[Rowan94]

@iFi audio - are you guys listening to the many folks who want a case for this thing? It seems to be a hit.

We hear you, we don't currently have anything in the works for this. I have passed this onto our R&D department though!

 

[TerekKincaid]

Sorry, but I've got a quick MQA questions (I know everyone is probably sick of these).

I'm using USB Audio Player Pro and Tidal with the passthrough settings. I'm getting the blue or green light on MQA tracks, so I know it's passing through correctly. For some songs the "File" sample rate and the "DAC" sample rate are matched. For some I'll get 44.1 for the file and 88.2 for the DAC. The light on the DAC only says 44, however. For files that are 88.2 and 88.2, for example, the LED goes to 88. Is the LED showing the original file sample rate or should it show what the DAC is putting out? Is the app just wrong about the DAC rate?

 

[sahmen]

I have a just received a Gold Bar that I purchased from Listen Up. So far I appreciate most things about the sound except for one quirky issue. While sounds from the lower mid-range upward are well-centered, I seem to be hearing deep bass notes only on the right side of the sound-field. At first I thought this was an aspect of how the particular song I was listening to was mixed at the source. However I have tried several songs and I get the same lopsided bass effect,

Might it be the result of some previous setting or filter left on the unit before I got it, or can it be corrected by any tweaks. I am thinking the unit might be defective, but I wanted to check with forum members to ensure I am correct in assuming there is a defect before returning it.

PS. Scratch that! I just switched headphones and cables (from LCD-5 to Hifiman Sundara) and the lower bass notes are back to the center where they should be. The problem is really not with the cans or the Gold Bar, but with the 4.4mm connector on the LCD-5 and the kind of handshake it is getting with the Gold Bar. My sense is that it is not connecting correctly with the Go Bar's socket, which is what is causing the lopsided bass problem. The 4.4mm connector on the Sundara does not seem to have this issue. The curious thing is that the connector on the LCD-5 gets a perfect handshake with my RU6 dongle's 4.4mm socket so what gives? Is there some trick about getting the right fit on the Gold bar with the connector on the LCD-5's Vykari cable that I'm missing?

At least I am happy I did not make the hasty error of returning the Gold Bar.

 

[littlexx26]

I have a just received a Gold Bar that I purchased from Listen Up. So far I appreciate most things about the sound except for one quirky issue. While sounds from the lower mid-range upward are well-centered, I seem to be hearing deep bass notes only on the right side of the sound-field. At first I thought this was an aspect of how the particular song I was listening to was mixed at the source. However I have tried several songs and I get the same lopsided bass effect,

Might it be the result of some previous setting or filter left on the unit before I got it, or can it be corrected by any tweaks. I am thinking the unit might be defective, but I wanted to check with forum members to ensure I am correct in assuming there is a defect before returning it.

PS. Scratch that! I just switched headphones and cables (from LCD-5 to Hifiman Sundara) and the lower bass notes are back to the center where they should be. The problem is really not with the cans or the Gold Bar, but with the 4.4mm connector on the LCD-5 and the kind of handshake it is getting with the Gold Bar. My sense is that it is not connecting correctly with the Go Bar's socket, which is what is causing the lopsided bass problem. The 4.4mm connector on the Sundara does not seem to have this issue. The curious thing is that the connector on the LCD-5 gets a perfect handshake with my RU6 dongle's 4.4mm socket so what gives? Is there some trick about getting the right fit on the Gold bar with the connector on the LCD-5's Vykari cable that I'm missing?

At least I am happy I did not make the hasty error of returning the Gold Bar.

sounds better than ru6？

 

[ayang02]

I have a just received a Gold Bar that I purchased from Listen Up. So far I appreciate most things about the sound except for one quirky issue. While sounds from the lower mid-range upward are well-centered, I seem to be hearing deep bass notes only on the right side of the sound-field. At first I thought this was an aspect of how the particular song I was listening to was mixed at the source. However I have tried several songs and I get the same lopsided bass effect,

Might it be the result of some previous setting or filter left on the unit before I got it, or can it be corrected by any tweaks. I am thinking the unit might be defective, but I wanted to check with forum members to ensure I am correct in assuming there is a defect before returning it.

