I don't want to hijack the thread, but youurayy what kind of amp is that? I have been looking for an EL-34 type amp to run my AKG K701s with.

hifi for metal said:

 
I don't want to hijack the thread, but youurayy what kind of amp is that? I have been looking for an EL-34 type amp to run my AKG K701s with.

Click to expand...

That's the chinese Nobsound NS-03D. It's not a headphone amp, so it needs a headphone adapter and for headphones it's quite powerful. I use it with KT77 tubes, haven't rolled the Psvane's yet. It runs as hot as a stove. It also has a little tube hum in the background, not discernable when sound is played. I only use it for movies (usually headphone out from my receiver -> 2x rca on the amp) and for vinyl (preamped by another mini-tube amp).
 
I cannot with certainty say what effect the headphone adapter has on the output as it's a little box with a bunch of resistors inside, but when the amp is driven with a good source (e.g. the iDSD micro), all the details seem to be there. I have a Lyr 2 on order so I will be able to compare then. What I'm trying to say is that you may (or may not) achieve better results with an amp that was designed specifically for headphone output from the ground up.
 
To me, with the X2 the iDSD micro is just as musical, but e.g. for movies I just can't have anything else than the tubes. For digital music (DSD512 pre-render), it makes no sense to me to use that tube amp with the micro, as the micro is just stellar.
 
One more note - the input impedance of that amp is 1k, which (being too low) may or may not be the reason why I can't currently have a PC running at the same time as the amp picks up its interference. May also be my PCs current PSU which I'm just about to upgrade.

Happy Monday folks!
 
We just want to let you all know that we are running a tour for our flagship Pro iCAN. If you're interested in spending some time with the Pro iCAN, definitely check out the thread HERE! 
 
If not, no worries! We've also announced some exciting news for RMAF and the upcoming months, so be sure to check it out!
 
Here's a quick sneak peek!
 

Hi

Would anyone here have experience of running alpha primes with a micro idsd ? Any impressions of how well these two pair up ?

babulilm said:

Hi

Would anyone here have experience of running alpha primes with a micro idsd ? Any impressions of how well these two pair up ?

Click to expand...

You might be better asking in the impressions thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728236/ifi-idsd-micro-dsd512-pcm768-dac-and-headphone-amp-impressions-reviews-and-comments

technobear said:

You might be better asking in the impressions thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728236/ifi-idsd-micro-dsd512-pcm768-dac-and-headphone-amp-impressions-reviews-and-comments

Click to expand...

Thanks, will do.

Hello.
I have 4 technical questions. I apoligize in advance if they are already disсussed in this thread. Search gave nothing to me.
 
1. Can i charge micro iDSD with Power Bank with 1A or 2A? Or it will harm micro iDSD? It's important when i'm traveling and don't have a PC nearby.
2. Can i have somehow Bit-Perfect mode with Apple devices. For example i have iPad and Camera Kit. Is there a software, wich can deliver FLAC or DSD right to micro iDSD in Bit-Perfect mode, when all digital processing will be in micro iDSD, not in Apple device. I know, that threre are Onkyo HF Player, iAudioGate. Are they working? Or some processing always going in Apple device and then stream going to micro iDSD?
I have also Android device - it's working perfect. DSD files are processing in micro iDSD via USB-OTG. Is it possible for Apple devices? For now i'm thinking - to buy or not Camera Kit and some software for my iPad.
3. At home i use micro iDSD in pre-amp mode for stereo-amplifier and for headphones both. So 2xRCA connectors from stereo-amp is always plugged in micro iDSD. When i'm plugging in micro iDSD my headphones i hear, that volume of sound from stereo-amp is decreases. So:
3.1 Can i use micro iDSD in that way? Will such use will harm to this device? I don't need the sound from stereo-amp, when i'm using headphones. But anyway - do i have to turn off my stereo-amp, or plugging 2xRCA out, when i'm listening headphones? Or decreasing of volume of stereo-amp to 0 is enough?
3.2 How in this case working 3D option. In manual said "Auto-switching for Speakers® and Headphones® (two separate and distinct circuits)". But if i have both connection - 2xRCA to stereo-amp and headphones - what mode micro iDSD will prefer?
4. If i will flash 5.2B firmware (for traveling with smartphone), can i still use it for PC at home and charge from USB in OFF-mode (not in sleep-mode)?
And on the other hand - can i use regular 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 firmwares with smartphone and prevent sleep-mode (turn off micro iDSD right after listening music)?
 
