Kali The Goddess of Time
Every SBC has a crystal that it used to send digital signals to your DACs.
The accuracy of this crystal is very important in how well the DAC will transform the digital signal into analog sounds. Simply put: a better crystal means a better sound! Most SBCs use a very cheap crystal with lots of jitter in order to save costs.
Furthermore, there are 2 kinds of frequencies for digital files: 44.1Khz (wave files) and 48khz (streamed music). Some SBCs (like RPIs) can output only 48Khz, so imagine the degradation of the sound that was recorded at a different frequency.
Kali will solve both of those problems
First, it has a very low jitter NDK crystal feed by LDOs in series for ultra quiet power supply. Second, the FPGA will read the incoming stream, will buffer the DATA 0.7s while discarding the incoming clocks. Using the NDKs it will reclock the buffered data OUTSIDE the fpga (since fpgas introduce about 200ps of jitter) and provide a MCLK/BCLK that is direct from crystal, providing a jitter-free (almost) to your DAC.
Meanwhile, it will clock the file using the correct crystal (there are 2), fixing the problems outlined in the beginning.
Works great with Piano
Kali will not work if your DAC is a master. Dac has to be slave. We highly recommend our Piano 2.1 – they were designed to work perfectly toghether!
The million dollar question (actually $95): how does it sound?
Well, the music will “open up”. The stage will sound bigger, more tri-dimensional. You will hear sounds, words, instruments that were drowned before in a sea of digital mud.
Is it worth it?
Do you enjoy a better wine/microbrewery beer, or anything will do? Do you have some medium/good speakers or you are using the cheapest PC speakers? Do you love music or just want to hear some beats? We can’t answer the question for you. It’s your choice.
Kali needs to be powered from 5V (cannot be powered from SBC) and also note that Kali will power the SBC + DAC.
- Kali is compatible with Sparky and RPI
- Reduces jitter to less than 4 pico seconds
- The basic design includes FPGA based FIFO board
- With 45.1584/49.1520 MHz Ultra Low Phase Noise Oscillators
- I2S input: 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz, 176.4 KHz, 192 KHz , 352.8KHz,384KHz- 16bit, 24bit or 32bit
- I2S output: 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz, 176.4 KHz, 192 KHz , 352.8KHz,384KHz – 16bit, 24bit or 32bit
- FIFO Memory: 4MB SRAM
- LED indicators (Power, Full, Lock, Empty, Sample Rate, Mclk)
- DC power supply: (5V/3A) with Filter circuits
- Multi-frequency output capability to support the full I2S working range from 44.1 KHz to 384 KHz
- Automatically switching frequencies according to the input I2S signals
- Extremely fast and very low propagation delay Flip-Flops are added on I2s signals output from FPGA, for synchronization with MCLK before sending to DAC
- Ultra-low-noise voltage regulators for optimal audio performance
- Integrated EEPROM for automatic configuration (with write-protection)
- Purchase stand-alone Kali unit or get the Vana Player bundle (Sparky + Kali + Piano 2.1 + Volt + CM + 5V Adaptor + Acrylic Box)
Technical Specifications
| LED indicators | Power, Full, Lock, Empty, Sample Rate, Mclk |
|---|---|
| DC Power Supply | (5V/3A) with Filter circuits |
| Operating Temperature | -25C to 85C |
| Board Size | LWH = 58mm * 77.54mm * 23.8mm |
| Board Weight | 120g |
Support & Downloads
- Download Product Brochure
- Kali I2S Pinout to DAC Boards
- Kali I2S Pinout From SBC
- Kali Jumper Settings
- Kali Tech Manual
- Vana Tech Manual
- Images, Drivers & Resources
All Allo products are FINAL SALE. We are not able to provide support on these items. For support, please visit Allo’s customer support forum.
Fast Shipping and Professional Packing
We offer a broad range of shipping options due to our long-standing partnerships with UPS, FedEx and DHL. Our warehouse staff is highly trained and will pack the goods according to our precise and exact specifications. Before shipping, all goods will be thoroughly examined and securely secured. We deliver to hundreds of thousands of customers every day in different countries. The fact that we are determined to become the largest online retailer in the world is evident. Warehouses and distribution centres can be located in Europe as well as the USA.
Note: Orders with more than one item will be assigned a separate processing time for each item.
Before shipment, all ordered items will be thoroughly examined. Most orders are now shipped within 48 hrs. Delivery is expected to take between 3 and seven days.
Returns
Stock is dynamic, and cannot be fully controlled by us because of the involvement of multiple parties including the factory and our warehouse. This means that the actual stock could alter at any time. It's possible that the stocks could be depleted after your order has been processed.
The policy is for 30 days. Unfortunately, if 30 days have passed from the date you purchased the item, we will not be able to provide a refund or exchange.
The item must not be in use and must be in the original packaging. You must have the item in the original packaging.
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