[ClieOS]

Not much is known at this point except that (1) it is the first of Nano series, hence it will be smaller than the current Micro series. (2) It will decode DSD, thus the name iDSD. and (3) it could be priced as low as $160 or so (unconfirmed yet). (4) As you can see on the picture, it will have RCA line-out and a headphone-out. It will be officially announced on the Oct. 12th @ Beijing International Hi-Fi show
 
Also there is mention of possible portable amp released under the Nano series in the future.

 

[Baxide]

Am I the only person who thinks that it is a silly place to put the RCA sockets on the front panel right next to the headphone socket?

 

[ClieOS]

  Am I the only person who thinks that it is a silly place to put the RCA sockets on the front panel right next to the headphone socket?

 
Yeah, I complains about that on the iDAC as well.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Want.

 

[GoSUV]

Although 99% of my music library is Redbook CD 44.1/16 stuff, I read this with great interest as I am almost ready to take the plunge on a HRT Microstreamer upon learning that my iOS 7 running iPhone can finally support external DAC's that don't draw too much power. If the ifi nano series is going to be small, I am willing to give this DAC a look as my portable solution has been listening to an iPod's internal DAC, albeit going to a portable amp. If you wanted digital out from a portable iDevice, your options were limited to an iPad mini prior to iOS 7. Now that iOS 7 has opened up the possibilities with the USB Camera Connector, the strategy is always buy the newest since DAC technologies move so fast.

 

[bedlam inside]

Hi,



Quote:

 
Not much is known at this point except that (1) it is the first of Nano series, hence it will be smaller than the current Micro series. (2) It will decode DSD, thus the name iDSD. and (3) it could be priced as low as $160 or so (unconfirmed yet). (4) As you can see on the picture, it will have RCA line-out and a headphone-out. It will be officially announced on the Oct. 12th @ Beijing International Hi-Fi show


 


Also there is mention of possible portable amp released under the Nano series in the future.

Well, it seems to pay to occasionally look at iFi's Facebook page:



https://www.facebook.com/iFiAudio


The nano stuff is said to be also on show at RMAF Can Jan and at the Tokyo Headphone Show (but not in the UK, as usual, we get stuff last and then pay through the nose for it).



This seems to show the portable headphone Amp:



https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=597768796925533&set=a.461191017249979.95398.460963790606035&type=1&relevant_count=1








I wonder if it has 3D sound and X-Bass. Notice no power cable? Seems it has a battery inside just like iDSD (see below).



If so I want for my daily commute to London, should be awesome on the train.



And here they posted the obverse of the iDSD thingey. 



https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=598808493488230&set=a.461191017249979.95398.460963790606035&type=1&relevant_count=1






 




Not sure I can make heads or tails of that? That thing is more loaded with Tech Acronyms than a Japanese AV receiver! Tech Acronym OVERLOAD alert... 



DSD, is that that SACD thingey Sony were pushing around Y2K? I remember glowing reviews how great it would be and then not much else. Is that still around? And what on earth is DXD?



1400mAH is definitely a battery, even an old git like me can figure that.



And there seems a digital output!? And a "Filter" Switch?

 


Whoop dee doo, what does it ALL mean Basil?



Seems iFi love to put switches and acronyms on their stuff, mind you, not complaining, works great in my current setup. But maybe they should apply the suggests of the plain english campaign instead?



http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/



Cheerio Rich


 

 

[ClieOS]

Nice find!!! The portable amp looks interesting, though it is too small to make out any detail. Will be great if they are able to shrink the iCAN down into a portable amp. Not too sure why iDSD comes with battery though, unless it supports iPad / iPhone or Android, which will be quite epic, I reckon.
 
My guess on the 'filter' is that it could be a selectable slow / fast roll filter for the DAC stage. 

 

[bedlam inside]

Hi,

Quote:

  My guess on the 'filter' is that it could be a selectable slow / fast roll filter for the DAC stage. 

Sorry to be so daft, but what does " a selectable slow / fast roll filter for the DAC stage" do? 

The only filter I know is the kind that goes into my De'Longhi Espresso Machine, but I wager this is different, innit?

Cheers Rich
 

 

[ClieOS]

 
Sorry to be so daft, but what does " a selectable slow / fast roll filter for the DAC stage" do? 
 

