This guy is too good for this shit lol it always blows my mind I find the coolest smartest review/general product information thru the smaller UA-cam channels. Literally explain it like I am five and don’t sell/shill/hawk bullshit literally one of the best youtubers for this shit
Yep! Exactly the opposite to that Dutch old boomer Hans, who makes it so pretentiously difficult, that even the engineers behind these products, would have to look up their library.
Today I try Allo Shanty LPS connect with my Node 130 that has the PD creative modification. Node is connect with an external dac...Wow!the difference is perceptible, the sound is more open, natural, with less "digital" sensation...amazing!
Thank you so much for your review. I ordered one right away. I heard what you heard using the audiophonics liniar power supply, but I feel the Shanti appears more robust and has more capacitance. Keep up the great work. I subscribed as a patreon.
Srb you are the best. I learned more in 20 minutes about LPS and how they would fit into an audio system than a week of searching the web. I see where you are going with this. Raspberry Pi 4 and the Shanti. First class set up. I would love to see if you could compare the Raspberry Pi 4 to the Raspberry Pi3B+. I have been hearing the Pi4 has a more closed in feeling than the 3B+ due to the faster chip on the Pi4. IE does the Pi 3B+ sound better. Maybe one of your friends has a 3B+ to compare???Thank you Mark
I finally got one of these. Everything you said about the power supply has turned out to be true. I thin what's happening is that the blacker background allows details to emerge more fully. It's not that these details weren't audible previously. It's that they are now more prominent, but not in an intrusive way. I did note however, that my Raspberry Pi4 froze a short time after installing the power supply. That's never happened before. I rebooted and all has been well since, so I'm hoping that was just an anomaly. Thanks for the work you do here.
I use a similar LPS for a 6V SPDIF coax-optical converter and find really good sonic benefits. Thank you for your instructive video. I wish more DAC manufacturers would allow external power via LPS, as it makes so much sense.
Love this review and really looking forward to the audio comparison. I have seen other reviewers say "it is better" or go into all the technical details. But you give more shades to the greys and make me consider this unit again simply by how you explain your experience using it.
Is it advantageous to power the dirty board on an Allo digione signature with a clean power supply? Or should you just use a standard power supply and let the shanti power the clean board and a DAC? Cheers, ace video
I used the Nirvana (to power a Boss 2 Acrylic) for a couple of days and the sound has really improved quite a bit. I was so impressed, I ordered a Shanti for another system (to power a dac and a Raspberry Pi4-based streamer).
Thanks for sharing this information! Your video gave me enough informed opinion to try one of these. Obviously I was interested in the topic, but this was so much better than reading a review. Liked your presentation so much I subscribed. Thanks again...
Both can power Qutest just fine. Use 3A if you don't need it for anything else. But if at any point you aquire let's say a streamer that needs that more powerful side... You can move Qutest to 1A and it will work just fine.
...1. u are one of the best reviewers on this rank of stuffs (thank u for this and u have thumb up everytime from me)... 2. this device is useful, but rather overpriced (for example linear stabilized laboratory power supply cost much less money and do the same service - maybe better, because u can change voltage - is more versatile), but on other hand "we hifists", we are able to spend a lot of money for much more useless stuffs, like a stands for speaker cables for example... and in the end - i am sorry for my bad english...
Not for the first time I have "Taken your word for it". I have just ordered mine today along with an Ethernet galvanic Bridge. All the sonic improvements will I'm shore be wonderful but they're Merly a bonus in my case as I have a ground loop problem , so I have bought it as part of my ground loop solving measures. BRAVO always in formative always a fun watch 🖖
Hi. Loved this video and it triggered me buy the iFi iPower X for my Wiim Ultra streamer/DAC. My issue is I cannot figure out how to connect it together. The Ultra comes with its own power cord. Bought it on Amazon and they cannot help me. Any suggestions?
Wiim Ultra has an integrated power supply (opposed to external ones on Wiim Pro and Wiim Mini) and it is fed with AC voltage directly from the mains. So you can't use external power supplies like that with it.
Very crisp and detailed review as usual. There are some complains about the Shanti having a hum occasionally, have you ever faced this problem? I'm planning to get a power supply for my Allo Boss 2 and confused between this and the Nirvana. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you. ❤️❤️
No hum on my unit and my friend's unit. I guess that can also depend on the quality of the power installation too. Because some people complained about the hum in Hegel amps also, but mine is again dead silent.
Last year I commissioned a custom made linear PSU by Baldwin Hifi. One rail is a 3amp rail @ 24v DC to power 4 x Carnhill Transformers and the 2nd rail is 5 amp rail at 12v DC to power a few studio bits and my sound card (an old emu 1820m). I always loved the sound of the Emu however the Linear PSU has certainly improved the sound the old interface as it usually runs from the computers PSU. Love your channel. Subscribed.
Great review man, I understand that Allo Shanti has a lot of positive points in the reproduction, but what I ask is... Because this power supply allows more details in the sound, doesn't that make the sound a bit artificial and more tiring? Or does he have a bit of a veil to smooth the edges?
Strange you did not a comparison to the "famous", "cheap" and available Topping P50. I do not know where you live but in Europe you can find it for something like 110-120 euro directly from Amazon. It also has 2 rail and it is linear. Honestly, I found it astatically more pleasing and the smaller dimension could also play a big factor. So what do you think about it and how it compares?
Interesting to see the Weiliang Audio unit is available with 9V, or 12V, or 19V, or 24V - all separate units, that are set at the factory to a particular voltage. So, for other devices, like the Xduoo MT602 with a 12V power supply, or the MT601 with a 24V (I think?), it is good to have a linear power supply.Someone a long time ago, said that an amplifier (or really an audio system in general) is a modulated power supply. So, with a clean power supply, you end up with better sound quality.
