iFi audio iDSD Signature - The saga continues!

[qsk78]

Yes, the sound is better compared to the BL ... but on the other hand, you have more disadvantages than I initially thought.


Just a short pro and con comparism:

- No powerbank functionality
- No 3,5mm analog input
- 2nd cable is needed to charge it
- No pre amp switch (Direct / Preamplification)
- No polarity switch (+ / -)
- More expensive than the BL
- If it is empty, no mobile use possible

+ 4,4 balanced output
+ better overall sound
+ better Xbass implementation

Hmm ... I mean, most of the cons are not that important ... but in total there are a lot of disadvantages compared to the BL.

I personally see more pros than cons

No powerbank functionality - do not need, never used it this way
- No 3,5mm analog input - never used it as a pure amplifier
- 2nd cable is needed to charge it - great that they have a dedicated charging port
- No polarity switch (+ / -) - not needed, never used
- More expensive than the BL - agree
- If it is empty, no mobile use possible - what is the difference with the original micro BL?

+ 4,4 balanced output
+ better overall sound
+ better Xbass implementation
+ dedicated charging port

 

[531412]

Maybe it is just me. But I do not like the decision.

- If it is empty, no mobile use possible - what is the difference with the original micro BL?

If the BL is empty, you can use the battery of the mobile device. Yes, it will be discharged really fast, but in some cases, I think this could be a valid use case.

And again ... it just happened while I am writing this text ... I was listing to my music and the Signature turned off (battery is empty) because it used the internal battery only all the time even if it is pluged in via USB to my MacBook (connected via USB-C). But I do not have a separate charger here and therefore I can not continue hearing my music. Sorry, but this is just *****.

Currently I am thinking about to return it. This is frustrating me a lot. Faulty construction in my opinion.

Edit:
And I can not even charge it via my USB C port of my MacBook (check attachment)

 

[newworld666]

+ dedicated charging port

Usually, using a portable power amp while charging brings some background noise/hisses (it's the case with nearly all my portable amps, or BT Dongles). I am wondering if it's the case with this one too ?

 

[pompecukor]

This exactly is what concerns me and I mentioned before. Ifi conviniently skipped to make any remark on that. Why would a 500mA USB (the is the minimum that a USB port on a laptop or computer would put put) not be enough to run and change the device. Or in this case to just run it (without charging). Why would it shut off? How can it be using so much more than power? That is just bad design. You shouldn't need to haul around a seperate charger for this. The whole point of USB is so that it can be charged from PC/Laptop.

As I said I am personally happy with the seperate charging port. But no one should tell me it is a good implementation if a laptop cannot keep it running on a "dedicated" USD. As you can see on that picture.

I would really like some clearity on this. If the previous version could run with computer USB power, then why can this one not? (yes, with seperate USB connected to the charging port). How did BL version and the rest manage this before?

The +100mW is definitely not the reason. Or rather shouldn't be, unless someone messed up.
Something is not right or that unit is broken.

IFI give us some no BS insight please.

 

[531412]

As far as I know, the Thunderbolt-3/USB-C port of my MacBook can output 2,1A which should be more then enough because it is more than 50% of the charger I carry at home. Do I really have to take a charger with me all the time? @iFi audio

 

[pompecukor]

As far as I know, the Thunderbolt-3 port of my MacBook can output 2,1A which should be more then enough because it is more than 50% of the charger I carry at home. Do I really have to take a charger with me all the time? @iFi audio

Something is not right. 2.1A x 5v = 10.5Watts. There is no way that is not enough to charge this thing. That is enough to charge anything.

Maybe your unit is faulty? Can you confirm you could charge it from other source? I mean how were you able to run it till now? Or are you saying that it can charge. only not at the same time as it is running?

 

[531412]

It seems that the battery was full as it arrived. Yesterday evening, I charged it a bit via an external charger. So yes, charging via a common charger works. But this is just not comfortable. Therefore I do not think that the unit is not ok. Just faulty construction ^^
Just a small thing, but the charging cable, which is included in the box, is really short. So there is no chance to charge it via charger without any addon cables (if you want to have the Signature on your desk and listen + charging at the same time). I mean, such a cable is not expensive, but just an additional frustration point ...

 

[Kike6685]

The Micro iDSD Signature only has digital inputs - there are no longer any analog inputs, like the previous versions had.

Ok. Then.. I can only connect ibasso to ifi by spdif input thats a digital input and my mobile phone by usb.
Thanks!

 

[531412]

Ok, I finally found a charger.
But I need 3 cables + external charger to use this device. Sorry, but really ...? With the BL I just needed 1 OTG cable and I was done.
@qsk78 you still think that this is an improvement compared to the BL?

 

[MarkParity]

Ok, I finally found a charger.
But I need 3 cables + external charger to use this device. Sorry, but really ...? With the BL I just needed 1 OTG cable and I was done.
@qsk78 you still think that this is an improvement compared to the BL?

What's the white box for? To me it looks like you need two cables for the iDSD and one for something else? You only need two cables for the iDSD whilst its charging too, when its fully charged unplug the charging wire and use it until the battery gets low (several hours).

I can't get an iDSD at all in the UK at the moment, I'm not sure if pre-orders have allocated all the stock or our units are stuck somewhere in customs or a warehouse so if you want to sell yours?

 

[531412]

The white box is an adapter to connect external display. You can ignore it. But you would still need 3 cables + external charger.
But you could buy a larger USB-C to USB-A cable as connection to the charger. Than you would have „just“ 2 cables and one charger compared to one single cable for the BL

 

[MarkParity]

The white box is an adapter to connect external display. You can ignore it. But you would still need 3 cables + external charger.
But you could buy a larger USB-C to USB-A cable as connection to the charger. Than you would have „just“ 2 cables and one charger compared to one single cable for the BL

Ahh OK I got it I'm not sure what the USB C to USB A cable is for though.

I would only charge the unit when its battery is low because charging is another possible cause of electrical noise using the DC battery will always get a cleaner output.

I will use a USB C to USB C cable for charging too, I already have one actually, I can't see why that wouldn't work in your Apple scenario too

 

[531412]

Ahh OK I got it I'm not sure what the USB C to USB A cable is for though.

I would only charge the unit when its battery is low because charging is another possible cause of electrical noise using the DC battery will always get a cleaner output.

I will use a USB C to USB C cable for charging too, I already have one actually, I can't see why that wouldn't work in your Apple scenario too

I use this USB-C to USB-A cable to connect the Signature with the external charger. Because it is not possible to charge it with a Mac/PC/whatever via USB. You need an external charger. I do not know why. If I could charge it via USB-C to USB-C (cable between Signature and MacBook), it would be ok. Still one cable more and one feature less compared to the BL, but I could live with it

 

[MarkParity]

I use this USB-C to USB-A cable to connect the Signature with the external charger. Because it is not possible to charge it with a Mac/PC/whatever via USB. You need an external charger. I do not know why. If I could charge it via USB-C to USB-C (cable between Signature and MacBook), it would be ok. Still one cable more and one feature less compared to the BL, but I could live with it

It would be the first device I've ever met that couldn't be charged from a PC/MAC USB port if that's true. I'm trying to get hold of one at the moment, if I succeed I will test and let you know. I do have a MacBook pro but its an old one and doesn't have USB C thunderbolt ports or whatever they are called but I will test charging from that too.

 

[aspirina750]

My current solution is a USB C to USB A cable to a separate charger.

I have 2 L cables, USB C to USB C and USB C to USB A and both work for charging, from the computer and from a separate charger. "Just" can't use a single cable to do both.