[flyte3333]

Hi again gents @iFi audio

Can you share some info on the clocking used in the iDAC2?

Especially to help with DSD256, where my understanding is low phase noise clocks are needed for such high sample rates.

Which clocks are used and how many?

Many thanks

 

[iFi audio]

I am using the Lenovo T460 laptop (6th gen. Intel i5) with 12G of RAM
I am using the iOne/v2.26 driver and JRive V22.

1xDSD DoP is smooth as silk
1xDSD Native I can feel it is not as smooth. SQ I can't really tell a different from DoP. Using <10% CPU & 154M memory
2xDSD Native I can hear click/pop, drops out
4xDSD Native it is horrible

May I know what is the reason?
I dont think it is because the CPU is not powerful enough.

Way too many variables to answer that question here. If you're unhappy with our product, please use our Support Ticket system, to be found here: support.ifi-audio.com

Our crew will get in touch with you and hopefully your issue will be solved.

Cheers,
iFi Team

 

[iFi audio]

Hi again gents @iFi audio

Can you share some info on the clocking used in the iDAC2?

Especially to help with DSD256, where my understanding is low phase noise clocks are needed for such high sample rates.

Which clocks are used and how many?

Many thanks

Please take a look at earlier pages, all tech stuff regarding iDAC2 is in there. If clocks are missing, that's intentional .

 

[flyte3333]

If clocks are missing, that's intentional .

Noted, thanks

 

[iFi audio]

Noted, thanks

Good news, our tech engineer was in good mood today, we got him some fancy coffee and he gave us this:

"We use the same low phase-noise clock system for the iDAC micro, iDAC 2 micro & iDSD nano as found in the AMR DP-777 USB section. Separate clocks are present for USB-Clock, & 44.1kHz based audio & for 48kHz based audio."

 

[flyte3333]

Good news, our tech engineer was in good mood today, we got him some fancy coffee and he gave us this:

" found in the AMR DP-777 USB section. Separate clocks are present for USB-Clock, & 44.1kHz based audio & for 48kHz based audio."

Thanks Gents. Of course the proof is ALWAYS in the listening but at the same time these days a lot of manufacturers tend to be more open about their designs (especially when asked), rather than less open.

Within reason of course - e.g. I completely understand how you'd want to keep things like the tweaks to the Burr Brown chips you use, top secret.

Appreciate you following up with the Tech Engineer about the clocking. Fancy coffee always helps

If it's the same low phase noise clocks, and same DAC chip, then why is the iDAC2 limited to DSD256, compared with the iDSD's DSD512?

And is there any chance a firmware upgrade could come to the iDAC2 to enable DSD512?

Appreciated

 

[technobear]

If it's the same low phase noise clocks, and same DAC chip, then why is the iDAC2 limited to DSD256, compared with the iDSD's DSD512?

iDAC2 has one DAC chip.

iDSD (micro) has two DAC chips

 

[flyte3333]

iDAC2 has one DAC chip.

iDSD (micro) has two DAC chips

Thanks again mate. I have both for different setups, and do know about the dual chips of my iDSD BL.

Question for @iFi audio is why does having a single DAC chip (the same chip) limit the iDAC2 to DSD256?

My very basic understanding is that higher DSD rates (over DSD256) need lower phase noise clocks otherwise the higher DSD rates don't necessarily result in better sound. However we now know they share the same clocks and same DAC chip.

Unless having the extra chip is what makes DSD512 possible in the DSD? Somehow?

Appreciate the clarification Gents. More fancy coffee for the Tech Engineer - this one's on me this time !

Cheers,

 

[flyte3333]

Hello? @iFi audio

 

[technobear]

Hello? @iFi audio

It's pretty obvious. The DAC chip can only process DSD512 in mono.

Update: This is apparently not correct. The answer lies elsewhere.

 

[iFi audio]

Guys, DSD512 has nothing to do with single or double d/a converters. Our Retro Stereo 50 sport single Burr-Brown and it does DSD512, iDSD BL has 2x of these and does DSD512 as well. We double these chipsets for a different, not DSD related reason.

With our products, usually when issues similar to the one @Em2016 encountered appear, it's OS/software and not hardware related.

 

[flyte3333]

Guys, DSD512 has nothing to do with single or double d/a converters. Our Retro Stereo 50 sport single Burr-Brown and it does DSD512, iDSD BL has 2x of these and does DSD512 as well. We double these chipsets for a different, not DSD related reason.

With our products, usually when issues similar to the one @Em2016 encountered appear, it's OS/software and not hardware related.

Thanks Gents. So does this mean that native DSD512 could come to the iDAC2 via a firmware update, with Windows, for example?

Planned?

Or never happening?

 

[iFi audio]

Thanks Gents. So does this mean that native DSD512 could come to the iDAC2 via a firmware update, with Windows, for example?

Planned?

Or never happening?

Actually it requires a lot more to include DSD512 in iDAC2 than new FW. We'd have to make some alterations on the hardware side as well.

 

[flyte3333]

Actually it requires a lot more to include DSD512 in iDAC2 than new FW. We'd have to make some alterations on the hardware side as well.

No problem Gents, thanks for taking the time. With the same Dac chip, same USB card, same clocks, same 5V power supply as the iDSD, I wonder what changes need to be made. Can you kindly share what key aspect would need to be changed in the iDAC2 to support native DSD512 ? At least a high level explaination of the current limitation?

 

[technobear]

No problem Gents, thanks for taking the time. With the same Dac chip, same USB card, same clocks, same 5V power supply as the iDSD, I wonder what changes need to be made. Can you kindly share what key aspect would need to be changed in the iDAC2 to support native DSD512 ? At least a high level explaination of the current limitation?

I think it can only be the clocks since the iDSD also supports twice the sampling frequency of the iDAC2 on PCM.