[calluna]

I thought the price would be in 1000 range too... I'm a little bit confused. The new price is higher than Yulong Sabre DA8 and it is Mytek's price range...
Micro is 499 so Mini must be very different for additional 1k... more different than we know so far from this thread. 

 

[MLGrado]

Disclaimer:  All questions of pricing, features, release date, etc. should be directed to iFi.  What follows is strictly my thoughts and opinions.  
 
 
I wouldn't panic just yet.  Product is still in prototype/development stages.   Therefore, I wouldn't be too concerned yet about the price.  
 
 
But as far as performance is concerned, and speaking of the Mytek price range, I believe the Mini will definitely be playing in that performance league.  So, yes, iFi could charge that kind of money and still be price/performance competitive in the market.  
 
But again, let's wait a bit before getting too worried about price.  As for me, the mini series will likely be my last purchase for quite a long time, when it comes to DAC's...

 

[KmanChu]

With all of the price hand-wringing I think people are underestimating what iFi is capable of. Remember this is the AMR design team. Here are the iFi products I own:
 
iUSB Power
micro iCAN
micro iDAC
micro iDSD
Gemini cable
iPurifier
 
I don't feel that a single one of these is overpriced. In fact most of them (especially the iDSD and, yes, the forgotten iDAC) are actually some of the best deals I've ever come across in audio. As you go up in price then, yes, the deminishing returns curve takes its bite, but iFi has demonstrated an ability to actually give you a lot for your money. If the mini costs $1500 then I suspect it will be pretty stupendous and worth every penny.
 
Edit: typo

 

[AudioELF]

As this is a desktop system ... is there any chance of a remote control for input selection and volume?

 

[Esprit]

But as far as performance is concerned, and speaking of the Mytek price range, I believe the Mini will definitely be playing in that performance league.  So, yes, iFi could charge that kind of money and still be price/performance competitive in the market.  

If Mini will have the same specs of the Micro it could be better than Mytek...

 

[calluna]

In this way, if Mini will have the same specs of the Micro...  the price could be the same
The price range problem arises from what iFi said some time ago ( ~1k not ~1,5k - for example from Stereophile: " Inside, there is aptX Bluetooth streaming, 4 Burr Brown DACs, and 4 filters set by the user. Retail price will be under $1,000 and it should arrive sometime this quarter according to the distributor, Avatar Acoustics. " ).
I have iDac and i'm thinking of Mini but if SQ will be ~ the same as Micro and the price x3 = I will take Micro. 
At the end it is iFi's pricing policy so they have the last word

 

[Esprit]

Mini is a desktop DAC with balanced output.
(I own a Mytek and a Yulong)

 

[BillsonChang007]

Yet another feature packed box from iFi

 

[KmanChu]

Release is supposedly quite soon right? Any updates on the mini series?

 

[kugino]

  Release is supposedly quite soon right? Any updates on the mini series?

end of this year at the earliest. most likely next year, from what i understand.

 

[RadioWonder737]

So,it looks like we may need an adaptor like this one for the Mini iDSD... Especially those of us who already have pricey USB cables...
 
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=103&cp_id=10314&cs_id=1031403&p_id=8177&seq=1&format=2
 
Or maybe purchase this "Starlight^® USB 3.0" cable...
http://www.wireworldcable.co.uk/products/114.html

 

[Neogeo333]

Almost pulled the trigger on the Micro iDSD.  Glad i saw this thread.  But really? 1000.00 more than the Micro for same level of performance plus some fancy wireless BT connection and display?  I wish there was a simple version of it, just give a me a standalone DAC with USB that handles DSD with RCA and XLR out.  Why cram more fancy stuff at a desktop DAC ever going to need?  Clean power, short connections and simple design will sound better than adding extra stuff that can alter or diminish sound.  I call it iSimple and since its a stripped version let say 500.00?  

 

[softsound]

I partially aggree. I am sure that iDSD mini will worth its' money, but i am sure there is a way to trickle down the price by cutting out some features.
For example, practically all iDSD DACs ( iDSD nano, iDSD mini and iDSD micro) have a headphone amplifer, a 3D circuit, and a battery.
Some of us, don't ever listen to the headphones.
Really I don't care about ommitting the battery (if the sound is as good with any usual external power supply) if the DAC is not portable (from the self-powered point of view).
Thus, some would instead prefer a much cheaper reference smallish desktop product with an ordinary external power supply, quality capacitors for current stabilisation, a femto crystal, a usb-in, a coaxial spdif in, an HDMI-in, playback of all formats (DSD,DXD,CD,mp3, etc), maybe X-bass, and 4 Burr Brown chips pcm 1793 instead of 2.
That solution would dust a lot of DACs out there, and at the same time should be much cheaper than it is now, increasing the performance/value ratio even further.

 

[softsound]

By the way, i forgot to mention that the RCA-out is probably preferable at 2,5 Volts RMS out than at 2 Volts RMS, because the sound is more dynamic and also because it is easier to connect the DAC more efficiently to a wider variety of amplifiers.

 

[technobear]

By the way, i forgot to mention that the RCA-out is probably preferable at 2,5 Volts RMS out than at 2 Volts RMS, because the sound is more dynamic and also because it is easier to connect the DAC more efficiently to a wider variety of amplifiers.

Please explain!

Most power amps need between 0.5 and 1.0 Volts for maximum output so 2.0 Volts is already overkill.

Most of the 2.0 Volts put out by typical DACs and CD players is attenuated away by a volume control for normal listening.

What do you mean by 'more dynamic'?

What do you mean by 'more efficiently'?