiOne and USBridge Signature?

Thanks

[neukrisz]

13 hours ago, dssme said:

A question for Allo

 

Is the USBridge Signature compatible with the original DigiOne? And is the backplate with both cutouts compatible? Would an Ian Canada FIFOPi also work with the standard DigiOne and USBridge Signature?

Thanks

 

I'm not from Allo, but I have a USBridge Sig and also have a standard (non-Sig) DigiOne board on my stock and I'd like to use them together.

Based on my theory it should works together since the USBridge has a standard and compatible rPi3+ B GPIO interface inside, so works like a normal rPi3+ B model. I'll try it soon :) 

[dssme]

neukrisz, please report to me if the case for both sig models fits for the original digione. even if it needs a extender or say sticking a fifopi in between because that is my goal too

[albert]

I am presently using my desktop computer's usb output into a ifi usb and then to a chord hugo. I have used a raspberry pie + hifi berry digi + to the hugo but did not find it much better than the 1st configuration. Would the allo usbridge sig be much of an improvement?  Also is the shanti power supply make much of a difference, since the hugo does not need the usb power. 

[uniquesnowflake]

4 hours ago, albert said:

I am presently using my desktop computer's usb output into a ifi usb and then to a chord hugo. I have used a raspberry pie + hifi berry digi + to the hugo but did not find it much better than the 1st configuration. Would the allo usbridge sig be much of an improvement?  Also is the shanti power supply make much of a difference, since the hugo does not need the usb power. 

Hifiberry digi+ isn’t that good of a source

[bokko]

On 10/31/2020 at 8:08 PM, albert said:

Hey Albert I assume you have a USB ifi defender to lift ground hum from PC?

I would check reviews of hugo see whether it sounds better on USB or analog spdif. 
 

If spdif look into Allo Digone Sig on a RPI 4 with shanti power supply. Wish I hadn’t sold It.

 

if usb others might pipe up but I did not have good experience with my Allo USbridge sig, ticking, clicking and just stop playing using Roon. So sold it. 
I went for an upgraded power supply for my PC.
My dac is a Bryston BDA-3
 

[albert]

Funny , i don't really know if the ifi really improved the sound that much. I plan on using this on my headphone setup which is beside my desktop computer. I am leaning towards the usbridge since i plan on using volumio with an attached external hard drive  and the price is cheaper. I don't know what to expect from the allo unit. Reading reviews seems to indicate that the digone sig and the usbridge sig sound pretty similar. I am not in a hurry . Do they have any discount for black friday?

[uniquesnowflake]

23 hours ago, albert said:

Funny , i don't really know if the ifi really improved the sound that much. I plan on using this on my headphone setup which is beside my desktop computer. I am leaning towards the usbridge since i plan on using volumio with an attached external hard drive  and the price is cheaper. I don't know what to expect from the allo unit. Reading reviews seems to indicate that the digone sig and the usbridge sig sound pretty similar. I am not in a hurry . Do they have any discount for black friday?

 

Not familiar with the quality of the Hugo's USB input, but IME it's a lot easier to "fix" USB on a low power, less complex device such as the RPi.

 

If you're not in a hurry, I would hold off buying the USBridge or get a Digione Sig first (I personally own both, using the USBridge as an "audiophile Pi" for the DigSig. There's nothing wrong with the current USBridge, but I heard Allo is working on a new version based on the Pi4 CM.

[Yviena]

Would this work as a ground connector for usbridge to shanti, it just needs to have a connection with the gold ground terminal, and the chassis right?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-TURNTABLE-EARTH-GROUND-WIRE-RECORD-DECK-GROUNDED-CABLE-LEAD-STOP-HUMMING-HUM-/253492221119

[pl_svn]

👍

[suzywong]

Looks to be just what I need for Shanti case to USBridge Signature case.

 

And for two and a half quid, it's worth a punt. I've just ordered one. I'll report back when it arrives.

[Cundis]

@allo.com will the USbridge Signature ever be compatible with Topping D90 MQA? 

 

This is the second dac i have that have compatibility issues with it. Starting to loose my interest and will look into buying another streamer if there won't be solutions available.