[Swisshead]

No, someone from iFi should explain that, they are very busy in the forum. I am not a technician or engineer. I only care about what my ears can hear and I am more than satisfied!

 

[pompecukor]

No, someone from iFi should explain that, they are very busy in the forum. I am not a technician or engineer. I only care about what my ears can hear and I am more than satisfied!

Sorry, I think you misunderstood. That was my exact point I do not want Ifi marketing to explain. I wanted you to tell me if you hear a difference and what it is? Not to explain the science.
That is when you plug in s-balance vs when you plug it in the real balance... on the same device.

 

[GiullianSN]

The reason manufacturers don't like customers self-servicing their own batteries is due to possibility of firstly, causing a fire installing the wrong battery, which the charging circuit could miss-handle, and secondly because the customer will almost always blame the manufacturer for anything that goes wrong, even if it is their fault. A good example is their product not working properly because the wrong battery was installed, either intentionally, by accident, or because they bought a cheap one from China with fake specifications.



A box arrived yesterday with the Neo iDSD and iDSD Signature. Quick impressions are of a warm, engaging sound with the Final D8000 Pro. The 3D switch rather over-does things, at least as I feel. I have never tried any of the other Micro iDSD products, but if they were anything like this, I see why they were popular.

Looking forward for your review on them!

 

[GiullianSN]

I bet you asked your girl friend "do you hear a difference" and she did . Amazing...

Actually not, she doesn't care about audio gear and I didn't even remembered to tell her anything. She just needed to use my PC and put some youtube videos there. She only said "sounds different".

 

[qsk78]

Signature and iCan are similar in sound signature. iFi Sound. I love it!

How can you compare a DAC/Amp with a pure amplifier?

 

[pompecukor]

Hi guys,

I just realized I was absolutely wrong, I do have quite sever channel unbalance on the 6.3 port.
The easier way to test/describe is from the point where the pot turn on, like will be at about 8:30 (pretending that it is the small arm of the clock). All the way to 10:00 (see picture), only the left speaker of my headphone is audible. I reversed the headphone on my head, just to eliminate my ear as being the culprit. It was indeed the Sig. So the right speaker only starts at 10 o'clock and of course it does not "jump in" and match the others volume, but rather starts from the bottom at that point. Hence they are quite a bit mismatched no matter what level it is at. So no matter how loud you put it, there will be a difference. quite sever at lower volumes.
Yesterday I was mostly listening loud and did not notice it at all, as I just move from cheap wireless headphones to the Sig and a better headphone.
However I generally like to listen a lower volumes so this now is a major concern for me. Changing gain does not help, this phenomenon. I am on full sized headphone and use the mid gain (that feels most right for it) and my preferred loudness (listening volume) is actually just at about this 10 o'clock
I do not have the balanced cables yet for my Dt177X and my CA Fibae 6 is yet to arrive so I cannot test the S-balanced port yet.
My question is, for those that can check, do you tend to get the unbalance on both port? Also how does this gets fixed? Warranty repair (as in takes time and long wait) or does IFI just exchange them. Are no this was a reported widely on the BL and even here on Sig some have mentioned it. I did not look into what the solutions have been. As I am using Tidal in exclusive (the whole point) I don't see anywhere where I could change the balance without defeating the purpose.
What are my options? How are others dealing with this?
I really like it otherwise, so would prefer a fix or exchange instead of a return. I am guessing not all units are like this right? It is just bad luck which you end up getting is it not?

 

[42300]

I will try the 6.3mm tomorrow and post an update.

 

[mantsm]

This channel unbalance issue is probably the only thing why I am still doubting on buying Sig

 

[pompecukor]

I will try the 6.3mm tomorrow and post an update.

But how is your 4.4 right now?

 

[pompecukor]

This channel unbalance issue is probably the only thing why I am still doubting on buying Sig

I have to say at this quality and clarity of music, it really spoils it for me entirely. I mean as this has been a known issue, why was it not addressed in this update, how much more does a proper pot cost? I am sure I (and almost everyone else) would have still bought this unit if it was like 50 bucks more expensive. So how can the cost be blamed?

