[ngoshawk]

Review just dropped! 

http://www.head-fi.org/products/ifi-audio-micro-idsd/reviews/17621

Excellent review! Wonderfully written, full of detail and extremely useful comparisons. Well done!:muscle_tone3:

 

[miceblue]

Question: how do the filters work on the micro iDSD BL?

The specifications are a bit confusing to me:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-idsd-bl/
Filters
– PCM Bit-Perfect Processing/Minimum Phase/Standard Digital filters selectable
– DSD Extreme/Extended/Standard Range Analogue filters selectable
– DXD Bit-Perfect Processing Fixed analogue filter

The user can switch between "Bit-Perfect," "Minimum Phase," and "Standard." For PCM, it looks like it's implied that "Standard" is a digital filter, but for DSD it's implied that it's an analogue one?

Anyway, I'm using the USB 3.0 cable that came with the micro iDSD BL (no matter which filter I use) and direct RCA output, and I seem to be getting really prominent clipping when watching YouTube videos sometimes (in which pausing and resuming the audio stream seems to fix it; I'm using the latest version of Firefox on OS X El Capitan).

 

[BillsonChang007]

Question: how do the filters work on the micro iDSD BL?

The specifications are a bit confusing to me:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-idsd-bl/
Filters
– PCM Bit-Perfect Processing/Minimum Phase/Standard Digital filters selectable
– DSD Extreme/Extended/Standard Range Analogue filters selectable
– DXD Bit-Perfect Processing Fixed analogue filter

The user can switch between "Bit-Perfect," "Minimum Phase," and "Standard." For PCM, it looks like it's implied that "Standard" is a digital filter, but for DSD it's implied that it's an analogue one?

Anyway, I'm using the USB 3.0 cable that came with the micro iDSD BL (no matter which filter I use) and direct RCA output, and I seem to be getting really prominent clipping when watching YouTube videos sometimes (in which pausing and resuming the audio stream seems to fix it; I'm using the latest version of Firefox on OS X El Capitan).

You can read about it here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/711217/idsd-micro-black-label-tour-details-page-147-release-info-page-153/615#post_10591026

It makes really really minor difference. Some claim they can't hear the difference too

 

[technobear]

Question: how do the filters work on the micro iDSD BL?

The specifications are a bit confusing to me:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-idsd-bl/
Filters
– PCM Bit-Perfect Processing/Minimum Phase/Standard Digital filters selectable
– DSD Extreme/Extended/Standard Range Analogue filters selectable
– DXD Bit-Perfect Processing Fixed analogue filter

The user can switch between "Bit-Perfect," "Minimum Phase," and "Standard." For PCM, it looks like it's implied that "Standard" is a digital filter, but for DSD it's implied that it's an analogue one?

Anyway, I'm using the USB 3.0 cable that came with the micro iDSD BL (no matter which filter I use) and direct RCA output, and I seem to be getting really prominent clipping when watching YouTube videos sometimes (in which pausing and resuming the audio stream seems to fix it; I'm using the latest version of Firefox on OS X El Capitan).

You can read about it here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/711217/idsd-micro-black-label-tour-details-page-147-release-info-page-153/615#post_10591026

It makes really really minor difference. Some claim they can't hear the difference too

The difference becomes apparent over time. If you leave it in standard mode for too long, your ears won't thank you.

If you know what live music (not amplified) sounds like, you'll want to use the bit-perfect filter (i.e. no upsampling, no digital filtering) all the time.

How can the iDSD sound so good without upsampling and digital filtering? It's partly down to that decades old DAC chip that some of you like to deride as it isn't the latest and greatest young pretender. Then there is the quality of iFi's analogue filtering, global master timing, etc.

 

[Takeanidea]

My review is up - read it here - Merry Christmas everyone . May all your presents go suitably loud enough to drown out the Queen's Speech 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/ifi-audio-micro-idsd/reviews/17642

 

[LoganRoss]

Hi,
I was wondering if you could provide details as to your experience comparing with the Mojo. My experience is that they have different sound. The BL is over reach, yet instruments sound less realistic, and more recorded.

