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Thread: New DAC from Allo is coming soon

  1. #41
    Join Date: May 2016

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Review of Katana.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=fR91YY5GNv8

    Not one of his best reviews IMHO.

    Would like to know more about sound quality.

    Geoff

  2. #42
    Join Date: May 2016

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Watching this review again, I have no sense of how it might compare with my RPi/Digione/Caiman SEG setup, which is in the same price band once a case for the Katana is factored in, though not with 3 power supplies. At this price level I am a bit wary of taking a punt as I did with the Digione.

    I am also a bit put off by the cabling mess that running the Katana with 3 power supplies would entail. I am thinking that if this device is as good as I hope it will be, that it needs to be part of a system in which the boards are mounted in a more conventional case with most ports and sockets on the back panel.

    Geoff

  3. #43
    Join Date: Oct 2016

    Location: Hampshire

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    I'm Mel.

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    If you look at many of the Allo items it seems to me they are not good at product ergonomics and often have multiple power supplies, odd input plug sizes and poor attention to cabling inputs and outputs.

    Now they have tried to move up the HiFi ladder (from a simple pi add on company) they need to address this , including build quality ( eg RCA output socket quality) in order to compete in the true HiFi market.

    They also need to sort out their support site and processes instead of relying only on their French representative ( who obviously does work hard) .

    Mel

  4. #44
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: Derbyshire

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    I'm Josie.

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    Hiya.

    Just letting you know that I've now got the Katana Dac.

    I've had it running for a couple of days now and I have to say it's pretty special. It's very, very good indeed.

    I'll be doing a full review soon so watch out for that.
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  5. #45
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cycleallday View Post
    If you look at many of the Allo items it seems to me they are not good at product ergonomics and often have multiple power supplies, odd input plug sizes and poor attention to cabling inputs and outputs.

    Now they have tried to move up the HiFi ladder (from a simple pi add on company) they need to address this , including build quality ( eg RCA output socket quality) in order to compete in the true HiFi market.

    They also need to sort out their support site and processes instead of relying only on their French representative ( who obviously does work hard) .

    Mel
    Exactly my view. It's fine having some rough and ready edges at a low price point, but Allo have been moving steadily up the price banding with its products. I am really pleased with my Digione despite it being two or three times the price of other Rpi sound cards. Its performance more than justifies its price. However, the Katana is moving yet further up the price band so that ergonomics becomes more of an issue. I am sure it is good but it looks a bloody mess with ports and sockets on almost every side!

    Geoff
    Last edited by Sherwood; 03-08-2018 at 20:49.

  6. #46
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Manchester, UK

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    I'm Luke.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Black Adder View Post
    I'll be doing a full review soon so watch out for that.

  7. #47
    Join Date: Aug 2016

    Location: France

    Posts: 198
    I'm allo.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    Exactly my view. It's fine having some rough and ready edges at a low price point, but Allo have been moving steadily up the price banding with its products. I am really pleased with my Digione despite it being two or three times the price of other Rpi sound cards. Its performance more than justifies its price. However, the Katana is moving yet further up the price band so that ergonomics becomes more of an issue. I am sure it is good but it looks a bloody mess with ports and sockets on almost every side!

    Geoff

    hi guys,

    i just want to say a few things about this.

    multiple PSUs is to give the best sound quality.
    You can feed BOSS player (BOSS + RPI) with 1 PSU... but 2 will improve the SQ
    same for KATANA... you can feed the whole stack (total 4 boards including RPI) with 1 PSU... but better to use 4
    we just give the choice to the customer and there is nothing that can be done design wise... you just cant get the best SQ with 1 PSU.

    RCA connectors on the lower end DACs are what everyone uses , industry standard , with gold plated outer ring and inner pin.
    For the KATANA we went for much higher quality , full brass body and inner pin with full gold plating. It actually also helps with heat dissipation.

    We are still keeping the RPI HAT format since our products are streamers based on RPI.
    This form factor limits us on the connectors placements.

    thanks for your feedback and I hope to have shed some light on our design decisions.
    regards
    Andre

  8. #48
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ALLO.com View Post
    hi guys,

    i just want to say a few things about this.

    multiple PSUs is to give the best sound quality.
    You can feed BOSS player (BOSS + RPI) with 1 PSU... but 2 will improve the SQ
    same for KATANA... you can feed the whole stack (total 4 boards including RPI) with 1 PSU... but better to use 4
    we just give the choice to the customer and there is nothing that can be done design wise... you just cant get the best SQ with 1 PSU.

    RCA connectors on the lower end DACs are what everyone uses , industry standard , with gold plated outer ring and inner pin.
    For the KATANA we went for much higher quality , full brass body and inner pin with full gold plating. It actually also helps with heat dissipation.

    We are still keeping the RPI HAT format since our products are streamers based on RPI.
    This form factor limits us on the connectors placements.

    thanks for your feedback and I hope to have shed some light on our design decisions.
    regards
    Andre
    Andre,

    thanks for taking the time to respond and explain your strategy. I understand your intent and decision to concentrate on Rpi "stacks". I also appreciate the option you offer to enhance the Katana SQ through multiple power supplies. However, let me suggest the following.

    Although your products offer very good vfm, Allo is now moving into a market where aesthetics and ergonomics become increasingly important. Although I think that the RPi is relatively simple to adapt for hifi purposes, many people on this "specialist" forum have expressed a reluctance to dabble or have been put off by the poor aesthetics.

    I am suggesting that Allo might begin to consider a way of offering enhanced configurations of its audiophile products. For example, with the Katana, this might include a more traditional case with a linear power supply to provide for tailored feeds to each board. Rather than stacking the 3 boards on top of a Raspberry Pi, I would have thought it would be possible to mount each board separately in the case so that the main connectors (ethernet, usb, rca and power) were all on the rear (including a pair of socketed XLR connectors). Personally, I would be willing to pay up to £200 for such a case with an integrated power supply.

    I don't have the electronic skills to design and market such a case, but it seems to be a simple challenge. In describing this, I am reminded of how the market for enhanced keybaords and cases for the Sinclair spectrum took off in the early 80s. Maybe, if Allo don't go down this path then someone on this forum might!

    Geoff

  9. #49
    Join Date: May 2016

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Further to my earlier post, I have just realised that what I am proposing can be achieved by simply splitting the Katana stack in two. The Rpi and first board could then be oriented towards the rear of a case so that the ethernet and usb ports faced rearward. The top two boards would then be repositioned through 90 degrees so that the RCA sockets and (added XLR sockets) would be alongside the ethernet and usb ports. All power connections would be made inside the case through a single linear power supply providing the requisite voltages for each board. The two sections would then be connected using a short ribbon connector.

    Is it this simple or have I got something wrong?


    Geoff

  10. #50
    Join Date: Aug 2016

    Location: France

    Posts: 198
    I'm allo.

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    hi again,

    thanks for all your valid points.
    you may want to know that...
    we are already designing the aluminum case which will be high end like the digione/boss one.
    we will probably make an XLR version as well.

    thanks and please stay tuned for progress.

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