[MLGrado]

must own. needed? no. Must have? Absolutely!! I was expecting a much higher price as well. Wow!

 

[Baten]

must own. needed? no. Must have? Absolutely!! I was expecting a much higher price as well. Wow!

Welll to be fair it is a pretty incremental upgrade
I'm really curious for iFi's Diablo product range, too!!

 

[buffalomatt]

I have the BL, so I was hoping this was going to be a noticeable upgrade, but it seems more like minor refresh. Also being that it is limited quantity, I am assuming that this is an end-of-life refresh before the new Diablo line comes out. And fingers crossed that is the upgrade from the BL I was hoping for!

 

[MLGrado]

Welll to be fair it is a pretty incremental upgrade
I'm really curious for iFi's Diablo product range, too!!

I was guessing it would be more along the lines of the latest iPhono when it comes to price. Glad it isn't.

 

[Ficcion2]

A while back Ifi released their iCan Pro followed by the Pro iDSD a few years later due to design changes and implementation.

I’m assuming the iDSD Diablo would be in a separate price range and is a year or two away.

Seeing that this product continues using a recessed USB A.

Have any iPhone users found a better solution to the CCK cable?

 

[Satir]

Sweetwater recently selling RME ADI-2 V2 for not much more than $900.
Just $300 over this iDSD Signature. Yes different headphone amp/dacs in that one is devoted to desktop only, the other battery powered. To me kind of obvious which is the better value. Of course if smaller form factor and battery-power matters most..

 

[Charlie Norwood]

I'm curious why there are no separate power output (and other) specs for the balanced and SE outputs?

Do they both have the same power output levels and specs?

If so, does that mean that the 4.4mm balanced output is a 'convenience' output jack (to simply allow the use of a cable with a 4.4mm connector) that doesn't offer any increase in power output or reduction in noise levels compared to the SE output?

Thanks.

That is correct. Think of the 4.4 on the signature as just an adapter.

Finally!!!! Balanced 4.4mm

1+ for this question too

Never mind, I saw this link
https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iFi-audio-xCAN-S_BAL-Tech-Note.pdf

This means it has dedicated grounds toward the same ground to each buffering stage per channel. IFi claimed that it still reduced crosstalk to as much as 50%

I can attest to this being the case, not with IFi products but rather Walkman 3.5 TRRS. It does actually improve the soundstage and separations (improved crosstalk)

Some people do actually prefer this over the true balanced with inverted phase design as IFI claimed. The biggest advantage of true balanced out is to cheat a little and doubled up the driving factor. Since the IDSD can already go as much as 4100mW, it is powerful enough without that Cheat. It is still Single Ended though

What's interesting is that on the xCan, the 2.5 output is fully balanced, while the 3.5 is s-balanced. So on the xCan you do get the extra power output with 2.5 vs. 3.5. They didn't do that with the IDSD Signature - so I wouldn't even call the Signature a balanced amp. Which is fine, because as you mentioned, it already does 4W. Though thinking about the power they could squeeze out of a true balanced Micro iDSD is really interesting - and I'm wondering if that's what we're going to see with the Diablo?

Let me understand this.. We lose 3.5mm line in and coaxial out (part of the idsd swiss army knife package), we gain pentacon and blue color, price is increased...? I really would have liked it to retain the same features - I don't have an additional amp lying around and would have liked to use this as a headamp with my turntable.

In any case I'm keen to understand the sound quality/tone difference vs original micro idsd black. Where is my extra money going

I think you would be overpaying to just use this as an headphone amplifier for a turntable. Less portable, but zen can I think would be a better value. But I agree it is strange that ifi dropped the analog input here. You still have RCA out, and I'm not sure how many people were actually using SPDIF out from the Micro, so probably not a huge loss there.

Overall I was pretty excited when this was announced, but now I'm thinking that I should just hold on to my micro BL (and get it repaired for $169) and wait for diablo or a full upgrade. I'm guessing there won't be much sonic differences between the black label and signature, as the dac and man of the parts on the inside will be the same.

 

[iFi audio]

They didn't do that with the IDSD Signature - so I wouldn't even call the Signature a balanced amp.

