[rutter]

I don't know what it is with you and reading but I don't see what you're referring to. Anything in particular I should be rereading from that post? That post is just about the significance of the power the Micro can provide in different modes.

 

[rutter]

My understanding (and experience) is that the micro BL will run indefinitely when supplied with a 500 mA USB in Eco mode, but discharges in normal or turbo. However, with a USB hub that supports 2 amp fast charging (or the iUSB power supplies) then the BL will go a really long time (maybe forever) in normal mode. The blue charging light stays lit only for 30 seconds or so after turning off the device after several hours in normal mode when using the iUSB nano. That makes me think it’s at near full charge.

I almost never use turbo mode. The power output is really high in normal mode. Only when listening to really quiet classical tracks using the HD6XX do I use turbo. In that case the BL seems to warm up and the charging light stays on after turning it off even when connected to the iUSB.

As far as not noticing a difference between the nano and micro, I can’t comment. However I notice the difference (major improvement) in sound quality with the BL vs. a dragonfly red with harder to drive headphones (HD6xx, AFC, etc.) vs. easier to drive (ATH-m50x, MSR7, etc.).


Overall I really love this device and use it more than my jotunheim most days.

Missed this post. That's interesting. Any specific recommendations? Anything that might power the Micro completely even in Turbo without causing problems? Obviously any such hub needs to be connected to the computer. Or am I getting that wrong?

 

[technobear]

I don't know what it is with you and reading but I don't see what you're referring to. Anything in particular I should be rereading from that post? That post is just about the significance of the power the Micro can provide in different modes.

You asked for battery life. The battery life for each of the three power modes is stated clearly in that post.

 

[rutter]

...Let's just agree to avoid one another, technobear.

 

[tcellguy]

Missed this post. That's interesting. Any specific recommendations? Anything that might power the Micro completely even in Turbo without causing problems? Obviously any such hub needs to be connected to the computer. Or am I getting that wrong?

I think max power output in turbo mode 4W exceeds USB 2.0 fast charging protocol. It was a bit confusing to me as well when I was researching buying this. You need a USB 2.0 BC 1.2 compliant hub (the discussion is in this thread). Computer USB out to the hub, then plug the BL into the BC 1.2 port and you should get music plus power. But I think max power in this setting just supports normal mode and probably is net neutral on the battery. I use the iUSB nano that has the BC 1.2 protocol I think.

If you want a true high power solution for the desktop and not worry about battery power you might look at the iCan SE amp.

 

[rutter]

I'm trying to save money- 2 in 1 solution for desktop and portable. I'll search for that discussion. Can you test turbo mode exclusively? If nothing else this should significantly prolong the life of the battery.

Why not USB 3?

 

[rutter]

Overall I really love this device and use it more than my jotunheim most days.

Out of curiosity, does the Schiit stuff support all the file types the Micro BL does? I'm currently looking at their Jotunheim and the Lyr 3 and I don't see anything mentioned. Their tone gets annoying after a while.

Anyone using the Micro BL with Focal Clear (or Elear)?

 

[technobear]

Out of curiosity, does the Schiit stuff support all the file types the Micro BL does? I'm currently looking at their Jotunheim and the Lyr 3 and I don't see anything mentioned. Their tone gets annoying after a while.

Anyone using the Micro BL with Focal Clear (or Elear)?

DACs don't support file types.

DACs support PCM and sometimes DSD.

Player software supports file types.

 

[tcellguy]

I'm trying to save money- 2 in 1 solution for desktop and portable. I'll search for that discussion. Can you test turbo mode exclusively? If nothing else this should significantly prolong the life of the battery.

Why not USB 3?

http://www.head-fi.org/threads/idsd-micro-black-label-tour-details-page-147-release-info-page-153.711217/page-229#post-13708066

Look at post 3433


Really, search is your friend. There is a lot of good information here but some is buried in the thread.

 

[rutter]

So the iUSB thing is another iFi product costing $220, yikes. How about this- Magni 3 for $100? Sound-wise I would imagine whatever amp is inside the Micro BL is no better, and perhaps worse? This would completely bypass the battery, correct? What parts of the Micro BL will become nonresponsive? Do you see any problems with this idea?

 

[elira]

So the iUSB thing is another iFi product costing $220, yikes. How about this- Magni 3 for $100? Sound-wise I would imagine whatever amp is inside the Micro BL is no better, and perhaps worse? This would completely bypass the battery, correct? What parts of the Micro BL will become nonresponsive? Do you see any problems with this idea?

I don’t get what are you trying to archive. The micro BL is an amazing DAC/amp the turbo mode that gives you 4W is crazy powerful and I’ve never had the necessity of using it. I think if you are going to be alternating between portable and desk it would work fine, the battery would charge and discharge (which is good). As for the Magni 3 yes it’s a good amp, and yes you can use it with the micro BL acting as a DAC in eco mode so it would charge while in use. But the eco mode of the micro BL is good enough for most headphones so probably it’s enough for you.

 

[rutter]

What I'm trying to achieve is bypassing and thus preserving the battery, neither draining nor charging it during desktop use. I want this to be a long term desktop and portable solution, with heavy desktop use. I can also tell you that Eco mode, like the Nano BL, is not good enough for a lot of headphones. Perhaps just barely at the edge it's good enough for a bunch, but I've even read you get better sound with more power (aren't there power recommendations for amplifiers with some headphones, just talking about the Focal Elear here, nothing extraordinary). The one headphone I've found to be driven with room to spare at that level is the Hifiman Edition X, which is extremely easy to drive. As I'm writing this I have my computer's volume turned to 100 and the volume knob on the Micro BL turned all the way with a Hifiman HE400i. Granted it's somewhat too loud there's no room, with a 400i. I don't think that's a hard to drive headphone.

Why would any mode be active if you're using the Micro BL with an external amplifier? I'm also not sure why the battery charging and discharging is a good thing. I know that with high end wireless mice with a charging pad Logitech keep the battery at a level under 100%.

 

[elira]

It’s bad for lithium batteries to be at 100% all the time. It’s better if they do cycles of charging between 20% and 80%. And it’s better if you charge them to 60% and then disconnect them completely (you still need to do a charging cycle every few months). For a heavy desktop usage where you intend to have it plugged in forever I recommend something without battery.

 

[technobear]

It’s bad for lithium batteries to be at 100% all the time. It’s better if they do cycles of charging between 20% and 80%. And it’s better if you charge them to 60% and then disconnect them completely (you still need to do a charging cycle every few months). For a heavy desktop usage where you intend to have it plugged in forever I recommend something without battery.

If you all go back and read iFi's technical note about SmartPower (link on first page), You'll see that this is exactly what it does if you leave it switched on and connected to a USB source. It goes to sleep and charges to 80%. If you turn it off then it charges to 100%.

 

[elira]

If you all go back and read iFi's technical note about SmartPower (link on first page), You'll see that this is exactly what it does if you leave it switched on and connected to a USB source. It goes to sleep and charges to 80%. If you turn it off then it charges to 100%.

That’s pretty cool! Then it seems fine to have it plugged in forever.