[shabta]

I thought that's obvious. Of course, I'm saying that using similar player and similar HP or IEM that fits both nano and micro. In other words, I'd like to point out to you that the HE-6 and LCD-2.2 sounds better on the iFi micro iDSD. Sorry, I didn't think it needs to be pointed out.

What you are saying flies in the face of what everyone else has said and my own limited experience. Maybe it is because I have always listened in "dirty USB power" power setups, but the micro sounded better to me. I now have a iPurifier and it makes the nano sound a little bit better...

 

[diamondears]

Part of my micro iDSD review:

So bit-perfect on the iFi micro iDSD is removing the noise by merely rolling off the higher frequencies, correct? (instead of oversampling to exaggerate the noise and then remove the exaggerated noise thru filtering)

 

[diamondears]

What you are saying flies in the face of what everyone else has said and my own limited experience. Maybe it is because I have always listened in "dirty USB power" power setups, but the micro sounded better to me. I now have a iPurifier and it makes the nano sound a little bit better...

And to add, I'm comparing the two using the same Minimum Phase filter. I have both until now. Maybe it's less burn in or less hours on the micro. Bought the nano earlier and use it more often.

Maybe it's because I just use the nano on my iPhone 6 and 6+ and car audio. When I use the micro on the iPhone and car, I always liked the nano better. It's clearer, more separation, no "mix-up" or less "complex" of details. And I think the nano has a richer or fuller sound on the bass and mids.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and my suspect is that the nano has a built in XBass boost similar to the optional/selectable XBass boost of the micro. Combo with the less complex (only 1 DAC chip, much less features, less power to deliver and thus less complex, etc.) and shorter/simpler signal path of the nano, it sounded better to my ears.

Maybe the noise on noisy recordings and/or player (iPhone player?) is the culprit, I don't know. Given that iFi used only one DAC chip on the Retro 50, I wouldn't be surprised that a simpler design on the nano may have given my ears better appreciation.

 

[ClieOS]

So bit-perfect on the iFi micro iDSD is removing the noise by merely rolling off the higher frequencies, correct? (instead of oversampling to exaggerate the noise and then remove the exaggerated noise thru filtering)

 
No, the roll-off is a natural consequence of the non-oversampling process, not a deliberated implementation to remove sampling noise.

 

[diamondears]

No, the roll-off is a natural consequence of the non-oversampling process, not a deliberated implementation to remove sampling noise.

Or maybe there's no roll off at all. I think that's the true frequency response of true natural live music. The linear FR aimed by over sampling process is unnatural, so it's like adding treble/glare on a supposedly downward sloping FR. The Harman curve is the truth, IMO.

 

[ClieOS]

Or maybe there's no roll off at all. I think that's the true frequency response of true natural live music. The linear FR aimed by over sampling process is unnatural, so it's like adding treble/glare on a supposedly downward sloping FR. The Harman curve is the truth, IMO.

 
Interesting theory except it is scientifically unsound. 
 
Harman curve should only apply to headphone, or system as a whole. You can't apply Harmon curve to individual electronic components - if the DAC is Harmon curve compensated, then the amp is Harman curved compensated, then followed by a Harman curve tuned headphone, you will end up with a triple compensated (and highly colored) curve that doesn't in any way sound like Harman curve. Thus we should only apply Harman curve on headphone, and keep the rest of the system as ideally flat as possible. Do not forget the (digital) input itself is flat, and the output of bit perfect isn't (*that is, you can generate a flat 20-20k Hz digital signal and it will still roll-off at the analog output). That by itself is a form of coloration that doesn't come from the recording or the live music, whether you like the resulting sound or not.

 

[diamondears]

Interesting theory except it is scientifically unsound. 

