[technobear]

What I ordered exactly was dual headed (data + power) version of USB cable. This is pinnacle of USB audio geometry, very similar to iFi's very own Gemini cables. My order was quite custom (30 cm) and Konstantin was nice enough to even mark the power line with very subtle red dot. This will be useful for future integration with iUSB3.0...

Anyways, this was just a little step towards the Olympus of my audio nirvana. Important, beautiful upgrade in await of next one, iFi iPurifier 2.

If your goal is iUSB3.0 then I would skip the iPurifier2 as it will become redundant.

Your next step should be a better headphone ... and then a micro iCAN ... or maybe the other way round ... or both

 

[hfflt]

If your goal is iUSB3.0 then I would skip the iPurifier2 as it will become redundant.

Your next step should be a better headphone ... and then a micro iCAN ... or maybe the other way round ... or both

 
Yes, you are completely right, I do know that. Although iUSB3.0 is a little bit expensive, so until that for temporary use I have ordered a little iPurifer 2.
 
Regarding amp, I am thinking about iCAN (although SE) as well.

 

[krumley7882]

Awesome. @lavricables  I just perused the page and have to say you do some beautiful work.

 

[lavricables]

  Awesome. @lavricables  I just perused the page and have to say you do some beautiful work.

thanks for your kind words!

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

After breaking the bank on the idac2 and ipurifier2 I'm seriously blown away by how good it sounds. Now I want to get another ifi dac for my speaker system, which is unfortunately not as revealing as my headphone rig.
So should I get the idsd nano? Will it be much of a downgrade from the idac2? Most of my stuffs are just AAC from the iTunes store and Spotify.

 

[hamachan]

After breaking the bank on the idac2 and ipurifier2 I'm seriously blown away by how good it sounds. Now I want to get another ifi dac for my speaker system, which is unfortunately not as revealing as my headphone rig.
So should I get the idsd nano? Will it be much of a downgrade from the idac2? Most of my stuffs are just AAC from the iTunes store and Spotify.

I am using both micro iDAC2 to feed my main audio system and nano iDSD for portable or desktop active speaker (see my inventory for your reference).  To me the SQ of nano is less difference for lossy compressed source than high bit-rate.  I am happy to listen internet radio through nano iDSD on my small desktop speaker.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Thanks for the reply. I decided to buy the idsd micro anyway, but it'll take a long while for them to come to me.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Plugged the iPur2 into my iDAC2 and I went full "holy crap". I didn't know this kind of sound was possible at this price point. It's like I paid for a much much more expensive DAC. 10/10 recommend.

 

[iFi audio]

For immediate distribution:

Unified Firmware 5.2

Limoncello

 
 

 
 
Southport, UK – 13^th May 2016
 
Latest Unified Firmware v5.2 ‘Limoncello’
The very latest in-house firmware¹ version 5.2 for ALL iFi products² is available. It is very similar to Gelato v5.1 but there some nice, minor improvements:

• Minor code optimisation.
• Fixed issues surrounding DoP standard; including ‘clicks’ when changing tracks and sonic differences to native DSD.

 
 
 
As before, for customers with particular requirements, there are two firmware sub-versions:
2) For nano iDSD and micro iDAC2 v5.2A - Enables DOP256 operation

1. This enables DSD256(DoP) operation, which requires 768kHz PCM at the USB interface level.  
2. Nano iDSD and micro iDAC2 CANNOT decode 768kHz at the DAC level, but they can all be programmed to receive 768kHz PCM at the USB interface level hence enable DSD256(DoP). 
3. With 5.2A, the user MUST make sure to manually alter the PCM audio settings correctly (especially Mac), otherwise there will be no audio output at all.
4. In other words, when playing PCM files, the sample rate must NOT set to be higher than 384kHz.  Only set the sampling rate to 768kHz when one wants to play DSD256(DoP).
5. There is no need to use this firmware if one uses ‘native mode’ (not DoP) to play DSD or if DSD files are not played at all.
6. Do NOT use 5.2A on any other products other than nano iDSD and micro iDAC2.