PS. Scratch that! I just switched headphones and cables (from LCD-5 to Hifiman Sundara) and the lower bass notes are back to the center where they should be. The problem is really not with the cans or the Gold Bar, but with the 4.4mm connector on the LCD-5 and the kind of handshake it is getting with the Gold Bar. My sense is that it is not connecting correctly with the Go Bar's socket, which is what is causing the lopsided bass problem. The 4.4mm connector on the Sundara does not seem to have this issue. The curious thing is that the connector on the LCD-5 gets a perfect handshake with my RU6 dongle's 4.4mm socket so what gives? Is there some trick about getting the right fit on the Gold bar with the connector on the LCD-5's Vykari cable that I'm missing?

At least I am happy I did not make the hasty error of returning the Gold Bar.

Is your 4.4mm plug’s chassis completely touching the 4.4mm socket? If so, you can try to pull out the plug just ever slightly so that the 4.4mm socket isn’t completely in contact with the 4.4mm plug.

I’ve had some compatibility issues with the Gold Bar’s 4.4mm socket with certain 4.4mm plugs due to some plugs not implementing a spacer right under the GND terminal.

 

[Rowan94]

Sorry, but I've got a quick MQA questions (I know everyone is probably sick of these).

I'm using USB Audio Player Pro and Tidal with the passthrough settings. I'm getting the blue or green light on MQA tracks, so I know it's passing through correctly. For some songs the "File" sample rate and the "DAC" sample rate are matched. For some I'll get 44.1 for the file and 88.2 for the DAC. The light on the DAC only says 44, however. For files that are 88.2 and 88.2, for example, the LED goes to 88. Is the LED showing the original file sample rate or should it show what the DAC is putting out? Is the app just wrong about the DAC rate?

The LEDs on the GO Bar essentially show what the product receives from a transport device, in this case a smartphone with UAPP.

 

[TerekKincaid]

The LEDs on the GO Bar essentially show what the product receives from a transport device, in this case a smartphone with UAPP.

Ok, that makes sense. So the app is just making up some numbers. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[flippant1]

The LEDs on the GO Bar essentially show what the product receives from a transport device, in this case a smartphone with UAPP.

The LEDs on the GO Bar essentially show what the product receives from a transport device, in this case a smartphone with UAPP.

Xbass & Xspace don't work? I received the Go Bar this week and I can not hear any, not even the smallest difference when I use X Bass or Xspace at any volume with different headphones and iems. I have tried both the 3.5 and the balanced inputs. I upgraded to the latest firmware and the sound is terrific but on occasion, I would like a bass bump when not using Roon's EQ, I have other iFi products using the Burr-Brown chips, and the Xbass is significant. I saw the iFi announcement about Xbass but this is like the buttons don't do anything.

Any thoughts- After upgrading the firmware I thought I would hear something. Is it possible the circuitry is defective in my unit as odd as it sounds to me asking, I am wondering if I should try another unit but that would be a pain top exchange? For a dongle, the SQ is exceptional- I would just like to get everything this unit has to offer.
Any thoughts?

 

[Marlowe]

Xbass & Xspace don't work? I received the Go Bar this week and I can not hear any, not even the smallest difference when I use X Bass or Xspace at any volume with different headphones and iems. I have tried both the 3.5 and the balanced inputs. I upgraded to the latest firmware and the sound is terrific but on occasion, I would like a bass bump when not using Roon's EQ, I have other iFi products using the Burr-Brown chips, and the Xbass is significant. I saw the iFi announcement about Xbass but this is like the buttons don't do anything.

