Allo Boss2 Review (Stereo Streamer)

[Shoaibexpert]

Just came across this product as I was looking for a Roon endpoint streamer that can connect to my SMSL SU-9 DAC. The DAC is supposed to feed balanced Analogue signal to the NAD C298 Amplifier making KEF R7s sing...so I needed a decent, well measuring device.

Is this based on the Raspberry Pi 4/B as the new ones have USBs that are galvanically isolated. Also, can this device give out USB data to my SU-9 DAC...don't wanna rely on its internal DAC...and if someone has found it to be Roon ready? Thanks

 

[Eetu]

Just came across this product as I was looking for a Roon endpoint streamer that can connect to my SMSL SU-9 DAC. The DAC is supposed to feed balanced Analogue signal to the NAD C298 Amplifier making KEF R7s sing...so I needed a decent, well measuring device.

Is this based on the Raspberry Pi 4/B as the new ones have USBs that are galvanically isolated. Also, can this device give out USB data to my SU-9 DAC...don't wanna rely on its internal DAC...and if someone has found it to be Roon ready? Thanks

This is a Pi 4 + DAC combo but you already have a DAC. Soo.. why not get a Pi 4? Get a FLIRC case and install Ropieee or Moode. It's not difficult nor time consuming.
https://ropieee.org/getting_started/

 

[Shoaibexpert]

This is a Pi 4 + DAC combo but you already have a DAC. Soo.. why not get a Pi 4? Get a FLIRC case and install Ropieee or Moode. It's not difficult nor time consuming.
https://ropieee.org/getting_started/

Yeah, was thinking on those lines. Would the RPi be cleaner as a source than say a Windows Computer? Measurement wise...especially with a LPSU?

 

[Theodore8]

There are many convincing reports/posts over this site explaining that Rpi4 feeding your DAC through USB will deliver bit-perfect transmission.

Note: The recommendation by @Eetu to ensure RPi4 has proper passive cooling (e.g., a FLIRC case) is important. For my part, I use a regular case with good-size openings, and large heat sinks on the chips: https://secure.reichelt.com/ch/de/r...ebefolie-rpi-cool-premium-p242760.html?&nbc=1 and https://secure.reichelt.com/ch/de/r...mm-schwarz-rpi-cool-40x30-p261928.html?&nbc=1 . Running temperature is just fine with RPi4 connected to network through Ethernet cable.

 

[amper42]

Yeah, was thinking on those lines. Would the RPi be cleaner as a source than say a Windows Computer? Measurement wise...especially with a LPSU?

Highly unlikely the RPi will be any cleaner sounding than the computer USB port. I can't tell a difference between my MBP feeding the RME ADI-2 DAC directly or the RPi4 (Moode) feeding the RME ADI-2. Both sound great. The one difference I see is the RPi4 running Moode is limited to 192k while the computer may not be (depending on it's audio config.)

 

[MarcosCh]

On the same lines, anyone has any opinion the pi zero w feeding a dac through USB? The old story about ethernet bus making usb bad for audio in any pi previous to 4 should not apply as it has no ethernet connection...

 

[Eetu]

Yeah, was thinking on those lines. Would the RPi be cleaner as a source than say a Windows Computer? Measurement wise...especially with a LPSU?

I agree with the posts above. Many high-end streamers are Raspberry Pi-based and as shown many times your DAC does a great job filtering noise. IIRC previous gen Pis had a shared ethernet & USB bus but nothing to worry about with the Pi 4.

And especially as a Roon end-point it should be a set&forget type of thing.

 

[Gaspar74]

Have two Raspberry Pi4 each with an All Boss dac. One has the newer Boss2 which is excellent sounding dac once you engage two of the filters and choose Non Os enabled. Just my opinion.

 

[Fahzz]

Have two Raspberry Pi4 each with an All Boss dac. One has the newer Boss2 which is excellent sounding dac once you engage two of the filters and choose Non Os enabled. Just my opinion.

Could you please explain which filters you engaged and how that's done. I have Non OS enabled. Thanks.

 

[Cofra]

I just got one of these bare units in acrylic. I'm kind of new to the Raspberry pi4 and have a few questions:

-I'd like to add a wifi dongle and at home I have a wifi 6 (ax) compatible network. Is there any suitable wifi dongles compatible with pi4 and supporting wifi 6? If the answer is no, I'll just get a wifi 5 (ac) dongle.

-I'll likely use it as a an wireless endpoint and dac connected to my headphone amp, mainly playing Roon and Qobuz. Is RopieeeXL the most suitable software or do you have other recommendations?

 

[johan]

I am not aware of any WIFI 6 compatible dongles . For ROON and Quobuz you can use DietPi in addition to RopieeXL

 

[NiagaraPete]

Now that you can play Apple Music via a browser could a person just install a browser on Boss2 and use the included remote? I'd think you'd be able to take advantage of Digital Masters that way.

 

[forlau]

How is the cooling of the installed raspi4 realized? Is there any cooling at all?

 

[Theodore8]

How is the cooling of the installed raspi4 realized? Is there any cooling at all?

The most important is that there is no fan.

 

[amper42]

In other words, it runs hot!

 

[dtaylo1066]

If you worry about USB quality of the Pi, get an Asus Tinker Board. I run Volumio off a Tinker Board USB out and into a Emotiva DAC. I have done the AB comparison between the Tinker to DAC and a Sony ES CD player to the same DAC. I cannot tell any difference. Both are great.

 

[Theodore8]

In other words, it runs hot!

Don't know about yours, but FWIW mine is just a bit warm to the touch; definitely not "hot".

 

[amper42]

Don't know about yours, but FWIW mine is just a bit warm to the touch; definitely not "hot".

I purchased a RPi4 and placed it in the Flirc case running Moode. After running for an hour it would heat up (burn your hand) and stop playing tunes. I bought an AC Infinity MULTIFAN S2, Quiet 120mm USB Blower Fan and placed that behind it on low. The Flirc case was then cool to the touch after an hour but I still had overheating issues. Next, I took the board out of the Flirc case and left the S2 fan blowing on low. Problem solved. The RPi4 models can get hot pretty easily.

 

[forlau]

From the answers I read, that there is no fan inside. From my experience, the Raspi needs some cooling, either with a fan or a big heatsink. I was wondering, if Allo uses the housing for passive cooling or if they completely ignore the heat on the CPU?

 

[amper42]

I'm sure Allo uses the aluminum case for heat transfer. That's what the Flirc case does. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough to keep my RPi4 cool. Taking it out of the case with a blower fan aimed at it on low made a big difference.