[pekingduck]

Yeah the short Apple CCK cable also makes using the iDSD micro with an iPad a bit awkward.

 

[maricius]

   
Hi,
 
We can but:
 
1. The adapter is something we chose for its very respectable quality already. Like the blue USB cable in the other iFi boxes, it is plain Jane looking but actually outperforms.
 
2. In the next day or so, we'll directly address your concern surrounding the use of having such an adapter in the signal path - there is a method to our madness.
 
Cheers.

 
 
Just to clarify, I wasn't addressing iFi!! I was addressing guglia72. Sorry for the misunderstanding!! I'm in the camp that only bothers about EMI when it comes to USB cables!!
 
 
I for one am quite ecstatic with iFi's decision and I have a feeling iFi would almost surely supply a USB A male to USB A female cable. Just couple that with the CCK and you have your longer cable solution. Something tells me that iFi's going already going to incorporate the iPurifier but I think it to be overboard if iFi suddenly supplies their own CCKs or even makes their own lengthened CCK. Can't wait for the next Super Duper and OTW features!!

 

[iFi audio]

 
is this the only usb port input in micro idsd?
if its the only usb port plz consider changing to normal usb b port like all ifi previous dac,
i believe more person including me want to use in desktop pc. which i sure the normal usb b port work better than using adapter.
so plz consider it. or just make two usb input. the normal one and that one

 
Hi all,
 
Over the past couple of years, the iDAC and iLINK and nano iDSD, have been shipping a Blue USB 2.0 (A>B) cable.
 
This cable under went some quite thorough testing and it adheres very well to the 90ohms impedance parameter.
 
Given we have only had customer comments expressing their surprise at "Little Blue," sonically speaking, you can rest assured that it delivers the goods.
 
Hence, for the micro iDSD, it will ship with AT LEAST the same "known good" USB cable but in A>A version.
 
Like this:

 
So you can:
 
1) Connect directly from PC > micro iDSD (without the use of an adapter).
 
or
 
2) Use a USB A>B cable > adapter > micro iDSD.
 
We may have a further update on this in the next few days - once it is soup, you'll be the first to know.
 

 

[hugoboss]

before this new usb input iam very exciting about all the microdsd feature. just this one is kinda not agree

 
still iam not so sure, let say i have some very good usb cable

 
1. usb cable with pure silver like audioquest diamond (maybe in the future)
2. usb cable with 7n upocc 99.9995 pure copper (i have one like this)
3. some crazy super high end usb cable like crystal cable / The Synergistic Research Active SE USB Cable (don't plan to buy, just curious)

 
if i am connect that all highend usb cable above with that blue usb b-a converter or usb adapter .
will it not effect the quality of the signal and the sound from that highend usb cable?
 
i can understand also like some member here if this the nano dac usb input. but this is micro which more people will use it in desktop application.
also waiting for few days for the more details with this usb input

 

[technobear]

Not happy

This was already a clunky solution with the iPurifier. Having to add an adaptor makes it Super-Duper Clunky. Really not happy about this decision. It's gonna delight a minority of Apple users but seriously annoy the much greater majority who will mainly use this on the desktop. Really bad news fro anyone who already has expensive USB cables or worse an iPurifier. I was thinking of adding an iPurifier when I get my iDSD. Now I'm not so sure.

 

[iFi audio]

  before this new usb input iam very exciting about all the microdsd feature. just this one is kinda not agree

 
still iam not so sure, let say i have some very good usb cable

 
1. usb cable with pure silver like audioquest diamond (maybe in the future)
2. usb cable with 7n upocc 99.9995 pure copper (i have one like this)
3. some crazy super high end usb cable like crystal cable / The Synergistic Research Active SE USB Cable (don't plan to buy, just curious)

 
if i am connect that all highend usb cable above with that blue usb b-a converter or usb adapter .
will it not effect the quality of the signal and the sound from that highend usb cable?
 
i can understand also like some member here if this the nano dac usb input. but this is micro which more people will use it in desktop application.
also waiting for few days for the more details with this usb input

 
Hi,
 
Will you still get a benefit from using a very expensive USB cable plus our adapter with the iDSD micro?
 
It will depend.
 
If the USB Cable is designed to USB Standards, adheres closely to the USB Impedance standard and combines this with a low impedance for the ground, These may be minimally diminished by the adapter, but they will not be negated and in most cases, they will be allowed through 100%.
 
If instead the cables rely on exotic materials and such (we are not saying there are no differences, but it may be worth comparing), as some some audiophile cables do, the result may be unpredictable.
 
Expensive cables are not reliably good and cheap cables are not reliably junk. They need to conform with the material and relevant specifications first.
 
So, thumbs up for Audioquest, for the others we'd be tempted to ask for the certificate that they have been tested and certified according to USB 2.0 Standard as issued by USB-IF.

 

[iFi audio]

Not happy

This was already a clunky solution with the iPurifier. Having to add an adaptor makes it Super-Duper Clunky. Really not happy about this decision. It's gonna delight a minority of Apple users but seriously annoy the much greater majority who will mainly use this on the desktop. Really bad news fro anyone who already has expensive USB cables or worse an iPurifier. I was thinking of adding an iPurifier when I get my iDSD. Now I'm not so sure.

 
We hear you and the other comments here but like we as we outlined, there is a method of using USB A>A and USB A>B without the adapter and the option of using with an adapter.
 
