PSU for RPi 2 + Allo Boss 1.2

Hello, I am really confused on what the best way of powering this combo is.
Can I use a 2.4a phone charger to power them both?
Or should I buy a Allo 5v 3a charger together with my Boss for £13
I want to keep my budget down to around £25 for the PSU.

Is something like a ifi 5v PSU actually worth £50? It is almost as much as the Allo Boss!

Hi there DNA

I have an Allo Boss 1.2 and a RPi 3b+. A few months ago I bought an iFi power supply for the Boss. It made things noticeably clearer and crisper.

Thanks for the reply.
What did you use before the iFi PSU?
Do you have it connected to the Allo Boss only?

I have the former Boss.
I use it in combination with an Allo Isolator.
The pi is powered by an iPad charger and the Isolator is powered by a custom made PSU.
The PSU is made from the http://www.tentlabs.com/Products/Tubeamp/Tubeheater/index.html and a colloidal transformer.
After upgrading to the Isolator in combination with the PSU things really started to swing!
Soundstage is much clearer and spacier.
Not really £25,- solution, but really worth every penny!

EDIT: Sorry ignore this post (or mods please delete it)

Thank you for your suggestion! You really seem to know your stuff.
I think I am going to keep it simple for now and use the Allo PSU to power the Boss 1.2 via USB C for now but upgrade in the future.
To use the Tube Heater supply you linked in your post I need to get an Isolator? Also what is a colloidal transformer? Sorry this is all a bit alien to me but I like the fact that I can upgrade in the future!

Hi DNA,

It depends of how you listen your music:

1 - background music, radio and easy listening: use any PSU and any DAC. Even the normal Rpi headphone out-put is good enough. Use some smart phone charger or better some tablet charger because the last ones can provide generally more current output (2-3 A per port)

2 - you want to listen and enjoy your favourite music and want to hear as much as possible details: you have some good sounding loudspeakers and you decided to use a proper DAC (Allo Boss 2.1). Then I would recommend to buy a proper PSU.

If money is an issue, keep the money for buying later a good power supply. Maybe you could try a power bank as a power source.

I would personally recommend to use anything you have for this moment. Don’t pay 30 bucks for just another smart phone charger.
You could buy an iFi PSU for 50€ but it is still a switching supply.

Keep the money and invest in a toroidal power supply. You can find some starting with 100€. I bought such a power supply at Audiophonics. If you need a link you can take a look on the Volumio forum or ask me (PM).

Don’t forget: buy cheap, buy twice!

This would be my recommendation.

See you around!

Regards
Adrian

Before I bought the i-Fi power supply, I was powering both the Pi and the Boss using a standard Pi power supply.

Mmm, autocorrect got me i suppose: toroidal transformer :wink:

I tend to use wall-warts, and this article shows why:

archimago.blogspot.com/2018/12/m … l?m=1#more

Chris M

Hi,

It is really cool to see some measurements. I like measurements because they are not subjective.

Until now I believed the numerous reports telling that the sound quality is depending on three major factors:
1 - DAC Chip
2 - Amplification stage
3 - Power supply.

Regarding the importance of the power supply, please take a look here:
youtu.be/L_i8UTa4rw4

or here:
youtu.be/fR91YY5GNv8
psaudio.com/ask-paul/

My questions is: if we can not measure a difference, why can we hear it. I really do believe that different components generate a different sound and their quality is a decisive factor.

My philosophy is that the entire audio set must be in the same price range, other ways we are in the area of diminishing returns and the audible differences do not match the invested money.

Regards
Adrian

Yes, but…

From the May 2016 posting (archimago.blogspot.com/2016/05/m … .html#more):

“In any event, I found no difference going from the “freebie” SMPS I have been using for the ODROID-C2 compared to a Li-ion battery on the DAC analogue output…”

There’s an awful lot of faith-based thinking in relation to matters of choice such as audio playback equipment. Confirmation bias runs amok when propaganda is consumed as reality and we make purchasing decisions based on this propaganda; it’s absolutely clear that my van den Hul USB cable ‘sounds’ better because it cost my left kidney and all three grandmothers…

If you fight off the demons of doubt and just settle down to listen to the music, you get used to what you have and it (in the case of the RPi + any competent DAC) will sound good.

I’m sorry, I’m arguing in favour of not spending money on kit, and thereby plunging the Western economies into headlong gloom… I am a dreadful person :smiley: ,

Chris M