Fantastic review, what speaker cables are you using ??? As u like bare wiring I tried at mine and yes sound improved.. another thing can you please make a review about your Cyrus Amp as I m sure lots of your subscribers including me want to know your thoughts on em . Thanks
Currently using Duelund 12GA 600V as a speaker cable. It's a very decent cable for the money. My Cyrus 8vs2 was a 14~15 years old amp so wasn't sure anyone would be interested... But I recently switched to Hegel H90 and I'll dedicate one video to it.
@@iiWiReviews thanks for replay .. if you look at Kelvin’s reviews from Stereo review x his channel is popular cos he does vintage gears reviews... now the way you explain things so effortlessly and in detail means a lot for your subscribers.. again thanks for your time for making your videos full of information with detailed information. Sure Cyrus will be appreciated as u had for over 10 years .. keep up the good work.
For the sake of accuracy: switching mode power supplies do have transformers inside them, except they are much much smaller for a given watt rating. The reason being the fact they run at much higher frequencies ( 40khz vs 50 or 60 Hz) which according to laws of physics allow reducing the amount of steel in the core and the turns number of both primary and secondary windings. Providing they are properly designed they can give much better results than the classic linear power supplies
Received mine, use it with a Limetree Network AKM version (streamer/DAC). Voices more natural compared to Ifi iPower and Allo Nirvana. Biggest change is the tamed down bass which is a good thing in my set up and room 👌🏻
Great video! Curious if you have tried a USB battery pack, like a Mophie? I use one to power my Pi4/Allo Boss combo, and it is noticeably better than the cheap Pi wall wart. The downside is only about 3 or 4 hours of listening before it is drained.
I haven't considered battery packs since my system is usually on for long hours (streamer is basically always on) and having to worry about charging just doesn't appeal to me.
I use the Bluesound Node as a streemer only. I use the chord qutest as my DAC. Is there any benefit to modifying the Node with the sbooster power supply kit?
That's interesting... Just found out about this. Do you think it would be worth to get a PL50 to pair with a Fiio K7 and a HE400se down the road? I use them via USB on my PC for games and some music.
I have ifi Zen One & Zen Can signature set, it comes with ipower 2. I want to change the power supply from ipower 2 to Allo shanti. Can I use the shanti for two device which are Zen One & Zen Can at the same time? The Shanti has two 5v output, but different A which are 1A & 3A. Is it OK?
Yes I did and to my ears improvement was easily noticeable (deeper soundstage, increased background darkness...). I was confronted for saying that in the Qutest review (manufacturer obviously claims that their free power brick is sufficient) but I still believe that Qutest owners should invest in a decent power supply.
I'll consider this to power a Silent Angel Bonn 8 ethernet switch and hopefully it does a good job so i won't have to buy the Silent Angel Forester F1 PSU. then there's the question of adding a Synergistic Research Orange fuse on each DC powered box
hello and thank you. Question: which power supply output you used in the Allo Shanti to power the chord quest? 1.2 A or 3 A? Cause i need the 1.2 to power the chromecast audio
I used 1.2 one case 3A was needed for a Raspberry Pi as a streamer. But you can always use the more powerful one. Voltages always have to be exact, but more power in Ampers cannot heart the device, cause it only takes from the PS the amount it needs.
thank you :) … another one: i have both streamer and dac using micro usb. Allo just has one micro usb adapter in bundle…. what would you buy? just a chinese usb c to micro usb adapter?
Would a portable cell phone charger, which is basically a big battery or a bunch of battery stuck in a metal casing work well? I've been running my streamer off of it and I think the results are good, but maybe there's something I don't know
Another great review! A question, please: How does it compare to WEILIANG PSU in terms of audible noise coming form the power supply unit itself? In other words, which one is QUIETER and how much quieter is it? Thanks
Both of my units are perfectly quiet without any audiable transformer noise. This, however, might also manifest itself differently in different homes. For example, Hegel amps can be noisy if mains power is not clean... I know people using power filters to get rid of it, but in my home two Hegels I used were completely quite too. So I might be lucky with a fairly clean mains power here... But that said both of these power supply are perfectly silent in my place.
Will you review the Allo Nirvana? Its a cheaper single rail solution. Price is nearly equal to the IFI. Or the Audiophonics lpsu25. For anyone who only needs 1 rail (streamer with integrated DAC like the Bluesound Node 2i).
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the reply. After some extensive research (as far as I can on the internet) it appears the Allo Shanti is almost as-good-as-it-gets for a 5VDC linear power supply. So I am wondering: if I would order the Allo Shanti and use only the 5V/3A rail, would that not harm the Allo Shanti (seeing it's using seperate rails I assume not, but what do you think)?
Quick question for those willing to help. I have fallen into a bit of this music bug...i have rasberry pi 4b, powering an ifi ZEN DAC v2 and driving a Hifiman Sundara headset. So the question is, would this improve sound when I only listen to EDM songs via Spotify connect?🤣
Most DACs and streamers are powered by 5 VDC which means that the whole AC to DC conversion (220 or 110 VAC to 5 VDC) is done outside of the device in the external power supply. That external power supply provided by the manufacturer is usually a small switching power supply costing few bucks, low in quality and high with noise. With amps, power supply is usually a part of the device itself and the device is powered with a 220/110 V AC directly so we cannot use external ones. Also, all better amps for speakers have linear power supply inside already (huge transformer with a decent bank of capacitors, etc.). Most of the amplifier weight and size actually belong to their power supply sections.
I have 2 x RPI4 (Server & Player), which Rpi would you advise to hook up with the Shanti PS? The server RPI4 has an external HDD attached to it & the player RPI4 is attached to the DAC.
Currawong on UA-cam also suggests you can use Apple 5V power supply for iPads and iPhones. He says they are lower noise (maybe not as low as those showed in this video).
I bought the Allo Shanti for my Chord Qutest, the difference was shocking!! Background became quieter (some call it more black), everything became more musical.. I am always very very sceptical, and I think there is a lot of snake oil in hifiland, to the point of insanity. But this PSU is sure not! The only thing I can Imagine why Rob Watts would say the supplied psu is good enough, because a good power supply makes the chord qutest sound to good!!
