iFi Audio Pro iDSD discussion thread

[Fastnbulbous]

I'm all for them not supporting MQA. Not sure what surprises there will be, but hopefully something that would make me somehow feel okay paying $2K for a DAC.

 

[iFi audio]

   
As someone with the iCAN Pro, it seems a little redundant that it also has an amp. While I would be curious to sample a trial MQS stream from Tidal, I realistically will not ever feel the need to upgrade my 10,000+ FLAC albums ripped from CDs and purchased on Bandcamp. So it's too bad a more basic iDAC Pro couldn't have come out first, as I do like the idea of getting one of those racks and the Energizer. BTW, one of the videos said Energizer was due to come out January.

 
Actually, there is not a lot of difference between a Pro-Audio line driver (which must support 200 ohm loads at 8 - 12V output) and a headphone driver which must support 120 ohm loads at 8 - 12V.
 
So what has been done with the iDSD is to fit headphone jacks that are driven alternately by this line driver instead of the line out and make it perhaps a little beefier than strictly necessary.
 
For serious TOTL headphones you do want to add the iCAN Pro (and no, it's not "double-amping") and relieve the DAC from the need to drive headphones and pass the signal to a dedicated amp with much more class A operation range and better ability to drive lower loads, more complete connection options and so on.
 
On the other hand if you have some reasonably decent headphones (but not "endgame" as pure headphone system) that you use occasionally or even frequently, but not exclusively, the headphone connection on the iDSD Pro gives you a really good headphone output without the need to add a dedicated headphone amplifier.

 

[bidn]

I've been following this thread and idsd pro development since 1/2015........over 2 years. We had hoped to see a release in mid-2015 at that time. 2 years later and no release in sight.



I love ifi products but my patience is up with the pro. I am upgrading my W4S DAC2 DSDse with the new ESS Sabre 9038 chip and will be out of the DAC market for a few years. Maybe down the line the pro will be an option but I am out for now. Don't know what really is going on behind the curtain, but feel there have been at least a couple major redesigns since the project started. New DACs are surely raising the target for ifi. The new generation DACs with the 9038 chips will definitely raise the bar further.



Good luck ifi. I am sure the pro will be worth waiting for.............................for those that can wait.

I ended up buying a Chord DAVE.



I'm still a big fan of iFi, though. That will never end. I recommend their products in that bracket all of the time on various forums and to friends. That will never end.



As far as the iDSD Pro, though, I think the Mytek Brooklyn and the Schitt Yggy have taken a big chunk in that market, which sucks, really, because I fear that no matter how good the iDSD Pro is, the other options on the market are already out there... Unless, of course, iFi is merely spacing their release from the competition with some announcements that's going to blow everyone away.

 



Don't worry ifi,
there are people like me who will wait for the iFi iDSD Pro.
Affording the Dave is no issue for me, but I will not because of its form factor (cannot be stacked, and would take more space than ifi Pro on my desk), besides I hate so much these lights on Chord products that I even never bought a Mojo.

Keep up your great work,
Cheers,
Bid

 

[iFi audio]

Yay, our latest nano iDSD LE got to the very first spot on Kakaku.com site! 
 

 

[iFi audio]

 

 

I've been following this thread and idsd pro development since 1/2015........over 2 years. We had hoped to see a release in mid-2015 at that time. 2 years later and no release in sight.



I love ifi products but my patience is up with the pro. I am upgrading my W4S DAC2 DSDse with the new ESS Sabre 9038 chip and will be out of the DAC market for a few years. Maybe down the line the pro will be an option but I am out for now. Don't know what really is going on behind the curtain, but feel there have been at least a couple major redesigns since the project started. New DACs are surely raising the target for ifi. The new generation DACs with the 9038 chips will definitely raise the bar further.



Good luck ifi. I am sure the pro will be worth waiting for.............................for those that can wait.

I ended up buying a Chord DAVE.



I'm still a big fan of iFi, though. That will never end. I recommend their products in that bracket all of the time on various forums and to friends. That will never end.



As far as the iDSD Pro, though, I think the Mytek Brooklyn and the Schitt Yggy have taken a big chunk in that market, which sucks, really, because I fear that no matter how good the iDSD Pro is, the other options on the market are already out there... Unless, of course, iFi is merely spacing their release from the competition with some announcements that's going to blow everyone away.

 



Don't worry ifi,
there are people like me who will wait for the iFi iDSD Pro.
Affording the Dave is no issue for me, but I will not because of its form factor (cannot be stacked, and would take more space than ifi Pro on my desk), besides I hate so much these lights on Chord products that I even never bought a Mojo.

Keep up your great work,
Cheers,
Bid

 
Cheers to that! Thank you for understanding!

 

[EVOLVIST]

Cheers to that! Thank you for understanding!

Damn! iFi schooled us. But hey, like I said, I still support iFi; it's just not my main DAC anymore, and that doesn't mean I won't buy the iDSD Pro.

By the way, the Chord stuff is very stackable, and to not buy the sound quality of the DAVE because of lights that you can't even see unless you hover right over it is kind of silly.

 

[gr8soundz]

After the most recent delays, I'm starting to think iFi might go full multi-bit with the Pro.
 

 

[Fastnbulbous]

I was considering going to Axpona in April, but was disappointed not to see iFi on the exhibitor list!

 

[Emerpus]

The full Pro stack is available for audition at Can Jam SG

 

[Khragon]

Is that enough clearance for the iCan Pro to vent? Could it over heat?

 

[LoryWiv]

The full Pro stack is available for audition at Can Jam SG

Hoping it will be at next month's Can Jam SoCal as well? Any news in the iDSD Pro release date?

 

[Emerpus]

Is that enough clearance for the iCan Pro to vent? Could it over heat?

Shd be sufficient. Cos my iCan Pro is stacked on top of my Gumby and my Liquid Carbon is right on top of the ICan Pro. Works fine.

 

[Emerpus]

Hoping it will be at next ionth's Can Jam SoCal as well? Any news in the iDSD Pro release date?

Not sure about that. The booth here in Can Jam SG was manned by the local distro. They have no idea of the release date too.

 

[Fastnbulbous]

So did anyone audition the stack? Did it include the MrSpeakers Ether ES like they've done before?

 

[RAFA]

The full Pro stack is available for audition at Can Jam SG

Is there any more news on the energizer unit. Looks cool