Any thoughts- After upgrading the firmware I thought I would hear something. Is it possible the circuitry is defective in my unit as odd as it sounds to me asking, I am wondering if I should try another unit but that would be a pain top exchange? For a dongle, the SQ is exceptional- I would just like to get everything this unit has to offer.
Any thoughts?

I'm not alone. I also can't hear the slightest difference with either of these modes--alone or together and I've tried on literally dozens of different tracks. This has pretty much been entirely with the Thieaudio Monarch MKII from the 4.4mm output. I noted this earlier to little response, though one or two posters said I was wrong. I have not heard other iFi devices with these modes so can't compare, but several people have noted that their effect is more subtle on the Go bar than on other iFi devices.

 

[flippant1]

it’s good to know it’s not just me.-every other ifi device works with single or dual Burr- Brown chipsets. The Go Bar uses Cirrus Logic. I was tempted to buy another just to compare if there was any difference but the sound is so good it rivals desktop dacs and doesn’t draw much power from my iPad. I may just leave well enough alone. Thanks for your input.

 

[littlexx26]

Xbass & Xspace on and off is so much different that I prefer leave them off on my gold bar. they just alter the sound too much to unnatural level

 

[flippant1]

Are you using them on headphones or IEMS? I am not using the Gold Bar which I have read has some differences. - I couldn't locate one but they both use the Cirrus chipset. I have used some very good open and closed-back headphones and there is zero impact. I play mostly through Roon so have a Parametric EQ which I have tuned to give a very organic bass shelf I can use a little crossfeed to open it up but I do use Tidal and Qubuz individually and would like to know if my vanilla Go Bar may be faulty or that's just the way it is. I am using firmware 2.20A with the bit-perfect filter.

Amy's thoughts from vanilla Go Bar owners whether it would be worth it to try another Go Bar device by exchanging it. The sound is excellent in any case. Just wondering if is it possible that the circuitry is not functioning properly. Doesn't seem possible, it's a chip, but who knows- anyone out there?

 

[littlexx26]

Are you using them on headphones or IEMS? I am not using the Gold Bar which I have read has some differences. - I couldn't locate one but they both use the Cirrus chipset. I have used some very good open and closed-back headphones and there is zero impact. I play mostly through Roon so have a Parametric EQ which I have tuned to give a very organic bass shelf I can use a little crossfeed to open it up but I do use Tidal and Qubuz individually and would like to know if my vanilla Go Bar may be faulty or that's just the way it is. I am using firmware 2.20A with the bit-perfect filter.

Amy's thoughts from vanilla Go Bar owners whether it would be worth it to try another Go Bar device by exchanging it. The sound is excellent in any case. Just wondering if is it possible that the circuitry is not functioning properly. Doesn't seem possible, it's a chip, but who knows- anyone out there?

ier-z1r.

 

[psawjack]

Are you using them on headphones or IEMS? I am not using the Gold Bar which I have read has some differences. - I couldn't locate one but they both use the Cirrus chipset. I have used some very good open and closed-back headphones and there is zero impact. I play mostly through Roon so have a Parametric EQ which I have tuned to give a very organic bass shelf I can use a little crossfeed to open it up but I do use Tidal and Qubuz individually and would like to know if my vanilla Go Bar may be faulty or that's just the way it is. I am using firmware 2.20A with the bit-perfect filter.

Amy's thoughts from vanilla Go Bar owners whether it would be worth it to try another Go Bar device by exchanging it. The sound is excellent in any case. Just wondering if is it possible that the circuitry is not functioning properly. Doesn't seem possible, it's a chip, but who knows- anyone out there?

Mine does have an effect when I cycle through those settings. Using HPs.

 

[Ficcion2]

I bought my GO Bar used and the ASP (its still ASP right?) buttons work well.

Listening to house music; the sub bass is more satisfying but its seems to reduce the higher frequencies a bit.

I’ve never used the X Space in any iFi product I’ve owned including the Micro BL, Zen Can, and Nano BL due to the artificial sounds it provides.

Only using the GO with IEMs.