[Jimi Zine]

It's good to know that improving on the micro iDSD is so difficult

That's a positive way of looking at it.

 

[KritiKal]

Because we dont just develop products, we test beta chipsets and all manner of internal components from manufacturers.

I'm also curious about this, but appreciate that you may decline to answer and is completely understandable.
Does this involve testing for the benefit of the manufacturer of the chipsets, testing for the potential of integration into iFi products, or, perhaps both (and quite unlikely, neither)?

I like the parent company's philosophy on integrating technology, that being that the date of manufacture, etc... is unimportant, what matters is if it's the best part for the job. I'm wondering if any of this bleeds through to iFi? Either way, it's good to know that you equally keep eyes on the past, present and future!

 

[RAFA]

Will there be a possibility to roll tubes? Would be really cool, but also highly addicting

 

[iFi audio]

I'm also curious about this, but appreciate that you may decline to answer and is completely understandable.
Does this involve testing for the benefit of the manufacturer of the chipsets, testing for the potential of integration into iFi products, or, perhaps both (and quite unlikely, neither)?

I like the parent company's philosophy on integrating technology, that being that the date of manufacture, etc... is unimportant, what matters is if it's the best part for the job. I'm wondering if any of this bleeds through to iFi? Either way, it's good to know that you equally keep eyes on the past, present and future!

 
Hi,
 
Closer to the time - we may be able to divulge some stuff that got rolled into the Pro series. As it will become public information. At the moment, we have to keep mum.
 

 
A little more will become clearer in due course. For sure there is 'trickle-up' and 'trickle-down' between iFi and AMR. For example, the GE5670 from the iTUBE is now standard in the AMRs. Previously, the AMRs used 6922 tubes.

 

[iFi audio]

Will there be a possibility to roll tubes? Would be really cool, but also highly addicting

 
Hi
 
Yes, but we do not recommend downgrading to the 6922 family. Read: the Ford/VW of tubes, even the nicer ones.
 
The GE5670 family are the Mercedes/BMW version. So from the GE5670, if you wish to 'roll-up' then one needs to look for WE396A or Bendix 2C51 or similar.
 
Therefore, we do not recommend 'rolling-down' to the 6922.
 
In a few weeks' time, we will write-up about the GE5670 family.

 

[RAFA]

Hi

Yes, but we do not recommend downgrading to the 6922 family. Read: the Ford/VW of tubes, even the nicer ones.

The GE5670 family are the Mercedes/BMW version. So from the GE5670, if you wish to 'roll-up' then one needs to look for WE396A or Bendix 2C51 or similar.

Therefore, we do not recommend 'rolling-down' to the 6922.

In a few weeks' time, we will write-up about the GE5670 family.

I am really looking forward to this.

Thank you for always answering my questions.

 

[PinoNL]

Can't wait to audition the new series. The iDSD nano is great little box

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Hmm, just chiming in.
 
I still love my iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50, but I wanted to know if the performance of both the iDSD Pro and iCAN Pro will superseed the awesomeness of the Stereo 50?
 
I'd like to know that if both have tubes, what exactly are they and how many too.
 
For me the Stereo 50 has perfect SS and tube harmonics sound qualities combined, even though the Stereo 50 is a pure tube amp! (How on EARTH did you did that iFi Audio I have no idea; I say magic).
Yet I would like to know if this quality of sound will remain, or be exceeded, by the tubes used in the Pro series. This is a very important factor to me as the 2xEL84X and 1xECF82 per channel (six tubes all in all) are majestic and exceptionally executed in the Stereo 50.
 
 

 
 
My main concern is if the iDSD PRO is of lesser power than the iCAN pro, is it itself a more refined, powerful product over Stereo 50?
(I'm pretty sure the iCAN PRO will certainly exceed the Stereo 50 on headphone amp duties).
 
