iFi audio iDSD Signature - The saga continues!
Nov 23, 2020 at 4:09 AM Post #632 of 2,160
From what I am seeing it is random. Luck based. As I said mine is almost at 10 o'clock. Your is 9. And some people have none at all. If you liked to listen to music at low volumes and you had 10 like I do, you would be bothered.
I like the Xbass very much, so I am inclined to stay with the Sig, just ask for a replacement unit.
 
Nov 23, 2020 at 5:41 AM Post #633 of 2,160
From what I am seeing it is random. Luck based. As I said mine is almost at 10 o'clock. Your is 9. And some people have none at all. If you liked to listen to music at low volumes and you had 10 like I do, you would be bothered.
I like the Xbass very much, so I am inclined to stay with the Sig, just ask for a replacement unit.
If you want to listen at low volume then set Gain to achieve the desired level with volume control at 12 o'clock. In other words - stay out of the 9/10 o'clock region.
 
Nov 23, 2020 at 5:47 AM Post #634 of 2,160
It is not unusual to find imbalance in potentiometer type volume controls at the extreme anti-clockwise end. The only make I have found to never exhibit this is the Alps Blue Velvet brand
My Lehman Linear and Rupert Neve headamps are fitted with this type but there is room in the cases for it.
 
Nov 23, 2020 at 7:03 AM Post #636 of 2,160
I haven't found it in the manual: how do I know that the battery is fully charged? I have the iDSD Sig now for about 4 hours charging and the LED is flashing white (fast charging).
Light extinguished.
 
Nov 23, 2020 at 1:19 PM Post #637 of 2,160
Thanks for your explanation. I do get that the IEM match were meant for sensitive IEMs, but when using my cans I feel like they both give a similar gain difference.

I can have the Power Mode at Turbo and the IEMmatch at ultra sensitive and the volume level seems the same as having the PowerMode at ECO and IEmatch OFF.

I find I could probably never need or use TURBO unless I have the IEMmatch turned on even with my ZMFs otherwise it’s just too loud. Plus TURBO seems to exacerbate the volume balance issue that people talk about.

Would be interested to see how others set their gains.
Hi,

I have Focal clears, LCD2s, and HD660s. Sensitivities are 104/101/98 respectively.
I have the Power Mode set to ECO, and the iEMatch set to High Sensitivity.

Depending on the headphone and track resolution quality I shift between ECO and NORMAL on the power mode. This gives me volume travel to adjust properly.
Without setting the iEMatch the volume has very little travel in ECO, and is basically and on off switch in Normal with these cans.

Hope this helps
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 3:18 AM Post #638 of 2,160
Its internal battery can't be bypassed just as it was the case with micro iDSD BL. But if you're able to provide more charge than a connected load needs, the battery won't ever die.
If I was to disconnect the internal battery and supply the iDSD power from USB C port, will the unit be still performing correctly?
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 7:48 AM Post #639 of 2,160
If I was to disconnect the internal battery and supply the iDSD power from USB C port, will the unit be still performing correctly?
Can I answer that please, no I really wouldn't do that as even if it worked you loose the smoothing "capacitor" effect of the battery on the input voltage = potentially a lot more PSU noise.
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 9:34 AM Post #640 of 2,160
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 :frowning2:
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?

1605986826504.png

I've got the same issue. I basically have no stereo sound until 11ish.

First image I have very little sound. Second image is when I finally have stereo. Only really noticeable on IEMs. I've tried messing with the iEMatch and power settings to no avail.

R6G9mKN.jpg
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Nov 24, 2020 at 9:54 AM Post #641 of 2,160
If I was to disconnect the internal battery and supply the iDSD power from USB C port, will the unit be still performing correctly?

I doubt it. The power for the unit comes from the battery. The charge circuit is such that it probably only charges the battery. Without a battery I doubt the unit would have power even if it was connected to USB C.
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 11:40 AM Post #642 of 2,160
I get something totally different. I get no sound till about 9:30, then it’s loud by 10/10:30. I don’t have imbalance though. I go from no sound to wall of sound. I use gain selector to control. So, if sound level from 1-10, 10 being too loud, 8 being my normal listening level. I go from 0 all the way to 9/10 on dial, then sound jumps to 6. So it’s not starting too loud. The important thing is that both sides are level, so I deal with it. I really haven’t used many iems and I only use 4.4.
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 1:16 PM Post #643 of 2,160
I just checked it on my iDSD Sig. Until 9:00 no sound, between 9:00 and 9:30 sound comes up. When turning up I hear first the left channel, then the right. But that is really a very small movement of the knob. Around 10:00 all is fine. While trying this I switched from normal to eco mode. Both are fine and no imbalance. I use 4.4mm, no IEM (IEMatch setting is off).
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 1:25 PM Post #644 of 2,160
A silly question, sorry for that :sunglasses: what changes the power mode exactly? Do I get the same listening time in eco and normal mode when I simply adjust the volume knob in order to set the same level (eco mode + volume up to let's say 14:00 versus normal mode + volume around 12:00)?
 
Nov 24, 2020 at 4:45 PM Post #645 of 2,160
Have spent the last two hours on the Signature with Sony IER ZIR. This is a match made in heaven.
 

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