Yamaha WXC-50 or Allo digione Signature

[sand87ch]

Alternatively, you can also use a powerbank (im sure every one of us has one lying around) which apparently sounds better than a linear PSU according to FM Drkrack or for that matter, the Nirvana SMPS which is for 3.5K but apparently is not as good as Shanti Linear PSU.

Except for the Nirvana SMPS, i'll be putting all permutations and combinations to the test so if you can control the itch for a couple of weeks, i may be able to provide some insight.

Did you manage to find the WXC50 for less than 25k? Current online prices seem to be in the 29k ballpark.

I will wait for your insight before makingthe jump.i purchased quickly once and am still saddled with POLK S20 speakers and i now feel i should have waited for the lockdown 1.0 to end and made some auditions.

With the Boss2 i will be missing some connections and stuff avilable on the yamaha .I hope the bump in SQ is worth it

 

[DB1989]

Yes i think thats just the online prices.It can be had for close to 25k or a bit less.
Yes i do have a MI power bank lying here.But this needs type c to power rt..the dirty and clean side probably

Usb 3.0/2.0 to type c cable are commonly available on Amazon.

 

[movedbywheel]

i am totally fine with buying rpi4 and setting up the HAT.but wat bothers me is the software.i read that one may need volumio paid for i guess tidal etc.apart from that does volumio support airplay2?

Spotify and Airplay works fine in free version, only to use Tidal you have to subscribe Volumio. Go for ( Rpi4 + Allo Boos 2 DAC ) or ( Rpi4 + Allo Piano 2.1 + Allo kali Reclocker ) you will be amazed with output very versatile player to handle upto 64bit, 384Khz

 

[sand87ch]

Spotify and Airplay works fine in free version, only to use Tidal you have to subscribe Volumio.

well decided to buy the allo boss 2 dac.it doesnt seem to support volumio.i mean it seems it has issues.

 

[premoddev]

Boss2 player, pre-loaded with Moode audio. In Moode all are free, there is no paid subscription or similar. And for some people like me Moode seems better than Volumio (For bluetooth itself you need paid subscription in Volumio ). Tidal and Qobuz can be accessed with UPnP. Please go through the features on http://moodeaudio.org/

 

[sand87ch]

Alternatively, you can also use a powerbank (im sure every one of us has one lying around) which apparently sounds better than a linear PSU according to FM Drkrack or for that matter, the Nirvana SMPS which is for 3.5K but apparently is not as good as Shanti Linear PSU.

Except for the Nirvana SMPS, i'll be putting all permutations and combinations to the test so if you can control the itch for a couple of weeks, i may be able to provide some insight.

Did you manage to find the WXC50 for less than 25k? Current online prices seem to be in the 29k ballpark.

Just a query.If the WX-c50 can be had close to 23-24K and the boss2+shanti cms smwhere around 21k..then is the WX-c50 worth it or still wud u suggest the boss2?

 

[DB1989]

Just a query.If the WX-c50 can be had close to 23-24K and the boss2+shanti cms smwhere around 21k..then is the WX-c50 worth it or still wud u suggest the boss2?

From a convenience perspective and if you don't intend to tinker much with your gear, i would go with the WXC-50 any day. The fact that it looks nice is an added bonus compared to the oddball and DIY look of Allo products. And i would not get the Shanti just yet (unless the two combined can be had for a lower price compared to buying them standalone) and would buy it after having lived with the Boss 2 Player for some time.

Why did i not go for the Yamma? Simply because i don't need a standalone streamer with an inbult DAC (as i have two of my own plus the ones inbuilt into my amps) whereas the USBridge allows for a quite a bit of mods plus connecting a display and using a mouse+keyboard combo. Also, i wanted to check out what the fuss with streamers was and wanted to get what is supposedly the best SQ in that budget.

Depending on your expectations, there's a good possibility that you might be disappointed and have buyers remorse if the Boss 2 player does not give the bump up in SQ that you expected. On the other hand, the sheer conveniene and plethora of features that the Yamaha WXC50 provides would counteract a similar let down on the SQ front.

