Allo Reclocker, DAC & Amp for Raspberry Pi

@Paul_Chatfield I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to kill your fun playing and trying.

Janis

Hi,

I just did some testing of difference between powering audio chain (reclocker + DAC) from Audiophonics DAC vs Allo KALI.

I tested it with the new Audiophonics DAC ES9018K2M (on 24 bit playback, as that currently only works).

The difference is huge!

Sound quality is OK when power is given to Audiophonics DAC and then goes to a Allo KALI reclocker and RPI.
Sound quality is excellent when power is given to Allo KALI and the is split to Audiophonics DAC and RPI.

Why such dramatic difference?

  1. Could be Allo KALI power stabilization/ cleaning circuit is much better then Audiophonics DAC
  2. Could be splitting audio power (reclocker + DAC) from the noisy RPI has significant impact

@Audiophonics and @ALLO_audio_boards to comment

Janis

hello Janis,
I will check with my team.
thanks
Andre

Oh - so it seems you finally got your Audiophonics DAC ES9018K2M replaced, is this true?

I keep my fingers crossed to read any comments/review around sound quality of Piano 2.1 va Audiophonics DAC ES9018K2M. I think this will be very interesting. With and without reclocker of course, if possible.

Many thanks, Marcin

Yes, it is.

Waiting support from @Audiophonics to configure it.

Janis

Read here current status.


Janis

As I am having quite the same dilemma… Did you try Kali + Piano (Piano 2.1 PCM 5142 DAC) against Hifiberry board and compared two of them directly?

See here latest review on Allo and Audiophonics DACs:

1 Like

@ALLO_audio_boards is it possible to tap the I2S output of the DSP outputs on the Piano 2.1? I would like to connect an external DAC through I2S on one of the DSP outputs, instead of using the analog output.

I’m noticing (possibly the Kali causing) some skips like intermittently t- his has been with both RPi and Sparky, I’ll keep at it and try both without the board in place to see if it’s more stable.

It’s almost like a grove skip on an LP it’s that fast, always ahead a fraction of a second.

I know another user also having the same issue. Anyone else noticed this…skips are intermittent and often might be more than 2-3 songs apart. He took the Kali off the setups and it was stable…I have yet to try that but will do so when I get some time.

hi
we are checking and will let you know asap
thanks
Andre

I have same troubles with pcp3.10 and Ian’s FIFO II kit. Not sure if it is software related, just saw on the pcp site that they have pcp3.11 available. Will test tonight and report back.

If not software related, could be a FIFO problem I suppose.

@ALLO_audio_boards

I am very curious on Allo’s R2R development :slight_smile: Any news on a release date yet?

Further, not sure if this is the proper place to ask this sort of questions, if not, moderator can remove it.

1- Would love to have the ability to use 2x R2R HAT’s on top (in dual mono)
2- Would love to have the ability to power all psu-stages seperately with HQ psu’s

This maybe could be something to think about for an Hi-End-Extreme version?

Regards and keep up the good work!

Btw, still have to test my Kali, it still is sitting in it’s box :slight_smile:

Regards,
Alex Bartels

Could you give us a recap here of the different products you will be offering in the coming months ?
Thanks

ok let me try.

LDR volume control standalone (rpi/sparky) . We are testing the unit this week. If the readings/testings are good expect to buy it in 4 weeks.
Relay Volume controller standalone or for our DACs (rpi/sparky) . We will test it this week.
24 position , stepped attenuator (10k) with 0.1% thin film resistors . We will start sales this week

Digital HAT (rpi only)
First test unit is in the office , we found some small mistake in PCB. We corrected it (with wires) and changed the PCB. We expect to start selling it in about 4-5 weeks . On our testing we found around 3ps of jitter (with the wire). We aim for 2ps of jitter (or less) on mass production units

Usb Clean (sparky only)
Add on unit to bottom of sparky that will have extremely clean/reclocked USB . About 6 weeks

DAC (mid)

Dual AKM , master , better than Crystek phase noise on board . No more comments

Dac (hi end)

R2R . No comments .

Sorry we did not think of that

Hi, I thought you were coming out also with an isolator board. Is that the “digital hat” or another product ?
Thanks

Isolator board , dual PSU (5v/19v) are being tested as well…still a while to mass production.

We have lots of projects , expect a lot in the next few months.

Digital hat is Spidif output (it has galvanic isolation)

Isolation hat will isolate about 15 signals (like i2s , i2c and some gpio)…so different products

Thanks - am interested in both :slight_smile: