Allo USBRIDGE SIGNATURE Player - Owners Thread

[firearm12]

True....pretty audible differences in sound quality....much dark background which really gets the stage deeper, higher and wider with better space between instruments.
I was on dedicated PC/laptop including a mac based setup for a very long time. Have made extreme tweaks, have run several versions of windows, linux distros and even run Mac on PC, windows on MAC. In between I did have varying setups including a total 3-way active setup that offered me various levels of tuning, DRC tweaks etc.. Have used several media players and have spent hours on various forums tweaking endlessly.
There was major enhanced over running on non-optimized OS/players, but ALLO trumps whatever I could achieve on a computer based setup.

But laptop based setup offers certain freedom which is a compromise over these transports.

Given a choice I would take either, but the computer one with tweaks.

Yes i have used digione and digione sig in past and loved them. Somehow spdif is not strong point in my system so was finding it little sharp, maybe the coax cables also put in their color. Usb signature is very clean compared to laptop and definetely better than digione signature for me. Even old digione will trounce any laptop with ease.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

The Revolution DAC is available but not much by way of reviews, has anyone paired it with the Usbridge signature?

Also wanted to check if the Boss DAC can be mounted on the Usbridge Sig. The GPIO can take a Digione and is supposed to work like a Pi, wondering if a Boss DAC can be mounted similarly.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

Gents, I got the Usbridge signature yesterday and installed it. I don't have a very good Dac, just a really old USB Edirol external sound card. The number of power supplies and cables is utterly mind boggling. Still it's amazing and well worth the trouble. I haven't invested in the Shanti LPS but now I have no choice. The designer/design team deserve praise for this effort. It's a significant step up from my decade old squeezebox(old but far more convenient). I never imagined a network streamer could make this much difference. The revolution Dac beckons as well as the Shanti LPS. Maybe next month. I was planning to get a used Sotm sms200 from Singapore after my brother got one and has been super satisfied, but Allo is made here and shipped globally. It's excellent value in my book, a no brainer. Really digging it.

The only issue is I am running way too many devices, and it's a rat's nest of cables. Not pretty. I probably need a new router as well that can bridge with my main router over Wi-Fi, that will allow me to stream Spotify.

 

[firearm12]

Despite occasional hiccups and the unexplained hanging, usbridge is still very strong to ignore. Any laptop user shall try it atleast once. If it was not for lousy UI, it would have been most sold product in digital audio.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

I have been listening some more with the Usbridge Signature in the chain, mainstream records like Bob Marley, Bee Gees, Simon and Garfunkel, etc have become very listenable now. There is a hint of burnish or satiny glow to the sound, an effect that is sometimes perceived with vinyl. I find this more prominent on violin records by Dr L Subramaniam. Both the power amp and preamp are tube, this effect might be getting accentuated a bit because of this possibly. Initial impression of a refined sound still holds true.

 

[firearm12]

I have been listening some more with the Usbridge Signature in the chain, mainstream records like Bob Marley, Bee Gees, Simon and Garfunkel, etc have become very listenable now. There is a hint of burnish or satiny glow to the sound, an effect that is sometimes perceived with vinyl. I find this more prominent on violin records by Dr L Subramaniam. Both the power amp and preamp are tube, this effect might be getting accentuated a bit because of this possibly. Initial impression of a refined sound still holds true.

Been listening for some days now. I also feel a good burnish sound especially after reading your post, everything is also better separated, better space between instruments and better layered, much better focussed with a total dark noiseless background. Music sounds more believable and crisper. With laptop it was fuzzy and unreal details. Dynamics and microdynamics take a leap ahead. Laptop suddenly sounds trash now, not able to listen to it now. My system is now sounding very musical. Its all about source its true.

 

[raghupb]

Been listening for some days now. I also feel a good burnish sound especially after reading your post, everything is also better separated, better space between instruments and better layered, much better focussed with a total dark noiseless background. Music sounds more believable and crisper. With laptop it was fuzzy and unreal details. Dynamics and microdynamics take a leap ahead. Laptop suddenly sounds trash now, not able to listen to it now. My system is now sounding very musical. Its all about source its true.

Nice!!
There is an FM @panditji in the NCR region who wanted to hear out either the USBridge Sig or Digione Sig.
Don't know if he could manage it. Maybe you guys could hook up (depending on the local ground situation).
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[Kannan]

With Allo transports, the chain following it has to be very clean as its premise is about reducing noise to the minimum at its outputs.