More so, the DAC in the Stereo 50 is very, very advanced, but it is a single chip (the beautiful Burr-Brown Japan DAC chip prior to Texas Instruments buy-out. I think the chip is PCM1795). That's because the Stereo 50 is a single ended design (DAC and amp). However, how much of a difference will the iDSD Pro have over the Stereo 50 performance wise?
 
Also, will either iDSD PRP or iCAN PRO have phono/Bluetooth/NFC like the Stereo 50?
 
In regards to the balanced outputs, will either device have 2.5mm TRRS output for user's who have such cable termination's already (beyond the 4-Pin and dual 3-Pin XLR outputs)?
 
I think the Stereo 50 is a truly beautiful piece of hardware, but I do think the iDSD Pro is mighty tasty, and if I had a separate high-end DAC then I'd wish for the iCAN Pro instead.
 
Thanks guys!
 
 


(3.5mm low gain output is more than enough for my Audeze EL8 closed back headphones; the 6.3mm high gain output of 7W's is too much but better for my AKG K 712 headphones. If I use one, the other output is used to drive my awesome SubPac S2 seatback tactile bass system!).

 

[john57]

I have the Retro 50 also. I believe that the iCAN PRO might be close the Retro power-wise for headphones. The ICAN pro seems to be Hybrid tube design using two two GE 5670,  MOSFETS and bipolar transistors. The ICAN pro and the iDSD pro would have balanced outs. However I do not think that the ICAN and the iDSD pro can power passive speakers like the Retro 50 can. The Retro seems to be the most flexible for turntables as far I can tell. I am not viewing the Retro 50 as a lesser unit just a different "Pro" feature set. The Retro 50 has very good clarity for music.   The Retro 50 has more power than my LD VI+ for headphones even.

 

[Bigbwb]

   
Hi,
 
Closer to the time - we may be able to divulge some stuff that got rolled into the Pro series. As it will become public information. At the moment, we have to keep mum.
 

 
A little more will become clearer in due course. For sure there is 'trickle-up' and 'trickle-down' between iFi and AMR. For example, the GE5670 from the iTUBE is now standard in the AMRs. Previously, the AMRs used 6922 tubes.

I look forward to hearing more about the upcoming Pro iDSD.  I recently tried the Micro and it was nice but didnt provide much over my current Parasound Zdac other than DSD playback (which I have very little of).

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I have the Retro 50 also. I believe that the iCAN PRO might be close the Retro power-wise for headphones. The ICAN pro seems to be Hybrid tube design using two two GE 5670,  MOSFETS and bipolar transistors. The ICAN pro and the iDSD pro would have balanced outs. However I do not think that the ICAN and the iDSD pro can power passive speakers like the Retro 50 can. The Retro seems to be the most flexible for turntables as far I can tell. I am not viewing the Retro 50 as a lesser unit just a different "Pro" feature set. The Retro 50 has very good clarity for music.   The Retro 50 has more power than my LD VI+ for headphones even.

Hi john57,

Thanks for the info, and I agree with your points.

I think the Stereo 50 incredibly powerful for headphones, and it's versatility is amazing (over the Oppo HA-1).
I also love that on my Win 8.1 laptop if I use Tidal, web video's or YouTube app, Soundcloud, J River Media Centre 20, MPC HC, etc, it interfaces with the Stereo 50 DAC perfectly without any further user interaction.
Stereo 50 is mighty convient too with multiple sources.
Btw, I don't know what is the power output of the 3.5mm is; do you? I know the 6.3mm is 7W!

That said, if I was strictly for headphones and didn't have the Stereo 50, I'd be highly interested in the Pro series

 

[iFi audio]

  Hmm, just chiming in.
 
I still love my iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50, but I wanted to know if the performance of both the iDSD Pro and iCAN Pro will superseed the awesomeness of the Stereo 50?
 
I'd like to know that if both have tubes, what exactly are they and how many too.
 