Glad you tried it. Many people give me stink eye for suggesting the opposite of what Rob is saying. But who doesn't try good LPS for themselves is leaving a big chunk of performance untapped.
@@iiWiReviews I love the cutest chord sound, especially with hqplayer which makes it amazing (it is like adding a mscaler) but Rob Watts I don’t like, with his insane prices, 13000 for dave, 6000 for a tt2, 6000 for a mscaler. yes they are good, but NOT that good! Still think it is a disgrace and disrespect, giving such a crapy psu with already quite expensive chord dac. And what makes it worse, his sad stories about how he could not afford hifi when he was young, so he started diy, and now charging 13000 for a dac… who are you fooling, seriously?
@@maruchok It should be perfect for Pi 4. I used Shanti's 3 A out for Pi 4 and it works flawlessly. I also used some 2.5A power supplies and that worked well too.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for your quick response. I only asked because I also have a Modibit 3 + connected to a Topping P 50 and the combo actually sounds better than my newly purchased Bifrost 2. (Amazing what more power can accomplish.) Not as wide or deep, but slightly better tonality (violins sound like they are made out of wood, and the bow out of cat-gut, and the sound resonates in the cavity of the violin). This resonating quality is toned down in the Bifrost 2 and almost completely absent in my Denifrips Ares II, regardless of the filter used. I’m tempted to send back my Bifrost while it is still in the return window, and maybe get a Gungnir.
@@iiWiReviews one more for the road. What if I connect this power supply in a ifi spdif ipurifier , its a small device that cleans the dac signals and reduces noise. And it has a usb 5v port that can be connected via external power supply. Would there be any sense or benefit connecting these things? thanks for the reply.
Yea , I see discontinued. Kinda leary of the other model you mentioned from China . Seems like the brand name has changed hand. I'm looking to upgrade my Chord Qutest power supply.
@@iiWiReviews thanks! this confirms my suspicion. hope one day you can get schiit bifrost 2 and compare with ares II. I sold my modi multibit & currently using Chord Mojo + P50. even with LPS, the SMSL could also not come close to the mojo. But sometimes I still miss the fun sound / staging of R2R.
@@iiWiReviews Which switch do you use? I plan to us this power supply: www.amazon.ca/iFi-iPower-DC-Power-Supply/dp/B010UYGA86 Since Amir from Audio Science Review debunked expensive switches like EtherRegen etc. stating that the spectrum of $640 switch vs $20 switch is absolutely identical at the DAC outputs. So it would make sense to buy a switch like DLINK DG-105 or similar and use power supply costing $50. Now I would assume it would not make sense to power such $50 switch with Shanti, which is expensive in comparison. Any subjective differences, Amir states, are due to placebo effect.
I use inexpensive D-link Dgs-108... It does make a difference when it's powered with a better power. I use this one simply because it was purchased for streamer and the second rail is unused. My friend uses iPower 5V with it and he's happy with it, he also noticed improvement. I don't have any experience with expensive audiophile switches so can't comment on that. Also, ASR measurements are OK but their understanding of those and conclusions are deeply flawed and misleading. Won't comment more on that, it's long and flammable topic.
I'm wondering if using batteries, being an even more budget option, would hold up against such a - to my wallet - fancy piece of kit. Have you looked into this and - if not - do you intend to, sometime? All that said, I always look forward to and enjoy your comprehensive reviews.
I haven't tried battery packs since I find it bothersome to worry about charging. My streamer works 24/7. I might explore it sometime just out of curiosity.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for that. Personally, I'm considering a large-ish battery backup bank, perhaps one of the Omnis, or smaller/cheaper, with two, or more, 5 volt, USB DC outs, on permanent charge from the mains. Even if it doesn't work out for the HIFI - although I don't yet know why it wouldn't - I'll have something to charge my devices.
Are the two outputs isolated from each other? I built a power supply for 3 dacs , a miniDSP crossover, and a TOSLINK switcher, with 15v and 5v outputs. I had to isolate the PSU from mains earth to eliminate high frequency noise. These were switching supplies though, isolated linear supplies would have been bigger and more expensive with little sonic advantage.
@@iiWiReviews The DACs are Topping D30, bought after your recommendation. They're a bit old now and there have been improvements in DACs generally, but none with the simplicity of operation that they have. The E30 would be overkill.
I don't, Ares II has its own linear power supply inside. That's why it's 3.5kg (big transformer, lots of capacitors)... But I use it when testing most other DACs. Soon the Chord Qutest will be one of those.
@@iiWiReviews What would be your expectation in regard to Denafrips Pontus, Venus and Terminator Plus when compared to Ares? According to Audio Science Review ultra precise measurements of the spectrum, even the Allo Boss2 has so low noise at the level -140dB to -120dB that it cannot be heard. If that is so, why would one buy anything more expensive than Allo Boss2? Are the differences you are hearing just a placebo effect and nothing else?
Do you think this power supply would bring the Topping d50s to another level? I have the old version of the Lavaudio DS600 which is a clone of the D50s, on a 5v 2 amp switching ps it does ok but there is a bit of something distortion/glare that you can feel and hear in comparison to say an AKM 4493 dac which is smoother. The Lavaudio is very detailed, I wouldn't call it overly bright as it is fairly linear in presentation but adding a better PS might do the trick. Additionally, I am picking up the same unit which has been upgraded to give an output voltage of 2.85 volts vs 2 volts in the older model. At the price, the Allo Shanti might be a good option. I like the size format of the Lavaudio and only need single ended output. If it improves the sound, I wouldn't be looking at higher priced Topping units such as D70S, D90, etc. If it brings the performance up, do you think there would be less distortion, a warmth to the presentation, what would you expect a PS such as this to do? Opinions are all that I'm looking for as I think I'm going to get one either way. If I really want to go bonkers with a dac, I would just get the "Gustard x26 Pro"...hint, hint.
Topping D50s reacts very nicely to a good power supply. But what I consider to be another level, you might not feel the same. That said, in my mind a good LPS is a long term investment since it can outlive several DAC changes.
