iDSD micro Black Label. Tour details (page 147). Release info (page 153).
Mar 29, 2017 at 7:48 PM Post #2,822 of 4,252
I'm interested in iDSD Micro BL! 


I heard iDSD and consider it a great device, curious how BL sounds like! 


Read our reviews, George!:sunglasses:

That said, I have not heard the Micro, just the BL, and I really like it. Versatile, powerful and fairly portable.

I have one on the way...killer deal at Adorama...
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 7:57 PM Post #2,823 of 4,252
Read our reviews, George!:sunglasses:

That said, I have not heard the Micro, just the BL, and I really like it. Versatile, powerful and fairly portable.

I have one on the way...killer deal at Adorama...

 
Woah

I only recently found out about BL as I've forever wanted to get an iDSD Micro. iDSD Micro is for me like an ideal DAP that can drive HD800S, HD600 and my IEMs to full power and sound awesome in the process! 
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 8:15 PM Post #2,824 of 4,252
Just got the BL today. Gonna try it with the LCD-4 tonight!
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 10:36 PM Post #2,826 of 4,252
 
Just got the BL today. Gonna try it with the LCD-4 tonight!


lol, that was a quick "hell no"

That is what I was expecting. 
biggrin.gif

 
The BL is potent, but the LCD-4 makes plenty of amps sound flaccid.
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 11:02 PM Post #2,827 of 4,252
Oh well it was worth a try. Still powers the HE1000 awesome though!
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 11:48 PM Post #2,828 of 4,252
Oh well it was worth a try. Still powers the HE1000 awesome though!

 
Nothing really powers LCD4 - even WA22 + HA1 had problems powering LCD4, with both at absolute max levels. That thing eats way too much power. 

At any rate, iDSD Micro BL should be the strongest portable device that exists out there, so there's that... 
 
Mar 30, 2017 at 12:48 AM Post #2,829 of 4,252
Yeah, crazy how much power they need. I haven't actually tried them with my Jotunheim yet, wonder if that would do it. Thought the BL might have the juice but it wasn't even close, they simply said no way bro.
 
Mar 30, 2017 at 2:05 AM Post #2,830 of 4,252
What about the iCAN Pro? It supposedly has crazy power and control. One of those amps that's on my "someday" wishlist. Can it handle the LCD4?
 
Mar 30, 2017 at 12:10 PM Post #2,831 of 4,252
  What about the iCAN Pro? It supposedly has crazy power and control. One of those amps that's on my "someday" wishlist. Can it handle the LCD4?

 
It should be able to
 
 
 
Yeah, crazy how much power they need. I haven't actually tried them with my Jotunheim yet, wonder if that would do it. Thought the BL might have the juice but it wasn't even close, they simply said no way bro.

 
Well, LCD-4 are  not portable by any means so it should be alright 
biggrin.gif

 
Mar 31, 2017 at 4:29 AM Post #2,832 of 4,252
 
lol, that was a quick "hell no"

 
Strictly based on theory and measurements by Tyll in Innerfidelity:
 
  1. HE-6 -> 90dB/1V with 53 Ohm Impedance
  2. LCD-4 -> 96dB/1V with 200 Ohm impedance
 
What this means is that HE-6 needs twice the voltage (and 7.5 times the current or 15 times the power) for equal loudness compared to the LCD-4.
 
So at least in theory the LCD-4 is easier to drive than HE-6. Being fairly high impedance at 200 ohms, the LCD-4 does need a lot of current.
 
Now it is one thing to get the simple SPL, another is to get the desired sound quality. So this is a comment on the tech specs, not sound quality. However we are confident that with the outlined settings the iDSD micro (and BL) will drive the LCD-4 quite loud, but not to "hearing damage guaranteed" levels.
 