 

[firearm12]

Nice!!
There is an FM @panditji in the NCR region who wanted to hear out either the USBridge Sig or Digione Sig.
Don't know if he could manage it. Maybe you guys could hook up (depending on the local ground situation).
Cheers,
Raghu

@panditji pls pm me if you are willing to take a ride to my place, i could lend usbridge signature for few days

 

[firearm12]

With Allo transports, the chain following it has to be very clean as its premise is about reducing noise to the minimum at its outputs.

Its true in the sense that more transparent the overall system is more will be the difference between a laptop and allo devices. I am also using an audiogd usb reclocker and converter, so its kind of double cleaning of usb. But my past experience with allo devices says it will always make a difference in any system if someone is willing to believe and listen, good thing is that difference is readily apparent.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

With laptop it was fuzzy and unreal details.

The same DAC I had dismissed as fuzzy earlier, but since it was the only USB DAC I had to try and the sound is clean and clear.

Its true in the sense that more transparent the overall system is more will be the difference between a laptop and allo devices. I am also using an audiogd usb reclocker and converter, so its kind of double cleaning of usb. But my past experience with allo devices says it will always make a difference in any system if someone is willing to believe and listen, good thing is that difference is readily apparent.

True, the difference is indeed apparent. Every bit helps, the designer recommends a few things like using another Pi to host the library, avoid Wifi, etc I have a dedicated network router/switch with another Pi hosting LMS. I have switched off Wifi on the router, Allo hasn't provided Wifi on the Usbridge, so no Spotify at the moment. This is subjective, but these measures are effective in reducing noise. I am now seeing that I can sit through whole albums instead of feeling the urge to fast forward or play something else. Now, the designer and others who have the Shanti LPS say you haven't heard the true potential until you have heard it with the LPS. My USB DAC is also rather entry level and a decade old. These newer Allo products aren't cheap like the Boss DAC or Digione, if you think of Usbridge signature+Shanti+Revolution DAC as a package you are close to the 42k mark. Still a decent value for what it is. It is quite fiddly and needs some figuring out. The Shanti will replace two PSs with a very large brick, but it's a mess in terms of cables. Something like the Yamaha WXC50 is elegant by comparison.

 

[raghupb]

You can still get Spotify if you run an Ethernet cable to the unit.
The USB host ports may be used to host a HDD or USB stick.
Try a USB HDD, spinner type. These are less noisy electrically as compared to SSD type.
The rest of what you can hear or not is up to the chain/speakers.

Edit:
If you have the patience, try this out.
Same tracks, FLAC vs WAV. Folks say that the processor needs to work less if it is in WAV.
I guess because FLAC decompression step is skipped.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[firearm12]

You can still get Spotify if you run an Ethernet cable to the unit.
The USB host ports may be used to host a HDD or USB stick.
Try a USB HDD, spinner type. These are less noisy electrically as compared to SSD type.
The rest of what you can hear or not is up to the chain/speakers.

Edit:
If you have the patience, try this out.
Same tracks, FLAC vs WAV. Folks say that the processor needs to work less if it is in WAV.
I guess because FLAC decompression step is skipped.

Cheers,
Raghu

Wav always.

The same DAC I had dismissed as fuzzy earlier, but since it was the only USB DAC I had to try and the sound is clean and clear.


True, the difference is indeed apparent. Every bit helps, the designer recommends a few things like using another Pi to host the library, avoid Wifi, etc I have a dedicated network router/switch with another Pi hosting LMS. I have switched off Wifi on the router, Allo hasn't provided Wifi on the Usbridge, so no Spotify at the moment. This is subjective, but these measures are effective in reducing noise. I am now seeing that I can sit through whole albums instead of feeling the urge to fast forward or play something else. Now, the designer and others who have the Shanti LPS say you haven't heard the true potential until you have heard it with the LPS. My USB DAC is also rather entry level and a decade old. These newer Allo products aren't cheap like the Boss DAC or Digione, if you think of Usbridge signature+Shanti+Revolution DAC as a package you are close to the 42k mark. Still a decent value for what it is. It is quite fiddly and needs some figuring out. The Shanti will replace two PSs with a very large brick, but it's a mess in terms of cables. Something like the Yamaha WXC50 is elegant by comparison.

