So i have to decide what to do now. Im using the Allo since 3 weeks now and i really like it. I think i prefer the dac in oversampling bypassed ( OSF-B - ON), but if i have it on OFF, i like it aswell. So i have two totally different sound signatures in here. I think oversampling is better for gaming because it becomes a lot sharper if oversampling is enabled. Signature wise i would say is somewhat similar to my E30, but the allo sounds definetly better, fuller, more lively. The E30 is a bit dry in direct comparison. I honestly cant really hear much ( if any) difference when adjusting the filters or harmonics settings, or at least im not sure if i hear a difference. So i can almost treat the dac only with two main signatures - one sharp and analytic( oversampling) , the other one is a bit warmer, not as sharp, more relaxed, a bit thicker ( oversampling bypassed).
They both sound pretty good. I needed quite a bit of time to understand that there are actually differences between the allo and E30.
The thing is, that i somewhat tend to keep it for now, but on the other hand i think, that there can be more / better. It was 350ā¬ with power supply for me. If i double that, i could import a bifrost 2 ( roughly 700-780 after import i guess), which is highly praised here.
Other options would maybe be the Denafrips Ares 2 which i can buy in germany for 860ā¬.
Or maybe some of the local options in europe? Pro-Ject, Soekris etcā¦
Quite more expensive, but it would probably be the step that makes more sense for the future. Even if i really came to like the sound of the allo, i will definetly want a higher end dac in the future. Since i reached the point where i have headphones that cost a 1000ā¬ and more ( Clears, T1 and future things :D) it might be the right step. I dont really know, but i have to decide in the next days.
I would need to wait a bit longer to buy a more expensive dac, but i get more comfortable in saving for something i want instead of shelling out money all the time for cheaper things, so no problem here.
What would interest me quite a bit, is how something like the bifrost 2 or the more affordable Soekris options are compared to the allo ( especially in Bypassed oversampling mode, since i think it sounds better).
I guess something like the Topping D90 would signature wise be similar to Oversampling mode on the allo - sharper, cleaner, more analytical - only better.
Or should i maybe just keep the allo since i like it and maybe buy another headphoneā¦i know that i have to decide it in the end, but some advice would be lovely!
Itās a much more sizable step up, itās going to be a fairly bigger jump (a fair bit more significant than e30 to allo) would be a good way to sum it up
Somewhat yes, although you might find that itās a very small or no jump up with the d90 imo, as personally I donāt find the d90 to give much improvement as over an e30 already. There are improvements on paper but not really in actual listening
If you are satisfied with your headphones it go for the dac upgrade, but if you find your wanting a different sound overall it could make more sense to experiment with a new headphone
Im very happy with my headphones for now, i use my main three ones nearly every day ( Clear, T1.2 and ESP95/X). The only other thing i really want to try is the T1.3 but i want it to be a bit cheaper so i have to wait anyway.
I feel more like upgrading the dac since its the only piece that is in a ālowerā tier for now. My amps will stay for a while aswell since they are all i need ( for now)
I guessed thatā¦good to know! so i think i will skip options like the D90. I donĀ“t really care for better measurements of a dac.
Thank you for your advice M0N, always appreciated!
I think i will send it back than and search for a higher end option.
I was just playing escape from tarkov with my Topping E30 again after sending the allo back. I was wondering why the sound is weird since yesterday. I understood now. The allo was quite a bit better in spacial recreation and imaging i think. It was so much easier to hear the direction of sounds with the allo compared to the E30 - you just notice what you have lost when its gone
You might be able to get a Soekris 1321 used (discontinued) soon to be replaced by the 1221 (ā¦which might be even less expensive actually? No info for now).
Im always searching for something Soekris and affordable, but i have literally seen one 1541 for sale in germany/ europe in months. I dont search head-fi, maybe they sell more there. I want to buy inside europe, US might be easier to findā¦
maybe there will be something up sometime, i will see
This is probably a dumb question (and yes, there actually are dumb questions), but if Iām using an upsampling feature in Roon, is there any reason or benefit to bypassing the oversampling in the Revolution?
At least you only have one headphone jacked in at a time! In a dimly lit bedroom, with a bed partner like the G111, you could easily double up! - yes, gentler viewers look away!
@M0N Hey mon, do you still think this is the best option under $500? Iām looking for a dac to plug into my RNHP with a budget of 500 but as you said this price range has so few options.
Might be if itās strict <$500, but once Schiit gets caught up on production, it might be possible to find a used Bifrost for close to that range. Iāve seen a few go around $550, but Iām not sure how customs might impact that for you
I ended up getting a project pre box s2 dac from a local dealer, Iāll probably get to hear the revolution dac in the future or maybe when I upgrade I would skip the bf2 to go denafrips or RME which also have local dealers.
Considering I came from a Zen Dac the improvements were big.
The main improvement is they let the RNHP really do what its supposed to do, big, extended and very dynamic sound. A massive improvement overall.
When using it as a dac for my (now sold) krk 5g4 studio monitors the spatial information got so much better, noticeable improvement in depth.
Same goes with the little dot 2 mk2, what its supposed to do it does better.
Compared to the Zen Dac, pre box s2ās sound signature is brighter (bright but not as much as chifi dacs), with better bass extension and more body in the midrange, the zen dac sounds a little muddy and congested in comparison.
The preamp is freaking amazing, the volume control really feels like im turning up and down the amount of dbs I want, and the remote control works perfectly with windows 10.
Basing myself on Hans Beekhuyzen reviews, the allo revolution dac (with shanti) probably sounds a bit better and less bright, but we both really liked the plug and play nature of the pre box s2 dac. Very transparent dac for the price.
Well, Iāve done it now! I contacted Allo technical support regarding two issues on the Revolution DAC:
Max PCM sampling rate is 705kHz (16x 44.1kHz), but doesnāt support 768kHz (16x 48kHz).
44.1kHz based DSD plays great, but 48kHz based DSD crashes.
They released a ātestā firmware to try to address these issues. The 768kHz PCM is fixed (sweet!), but the 48kHz DSD still broken, and DSD files running at 48kHz are working as well. Maybe some issues still at DSD512 rate, but need to experiment more.
If anyone out there with a Revolution DAC is interested in joining me for a little firmware beta testing let me know, happy to point you to the firmware upgrade utility and new .bin files. Certainly a ābuyer bewareā situation, it is experimental firmware. But so far so goodā¦ fingers crossed.
