[roamling]

   
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:

 

 
First: That cable is perfectly fine for me, as long as i dont have to use an adapter I am ok with that.
 
Second: if ifi says the iPurifier is not needed, thats fine for me to.  I was going to get one but now I save the money and spend it on music.
 
It takes a lot for a company to say that the sound quality is good enough already with the "standard" package" besides having these products for sale. Other companies would probably try to marketing and sell everthing and say its greatly improving the sound even if its not. If ifi is confident the micro iDSD as a standalone product will perform to the highest standard than thats a very purist and honest approach.

 

[iFi audio]

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

 
You guys get so excited, we cant keep up...ONE more Super Duper....then we shall bring everything full circle and then you can understand why we have done what we have done.
 
Hopefully by then, we will have calmed your concerns over the USB cable connection. But still feel free to ask once we have explained it all.
 
You are all doing a pucker job of coaxing it out of us. 

 

[jexby]

  You are all doing a pucker job of coaxing it out of us. 

 
uh oh.
coaxial related?

 

[iFi audio]

   
uh oh.
coaxial related?

 
Nope.
 
But nice try!
 
We already just about gave away the last Super Duper...but we will write a bit of a background explanation.

 

[jexby]

   
Summary Table of Power Mode + iEMatch

---

Technology	Description	Remarks	Approx Playing Time
HP Amp Power
•         Turbo mode	8.0V/4,000mW@ 16Ohm	> 1000 mW @ 64 Ohm	6 hours
•         Normal mode	4.0V/1,000mW@16Ohm	> 500 mW @ 32 Ohm	8 hours
•         Eco mode	2.0V/250mW@ 16Ohm	> 250 mW @ 16 Ohm	12 hours

 
Wanted to focus in the Turbo mode mW specs above:
 
Q1:  Can we "do the Ohm's law math" to conclude that in Turbo mode @ 35 Ohm, micro iDSD will deliver = 1829 mW?
or is there another power factor at play?
 
Q2:  How about the high voltage swing of micro iDSD for headphones such as the new HE-560?
 
 
(ear deafening power not the goal I realize)
thanks.

 

[lakai]

i am using my nano idsd with speakers most of the time. so will be my micro idsd, as a desktop player.
 
i am also disappointed  that the micro will have the usb a port unlike the nano with the usb 3 b  portwhich i have come to like.  i have the usb 3. its more robust construction fits firmly with its bigger two sidewalls preventing sideway movements.
 
it has been my experience that the narrow sided usb a becomes mechanically lose sideways overtime in normal (or abnormal use. that at times i have to carefully reinsert my usb stick for the computer to read.
 
at times or in some extended listening, the sound deteriorates – from stunning to so so. i now suspect that the contact gets lose somehow probably to cable twist and bent affecting the bit stream leading to poor sq  , at times with strange noise or stops playing altogether. if this is the case, then i would say on the micro there will be two probable points of cause of such kind of failure, at either ends of the usb a.
 
or i could be very wrong.  for sure, ifi  have a big reason for their choice. i am awaiting their further announcements to educate myself. or i could be taxing my computers to its limits. i am converting all my redbook on the fly with foobar to dsd 256.. (this guy mirrors my view on dsd256 :. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/head-head-jrmc19-foobar-sacd-and-hq-player-doing-cd-standard-lpcm-sampled-16-bits-and-44-100-times-second-aimed-reproducing-sound-20-20-000hz-direct-stream-digital-and-native-direct-stream-digital-20687/)

 

[BillsonChang007]

any chance to get female type A to female type A USB? Hopefully cheaper than getting a CCK as it sales for BND 58 here even for the 30-pin T.T

 

[cvision123]

I really appreciate the explanation from ifi about USB cable. I'm not that long into this hobby but I decided to "leave" a couple of month ago. The main reason is the dishonesty of the industry.

Analog cables can have both positive and negative effects on the sound. That is a known knowledge both in literature and practice. However, when it comes to digital domain, things are different. As long as manufacturer sticks to the standard, there should not be any audible issue. The issues that we have is because of the flaw in the receiver part of the Dac (EMI/noise,...).

DAC designer/saleman then suggest us to use cable of "higher" quality and cable manufacturers market their "magic" cable. Will you ever buy a car that has obvious flaws and put your money to fix these instead of buying a good one from the beginning?

I highly appreciate ifi's approach to this digital cable madness. There is nothing wrong with spending money for the things you like. However it is dishonest to not admit the flaws and state the real reason behind the "fixes" that many DAC designers and cable companies are doing.

Back to the topic, I am waiting for the ifi iDSD micro to hit the market. Is there any way for me to buy it in June for my birthday?

 

[iFi audio]

  any chance to get female type A to female type A USB? Hopefully cheaper than getting a CCK as it sales for BND 58 here even for the 30-pin T.T

 
Hi
 
You have to use CCK or OTG or similar. Inside, they have circuitey to 

   
Wanted to focus in the Turbo mode mW specs above:
 
Q1:  Can we "do the Ohm's law math" to conclude that in Turbo mode @ 35 Ohm, micro iDSD will deliver = 1829 mW?
or is there another power factor at play?
 
Q2:  How about the high voltage swing of micro iDSD for headphones such as the new HE-560?
 
 
(ear deafening power not the goal I realize)
thanks.

 
Hi,
 
1) Yes, 1829mW
 
2) 8V
 
More than enough for HE-560 (as always, we advise that you try first before you buy - find a local retailer, any location queries, PM us)
 
Thanks

 

[iFi audio]

  any chance to get female type A to female type A USB? Hopefully cheaper than getting a CCK as it sales for BND 58 here even for the 30-pin T.T

 
Hi,

Can you elaborate further?
 
Background info
There is no way to get around the Apple CCK as Apple has their authentication chip inside, hence 3rd party ones are not reliable (signal drop etc).
 
Samsung OTG is the same as any cheap OTG cable, no electronics inside, unlike the CCK.
 
This is what's inside an OTG cable, over cross connect a wire, there is nothing inside.

But still check the quality of the OTG cable as they do vary.

 

[BillsonChang007]

I mean using something like this http://www.xtreme-technology.com/shop/images/a%20-%20a%20female%20-%20female%20adaptor.jpg . One end goes to the micro and the other goes to iPad USB connection > iPad. Is it possible? 30-pin CCK is selling slightly more expensive here don't feel it's worth the price for my use hehe

 

[maricius]

I mean using something like this http://www.xtreme-technology.com/shop/images/a%20-%20a%20female%20-%20female%20adaptor.jpg . One end goes to the micro and the other goes to iPad USB connection > iPad. Is it possible? 30-pin CCK is selling slightly more expensive here don't feel it's worth the price for my use hehe

 
I highly doubt it as the CCK as mentioned above has a particular chip which allows access to the Apple software. I don't think the standard charging/data-transfer cable will work in that way. 

 

[BillsonChang007]

I highly doubt it as the CCK as mentioned above has a particular chip which allows access to the Apple software. I don't think the standard charging/data-transfer cable will work in that way. 

Yeap guess so...

 

[roamling]

I mean using something like this http://www.xtreme-technology.com/shop/images/a%20-%20a%20female%20-%20female%20adaptor.jpg . One end goes to the micro and the other goes to iPad USB connection > iPad. Is it possible? 30-pin CCK is selling slightly more expensive here don't feel it's worth the price for my use hehe

 
I thought ifi hinted yesterday that the cables, including the CCK cable, will be included in the package? If thats the case you wont have to worry about spending money on it.

 

[BillsonChang007]

I think it's most likely to be 9-pin if it's included. My current source is 30-pin hehe