My review is up - read it here - Merry Christmas everyone . May all your presents go suitably loud enough to drown out the Queen's Speech 

http://www.head-fi.org/products/ifi-audio-micro-idsd/reviews/17642

 

[Takeanidea]

Hi,
I was wondering if you could provide details as to your experience comparing with the Mojo. My experience is that they have different sound. The BL is over reach, yet instruments sound less realistic, and more recorded.

It'll be a PM for the soundbite I created. My impression was of slightly more clarity with the Mojo and slightly more accuracy. The difference wasn't that huge

 

[Condocondor]

Dear iFi fans,

I have a few questions concerning my upgrade path from the iFi Micro iDSD Black Edition?  I'm a newbie to this companies products.  Where do I go from here?  What's next?       iCan 2 SE, iUSB 3.0, iTube?  And the other question I have is:  What does the completed full stack of iFi Micro products sound like?  Compared to.........???  I'd love everybody's opinion.  Where is the biggest bang for the buck from where I am?  Thanks in advance for anyone that takes the time to answer, AND, I'm sorry if this information exists elsewhere in this forum but I have not had the time to search.
 

 

[Condocondor]

Dear iFi fans,

The other quesiton I have is about the upgrade path from the iFi Micro iDSD Black Edition is: Will iFi come out with matching black products or will I be stuck with black and silver hodge-podge in my stack? 
 

 

[BillsonChang007]

Dear iFi fans,

The other quesiton I have is about the upgrade path from the iFi Micro iDSD Black Edition is: Will iFi come out with matching black products or will I be stuck with black and silver hodge-podge in my stack? 

 

I up this question!

It would be useful to include your intended source like your headphones/speakers and dap/pc. Also what amp/pre-amp you have.

 

[Condocondor]

I just use my 17" Toshiba laptop with USB out to the iDSD BL.  I have the Beyerdynamic T5p.2 and AKG 553Pro headphones.  The Beyers are demanding of good source material. 

Dont laugh, but I listen to Youtube video music--a lot!  I intend to subscribe to Tidal Music Streaming service also--already did the 30 day trial.   I'm also in the process of ripping my CD's into JRiver library.  So these are my sources. 

My intended use is purely for personal audio--not to interface with my home/office stereo system.  I will NOT be using IEM's or Bluetooth anything.  I do not own an iPhone or a DAP and don't care to.  My flip phone is just fine thank you very much...lol... : )  I do have a very nice Kindle that I might be able to use as a music server???  

So, now, back to the questions at hand: 

1)  The other quesiton I have is about the upgrade path from the iFi Micro iDSD Black Edition is: Will iFi come out with matching black products or will I be stuck with black and silver hodge-podge in my stack?  

2)  Where do I go from here?  What's next:  iCan 2 SE, iUSB 3.0, iTube?  Where is the biggest bang for the buck from where I am with the iDSD BL?  What is the best upgrade   progression   X--- > Y--- > Z--- > etc....

3)  What does the full completed stack of iFi Micro products sound like?  Compared to what?  I've not be lucky enough to get to meets and trade shows to do some listening.  

 

[BillsonChang007]

You have a beyer and akg. I think the next best upgrade path for you if you were to stick with ifi's it would be ifi ican SE. Try these combo and see if it is enough for you, which should be. If you have extras, iUSB 3.0

Hope it helps
Bilson

 

[Takeanidea]

 

[Takeanidea]

Anybody not get on the Tour and wondering what the micro iDSD BL is like - have a listen. I spent half a day preparing 2 sound samples and have them available on PM. Measurements are one thing, so is monster amounts of detail on specs and bass etc etc. The only true test is with your ears. Nothing else really counts as much as that. There has been a reduction in audio quality on both the Dacamps I used, but they have been volume matched and the same 2 tracks were recorded. I'm surprised more people here aren't interested in what it actually sounds like. I'm sure if I posted the soundbytes here there would be a lot of hits. Copyright restrictions prevent me from directly linking them. I recorded Ed Sheeran from X Wembley Edition in FLAC and Simple Minds from Greatest Hits in DSD. Yours if you want them. 
Trev

 

[noobandroid]

im still waiting and not know who is the reviewer before me, and when will it be my turn