For me the Stereo 50 has perfect SS and tube harmonics sound qualities combined, even though the Stereo 50 is a pure tube amp! (How on EARTH did you did that iFi Audio I have no idea; I say magic).
Yet I would like to know if this quality of sound will remain, or be exceeded, by the tubes used in the Pro series. This is a very important factor to me as the 2xEL84X and 1xECF82 per channel (six tubes all in all) are majestic and exceptionally executed in the Stereo 50.
 
 

 
 
My main concern is if the iDSD PRO is of lesser power than the iCAN pro, is it itself a more refined, powerful product over Stereo 50?
(I'm pretty sure the iCAN PRO will certainly exceed the Stereo 50 on headphone amp duties).
 
More so, the DAC in the Stereo 50 is very, very advanced, but it is a single chip (the beautiful Burr-Brown Japan DAC chip prior to Texas Instruments buy-out. I think the chip is PCM1795). That's because the Stereo 50 is a single ended design (DAC and amp). However, how much of a difference will the iDSD Pro have over the Stereo 50 performance wise?
 
Also, will either iDSD PRP or iCAN PRO have phono/Bluetooth/NFC like the Stereo 50?
 
In regards to the balanced outputs, will either device have 2.5mm TRRS output for user's who have such cable termination's already (beyond the 4-Pin and dual 3-Pin XLR outputs)?
 
I think the Stereo 50 is a truly beautiful piece of hardware, but I do think the iDSD Pro is mighty tasty, and if I had a separate high-end DAC then I'd wish for the iCAN Pro instead.
 
Thanks guys!
 
 


(3.5mm low gain output is more than enough for my Audeze EL8 closed back headphones; the 6.3mm high gain output of 7W's is too much but better for my AKG K 712 headphones. If I use one, the other output is used to drive my awesome SubPac S2 seatback tactile bass system!).

 
Hi,
 
The Pro series is like BMW i8. It is a dedicated ubder sports car for obvious reasons.
 
The Retro is like BMW X5. It is an amazing all-rounder, again for obvious reasons.
 
The customer for one is different compared to the customer for the other.
 
Like you just outlined, the specs show one is focused on doing one job - the Pro iCAN or Pro iDSD.
 
Whereas the Retro Stereo 50 is focused upon 'all things to all people' whilst doing a might nice job.
 
Hope this gives you a better sense how their relative market positions.
 
Cheers.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Lol:
 
Pro Series =

 
 
Retro Stereo 50 =

 
I knew that Retro series is designed to be the best high-end all-rounder and the Pro series to be the best ultra-fi for specific audio chains. However I do wonder what would happen if both were combined for an ultimate, summit-fi product under the iFi Audio banner...
 
Oh, and one more thing; I do think balanced design is a fantastic concept and if well executed can yield magnitudes of audio euphoria, but I think the exact same is true for a well-designed single-ended concept too.
For me the Stereo 50 is that example, and I wonder if you will go even further with the Retro concept and build a higher spec model in the future (I'm salivating at this prospect) ^^

 

[iFi audio]

  Lol:
 
Pro Series =

 
 
Retro Stereo 50 =

 
I knew that Retro series is designed to be the best high-end all-rounder and the Pro series to be the best ultra-fi for specific audio chains. However I do wonder what would happen if both were combined for an ultimate, summit-fi product under the iFi Audio banner...
 
Oh, and one more thing; I do think balanced design is a fantastic concept and if well executed can yield magnitudes of audio euphoria, but I think the exact same is true for a well-designed single-ended concept too.
For me the Stereo 50 is that example, and I wonder if you will go even further with the Retro concept and build a higher spec model in the future (I'm salivating at this prospect) ^^

 
Bingo!
 
The Stereo 50 is pretty insanely good. Put it this way - we really dont think there is anything that plays the gammut of sources, is 100% valve and drives speakers and headphones alike like high-end dedicated amps.
 
Pro series - we're mum on that until later.

 

[TheOneInYellow]