 

[Rud31]

Any online retailer having WXC-50 at a decent price? Googling gives few results but mostly out of stock, even the atrociously priced ones. Nobody at HFV is willing to sell theirs either when created a Wanted thread.

 

[sand87ch]

From a convenience perspective and if you don't intend to tinker much with your gear, i would go with the WXC-50 any day. The fact that it looks nice is an added bonus compared to the oddball and DIY look of Allo products. And i would not get the Shanti just yet (unless the two combined can be had for a lower price compared to buying them standalone) and would buy it after having lived with the Boss 2 Player for some time.

Why did i not go for the Yamma? Simply because i don't need a standalone streamer with an inbult DAC (as i have two of my own plus the ones inbuilt into my amps) whereas the USBridge allows for a quite a bit of mods plus connecting a display and using a mouse+keyboard combo. Also, i wanted to check out what the fuss with streamers was and wanted to get what is supposedly the best SQ in that budget.

Depending on your expectations, there's a good possibility that you might be disappointed and have buyers remorse if the Boss 2 player does not give the bump up in SQ that you expected. On the other hand, the sheer conveniene and plethora of features that the Yamaha WXC50 provides would counteract a similar let down on the SQ front.

Looks dont matter to me.Am just interested in the sound

I wont be using keyboards etc but i hope it can be used without much issues like using a linux desktop sometimes.But as mentioned before i am not someone who shys away from tinkering.The only problem is the tinkering should not be an endless one without any change in the SQ.

If Moode(at least for airplay ,tidal,file discovery on the usb storage etc) or any software installed works seamlessly then it would be great.

Yet to watch or see a head to head review of allo boss 2 player and yamaha WX-c50.What i am just interested in is sound quality.If it differs much between the two then i can live with less convenience.

 

[sand87ch]

Any online retailer having WXC-50 at a decent price? Googling gives few results but mostly out of stock, even the atrociously priced ones. Nobody at HFV is willing to sell theirs either when created a Wanted thread.

Ha ha true.Its out of stock at nearby retailers.One guy said it was selling for 24k.I guess i can bargain a bit more.I also dont see one on sale here.I think i will go the allo boss2 dac way.I dont know though if allo boss2 dac is available as a HAT that can be put on top of a RPI 4b board as i got to buy one with 8Gb for another purpose.Hope @DB1989 will be able to throw some light there.

 

[DB1989]

Looks dont matter to me.Am just interested in the sound

I wont be using keyboards etc but i hope it can be used without much issues like using a linux desktop sometimes.But as mentioned before i am not someone who shys away from tinkering.The only problem is the tinkering should not be an endless one without any change in the SQ.

If Moode(at least for airplay ,tidal,file discovery on the usb storage etc) or any software installed works seamlessly then it would be great.

Yet to watch or see a head to head review of allo boss 2 player and yamaha WX-c50.What i am just interested in is sound quality.If it differs much between the two then i can live with less convenience.

In that case, only somebody who's heard both can provide a reliable opinion.

Ha ha true.Its out of stock at nearby retailers.One guy said it was selling for 24k.I guess i can bargain a bit more.I also dont see one on sale here.I think i will go the allo boss2 dac way.I dont know though if allo boss2 dac is available as a HAT that can be put on top of a RPI 4b board as i got to buy one with 8Gb for another purpose.Hope @DB1989 will be able to throw some light there.

Just as new to this as you and the Allo website descriptions don't help. Perhaps a seasoned Allo user will be able to clarify?

 

[premoddev]

Ha ha true.Its out of stock at nearby retailers.One guy said it was selling for 24k.I guess i can bargain a bit more.I also dont see one on sale here.I think i will go the allo boss2 dac way.I dont know though if allo boss2 dac is available as a HAT that can be put on top of a RPI 4b board as i got to buy one with 8Gb for another purpose.Hope @DB1989 will be able to throw some light there.