 

[mantsm]

I have to say at this quality and clarity of music, it really spoils it for me entirely. I mean as this has been a known issue, why was it not addressed in this update, how much more does a proper pot cost? I am sure I (and almost everyone else) would have still bought this unit if it was like 50 bucks more expensive. So how can the cost be blamed?

True. Especially since it's improved signature model. In my case my main headphones are hifiman ananda, so guess most of the time I would be listening in the danger zone too.

 

[Phybron]

My question is, for those that can check, do you tend to get the unbalance on both port?

I can only test the 6.35mm as I don't have balanced headphones (yet), but no problem here. Tested with Fostex T50RP's on all three gain settings and sound comes on evenly in both channels from silence upwards.

I'm just trying to figure out if this is a viable option for desktop use only. I've got no need for the portable features, so would like to leave it plugged in all the time.

 

[pompecukor]

I can only test the 6.35mm as I don't have balanced headphones (yet), but no problem here. Tested with Fostex T50RP's on all three gain settings and sound comes on evenly in both channels from silence upwards.

I'm just trying to figure out if this is a viable option for desktop use only. I've got no need for the portable features, so would like to leave it plugged in all the time.

Thanks, lucky you then. I need feedback from people that can test both. My balanced wires IEMs are still 2 weeks out and I have only about 1 more week to return this fully...in-case the cannot exchange to a good one in short therm under warranty. It is such an easy thing for them to check at the factory, I really think this is unacceptable "category". Takes 5 mins to check any unit. Then the ones that have such noticeable unbalance get flagged and not shipped to the clients, but rather either have the pots changed or some resistors added or whatever is needed to fix such discrepancy. I don't want to wait for warranty "repair". It will either be final return, or exchange/swap. I will ask the vendor about my options on Monday.

I have a suspicion as it was mentioned that this is caused by cheap pot on the volume knob or something like. It will uniformly affect both the normal and the S-Balanced output, as they are both controlled by the same (faulty) pot.

I really might just be super unlucky as I do not see anyone who cares enough about music to spend a reasonable amount on the setup, would accept such a defect. Minor I may understand be this is really the amount that I put on that picture. That is at least 25 degrees turn on the knob before any sound comes from the right speaker.
Can any other that have imbalance tell me how bad theirs is in comparison?

About your question with regards to just desktop use. I would say it is fine. The other guy that mentioned about batteries (18650) being so cheap is right. Also as you would not be using it portable it wont even matter even if capacity goes lower. As your will be on a charger all the time. So if that is all your concern, then I think you will be ok. It works and the Xbass thing as well as gain settings are great. I wish other DAC/AMP had the Xbass feature. I actually with there was a third level, I am a bass-head.

PS: I just tested my beyer on my smartphone too, to make sure it is not the culprid. Would not be the first time a headphone had one bad speaker. However on my smart phone no matter how low I put the volume I can hear both at the same level. And when they disapper, they do it at the same time.

 

[qsk78]

Tested with Fostex T50RP's on all three gain settings and sound comes on evenly in both channels from silence upwards.

This is the point. I don't think that a "disbalance" issue exists (as it was explained multiple times - this is how this type of the volume controls works in general). I don't have the Signature yet but I owned the original micro BL twice.
This is all about your headphones and matchability, the BL was always flexible enough to match with almost any headphones/IEM to avoid this "disbalance'.

 

[pompecukor]

This is the point. I don't think that a "disbalance" issue exists (as it was explained multiple times - this is how this type of the volume controls works in general). I don't have the Signature yet but I owned the original micro BL twice.
This is all about your headphones and matchability, the BL was always flexible enough to match with almost any headphones/IEM to avoid this "disbalance'.

I have no idea what you are talking about?
1. You are replying to a person that just reported that they don't have the issue...
2. I have seen people reported unbalanced issue on the BL (so it does exist). Just because you owned 2 before, and they were fine does not invalidate others claim, does it?
3. I have tried all of the gain settings and it does not help, so your whole explanation about headphone matching any is invalid.
4. The (only) explanation that I saw in this thread about the issue was not saying that it does not exist. I was explaining about manufacturers choice and cost cutting. And hoping that most cases will be fine.

Trust me, if you had my sig right now, and y cared a but about music and you didn't like to listen to it at insane volumes, then you would not be happy with it. Please don't second guess me and then being a p..y about so much, that you are worried about replying to me directly.