Allo Katana DAC

[Tim Curtis]

Hi,

I'm just setting up a placeholder thread for discussing the upcoming Katana DAC from Allo. If you want to get up to speed on it then head over to diyAudio.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendor-s-...ost5482016

A Katana should be on my test bench in a few weeks :-) Info and pics to follow!

-Tim

[DRONE7]

Looking forward to this....  your testing is most useful...;-)

[BryceJ]

Great to hear that there a a Katana coming your way!

[Terry]

Hi Tim,
Did you already received th Katana?
When will its driver be integrated in Moode?

thank you for your answer.
Terry

[Tim Curtis]

Hi Tim,
Did you already received th Katana?
When will its driver be integrated in Moode?

thank you for your answer.
Terry

Hi Terry,

Not yet. I think Allo is in the process of prepping the samples. Yes, the driver is already integrated into upcoming moOde 4.2 :-) There may also be custom settings for the DAC that I'll need to integrate but I won't know until after I receive the sample and the technical manual.

-Tim

[Man in a van]

Hi Tim,
Did you already received th Katana?
When will its driver be integrated in Moode?

thank you for your answer.
Terry

Hi Terry,

Not yet. I think Allo is in the process of prepping the samples. Yes, the driver is already integrated into upcoming moOde 4.2 :-) There may also be custom settings for the DAC that I'll need to integrate but I won't know until after I receive the sample and the technical manual.

-Tim

Release date given as July 17th

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthrea...post993503

Ronnie

[RafaPolit]

Watching this topic with great interest!

[Tim Curtis]

Hi,

Katana is on the test bench and playing music :-) Its an impressive work of design and engineering. The device driver seems rock solid and the ALSA interface is straight forward and easy to use. I'm just testing with a single PSU connected to the pigtail coming off the Katana board. The optimal config is to run it with 3 PSU's, one for each board in the stack. I have two more 5V 3A PSU's coming next week and then it will be time for some dedicated listening and more information to post about this exciting audio device :-)

NOTE: The last bit of software integration is complete and it provides a config UI for changing the ESS internal chip options including its digital filters, de-emphasis settings and DoP setting. Support for the ES9038 high-resolution 32-bit hardware volume controller is provided via the existing MPD config UI. Simply select Hardware volume :-)

                     

The plan is to release an in-place update for moOde 4.2 and updated version of the Builder that includes all the latest features, updates and bug fixes.

-Tim

[yannig]

Hi,

Katana is on the test bench and playing music :-) Its an impressive work of design and engineering. The device driver seems rock solid and the ALSA interface is straight forward and easy to use. I'm just testing with a single PSU connected to the pigtail coming off the Katana board. The optimal config is to run it with 3 PSU's, one for each board in the stack. I have two more 5V 3A PSU's coming next week and then it will be time for some dedicated listening and more information to post about this exciting audio device :-)

NOTE: The last bit of software integration is complete and it provides a config UI for changing the ESS internal chip options including its digital filters, de-emphasis settings and DoP setting. Support for the ES9038 high-resolution 32-bit hardware volume controller is provided via the existing MPD config UI. Simply select Hardware volume :-)

   

The plan is to release an in-place update for moOde 4.2 and updated version of the Builder that includes all the latest features, updates and bug fixes.

-Tim

I tested Sabre ESS dac many times, and I did not like any of them. Many of my professional relations have told me the same thing.
It might seem strange with ESS's marketing image, but it's like that.
So I think I'll do not try this one.

[RafaPolit]

Tim, what are your initial subjective impressions?