Hey Srb. I notice your LS50's toed right in... I know all rooms are different but in my experimentation I never got close to that, and ended up with them almost straight ahead for a wide soundstage and good imaging in it. I may have to try more extreme toe in just to see what happens. I'm not sure this comment has a point, but neither to the majority of UA-cam comments so meh, here it is!
It depends a lot on your room reflections and size. Mine is small, if not toed in I get some midbass bloom. It's nice to experiment at least, might not sound good in your space but you loose nothing by trying.
Compared to my good Aqvox linear power supply unit (not manufactured anymore), the Topping P50 has a more open and deep soundstage. This is done by increasing the treble level. However, the bass and slam are lacking. Instruments sound thin and not natural.
@@stevenewtons7873 oh my :) I own a p50 and although my system is a bit too bass heavy, some instruments sound a bit too "thin" as you described. Back on a shopping frenzy again 😀 (ok maybe not ..)
@@iiWiReviews I am really waiting for this. I think you should NOT hear any difference between linear power supply vs switching one if you use them for the digital part of your audio (i.e. streamer or so) but when it comes to analogue (i.e. DAC) it... might. But I am still sceptical about the latter
I think that LPSU´s at this Time are one of the graetest Money-Printing-Machines in the Scene. And IMHO tells me one Story: the implemented PSU in the Gear are SO BAD CHOOSEN that you MUST buy a PSU for a better Reasult. STUPID.
It's a cost thing. SMPS cost pennies. Just the copper in the transformer would cost more. You can get up and running with a cheapo PS if you're happy stick with that. For the improvements made with a LPS IMHO it's money we'll spent. Did you watch the video?
Not stupid but rather a sad reality. There is actually a need for reliable info on good to decent PSU's for a realistic price but not a lot of youtubers dare to review this. If a lot of cheap stuff is made without a decent PSU (and there is lots of cheap chifi junk such as with the standard "free" tv modem you get that craps up after x months) where is a good one when you need one and what chifi stuff is just ok or decent ? Cables and LMPS vs SMPS are so controversial that you know you will get mud thrown at your face as soon as you review them. I say good on him he has the balls to review it and that deserves respect for the time he keeps on putting in these videos. To me, his reviews are not marketing BS where a review is repeating what the leaflet says or some reviewer "by chance" always reviews the latest of the same brand. I have seen enough reviews of this youtuber to take him serious.
This guy is too good for this shit lol it always blows my mind I find the coolest smartest review/general product information thru the smaller UA-cam channels. Literally explain it like I am five and don’t sell/shill/hawk bullshit literally one of the best youtubers for this shit
Yep! Exactly the opposite to that Dutch old boomer Hans, who makes it so pretentiously difficult, that even the engineers behind these products, would have to look up their library.
Thanks!
You continue to amaze me with the quality of your reviews. This was brilliant. Simple, concise and very informative. Thanks.
Loved your descriptions around 9:00 talking about air, decay and the sense of presence that’s possible in a revealing set-up.
This is a fantastic product, the review is spot on.
Made my Node 130 sound almost as good i was used to Hugo 2.
Today I try Allo Shanty LPS connect with my Node 130 that has the PD creative modification.
Node is connect with an external dac...Wow!the difference is perceptible, the sound is more open, natural, with less "digital" sensation...amazing!
Thank you so much for your review. I ordered one right away. I heard what you heard using the audiophonics liniar power supply, but I feel the Shanti appears more robust and has more capacitance. Keep up the great work. I subscribed as a patreon.
Srb you are the best. I learned more in 20 minutes about LPS and how they would fit into an audio system than a week of searching the web. I see where you are going with this. Raspberry Pi 4 and the Shanti. First class set up. I would love to see if you could compare the Raspberry Pi 4 to the Raspberry Pi3B+. I have been hearing the Pi4 has a more closed in feeling than the 3B+ due to the faster chip on the Pi4. IE does the Pi 3B+ sound better. Maybe one of your friends has a 3B+ to compare???Thank you Mark
I was using 3B+ and bought 4 just to compare them. So it's coming sometimes soon. :)
Thanks, very good information. Hope to see more like that...
I finally got one of these. Everything you said about the power supply has turned out to be true. I thin what's happening is that the blacker background allows details to emerge more fully. It's not that these details weren't audible previously. It's that they are now more prominent, but not in an intrusive way. I did note however, that my Raspberry Pi4 froze a short time after installing the power supply. That's never happened before. I rebooted and all has been well since, so I'm hoping that was just an anomaly. Thanks for the work you do here.
I use a similar LPS for a 6V SPDIF coax-optical converter and find really good sonic benefits. Thank you for your instructive video. I wish more DAC manufacturers would allow external power via LPS, as it makes so much sense.
Love this review and really looking forward to the audio comparison. I have seen other reviewers say "it is better" or go into all the technical details. But you give more shades to the greys and make me consider this unit again simply by how you explain your experience using it.
Once again a great video! Please compare Allo shanti with Allo-Nirvana-SMPS. It has less than half of the price of the former.
Is it advantageous to power the dirty board on an Allo digione signature with a clean power supply? Or should you just use a standard power supply and let the shanti power the clean board and a DAC?
Cheers, ace video
I used the Nirvana (to power a Boss 2 Acrylic) for a couple of days and the sound has really improved quite a bit. I was so impressed, I ordered a Shanti for another system (to power a dac and a Raspberry Pi4-based streamer).
Thanks for sharing this information! Your video gave me enough informed opinion to try one of these. Obviously I was interested in the topic, but this was so much better than reading a review. Liked your presentation so much I subscribed. Thanks again...
Great review! Very clear and useful information! Thank you!
Great vid as usual. Would the Shanti be good for my Chord Qutest? Which output the 3 amp or 1 amp would be best?
Both can power Qutest just fine. Use 3A if you don't need it for anything else. But if at any point you aquire let's say a streamer that needs that more powerful side... You can move Qutest to 1A and it will work just fine.