Thanks in advance.

mosariot said:

1. Can i charge micro iDSD with Power Bank with 1A or 2A?

Click to expand...

Yes.

mosariot said:

3. At home i use micro iDSD in pre-amp mode for stereo-amplifier and for headphones both. So 2xRCA connectors from stereo-amp is always plugged in micro iDSD. When i'm plugging in micro iDSD my headphones i hear, that volume of sound from stereo-amp is decreases. So:
3.1 Can i use micro iDSD in that way? Will such use will harm to this device? I don't need the sound from stereo-amp, when i'm using headphones. But anyway - do i have to turn off my stereo-amp, or plugging 2xRCA out, when i'm listening headphones? Or decreasing of volume of stereo-amp to 0 is enough?

Click to expand...

Yes. No. No need to unplug.

mosariot said:

3.2 How in this case working 3D option. In manual said "Auto-switching for Speakers® and Headphones® (two separate and distinct circuits)". But if i have both connection - 2xRCA to stereo-amp and headphones - what mode micro iDSD will prefer?

Click to expand...

Like it says, there are two distinct circuits - one for the headphone socket and one for the RCA sockets.

mosariot said:

4. If i will flash 5.2B firmware (for traveling with smartphone), can i still use it for PC at home and charge from USB in OFF-mode (not in sleep-mode)?

Click to expand...

Yes.

mosariot said:

And on the other hand - can i use regular 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 firmwares with smartphone and prevent sleep-mode (turn off micro iDSD right after listening music)?

Click to expand...

Yes except that when turned OFF, the iDSD will attempt to charge from any connected USB source (e.g. your phone).

technobear said:

Yes.
Yes. No. No need to unplug.
Like it says, there are two distinct circuits - one for the headphone socket and one for the RCA sockets.
Yes.
Yes except that when turned OFF, the iDSD will attempt to charge from any connected USB source (e.g. your phone).

Click to expand...

Thank you! It's all clear now. Except question 2 )
About the charging. Can i use regular smarthone chargers, also with 1A or 2A, to charge micro iDSD?

mosariot said:

About the charging. Can i use regular smarthone chargers, also with 1A or 2A, to charge micro iDSD?

Click to expand...

Yes.

It may not charge any faster than a regular USB socket though. It depends how 'smart' the charger is but the iDSD will use the extra current if it can.

iFi Micro iDSD Black Label

Preview and Tour

 
The secret is out. As many of you may know, we’re ready to unveil the successor to the original Micro iDSD: the Micro iDSD ‘Black Label.’ The Black Label will inject some smoothness and seduction into everyday listening!
 

 
 

 

What’s the difference?

 
A lot, actually. The stealth look is just the start. ‘Double Black’ is a more apt description. It is different on the outside and even more on the inside. The matt and gloss black anodising is set against the ‘burnt orange’ silk print. While keeping the same design philosophy, we re-engineered the micro iDSD after taking into consideration customer suggestions and integrating the newest and most advanced components across the digital and analogue stages.
                                                                                                     
Here’s a quick TLDR for you:
 
The original iDSD set a new benchmark for portable DAC/Headamps in the US$500 sector. Nothing came close to its sonics, flexibility and outright power. Nothing at least until the evolution into the ‘Black Label:’
 

• Satin black chassis with ‘burnt orange’ silk print
• Major parts changes to the very latest available
• 3D Holographic+® and XBass+® new implementation are very easy to discern

Sonically, much smoother, more weight and with a full-bodied mid-range. The bass is deeper and cleaner. The Black Label is in every way, the ‘turbo charged’ version of the normally aspirated micro iDSD.
 
More preview details to come over the coming days/weeks. Watch this space - this thread and the micro iDSD DSD512/PCM768 appreciation thread too.
 
 
 

Micro iDSD Black Label Tour!

 
Now that you know a little bit more about the Micro iDSD Black Label, it’s your turn to try it for yourself! YUP!
 
Announcing the Head-Fi exclusive tour of our new Micro iDSD Black Label!  
 
 
Am I eligible for the tour?
 
For this tour, we’re dedicating units to not 1 or 2, but 5 units around the globe – USA, UK, Europe, Singapore, and Hong Kong/China.
 
If you’re in one of those regions, congratulations. You’re eligible!
 
 
How do you sign up?
 
To sign up, simply shoot an email to lawrancel@iFi-Audio.com with the title: iDSDBL Tour (XXXX: YOUR REGION).
 