Plus, the iPurifier is not as essential for the micro iDSD as much as it is for other DACs.

 

[jexby]

Not happy

This was already a clunky solution with the iPurifier. Having to add an adaptor makes it Super-Duper Clunky. Really not happy about this decision. It's gonna delight a minority of Apple users but seriously annoy the much greater majority who will mainly use this on the desktop. Really bad news fro anyone who already has expensive USB cables or worse an iPurifier. I was thinking of adding an iPurifier when I get my iDSD. Now I'm not so sure.

 
First, they've already said they are providing a (better than good) desktop USB cable.  no adapter needed for PC/Mac connections.
 
Second,
I'd recommend waiting a bit more for their reasoning and accessories before becoming too sad.    

I too am a desktop user, but really- what if iFi is saying:
a) you don't NEED those fancy audiophile diamond USB cables to make THIS micro iDSD DAC sound great.
or
b) micro iDSD doesn't require a fancy power iPurifier either because of feature x,y,z.
 
I'd be VERY happy for advances in USB audio technology to be built INSIDE new DAC units, instead of all this gnashing of teeth over fancy-USB-cable-sparkly-ions and power cleaning units which may or may not help in any audible fashion.
 
 
my Concero HD to an iMac sounds amazing with no power conditioning and a "simple" Wireworld Starlight cable.
others have tested Concero HD with "USB power cleaners" and barely any audible gain was noticed (yes, in their environment.  YMMV).
so great mid-range DACs running of USB power is possible already, without all the cable/power madness.

 

[jexby]

   
Plus, the iPurifier is not as essential for the micro iDSD as much as it is for other DACs.

 
synchronicity in our postings!  cool.  I had a funny feeling iPurifier wasn't essential for this micro iDSD gem.
music on.

 

[maricius]

Originally Posted by iFi audio /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Plus, the iPurifier is not as essential for the micro iDSD as much as it is for other DACs.
 

 
Quote:

  synchronicity in our postings!  cool.  I had a funny feeling iPurifier wasn't essential for this micro iDSD gem.
music on.

 +1 KNEW IT and not even enough that iFi would announce it as a Super Duper Feature aww. I wonder what comes next

 

[guglia72]

Cables ARE an upgrade in the system.
If I use the iDSD with android/iphone I am probably in the train, plane, etc and external noise will interfere with the sound. So adding an adapter or using the blue cable would work just fine.
If I'm at home, I've possibly built my room around my hi-fi system, spent 10-20k usd for amplifier, loudspeaker, headphones and cables and so on and I really wouldn't want to use adapters or maybe I want to use a 1000$ USB cable from AudioQuest.
After all audiophiles are very happy to spend huge amount of money for a 1 or 2% improvement of SQ.

 

[jexby]

Cables ARE an upgrade in the system.
If I use the iDSD with android/iphone I am probably in the train, plane, etc and external noise will interfere with the sound. So adding an adapter or using the blue cable would work just fine.
If I'm at home, I've possibly built my room around my hi-fi system, spent 10-20k usd for amplifier, loudspeaker, headphones and cables and so on and I really wouldn't want to use adapters or maybe I want to use a 1000$ USB cable from AudioQuest.
After all audiophiles are very happy to spend huge amount of money for a 1 or 2% improvement of SQ.

 
only clarifying that:
 
- cables can be an tiny/small/medium/large upgrade in some systems.
- many here are not (rich) audiophiles willing to spend a "huge amount of money for a +1% or 2% improvement of SQ".
 
this is a $500 DAC/Amp product.  if you want to put a $1000 USB cable behind it, well - wish I had that problem, and the cash.
namely to upgrade to a $5000 DAC instead.  

or to have a custom USB female cable built by hand that would provide "even more audiophile quality".  

 

[guglia72]

B

only clarifying that:

- cables can be an tiny/small/medium/large upgrade in some systems.
- many here are not (rich) audiophiles willing to spend a "huge amount of money for a +1% or 2% improvement of SQ".

this is a $500 DAC/Amp product.  if you want to put a $1000 USB cable behind it, well - wish I had that problem, and the cash.
namely to upgrade to a $5000 DAC instead.  
or to have a custom USB female cable built by hand that would provide "even more audiophile quality".  

But iFi stated that their dacs are great in high end systems.
Anyway it was just an example for the sake of audio perfection!

 

[jexby]

But iFi stated that their dacs are great in high end systems.
Anyway it was just an example for the sake of audio perfection!

 
understood and yes a possible example for some.  

 
maybe cable vendors (beside the iFi blue USB female cable) will begin to offer the USB female as a custom-end on future cabling products.
well, we can dream.  ha.
 
cheers.
 

 

[JuleZ3C]

+1 on the last positive comments :
 
a good enough cable (standard compliant + shield + ferrite bead (seems to be the case looking at the picture))
+
well designed power supply stage (seems also to be the case)
=
no need for iPurifier nor iUSBPower
 
buffers + GMT + global design (data decoupled from the power supply) are there to deal with the audio data and reject jitter (and it seems to reject it pretty well)
 
also, 1000$ cable with a 500$ DAC ??? there still is the mini line for this kind of use (or even AMR products)
as a sidenote, the AMR DP-777 ships with a 250$ cable...
What I'm trying to say is that an expensive cable is just a way to try and improve a not so well designed DAC.
 
Be happy, you can now sell your $$$ cable(s) and buy a good pair of headphones !