Love your channel great information! Question for you if you have a moment.Can you use the The Allo Shanti power supply with the bluesound node nano?
...1. u are one of the best reviewers on this rank of stuffs (thank u for this and u have thumb up everytime from me)... 2. this device is useful, but rather overpriced (for example linear stabilized laboratory power supply cost much less money and do the same service - maybe better, because u can change voltage - is more versatile), but on other hand "we hifists", we are able to spend a lot of money for much more useless stuffs, like a stands for speaker cables for example... and in the end - i am sorry for my bad english...
Not for the first time I have "Taken your word for it". I have just ordered mine today along with an Ethernet galvanic Bridge.
All the sonic improvements will I'm shore be wonderful but they're Merly a bonus in my case as I have a ground loop problem , so I have bought it as part of my ground loop solving measures.
BRAVO always in formative always a fun watch 🖖
Great video mate! Thanks. Will this power the Chord Hugo TT2 and M-Scaler combination?
Great info. Thank you and keep it up.
Brilliant review.
Another great video - thanks you!
How is this Allo LPS compared to Topping P50, which is now priced at $120 on Amaron? Thx.
hows it compare to the Burson supercharger? It way less expensive than that but seems so much more bang for the buck.
Hi. Loved this video and it triggered me buy the iFi iPower X for my Wiim Ultra streamer/DAC. My issue is I cannot figure out how to connect it together. The Ultra comes with its own power cord. Bought it on Amazon and they cannot help me. Any suggestions?
Wiim Ultra has an integrated power supply (opposed to external ones on Wiim Pro and Wiim Mini) and it is fed with AC voltage directly from the mains. So you can't use external power supplies like that with it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks. I am vindicated. Luckily I have other Wiims! $$$ sent.
That's great. It should make a difference with them. Thanks for the support!
Hi there, would this apply to the cyan 2 also? Or would that require a different type of power supply?
Very crisp and detailed review as usual. There are some complains about the Shanti having a hum occasionally, have you ever faced this problem?
I'm planning to get a power supply for my Allo Boss 2 and confused between this and the Nirvana. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you. ❤️❤️
No hum on my unit and my friend's unit. I guess that can also depend on the quality of the power installation too. Because some people complained about the hum in Hegel amps also, but mine is again dead silent.
Last year I commissioned a custom made linear PSU by Baldwin Hifi. One rail is a 3amp rail @ 24v DC to power 4 x Carnhill Transformers and the 2nd rail is 5 amp rail at 12v DC to power a few studio bits and my sound card (an old emu 1820m). I always loved the sound of the Emu however the Linear PSU has certainly improved the sound the old interface as it usually runs from the computers PSU. Love your channel. Subscribed.
Love the video. How can you use this power supply with a Topping D70s or does it not need it? Thanks.
It's not needed and also can't be used with D70s. Unlike most cheaper DACs, D70s has an integrated power supply.
@@iiWiReviews But this could be hacked by the handyman ;-)
Do you think it will improve the sound quality though?
Great review man, I understand that Allo Shanti has a lot of positive points in the reproduction, but what I ask is...
Because this power supply allows more details in the sound, doesn't that make the sound a bit artificial and more tiring? Or does he have a bit of a veil to smooth the edges?
Strange you did not a comparison to the "famous", "cheap" and available Topping P50. I do not know where you live but in Europe you can find it for something like 110-120 euro directly from Amazon. It also has 2 rail and it is linear. Honestly, I found it astatically more pleasing and the smaller dimension could also play a big factor. So what do you think about it and how it compares?
Great video I purchased used one paid $C125.00 is great upgrade
Great review 👍, thanks
Interesting to see the Weiliang Audio unit is available with 9V, or 12V, or 19V, or 24V - all separate units, that are set at the factory to a particular voltage. So, for other devices, like the Xduoo MT602 with a 12V power supply, or the MT601 with a 24V (I think?), it is good to have a linear power supply.Someone a long time ago, said that an amplifier (or really an audio system in general) is a modulated power supply. So, with a clean power supply, you end up with better sound quality.
Fantastic review, what speaker cables are you using ??? As u like bare wiring I tried at mine and yes sound improved.. another thing can you please make a review about your Cyrus Amp as I m sure lots of your subscribers including me want to know your thoughts on em . Thanks
Currently using Duelund 12GA 600V as a speaker cable. It's a very decent cable for the money. My Cyrus 8vs2 was a 14~15 years old amp so wasn't sure anyone would be interested... But I recently switched to Hegel H90 and I'll dedicate one video to it.
@@iiWiReviews thanks for replay .. if you look at Kelvin’s reviews from Stereo review x his channel is popular cos he does vintage gears reviews... now the way you explain things so effortlessly and in detail means a lot for your subscribers.. again thanks for your time for making your videos full of information with detailed information.
Sure Cyrus will be appreciated as u had for over 10 years .. keep up the good work.
@@zindahoon Interesting info and viewpoint. Thanks for the input, I'll have that in mind.
Nice review and great content as always. Have you ever tried the sbooster mkII as a power supply for the Pi4?
Please make a comparison of the Allo Shanti to the Topping P50 since both can be cross-shopped when looking for a linear power supply at a budget.
For the sake of accuracy: switching mode power supplies do have transformers inside them, except they are much much smaller for a given watt rating.
The reason being the fact they run at much higher frequencies ( 40khz vs 50 or 60 Hz) which according to laws of physics allow reducing the amount of steel in the core and the turns number of both primary and secondary windings.
Providing they are properly designed they can give much better results than the classic linear power supplies
Hi! Like many other Allo Shanti owners I have been experiencing transformer hum in Allo Shanti. What could be the solution? Thanks.
Can you compare this with Topping P50?
Received mine, use it with a Limetree Network AKM version (streamer/DAC). Voices more natural compared to Ifi iPower and Allo Nirvana. Biggest change is the tamed down bass which is a good thing in my set up and room 👌🏻
Great video! Curious if you have tried a USB battery pack, like a Mophie? I use one to power my Pi4/Allo Boss combo, and it is noticeably better than the cheap Pi wall wart. The downside is only about 3 or 4 hours of listening before it is drained.