Harman curve should only apply to headphone, or system as a whole. You can't apply Harmon curve to individual electronic components - if the DAC is Harmon curve compensated, then the amp is Harman curved compensated, then followed by a Harman curve tuned headphone, you will end up with a triple compensated (and highly colored) curve that doesn't in any way sound like Harman curve. Thus we should only apply Harman curve on headphone, and keep the rest of the system as ideally flat as possible. Do not forget the (digital) input itself is flat, and the output of bit perfect isn't (*that is, you can generate a flat 20-20k Hz digital signal and it will still roll-off at the analog output). That by itself is a form of coloration that doesn't come from the recording or the live music, whether you like the resulting sound or not.

I see. Yes, you're correct.

 

[Sound Eq]

how does the ifi dsd nano comapre to ifi dsd micro dsd

i have the ifi dsd micro, i was wondering is it lower quality than the micro alot or about the same level

 

[h1f1add1cted]

If you use the minimum phase filter on both and you don't enable any analog unit (like 3D crossfeed or X-Bass from the micro iDSD) they sound similar great. I own both.With bit perfect filter on micro iDSD is slightly greater than nano iDSD with minimum phase filter to me. But in general the nano iDSD is one of the best buys in this price level for the SQ / price ratio.
 

 

[diamondears]

how does the ifi dsd nano comapre to ifi dsd micro dsd

i have the ifi dsd micro, i was wondering is it lower quality than the micro alot or about the same level

If you use the minimum phase filter on both and you don't enable any analog unit (like 3D crossfeed or X-Bass from the micro iDSD) they sound similar great. I own both.With bit perfect filter on micro iDSD is slightly greater than nano iDSD with minimum phase filter to me. But in general the nano iDSD is one of the best buys in this price level for the SQ / price ratio.
 

I even like the nano a bit more using Min. Phase filter. Micro with Bit-Perfect is better though.

 

[shabta]

I even like the nano a bit more using Min. Phase filter. Micro with Bit-Perfect is better though.

For some reason every time you post on this subject you say something different... I thought your current position was DAC + AMP = Nano better and DAC only=  Micro better. Now its Bit-Perfect Micro is best? 

 

[diamondears]

For some reason every time you post on this subject you say something different... I thought your current position was DAC + AMP = Nano better and DAC only=  Micro better. Now its Bit-Perfect Micro is best? 

Check my posts again. I said nano is better to my ears using same Recording, same player, same Minimum Phase filter, as I think I should compare everything else equal, correct?

In other words, I now find Bit-Perfect filter better than the Minimum Phase filter, using clean or "audiophile" or un-harsh recordings. If you've been sniffing my ass for a long time already, you would know that my previous opinion is I like Minimum Phase filter more than Bit-Perfect (on PCM). Not now. I like Bit-Perfect more now IF I use said types of recordings.

I find Bit-Perfect to reproduce more bass, the enveloping kind, the bass that surrounds the music, making it more "analogue-like". However, if the recording is harsh and recorded with loudness war syndrome, I hear the music become more harsh, and if recording is thin or lacks bass, I like Minimum Phase more.

 

[SptTablo]

One thing I noticed recently.
 
In low volumes, I am talking around nine o' clock on volume nob, the volume don't gradually change.
 
They change in sudden level which is weird. 
 
Can anyone test this?
 
Thanks.

 

[SptTablo]

  One thing I noticed recently.
 
In low volumes, I am talking around nine o' clock on volume nob, the volume don't gradually change.
 
They change in sudden level which is weird. 
 
Can anyone test this?
 
Thanks.

Self update.
 
Another unit of Nano iDSD does do this. 
 
I hope this does not happen on Micro iCAN as I ordered one.

 

[iFi audio]

  Self update.
 
Another unit of Nano iDSD does do this. 
 
I hope this does not happen on Micro iCAN as I ordered one.

 
Hi,
 
All iFi units - nano iDSD, micro iDSD and iTube and iCAN (nano+micro) do not use a digital volume control and use a stepped attenuator or analogue volume control.
 
So if used at ~9 o clock, there is imbalance between channels.
 
Ideally, run at 12 to 3 o clock.
 
Digital volume controls truncate the bits and also do not keep DSD bit-perfect.