3) For iDSD micro Firmware v5.2B - Disable Sleep Mode (Smartphone users ONLY)

1. This is strictly for Smartphone users ONLY, there is no other reason to use 5.2B on the micro iDSD.
2. The micro iDSD micro will try to recharge while in Sleep Mode (e.g. when connected to a PC).  If connected to a Smartphone which is ‘seen’ as a computer, it will recharge via the Smartphone.
3. 5.2B disables the Sleep Mode within the micro iDSD; hence it will no longer try to recharge during Sleep Mode and flatten the Smartphone’s battery.
4. Do NOT use 5.2B on any other products other than micro iDSD.

 
 
For detailed instructions and the download files, please follow this link:
http://ifi-audio.com/downloads/
 
¹Background. The DSD DoP Evolution
DoP DSD is known for inherently creating noise when switching between PCM and DSD-DoP tracks and back. This problem has been addressed at the source by some but not all playback software - hence, much available software when playing DSD, struggles.
 
So we at iFi have taken it upon ourselves to think ‘outside of the (PC) box’ to resolve this upstream issue at the downstream firmware level for all our DSD capable devices. In a process that took over a year, we have resolved the many areas where the differences between DSD-DoP and PCM make switching an annoyance.
 
Additionally, DoP is often cited as offering a lower sound quality. By adjusting core code and the clocking system in the firmware, this point is now moot – as we eliminated the hit on processor utilisation by DoP vs. native DSD playback.
 
So choose native DSD or DoP-DSD with the confidence that either will deliver the same great DSD sound quality and user experience. Just like DSD and PCM, we like one as much as the other.

 

---

[¹] WARNING: Do NOT flash non-iFi products on the XMOS platform with iFi firmware!

[²] iFi Native DSD-capable DACs so original iDAC excluded so do NOT update using v5.2.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Any owner of the idac2 can tell me what sample size and what mode should I use? Also, has anyone tried the asio2 for foobar and actually get it to work WITHOUT artifacts on the idac2?

 

[hamachan]

Any owner of the idac2 can tell me what sample size and what mode should I use? Also, has anyone tried the asio2 for foobar and actually get it to work WITHOUT artifacts on the idac2?

What do you mean "sample size"?  iDAC2 can playback up to 384kHz of PCM and 11.2MHz of DSD.  Mode switch is simply as you like, while I am using "bit perfect" mode.  Why do you need to use ASIO2 driver?  I am happy to use normal ASIO driver on foobar2000 and no SQ different can be recognized between them.  If you want to improve SQ, I recommend HYSOLID player instead, which is far better than foobar2000 to me.
http://www.hysolid.com/

 

[hfflt]

  What do you mean "sample size"?  iDAC2 can playback up to 384kHz of PCM and 11.2MHz of DSD.  Mode switch is simply as you like, while I am using "bit perfect" mode.  Why do you need to use ASIO2 driver?  I am happy to use normal ASIO driver on foobar2000 and no SQ different can be recognized between them.  If you want to improve SQ, I recommend HYSOLID player instead, which is far better than foobar2000 to me.
http://www.hysolid.com/

 
When playing back via "Bit-perfect" mode, there shouldn't be a difference between players.

 

[hamachan]

   
When playing back via "Bit-perfect" mode, there shouldn't be a difference between players.

There is obvious difference even "Bit-perfect" setting from music source to DAC, while theoretically "shouldn't", especially for high bit-rate source rather than CD grade.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Sorry I was actually referring to the buffer size as set in the iFi application. After changing from wasapi to asio I think I did hear a difference (all for the better), but I'm not sure which buffer size and which sample size to take. I suppose I should keep trying to reduce the sample size till artifacts appear? Also, is there any difference in modes? Too many modes are available.

 

[GearMe]

There is obvious difference even "Bit-perfect" setting from music source to DAC, while theoretically "shouldn't", especially for high bit-rate source rather than CD grade.

Interesting...I always thought this was attributable to some re-mastering being done when they re-issue a 'high bitrate' release of a CD. I thought I've read elsewhere on Head-Fi that if you're doing bit-perfect the sampling rate above 'CD grade' doesn't matter due to our ears physiological limitations.

Do you have the same master in both cases (Hi-rez and CD grade)?