NOTE: For the (XXXX), please fill in your region as USA, UK, EU, SG, or HK/CN. THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT! Please make sure to do this, or the iFI USA team organizing these emails are going to have a headache worse than downing a bottle of Black Label!
 
 
In the email, please include the following:
 
1) Username AND link to your Head-Fi Profile.
2) Location
3) Tell us the gear that you plan on connecting the Micro iDSD Black Label to.
4) If you have any links from reviews that you've done, let us know!
 
Deadline for the sign-up process is 30th November 2016. The individuals will be announced/contacted thereafter.
 
 
Rules for this Tour:
 
1) Each Head-Fier will be given 1 week to spend with the unit.
 

 
2) After the given amount of time, each Head-Fier is responsible for safely packing the unit, shipping the unit to the next Head-Fier, and covering the shipping costs.
 
 
3) Each Head-Fier will be required to post a review of the Micro iDSD Black Label within 1 week of shipping the unit off to the next Head-Fier on the Micro iDSD Black Label product page HERE!
 
 
4) Otherwise, the most important thing is to kick back, have fun, and enjoy some of your favorite tunes through the Micro iDSD Black Label! We hope you love it as much as we do!
 
 
 
 
Prizes
 
Are you a winner? Well, you could be! At the end of the tour, we will be raffling off 1 review unit to each of the 5 regions.
 
Your review of the Micro iDSD Black Label on the Head-Fi product page will be your raffle ticket!
 
BUT WAIT! There’s more!
 
You may have caught on by now, but we’re very excited about this product release. On top of raffling off the review units to each region (5 in all), we've teamed up with Unique Melody to raffle off ONE Unique Melody Martian IEM (in total, not each region!).
 
The Unique Melody Martian is a hybrid design IEM with dual 6.8 mm dynamic drivers and two BA drivers. Pair it with the Micro iDSD Black Label, and you can expect a smooth yet detailed sound that will keep your toes tapping for hours and hours on end! More info HERE and HERE!
 

 
A big thanks to June at Unique Melody for making this possible!
 
Last and certainly not least, one further winner will get the upcoming Pro iDSD on loan for 6 months!
 

We hope you enjoy participating in this great tour and thank you in advance!
 
UPDATE:
 
Canada and Malaysia are now included in the tour !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a great opportunity!
 
Thank you for the tour possibilities.
 
Best of luck to all.

what a beauty

Supernice, Lawrance!

Part 2. Exceptional parts quality
 
With the original iDSD micro, iFi already pushed parts quality to a very high level. Yet after long-term testing and with new parts now available to us that were not available at the time of the original production version of the iDSD micro, we were able to wring meaningful improvements in sound quality by substituting specific parts with higher grade (and more expensive) alternatives.
 
Specifically, with the upgrades applied we were able to produce a sound that is smoother sounding than the original, yet with increased level of detail and improved dynamics and slam. These are not ‘night and day’ differences but the difference is very discernible. To gain meaningful sonic improvements on a product like the iDSD micro was no small challenge.
 

Sanyo OSCONs. Os-Cons are go.
 

 
 
Os-Con's originally from Sanyo (now taken over by Panasonic) have been around for a good while. Among the larger value capacitors useful in power supplies, they hold a special place.
 
In a ground breaking series on capacitor performance published in the late Nineties and early Noughties in Wireless World, Cyril Bateman showed they persistently outperformed all alternatives at high frequencies and were second in low-distortion only to Elna Silmic types.
 
 
AMR CD-77 Digital Processor
 
At AMR starting from the CD-77 Compact Disk Processor, we have a long history of using Os-Con's.
 

 
 
After the Panasonic takeover, supply chains were changed and they became difficult to obtain. Testing alternatives offered by other manufacturers showed them to be dramatically inferior to the original Sanyo product and not much better then generic Electrolytic Capacitors.
 
Further, originally Os-Con's were not available in the values/voltages/sizes needed for the relative miniature equipment in the iFi range.
 
In recent times, the supply situation has improved and Panasonic has introduced a new range of ‘miniturised’ Os-Con's suited for iFi equipment. So despite their steep cost (around 10x that of common electrolytic capacitors) the micro iDSD Black Label is the first to start to feature them as an alternative where Elna Silmic capacitors cannot be accommodated; be it because of cost or size constraints, as they are physically much larger for the same capacitance and even more costly.