Allo did it again
As you know, since Allo stepped into the SBC related audio scene, they proved to be a constant source of satisfaction. And they did not disappoint with their latest creation: the Allo Boss Master DAC.
A Master DAC does not take the clock from the PI itself but rather uses a separate clock (oscillators, 2 are needed, one for 22hz and 24hz and their multiples). This way the whole audio digital path is played with considerably less jitter. This is nothing particularly fancy, as almost any I2S DAC uses this approach. But the Boss takes this concept to its pinnacle, by adding some rather clever stuff around this design principle:
– The BOSS features 3 different power rails, each one with its own individual filtering. One for the DAC chip itself and the digital side, one for the analog stage and one for the oscillators. This means very low noise floor and better clock accuracy. Basically this dramatically improves details, dynamics as well as rythm and pace of the musical representation
– Film capacitors on the output stage to reduce distortion, coupled with a super-capacitor to enhance bass reproduction
– Very good NDK oscillators, to get jitter as low as possible.
Long story short, I love how the BOSS sounds. In my opinion the Allo Boss is the real best buy for people wanting to get a great sounding I2S DAC for their Raspberry PI at a reasonable price. Its sound signature can be summarized as:
- Punchy yet controlled bass
- Balanced character
- Super silent, great dynamics and instrumental separation
- Amazing with acoustic guitars and bass guitars
- Very engaging musical representation, thanks to great PRat
You can read my full review here, another great one on Roon’s community forum
And the good news is that the BOSS is finally available on Volumio’s Shop. Shipping will start around 24 of February from India , while EU orders will ship around 28 February.
You can get yours HERE