Looking at the measurements there is little we can see to make the LCD-4 particularly incompatible with the sound signature of the BL...as always, try for yourself.
 
for LCD-4 you might want to re-test with the following settings:
 
  1. Mode -> Turbo
  2. iEMatch -> OFF
  3. XBASS -> OFF
  4. 3D -> ON or OFF (personal taste)
  5. Filter -> Minimum
 
We cannot guarantee that the result will give great sound, but the above should drive the LCD-4 loud enough for most if not all listening.
 
iFi audio Stay updated on iFi audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/iFiAudio/ https://twitter.com/ifiaudio https://www.instagram.com/ifiaudio/ https://ifi-audio.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@iFiaudiochannel comms@ifi-audio.com
Mar 31, 2017 at 5:45 AM Post #2,833 of 4,252
 
Strictly based on theory and measurements by Tyll in Innerfidelity:
 
  1. HE-6 -> 90dB/1V with 53 Ohm Impedance
  2. LCD-4 -> 96dB/1V with 200 Ohm impedance
 
What this means is that HE-6 needs twice the voltage (and 7.5 times the current or 15 times the power) for equal loudness compared to the LCD-4.
 
So at least in theory the LCD-4 is easier to drive than HE-6. Being fairly high impedance at 200 ohms, the LCD-4 does need a lot of current.
 
Now it is one thing to get the simple SPL, another is to get the desired sound quality. So this is a comment on the tech specs, not sound quality. However we are confident that with the outlined settings the iDSD micro (and BL) will drive the LCD-4 quite loud, but not to "hearing damage guaranteed" levels.
 
Looking at the measurements there is little we can see to make the LCD-4 particularly incompatible with the sound signature of the BL...as always, try for yourself.
 
for LCD-4 you might want to re-test with the following settings:
 
  1. Mode -> Turbo
  2. iEMatch -> OFF
  3. XBASS -> OFF
  4. 3D -> ON or OFF (personal taste)
  5. Filter -> Minimum
 
We cannot guarantee that the result will give great sound, but the above should drive the LCD-4 loud enough for most if not all listening.

 
I will try those settings (pretty sure that's what I had it on) and report back. I was also coming from listening to the LCD-4 on a Studio Six so it was a bit of an unkind comparison, but regardless I could not recommend the pairing at this point.
 
Mar 31, 2017 at 5:10 PM Post #2,834 of 4,252
 
   
Strictly based on theory and measurements by Tyll in Innerfidelity:
 
  1. HE-6 -> 90dB/1V with 53 Ohm Impedance
  2. LCD-4 -> 96dB/1V with 200 Ohm impedance
 
What this means is that HE-6 needs twice the voltage (and 7.5 times the current or 15 times the power) for equal loudness compared to the LCD-4.
 
So at least in theory the LCD-4 is easier to drive than HE-6. Being fairly high impedance at 200 ohms, the LCD-4 does need a lot of current.
 
Now it is one thing to get the simple SPL, another is to get the desired sound quality. So this is a comment on the tech specs, not sound quality. However we are confident that with the outlined settings the iDSD micro (and BL) will drive the LCD-4 quite loud, but not to "hearing damage guaranteed" levels.
 
Looking at the measurements there is little we can see to make the LCD-4 particularly incompatible with the sound signature of the BL...as always, try for yourself.
 
for LCD-4 you might want to re-test with the following settings:
 
  1. Mode -> Turbo
  2. iEMatch -> OFF
  3. XBASS -> OFF
  4. 3D -> ON or OFF (personal taste)
  5. Filter -> Minimum
 
We cannot guarantee that the result will give great sound, but the above should drive the LCD-4 loud enough for most if not all listening.

 
I will try those settings (pretty sure that's what I had it on) and report back. I was also coming from listening to the LCD-4 on a Studio Six so it was a bit of an unkind comparison, but regardless I could not recommend the pairing at this point.


One thing you might be sure of: the iEMatch switch.  It's easy to get it slightly knocked into another setting.  
 
For the next test, it would be best to switch it to Ultra and back to no iEMatch, just to make sure.
 
I've made this mistake with LCD3 before, and wondered why it was 1) quiet and 2) sounded wimpy.  Oops, had iEMatch on :)
 
Mar 31, 2017 at 5:26 PM Post #2,835 of 4,252
 
One thing you might be sure of: the iEMatch switch.  It's easy to get it slightly knocked into another setting.  
 
For the next test, it would be best to switch it to Ultra and back to no iEMatch, just to make sure.
 
I've made this mistake with LCD3 before, and wondered why it was 1) quiet and 2) sounded wimpy.  Oops, had iEMatch on :)

 
It's a lot more exciting if you have something like the Andromeda on and knock IEMatch from "Ultra-Sensitive" to "Off". Or, for the unlucky, bump from "Eco" into "Turbo".
biggrin.gif

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top