It's S-Balanced: https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iFi-audio-xCAN-S_BAL-Tech-Note.pdf

and I'm wondering if that's what we're going to see with the Diablo?

Time will tell

I think you would be overpaying to just use this as an headphone amplifier for a turntable.

Most our customers used it as a DAC/amp combo, and those who didn't used it as a DAC more than "just" a headphone amp.

But I agree it is strange that ifi dropped the analog input here.

Spacing and priorities factored in, 6.3mm and 4.4mm headphone outs were a must.

Of course if smaller form factor and battery-power matters most..

If one looks for a transportable all-in-one, then these things matter

 

[qsk78]

It's S-Balanced

In the Manual you call it Balanced. Do you mean S-Balanced?
Just to clarify - all of your products are S-Balanced, right?
Why don't you call it like this in Manuals just to be more consistent in definitions?



P.S. Does that mean that I cannot get a full balanced circuit in case I connect any of your s-balanced DACs (Zen DAC via 4.4 mm output as an example) to a desktop fully balanced amplifier (Violectric HPA181/280)? The ground will not be separated, right? Thanks.

 

[emilsoft]

I think you would be overpaying to just use this as an headphone amplifier for a turntable. Less portable, but zen can I think would be a better value. But I agree it is strange that ifi dropped the analog input here. You still have RCA out, and I'm not sure how many people were actually using SPDIF out from the Micro, so probably not a huge loss there.

I have active speakers that take coax digital in, I also have a turntable alongside my computer: it would have been great to have this device be able to cover all those things so I can keep it neat (don't want a stack).. the original idsd micro black can do that, but I wish for bit more sound quality.

I feel ifi has shot themselves in the foot a bit with the high pricing here. If you want portability and excellent sound quality - look at the Fiio m11 Pro or Sony ZX507 (the sony if you don't need dac mode), if you want desktop close to totl performance in a small package check the RME ADI 2 for a couple hundred more (also a swiss army knife do it all).
If you want a nice little portable dac/headamp the ifi nano idsd for far less will give you that (also has s balanced etc) - unless you have very hard to drive headphones.
Now I haven't heard the signature, if the sound quality is truly mind blowing then I will eat my words.. but judging by the similarities with the previous micro, I'm not so convinced I will hear this jump.

 

[qsk78]

I feel ifi has shot themselves in the foot a bit with the high pricing here. If you want portability and excellent sound quality - look at the Fiio m11 Pro or Sony ZX507

I owned Cayin n6 mk2 (A01,T01) in parallel with micro idsd BL. Really good DAP. But know what, I would prefer the micro due to its absolute control over my 6BA IEM, plus the synergy in tonality . Yes, I have some questions to the treble quality but the rest was just perfect.

 

[Baten]

In the Manual you call it Balanced. Do you mean S-Balanced?
Just to clarify - all of your products are S-Balanced, right?
Why don't you call it like this in Manuals just to be more consistent in definitions?



P.S. Does that mean that I cannot get a full balanced circuit in case I connect any of your s-balanced DACs (Zen DAC via 4.4 mm output as an example) to a desktop fully balanced amplifier (Violectric HPA181/280)? The ground will not be separated, right? Thanks.

It is pseudo balanced basically. There is the benefit of better crosstalk, but there is no additional power.

 

[makatech]

It is pseudo balanced basically. There is the benefit of better crosstalk, but there is no additional power.

Not sure if I am misunderstanding this discussion.

Zen Dac were also mentioned which I have.

When using a balanced 4.4 mm pentaconn headphone cable for the Zen Dac there is additional power for sure (comparing to using the SE output).

"but there is no additional power."
This unit giving you no additional power when using a balanced 4.4 mm pentaconn headphone cable, you sure about this?

 

[Baten]

"but there is no additional power."
This unit giving you no additional power when using a balanced 4.4 mm pentaconn headphone cable, you sure about this?

There are no separate specs for SE/4.4mm. iFi also confirmed it above, it is "S-balanced".

 

[Levanter]

S-balanced being pSeudo-balanced