I haven't considered battery packs since my system is usually on for long hours (streamer is basically always on) and having to worry about charging just doesn't appeal to me.
Mi consigli questo alimentatore con wiim pro plus e dac smls su 1? Avrei un miglioramento? Grazie e complimenti.
Can anyone compare it with sbooster mk2? Any experience?
I use the Bluesound Node as a streemer only. I use the chord qutest as my DAC. Is there any benefit to modifying the Node with the sbooster power supply kit?
That's interesting... Just found out about this. Do you think it would be worth to get a PL50 to pair with a Fiio K7 and a HE400se down the road? I use them via USB on my PC for games and some music.
I have ifi Zen One & Zen Can signature set, it comes with ipower 2. I want to change the power supply from ipower 2 to Allo shanti. Can I use the shanti for two device which are Zen One & Zen Can at the same time? The Shanti has two 5v output, but different A which are 1A & 3A. Is it OK?
Did you try the Allo Shanti with the Qutest? If you did was there much improvement?
Yes I did and to my ears improvement was easily noticeable (deeper soundstage, increased background darkness...). I was confronted for saying that in the Qutest review (manufacturer obviously claims that their free power brick is sufficient) but I still believe that Qutest owners should invest in a decent power supply.
I'll consider this to power a Silent Angel Bonn 8 ethernet switch and hopefully it does a good job so i won't have to buy the Silent Angel Forester F1 PSU. then there's the question of adding a Synergistic Research Orange fuse on each DC powered box
Cool psu with a reasonable price tag. How about having a Khadas Tone Board or any DAC, that takes data and power from the same usb port?
hello and thank you. Question: which power supply output you used in the Allo Shanti to power the chord quest? 1.2 A or 3 A? Cause i need the 1.2 to power the chromecast audio
I used 1.2 one case 3A was needed for a Raspberry Pi as a streamer. But you can always use the more powerful one. Voltages always have to be exact, but more power in Ampers cannot heart the device, cause it only takes from the PS the amount it needs.
thank you :) … another one: i have both streamer and dac using micro usb. Allo just has one micro usb adapter in bundle…. what would you buy? just a chinese usb c to micro usb adapter?
Would a portable cell phone charger, which is basically a big battery or a bunch of battery stuck in a metal casing work well? I've been running my streamer off of it and I think the results are good, but maybe there's something I don't know
do you reccomend a dac with (hands down) great power supply by itself ?
Budget one - Loxjie D30
Mid tier - SMSL SU-9
Higher tier - Denafrips Ares II
@@iiWiReviews thanx !
@@iiWiReviews Thanx .Finally bought SU9 because is on sale on Aliexpress right now.
Good tips! Thank you once more. From here, the wires seem too long and of inferior quality, but inside looks a robust gear😊
WELL DONE MY FRIEND THANKS
A cheapy thing to do for USB powered devices, try a GaN Fet USB charger. I notice a big improvement for only 14 bucks
Another great review!
A question, please: How does it compare to WEILIANG PSU in terms of audible noise coming form the power supply unit itself? In other words, which one is QUIETER and how much quieter is it? Thanks
Both of my units are perfectly quiet without any audiable transformer noise. This, however, might also manifest itself differently in different homes. For example, Hegel amps can be noisy if mains power is not clean... I know people using power filters to get rid of it, but in my home two Hegels I used were completely quite too. So I might be lucky with a fairly clean mains power here... But that said both of these power supply are perfectly silent in my place.
Yep, the only thing missing from my resolving system is squeaky chairs and breathing singers. Lol. :)
Yeah, no squeaky chairs - no fun, it is known. 😄
Have have the Marrantz Pm7000n Amp connected to my WiiM Pro Streamer. So would I connect this power supply to both of those?
Will you review the Allo Nirvana? Its a cheaper single rail solution. Price is nearly equal to the IFI. Or the Audiophonics lpsu25. For anyone who only needs 1 rail (streamer with integrated DAC like the Bluesound Node 2i).
If I can import it without taxes and shipping doubling the price I will. I'll look into it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the reply.
After some extensive research (as far as I can on the internet) it appears the Allo Shanti is almost as-good-as-it-gets for a 5VDC linear power supply. So I am wondering: if I would order the Allo Shanti and use only the 5V/3A rail, would that not harm the Allo Shanti (seeing it's using seperate rails I assume not, but what do you think)?
Hi would this be suitable for the Mytek Brooklyn plus? I am in the UK and voltage is generally 240 to 230 not 220 will this be significant?
230/240 V will not be a problem. Just be sure that Mytek Brooklyn uses 5 V and no more than 3 A.
@@iiWiReviews i'm think the Mytek Brooklyn DAC needs 12 V like my Liberty DAC
How did you connect your smsl500 mk11 to this unit?
Thank You
Can anyone make a comparison with IFI ipower X ?
I just got one in, am I seeing correctly that it does not have any safety certifications?
Quick question for those willing to help. I have fallen into a bit of this music bug...i have rasberry pi 4b, powering an ifi ZEN DAC v2 and driving a Hifiman Sundara headset. So the question is, would this improve sound when I only listen to EDM songs via Spotify connect?🤣
The Weilling does it take both 120 and 220v?
Can u recommend a linear power supply for ifi zen stream?
Thanks for this! Just wondering, why the focus on dacs / streamers, but not amps? Do amps not benefit from upgrading power supply?
Most DACs and streamers are powered by 5 VDC which means that the whole AC to DC conversion (220 or 110 VAC to 5 VDC) is done outside of the device in the external power supply. That external power supply provided by the manufacturer is usually a small switching power supply costing few bucks, low in quality and high with noise. With amps, power supply is usually a part of the device itself and the device is powered with a 220/110 V AC directly so we cannot use external ones. Also, all better amps for speakers have linear power supply inside already (huge transformer with a decent bank of capacitors, etc.). Most of the amplifier weight and size actually belong to their power supply sections.
