Review and Measurements of Allo DigiOne RPI S/PDIF

[Thunder240]

Echoing the preceding question, I’m well aware that @amirm ’s testing of SMPS and LPS units to power DACs has demonstrated that any DC noise that is passed along is filtered by the DAC to inaudible levels. However, with streamers like the Digione, is that still the case? Especially for something like the Digione Sig, where the “clean side” power connector bypasses the RPi’s regulation, there wouldn’t necessarily be any noise suppression.

@Modellbobby , FWIW besides the Shanti, Allo also offered a 5V/2.85A “low noise” SMPS called the Nirvana. I have no experience with it.

 

[Nango]

I don't buy any Allo.com before they have sent in a Shanti or Nirvana SMPS to @amirm for testing purposes.

 

[Thunder240]

Well, since you recommended the Shanti earlier in this thread, I figured you had some experience with it.

 

[Nango]

Yes, but nevertheless I don't like them sending-in only the boards and not their SMPS.

 

[Nango]

The Shanti SM PS is one of the very few items I deeply regret having purchased.

 

[RenEH]

Does anyone know if the DigiOne outputs from the RCA and BNC connector at the same time? I'm currently using Edifier S3000pro speakers that do not have a subwoofer out. To fix this, I use an optical splitter to feed a modi 3 attached to a HSU sub and the Edifier speakers.

Can the Digione feed the modi 3 and the edifier speakers at the same time using its two outputs?

 

[Nango]

Yes, both output simultaneously.

 

[Thunder240]

The Shanti SM PS is one of the very few items I deeply regret having purchased.

Care to share more?

 

[RenEH]

Yes, both output simultaneously.

Thank you, official support said so as well.

 

[Nango]

Care to share more?

I don't hear any difference when coupled or not with my DAC or Digione. I wish they would send one to @amirm.

 

[Modellbobby]

I don't hear any difference when coupled or not with my DAC or Digione. I wish they would send one to @amirm.

Dude, if you arent hearing that does not mean that the Allo Shanti is bad right?

 

[Nango]

Dude, if you arent hearing that does not mean that the Allo Shanti is bad right?

OK, let me say, it is useless to me.

 

[Fahzz]

@Modellbobby , FWIW besides the Shanti, Allo also offered a 5V/2.85A “low noise” SMPS called the Nirvana. I have no experience with it.[/QUOTE]

I bought the Nirvana power supply for a Digione player (not Signature). The Digione is connected directly to my AVR (and its DAC) by SPDIF/Coax.
It seemed to have a positive effect on the sound, particularly at low volume levels, if that makes any sense. I randomly hear "new" instrumentation in familiar tracks. Or maybe it's upgrade bias. Anyway it was less than $70.00 shipped. Price was reasonable, and to me it was an improvement.
.

 

[Ellisr63]

I just purchased a ALLO One player with SPDIF out... Do I just use a 75ohm RCA cable to connect it to my Yamaha CXA preamp? My Yamaha has coax and optical ins.

 

[Dennis_FL]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Allo DigiOne Raspberry Pi digital audio (S/PDIF) interface.

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I read that the Digione can't do DSD. Presumably because DSD exceeds the max data rate? What does it do with Tidal MQA ? Does it pass through?

UPDATE: I saw on a Roon post that Digione doesn't pass MQA or DSD.....Roon ends up processing and it ends up 48khz / 24bit max. So I changed my mind on the Digione.

 

[dkinric]

This is not true. I don't know about DSD, but the Roon/Allo Digione combo will play at least up to 192/24. Roon unfolds partially, the DigiOne hardware does the rest.

 

[Dennis_FL]

H

This is not true. I don't know about DSD, but the Roon/Allo Digione combo will play at least up to 192/24. Roon unfolds partially, the DigiOne hardware does the rest.

Here's the reference I found on Volumio's web site. Removing the Digione improved the Hi Res with Tidal Connect.

 

[dkinric]

Playing through Tidal Connect is different than Roon. I have been using this combo for a couple of years and am able to easily play 192/24 running Roon on my iPad controlling my DigiOne that is hardwired for networking and coax out to my Topping DX7PRO DAC. Of course, none of these fake extra bits are audible vs lossless 44/16 anyway, but that's another discussion.

 

[Dennis_FL]

Playing through Tidal Connect is different than Roon. I have been using this combo for a couple of years and am able to easily play 192/24 running Roon on my iPad controlling my DigiOne that is hardwired for networking and coax out to my Topping DX7PRO DAC. Of course, none of these fake extra bits are audible vs lossless 44/16 anyway, but that's another discussion.

I have both Qobus and Tidal plus a significant collection of DSD & FLAC recordings of my own. I haven’t seen any discussions on Digione and Hi Res….

update….I found this.

 

[Blew]

UPDATE: I saw on a Roon post that Digione doesn't pass MQA or DSD.....Roon ends up processing and it ends up 48khz / 24bit max. So I changed my mind on the Digione.

Why would the Digione make a difference there? MQA is directly encoded into the PCM stream at 44.1/48KHz, so as long as the Digione supports those frequencies I don't see how it would prevent MQA from being passed to the DAC.

I do know most DACs don't support full MQA decoding via the Toslink and S/PDIF interfaces though, as they only do the final rendering there. So you will need a MQA software decoder to unfold the first layers. Perhaps that's why Roon is interfering?