I think for the price, its impossible to get the same level of sound quality using any other streamer than allo + shanti. Yamaha may be more aesthetic and easy to use but it wont be able to compete with sound quality allo provides.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

You can still get Spotify if you run an Ethernet cable to the unit.
The USB host ports may be used to host a HDD or USB stick.
Try a USB HDD, spinner type. These are less noisy electrically as compared to SSD type.
The rest of what you can hear or not is up to the chain/speakers.

Edit:
If you have the patience, try this out.
Same tracks, FLAC vs WAV. Folks say that the processor needs to work less if it is in WAV.
I guess because FLAC decompression step is skipped.

Cheers,
Raghu

I mean to find a router that offers bridge as opposed to extender, In infact bought one over the weekend it is an extender but lacks the bridge feature. You are right about a wired bridge though, it is quite easy to convert any standard router. But my listening room is downstairs and a long way off from the Fibernet/WiFi connection point.

It's on my to do list to export my collection of flacs to SSD and try it out over the Allo, but I don't have a dsd dac at the moment. The revolution is a DSD dac so that's something I want to try.

Wav always.


I think for the price, its impossible to get the same level of sound quality using any other streamer than allo + shanti. Yamaha may be more aesthetic and easy to use but it wont be able to compete with sound quality allo provides.

You have a point, my brother had a Mytek Brooklyn but he had to get the Sotm SMS 200 for readily apparent difference. And then he had to get separate LPSs for both. Hans says the Allo is at around 75% of the performance of the SMS200 Ultra which is damn good for what the Allo costs.

 

[manniraj]

I mean to find a router that offers bridge as opposed to extender, In infact bought one over the weekend it is an extender but lacks the bridge feature. You are right about a wired bridge though, it is quite easy to convert any standard router. But my listening room is downstairs and a long way off from the Fibernet/WiFi connection point.

If you are inclined towards something called power-line ethernet adapter, then do let me know I have a pair of TL-Link power-line adapters which should work in your case

 

[hemanth.hg]

@firearm12 , I have the Digione signature which is connected to the Emotiva DAC. The emotiva dac can take both the USB and BNC input, and heard good reviews on the Usbridge Signature, I'm thinking of going for Usbridge Signature.
Since you have used both Digione signature and Usbridge Signature(I assume you tried with the same DAC), what level improvement do you hear with Usbridge Signature? Is it worth moving from Digione signature to Usbridge Signature?

 

[firearm12]

@firearm12 , I have the Digione signature which is connected to the Emotiva DAC. The emotiva dac can take both the USB and BNC input, and heard good reviews on the Usbridge Signature, I'm thinking of going for Usbridge Signature.
Since you have used both Digione signature and Usbridge Signature(I assume you tried with the same DAC), what level improvement do you hear with Usbridge Signature? Is it worth moving from Digione signature to Usbridge Signature?

Basically it depends on the dac. In my previous dac i used to like playing through coax, so i liked digione on it. In my current dac, i tend to like usb more, so i thought of getting usbridge signature. imo both will give same level of performance. I personally found digione sig to shine more on highs and treble, usbridge has more balanced sound for me.

 

[hemanth.hg]

Basically it depends on the dac. In my previous dac i used to like playing through coax, so i liked digione on it. In my current dac, i tend to like usb more, so i thought of getting usbridge signature. imo both will give same level of performance. I personally found digione sig to shine more on highs and treble, usbridge has more balanced sound for me.

@firearm12 Thanks for the updates

 

[wannarock2]

Anyone here from Allo that could direct me to a retailer/distributer in North America in which I could purchase USBridge Signature player?
It appears the Allo web-site is currently not shipping do to the pandemic.
Thanks

 

[Beast_of_burden]

Anyone here from Allo that could direct me to a retailer/distributer in North America in which I could purchase USBridge Signature player?
It appears the Allo web-site is currently not shipping do to the pandemic.
Thanks

Hey Wannarock, Allo support is very active on this forum. You might want to check here.

ALLO USBridge Signature

audiophilestyle.com

I had ordered Revolution DAC and Shanti LPS a week ago but shipment is delayed as Shanti LPS is not in stock. I was told stock was coming last Saturday, I called today and now I heard it is expected tomorrow. There are issues with the Supply chain.