How would it compare to a 5V battery power bank?
I have 2 x RPI4 (Server & Player), which Rpi would you advise to hook up with the Shanti PS? The server RPI4 has an external HDD attached to it & the player RPI4 is attached to the DAC.
Player one that's closer to the DAC should have more impact.
does a linear power supply improve portable devices like ifi hipdac/signature/diablo ?
thank you,
They use batteries that are already low noise and all power goes through them, so no - LPS shouldn't make any difference for those.
Currawong on UA-cam also suggests you can use Apple 5V power supply for iPads and iPhones. He says they are lower noise (maybe not as low as those showed in this video).
I bought the Allo Shanti for my Chord Qutest, the difference was shocking!! Background became quieter (some call it more black), everything became more musical.. I am always very very sceptical, and I think there is a lot of snake oil in hifiland, to the point of insanity. But this PSU is sure not! The only thing I can Imagine why Rob Watts would say the supplied psu is good enough, because a good power supply makes the chord qutest sound to good!!
Glad you tried it. Many people give me stink eye for suggesting the opposite of what Rob is saying. But who doesn't try good LPS for themselves is leaving a big chunk of performance untapped.
@@iiWiReviews I love the cutest chord sound, especially with hqplayer which makes it amazing (it is like adding a mscaler) but Rob Watts I don’t like, with his insane prices, 13000 for dave, 6000 for a tt2, 6000 for a mscaler. yes they are good, but NOT that good! Still think it is a disgrace and disrespect, giving such a crapy psu with already quite expensive chord dac. And what makes it worse, his sad stories about how he could not afford hifi when he was young, so he started diy, and now charging 13000 for a dac… who are you fooling, seriously?
What do you think about Allo NIRVANA SMPS?
I haven't tried that one yet, so can't say anything.
@@iiWiReviews i want to try it for raspberry pi 4, bud don't know if it enough power (5v 2.85A)
@@maruchok It should be perfect for Pi 4. I used Shanti's 3 A out for Pi 4 and it works flawlessly. I also used some 2.5A power supplies and that worked well too.
Does anyone know if I need two of the Shanti for Allo DigiOne Signature?
Does it switch between 110v and 230v?
Can you run 2 streamers at 5v each Thanks
Can this be used to boost the Schiit Bifrost 2 Dac, which has a built in linear ps?
No it can, and you're good anyway with integrated LPS. This is for the DACs that cheap-out on a power supply and leave it to a small wall wart.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for your quick response. I only asked because I also have a Modibit 3 + connected to a Topping P 50 and the combo actually sounds better than my newly purchased Bifrost 2. (Amazing what more power can accomplish.) Not as wide or deep, but slightly better tonality (violins sound like they are made out of wood, and the bow out of cat-gut, and the sound resonates in the cavity of the violin). This resonating quality is toned down in the Bifrost 2 and almost completely absent in my Denifrips Ares II, regardless of the filter used. I’m tempted to send back my Bifrost while it is still in the return window, and maybe get a Gungnir.
but my dac doesn't have dc power jacks just a power inlet. So i connect power cable with it. How would i use this linear power supply with that dac?
You wouldn't because that DAC has a power supply built in already. There is no upgrade path in that case.
@@iiWiReviews one more for the road. What if I connect this power supply in a ifi spdif ipurifier , its a small device that cleans the dac signals and reduces noise. And it has a usb 5v port that can be connected via external power supply. Would there be any sense or benefit connecting these things? thanks for the reply.
vs Topping P50 ?
Are they still available to purchase?
It seems that most Allo products are out of stock lately. I don't know why and when they will be restocked.
Yea , I see discontinued. Kinda leary of the other model you mentioned from China . Seems like the brand name has changed hand. I'm looking to upgrade my Chord Qutest power supply.
Do you have any idea if adding a linear PSU would give an entry level DAC closer to, say an M400? (for example SMSL sk10mkII + LPS)
It gets it closer but still not close enough. Even SU-9 vs SK10MKII + LPS... SU-9 wins easily to my ears.
@@iiWiReviews thanks! this confirms my suspicion. hope one day you can get schiit bifrost 2 and compare with ares II. I sold my modi multibit & currently using Chord Mojo + P50. even with LPS, the SMSL could also not come close to the mojo. But sometimes I still miss the fun sound / staging of R2R.
which one to use to power ethernet switch?
I use 1A out for switch and 3A out for streamer (as my DAC is powered directly from 220V).
@@iiWiReviews Which switch do you use?
I plan to us this power supply:
www.amazon.ca/iFi-iPower-DC-Power-Supply/dp/B010UYGA86
Since Amir from Audio Science Review debunked expensive switches like EtherRegen etc. stating that the spectrum of $640 switch vs $20 switch is absolutely identical at the DAC outputs. So it would make sense to buy a switch like DLINK DG-105 or similar and use power supply costing $50. Now I would assume it would not make sense to power such $50 switch with Shanti, which is expensive in comparison. Any subjective differences, Amir states, are due to placebo effect.
I use inexpensive D-link Dgs-108... It does make a difference when it's powered with a better power. I use this one simply because it was purchased for streamer and the second rail is unused. My friend uses iPower 5V with it and he's happy with it, he also noticed improvement. I don't have any experience with expensive audiophile switches so can't comment on that.
Also, ASR measurements are OK but their understanding of those and conclusions are deeply flawed and misleading. Won't comment more on that, it's long and flammable topic.
wow nice psu this is interesting
How about LPSU from topping which you can stack... it’s at a good price but don’t know about performance..? 🥸
P50... Never tried that one unfortunately.
The P50 has 3 rails: 2 5V/1A and 1 15V/1A. None of the 5V has enough juice for RPi.
@@marklong982 don’t need for rPi personally but I agree if you need that...
Biggest phone charger ever 😉
I'm wondering if using batteries, being an even more budget option, would hold up against such a - to my wallet - fancy piece of kit.