 
Well, we only need frequency up to 20kHz for listening, but a good DAC these day usually either upsample or oversample to 192kHz (for pushing noise away from audible range, which is a very complex topic so just take it as it is). So what do we do to frequency over 20kHz? We build a filter after the DAC so only what below 20kHz will pass through. However, there are various design on these filters. Some do certain things better than others and people prefer one over another for different reason.. So sometime manufacturer will implement two filters, a fast roll-off and a slow roll-off, and make it selectable so user can pick whichever they prefer.

 

[bedlam inside]

Hi,

Quote:

 

 
Sorry to be so daft, but what does " a selectable slow / fast roll filter for the DAC stage" do? 
 

 
Well, we only need frequency up to 20kHz for listening, but a good DAC these day usually either upsample or oversample to 192kHz (for pushing noise away from audible range, which is a very complex topic so just take it as it is). So what do we do to frequency over 20kHz? We build a filter after the DAC so only what below 20kHz will pass through. However, there are various design on these filters. Some do certain things better than others and people prefer one over another for different reason.. So sometime manufacturer will implement two filters, a fast roll-off and a slow roll-off, and make it selectable so user can pick whichever they prefer.

I am not even going to pretend I understood any of this. Sorry, daft as a brush me is.

Me mom probably dropped me too often on me noggin as baby during bathtime or something like that.

Before my got my current kit, I used to have a Naim Pre/Power (and Linn Kan's). The preamp had so called Time Aligned input filter boards. I remember buying "blanking" boards that removed them and thinking things sounded better with the "blanking boards" than with the original filter boards. 

So, is this switch something similar? There is a filter the boffins think is needed but it mucks the sound to people like me and the switch switches the "boffin filter" orf?

Cheers Rich

 

[ClieOS]

No, they are not the same thing.

 

[Nirmalanow]

I just heard from Vincent at iFi, and he mentioned the Nano ICAN amp will have the X-Bass and 3D features of the bigger iCAN, along with a built in battery. If it sounds like it's big brother, that will be a nice combo. Although personally, I am happy with the external battery I found for my iCAN as I just use it as a transportable setup and do not need it to be more portable.

 

[bedlam inside]

Hi,

Quote:

  No, they are not the same thing.

Ok, I'm too daft than. Thank you for taking the time and trying though.

Cheers Rich

 

[bedlam inside]

Hi,

Quote:

  I just heard from Vincent at iFi, and he mentioned the Nano ICAN amp will have the X-Bass and 3D features of the bigger iCAN, along with a built in battery. If it sounds like it's big brother, that will be a nice combo. Although personally, I am happy with the external battery I found for my iCAN as I just use it as a transportable setup and do not need it to be more portable.

I just found this with more info:

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/show-report-canjam-at-rocky-mountain-audio-fest-2013-part-2/?page=2

I hope HiFi+ do not mind if I copy this:
 
"iFi Micro used CanJam to roll out its new nanoCan headphone amplifier (price TBA, but projected to fall under $200) and nanoDSD DAC (price TBA, but projected to fall under $200).
 
The nanoCAN essentially incorporates all of the control and sound shaping features of the iCAN, but in a smaller, battery-powered format that offers 150mW of output with a battery big enough to provide a whopping 60 hours of non-stop playback.  Most importantly, the nanoCAN ostensibly preserves the iCAN’s terrific sound quality while offering a substantial drop in size and price.


 

The nanoDSD DAC, in turn, actually adds features vis-à-vis the iDAC, in that it provides what iFi terms “Advanced True Native DSD128/DXD/384 playback using (a) BurrBrown chipset.” What is more, the nanoDAC provides an 80mW headphone output along with conventional analogue outputs and it is said to be “iPhone/iPad/Smartphone” compatible."


 
Sounds nice enough. Normally "under 200" means 199, which sounds great for a portable iCAN, but I see power is WAY DOWN (almost cut to one third), so who knows what else is different?

I also send Vince at iFi an e-mail to see if he can give me more info.

Cheerio Rich

 

 

[ClieOS]

150mW for a portable amp should be enough, unless you are using inefficient full sized headphone. I am more interested on whether it can retain the same level of SQ.