Yes, its available as HAT plus case, you can add your existing rpi.. make sure its rpi4, won't work with earlier versions. Its available in FabtoLab.

Buy BOSS2 ACRYLIC in India | Fab.to.Lab

Boss2 is a meaningful upgrade over Boss in sound quality (measurements, THD / Jtest) and a much better bang for your buck.

www.fabtolab.com

 

[shyamv]

Are you sure about this? Digione and USbridge are hat boards that sit on the RPI board. As far as I know, A usbridge board does not sit on a Digione. Raspberry Pi is a separate self-sustaining board. Allo board sits on the Raspberry Pi board.

Actually USBridge Signature is based on RPi compute module with a 40 pin standard header. So it is possible to stack the Digione or Digione Signature HAT without its RPi on top of a USBridge Signature. The RPi module in USBridge Signature shall power both USBridge as well as the Digione HAT. Of course, if you have Digione Signature you would need to add another 3V for its clean power. Allo also sells seperate Aluminium cases for USBridge if you have stacked a Digione HAT with the additional cut-outs for Coax/BNC/USB power. The advantage is that you can then have both USB and Coax outputs in one box.

 

[DB1989]

I will wait for your insight before makingthe jump.i purchased quickly once and am still saddled with POLK S20 speakers and i now feel i should have waited for the lockdown 1.0 to end and made some auditions.

With the Boss2 i will be missing some connections and stuff avilable on the yamaha .I hope the bump in SQ is worth it

So i received the Allo USBridge Signature Player + Digione Signature. Arrived in a rather nondescript generic cardboard box without any labelling or other indicative marks/text, much less any documentation inside the box. Far from a grand unboxing. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that the Digione Signature was preinstalled in the Usbridge player so full marks on that front. The MicroSD card cocntaining the OS was also preinstalled in the slot and covered with a tape. The case in itself looks smart with a brushed aluminum look and the connectors out back feel like they are good quality. Don't care much about the font up front and would've been better if it was left blank or at the very least, used a nicer cursive or italicized font. Looks matter if they are to adorn my living room!

Quite excited about the prospect of powering it up soon and checking it out soon. I ordered only a single wall wart and the Shanti Linear PSU is delayed so the Digione Signature hat will have to wait unless i can figure out another way of powering it up.

In this regard, i would be much obliged if FM @drkrack can advise me on how to connect it to a Powerbank as i recollect him mentioning in a post that he powers his through a 20,000mah powerbank. I have a Mi 20,000MaH powerbank which lists single slot output as 5.1V=2.4A and 12V=1.5 A whereas dual port output is rated at 5.1V=3.6A. Will a USB type A to Type C cable connected to a single port of the powerbank be sufficient to power either the USBridge or Digione Signature hat (since i have only one wall wart for the time being till the Shanti arrives) or will i need a USB-C to Type-A Y cable of a similar description provided in the link below?

Sound Devices MX-USBY USB-C to USB-A Y-Cable Connector

Sound Devices MX-USBY USB-C to USB-A Y-Cable Connector Overview:A Y cable with one USB-C connector and two USB-A connectors, used for powering the Sound Devices MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 audio recorders from a computer. 71-inches (1800 mm) in length.

www.bajaao.com

 

[reachkalyan.kr]

So i received the Allo USBridge Signature Player + Digione Signature. Arrived in a rather nondescript generic cardboard box without any labelling or other indicative marks/text, much less any documentation inside the box. Far from a grand unboxing. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that the Digione Signature was preinstalled in the Usbridge player so full marks on that front. The MicroSD card cocntaining the OS was also preinstalled in the slot and covered with a tape. The case in itself looks smart with a brushed aluminum look and the connectors out back feel like they are good quality. Don't care much about the font up front and would've been better if it was left blank or at the very least, used a nicer cursive or italicized font. Looks matter if they are to adorn my living room!

