Ed Selley
Hi-Fi Editor
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I agree this appears over priced, but it uses the ASUS Tinkerboard 5 not the Raspberry Pi.
Volumio - Primo · Volumio
I hear very differing opinions from different sources which is why I was curious on Ed's take on this. If all digital outputs are all equal then we have a lot of high end companies suggesting otherwise. I should probably test the theory for myself but it's good to hear other peoples findings.@Canti1982 - If you are just using it as a streamer and taking a digital stream out to a DAC then it will sound exactly the same as any other streamer's digital stream output. It is the DAC and kit onwards that influences the sound. Any streamer worth its salt outputs a bit-perfect digital output so cannot sound different to any other bit-perfect streamers digital out - that's what it means. So your choice should be based on the quality of the apps that control it as some are designed to be a form of torture for the end user.
I hear very differing opinions from different sources which is why I was curious on Ed's take on this. If all digital outputs are all equal then we have a lot of high end companies suggesting otherwise. I should probably test the theory for myself but it's good to hear other peoples findings.
+1 Ed.All things being equal, there should be no difference but there are means of inducing differences. There are two elements to this- one which should be entirely uncontentious, the other perhaps a little more so.
The first is if the signal is being altered. I've currently got one of THESE on test for another publication. Before it outputs the signals it reclocks it and performs a 4x upsample (so 16/44.1 becomes 24/176.4). The difference between this and a source simply sending the original signal into a suitable DAC is small but definable. The performance still largely rests on the DAC but the source is affecting things slightly.
The second is noise and error. I loathe stating publicly but there are small but repeatable differences between some of these devices depending on measurable noise and error on the device's output. The differences are pretty minor and not necessarily commensurate to price but there is an upcoming review where the USB output on the device outperformed the one on my laptop which I've had to state in the review. I look forward* to the comments on that one...
*dread.
That is interesting - I don't suppose you have links to buy the DAC (I've found the tinkerboard for £60 on amazon) and recommendations on a case. ThanksAll of the electronics in this box are available as a kit and the software is free.
Asus tinkerboard is 99 quid on amazon, ess sabre dac to plug into the tinkerboard is approx 55 quid.
Thank you - they both look interesting. I'm quite excited by the idea of using the new Pi and a DAC to create a Volumio streamer.The DAC I-Sabre 9028 now replaced with the ES9038Q2M chip, and it's not cheap.
AUDIOPHONICS DAC I-Sabre ES9038Q2M Raspberry Pi / I2S & SPDIF / PCM DSD USB-C Power Supply - Audiophonics
This is the kit I use, but you need to add your own pi.
AUDIOPHONICS RASPDAC MINI Kit DIY Streamer for Raspberry Pi & DAC ES9038Q2M - Audiophonics
The DAC I-Sabre 9028 now replaced with the ES9038Q2M chip, and it's not cheap.
AUDIOPHONICS DAC I-Sabre ES9038Q2M Raspberry Pi / I2S & SPDIF / PCM DSD USB-C Power Supply - Audiophonics
This is the kit I use, but you need to add your own pi.
AUDIOPHONICS RASPDAC MINI Kit DIY Streamer for Raspberry Pi & DAC ES9038Q2M - Audiophonics
Am I right in saying the Allo isn’t a dac, just a transport?Hi Fergal82 i have a pi3 with Allo DigiOne on it running Volumio into a Project pre box S2 dac and to me this is the best set up to date i have tested feeding my Naim Nait 5SI & neat motive sx2.
I power the pi & dac with a battery (5 Vol and 3 Amp) I looked at the DigiOne Signature but to me the cost / performance over the normal DigiOne was not for me.
How would you rate this volumio player versus lindemann limetree network, is worth to pay more for lindemann in terms of sound quality?All things being equal, there should be no difference but there are means of inducing differences. There are two elements to this- one which should be entirely uncontentious, the other perhaps a little more so.
The first is if the signal is being altered. I've currently got one of THESE on test for another publication. Before it outputs the signals it reclocks it and performs a 4x upsample (so 16/44.1 becomes 24/176.4). The difference between this and a source simply sending the original signal into a suitable DAC is small but definable. The performance still largely rests on the DAC but the source is affecting things slightly.
The second is noise and error. I loathe stating publicly but there are small but repeatable differences between some of these devices depending on measurable noise and error on the device's output. The differences are pretty minor and not necessarily commensurate to price but there is an upcoming review where the USB output on the device outperformed the one on my laptop which I've had to state in the review. I look forward* to the comments on that one...
*dread.