Have you looked into this and - if not - do you intend to, sometime?
All that said, I always look forward to and enjoy your comprehensive reviews.
I haven't tried battery packs since I find it bothersome to worry about charging. My streamer works 24/7. I might explore it sometime just out of curiosity.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for that.
Personally, I'm considering a large-ish battery backup bank, perhaps one of the Omnis, or smaller/cheaper, with two, or more, 5 volt, USB DC outs, on permanent charge from the mains.
Even if it doesn't work out for the HIFI - although I don't yet know why it wouldn't - I'll have something to charge my devices.
I have a parasound new classic 200 integrated amplifier.. (built-in dac) not sure if this shanti will help me..
Not for integrated solutions... Only for external devices powered with 5V DC.
Fiio pl50? Any good
Are the two outputs isolated from each other? I built a power supply for 3 dacs , a miniDSP crossover, and a TOSLINK switcher, with 15v and 5v outputs. I had to isolate the PSU from mains earth to eliminate high frequency noise. These were switching supplies though, isolated linear supplies would have been bigger and more expensive with little sonic advantage.
Allo claims that rails are separately filtered and galvanically isolated.
@@iiWiReviews The DACs are Topping D30, bought after your recommendation. They're a bit old now and there have been improvements in DACs generally, but none with the simplicity of operation that they have. The E30 would be overkill.
How do you power an Ares II with this?
I don't, Ares II has its own linear power supply inside. That's why it's 3.5kg (big transformer, lots of capacitors)... But I use it when testing most other DACs. Soon the Chord Qutest will be one of those.
@@iiWiReviews What would be your expectation in regard to Denafrips Pontus, Venus and Terminator Plus when compared to Ares? According to Audio Science Review ultra precise measurements of the spectrum, even the Allo Boss2 has so low noise at the level -140dB to -120dB that it cannot be heard. If that is so, why would one buy anything more expensive than Allo Boss2? Are the differences you are hearing just a placebo effect and nothing else?
Do you think this power supply would bring the Topping d50s to another level? I have the old version of the Lavaudio DS600 which is a clone of the D50s, on a 5v 2 amp switching ps it does ok but there is a bit of something distortion/glare that you can feel and hear in comparison to say an AKM 4493 dac which is smoother. The Lavaudio is very detailed, I wouldn't call it overly bright as it is fairly linear in presentation but adding a better PS might do the trick.
Additionally, I am picking up the same unit which has been upgraded to give an output voltage of 2.85 volts vs 2 volts in the older model. At the price, the Allo Shanti might be a good option. I like the size format of the Lavaudio and only need single ended output. If it improves the sound, I wouldn't be looking at higher priced Topping units such as D70S, D90, etc. If it brings the performance up, do you think there would be less distortion, a warmth to the presentation, what would you expect a PS such as this to do?
Opinions are all that I'm looking for as I think I'm going to get one either way.
If I really want to go bonkers with a dac, I would just get the "Gustard x26 Pro"...hint, hint.
Topping D50s reacts very nicely to a good power supply. But what I consider to be another level, you might not feel the same. That said, in my mind a good LPS is a long term investment since it can outlive several DAC changes.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you for replying.
Can we use allo shanti to power ifi zen stream
Zen Stream uses 12V power supply, so no you can't.
Hey Srb. I notice your LS50's toed right in... I know all rooms are different but in my experimentation I never got close to that, and ended up with them almost straight ahead for a wide soundstage and good imaging in it. I may have to try more extreme toe in just to see what happens. I'm not sure this comment has a point, but neither to the majority of UA-cam comments so meh, here it is!
It depends a lot on your room reflections and size. Mine is small, if not toed in I get some midbass bloom. It's nice to experiment at least, might not sound good in your space but you loose nothing by trying.
Bit surprised that you didn't compare it to the topping p50
Compared to my good Aqvox linear power supply unit (not manufactured anymore), the Topping P50 has a more open and deep soundstage. This is done by increasing the treble level. However, the bass and slam are lacking. Instruments sound thin and not natural.
@@stevenewtons7873 oh my :) I own a p50 and although my system is a bit too bass heavy, some instruments sound a bit too "thin" as you described. Back on a shopping frenzy again 😀 (ok maybe not ..)
@@nir8924 Besides the Allo Shanti LPSU, you might want to have a look at the LPSU from Audiophonics, although the front panel is not that great.
I'll look it up, 10x!
no demo comparing to switching PS? bad :-(
I promised it at the end of the video. :) Haven't recorded it yet but sometimes in the next few weeks.
@@iiWiReviews I am really waiting for this. I think you should NOT hear any difference between linear power supply vs switching one if you use them for the digital part of your audio (i.e. streamer or so) but when it comes to analogue (i.e. DAC) it... might. But I am still sceptical about the latter
That cannot improve sound quality. Its just a waste of money.
I think that LPSU´s at this Time are one of the graetest Money-Printing-Machines
in the Scene. And IMHO tells me one Story:
the implemented PSU in the Gear are SO BAD CHOOSEN
that you MUST buy a PSU for a better Reasult. STUPID.
It's a cost thing. SMPS cost pennies. Just the copper in the transformer would cost more. You can get up and running with a cheapo PS if you're happy stick with that. For the improvements made with a LPS IMHO it's money we'll spent.
Did you watch the video?
Not stupid but rather a sad reality. There is actually a need for reliable info on good to decent PSU's for a realistic price but not a lot of youtubers dare to review this. If a lot of cheap stuff is made without a decent PSU (and there is lots of cheap chifi junk such as with the standard "free" tv modem you get that craps up after x months) where is a good one when you need one and what chifi stuff is just ok or decent ? Cables and LMPS vs SMPS are so controversial that you know you will get mud thrown at your face as soon as you review them. I say good on him he has the balls to review it and that deserves respect for the time he keeps on putting in these videos. To me, his reviews are not marketing BS where a review is repeating what the leaflet says or some reviewer "by chance" always reviews the latest of the same brand. I have seen enough reviews of this youtuber to take him serious.