Quite excited about the prospect of powering it up soon and checking it out soon. I ordered only a single wall wart and the Shanti Linear PSU is delayed so the Digione Signature hat will have to wait unless i can figure out another way of powering it up.

In this regard, i would be much obliged if FM @drkrack can advise me on how to connect it to a Powerbank as i recollect him mentioning in a post that he powers his through a 20,000mah powerbank. I have a Mi 20,000MaH powerbank which lists single slot output as 5.1V=2.4A and 12V=1.5 A whereas dual port output is rated at 5.1V=3.6A. Will a USB type A to Type C cable connected to a single port of the powerbank be sufficient to power either the USBridge or Digione Signature hat (since i have only one wall wart for the time being till the Shanti arrives) or will i need a USB-C to Type-A Y cable of a similar description provided in the link below?

Sound Devices MX-USBY USB-C to USB-A Y-Cable Connector

Sound Devices MX-USBY USB-C to USB-A Y-Cable Connector Overview:A Y cable with one USB-C connector and two USB-A connectors, used for powering the Sound Devices MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 audio recorders from a computer. 71-inches (1800 mm) in length.

www.bajaao.com

I assume that u got Usb signature with Digione combo.I have the same allo product.
U have to give two powersupply one is for RPI and other one for digione signature.

Means - One powersupply should be able to deliver 5V /5.1 V 3Amp( Dirty side - RPI - USB C ) and other one should be 5v/5.1v 1Amp rating ( clean side - digione side DC connector )

 

[DB1989]

I assume that u got Usb signature with Digione combo.I have the same allo product.
U have to give two powersupply one is for RPI and other one for digione signature.

Means - One powersupply should be able to deliver
3amp( Dirty side - RPI - USB C ) and other one should be 1amp rating ( clean side - digione side DC connector )

Thats great! Much grateful for the tip . Just to clarify once again, a single usb type A to C cable drawn from a single port of the power bank which is rated at 5.1V=2.4A should be sufficient i suppose?

Also, are there any benefits with respect to sound quality on powering the dirty side with a linear PSU or a battery pack?

 

[reachkalyan.kr]

Thats great! Much grateful for the tip . Just to clarify once again, a single usb type A to C cable drawn from a single port of the power bank which is rated at 5.1V=2.4A should be sufficient i suppose?

Also, are there any benefits with respect to sound quality on powering the dirty side with a linear PSU or a battery pack?

Please check the image attached in my previous post and confirm is this Usbridge digi one combo model u are referring.

I am using Shanti PS for the same .It has dual PS output ( 5v 3A,5V 1A )

U can use this power bank for Clean side .Do you have one more power supply rated 5v - 3amp ?

For further details check below link

 

[DB1989]

Please check the image and confirm is this model u are referring.

EDIT: There was some problem with the image being displayed and i couldn't view it earlier. Its vieweable now and yes, this is the very same combo i have.

For reference, here's an image of the power rating on my power brick:

U can use this power bank for Clean side .Do you have one more power supply rated 5v - 3amp ?

I received a single wall wart from Fabtolab ordered along with the unit which was rated at 5v - 3A. I just realised that the power brick for my Ipad Pro is also rated at 5V - 3A but that would be moot if the powerbank suffices.

 

[DB1989]

Please check the image attached in my previous post and confirm is this Usbridge digi one combo model u are referring.

I am using Shanti PS for the same .It has dual PS output ( 5v 3A,5V 1A )

U can use this power bank for Clean side .Do you have one more power supply rated 5v - 3amp ?

Checked the image and yes, this is the very same combo i am referring to.

 

[DB1989]

Please check the image attached in my previous post and confirm is this Usbridge digi one combo model u are referring.

I am using Shanti PS for the same .It has dual PS output ( 5v 3A,5V 1A )

U can use this power bank for Clean side .Do you have one more power supply rated 5v - 3amp ?

For further details check below link

Thanks. In fact, i had seen this vid before getting the USBridge Signature Player. Just wanted a clarification from an actual user as a measure of abundant caution and for added peace of mind.