iFi Audio Pro iDSD discussion thread

[bluesaint]

I own the ifi iDSD DAC, and I love it. I'm considering buying an Sbooster linear power supply to improve its sound. There are so many versions and I don't know which one is the most appropriate for the ifi Pro iDSD. The options are listed below. I would particularly like to hear from the representative from ifi on this one. Thanks so much.

• BOTW P&P ECO 5-6V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 9-10V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 12-13V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 15-16V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 18-19V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 24V MKII

Jacob Ofman

you get much better bang by swapping out the stock 1980's GE 5670 tubes to something better, and will make a significant improvement in sound vs. questionable power supply upgrades.

 

[datasyd]

MQA was a pain in the a.s.s. for me to get going.

Eventually I was able to upgrade my ifi Pro’s firmware using my MAC — it’s version 2.01 and I’ve provided links for both MAC and PC in my prior post — by installing a temporary new user while running a virtual PC.

 

[jacofman]

you get much better bang by swapping out the stock 1980's GE 5670 tubes to something better, and will make a significant improvement in sound vs. questionable power supply upgrades.

I'm open. Do you have any recommendations about specific tubes and where to get them?

 

[bluesaint]

I'm open. Do you have any recommendations about specific tubes and where to get them?

Depends on what you are after with regard to tonal balance and sonic preferences. Also important based on the type of headphone you are using.

The two immediate ones I'd recommend for most use cases is 1950s GE JG5670 triple mica if you like existing stock GE. The 1950s triple mica version is a direct upgrade to the stock tubes in all aspects. I have plenty reserves of these I can part with for cheap($30 to $50) or you can find them easily as well.

The WE396a tubes are fuller sounding tubes that warms up the sound while not robbing you of details. But If you are using say Audeze where they lean towards darker sounding, then probably not the best match. For WE396a, the best of the best are 1940s to mid 1950s JW 396a followed by regular WE396a of same era. I have one pair of a really high rating 1955s WE396a, but isnt cheap ($160 shipped).

Feel free to do some more research on these tube types. It's a treasure grove of good knowledge waiting for you!

 

[iFi audio]

I think ifi Audio likes the Susvara. You can see his several posts in the Susvara thread.

We do, yup. Great headphones.

1955s WE396a

Great tubes. Pricey but worth giving them a chance.

 

[jacofman]

This is mainly for the ifi rep.

1. If I were to get the Sbooster linear power supply, would this automatically void my warranty with ifi as mentioned by someone earlier?
2. Which one of the many choices that Sbooster offers (below) is the correct one for the ifi Pro iDSD?

• BOTW P&P ECO 5-6V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 9-10V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 12-13V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 15-16V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 18-19V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 24V MKII

 

[iFi audio]

This is mainly for the ifi rep.

1. If I were to get the Sbooster linear power supply, would this automatically void my warranty with ifi as mentioned by someone earlier?
2. Which one of the many choices that Sbooster offers (below) is the correct one for the ifi Pro iDSD?

• BOTW P&P ECO 5-6V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 9-10V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 12-13V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 15-16V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 18-19V MKII
• BOTW P&P ECO 24V MKII

1. We designed Pro iDSD to work with our own PSU, so warranty wouldn't cover damage due to usage of stuff not ours.

2. We can't answer to this question due to what we wrote above. This question should be sent to a company of that PSU you wish to use.

As long as that linear PSU is within specs of what Pro iDSD needs, you should be fine. But again, our warranty doesn't cover failure in the event of unit going bust due to usage of PSU not ours.

 

[jacofman]

1. We designed Pro iDSD to work with our own PSU, so we don't think warranty would cover damage due to usag of stuff not ours. But we'll ask just to double-check this.
2. We can't answer to this question due to what we wrote above. This question should be sent to a company of that PSU you wish to use.

Ok. Let me ask this. What is the voltage of the iFi power supply that I’m using right now with the Pro iDSD??

 

[21qz]

Hi guys torn between idsd pro/hugo2/TT2. Was/is anyone in the same boat?

 

[Dan Lee]

@21qz I love my iDSD Pro, but I have recently been reading a lot about Chord DAC's and I really want to hear the TT2. I would take the iDSD all day over the hugo and hugo 2, but I would probably take the TT2 over the iDSD if I could afford it. I am tempted to buy one just to hear the difference in sound quality. But I also have the iCAN Pro and the iDSD and iCAN pair incredibly well together and the shear volume of sound combinations with them is almost impossible to try them all. The iDSD by itself has 45 possible combos and when you add the iCAN that number goes a lot higher. So either way that would be a very difficult decision for me.

I wish I had a hifi store I could go to and try these things. Alas I do not and have had to purchase everything I have wanted to try. In the early stages of this hobby thats not to big a deal as you can get stuff on amazon and return it if you hate it but as you get to the higher end you gotta go with reputable dealers and those decisions become much harder.

But in all honesty I imagine you would be very happy with either of those DAC's.

 

[Dan Lee]

@jacofman you should absolutely take @bluesaint s advice when it comes to tubes. There are a handful of guys on this forum I have met that know a lot about tubes, and that man is one whose word I would always take when it comes to tubes.

 

[21qz]

@21qz I love my iDSD Pro, but I have recently been reading a lot about Chord DAC's and I really want to hear the TT2. I would take the iDSD all day over the hugo and hugo 2, but I would probably take the TT2 over the iDSD if I could afford it. I am tempted to buy one just to hear the difference in sound quality. But I also have the iCAN Pro and the iDSD and iCAN pair incredibly well together and the shear volume of sound combinations with them is almost impossible to try them all. The iDSD by itself has 45 possible combos and when you add the iCAN that number goes a lot higher. So either way that would be a very difficult decision for me.

I wish I had a hifi store I could go to and try these things. Alas I do not and have had to purchase everything I have wanted to try. In the early stages of this hobby thats not to big a deal as you can get stuff on amazon and return it if you hate it but as you get to the higher end you gotta go with reputable dealers and those decisions become much harder.

But in all honesty I imagine you would be very happy with either of those DAC's.

I hear you brother, I live in Alaska so the only sound sampling i can do is buying the equipment out of pocket.
That TT2 from what i've read and researched is the answer. I just came across the IFI's today and for the price its hard to not consider.
The way i look at it is get either the Hugo 2 or IDSD to start or go all in for the TT2. Hope someone else shines some light.

 

[Dan Lee]

If its between the Hugo 2 or the iDSD I'm going iDSD all day because the Hugo 2 is just not as good as the TT2. There is the possibility that it sounds better then the iDSD, but I can guarantee that possibility is far outweighed by the overwhelming amount of options that you get with the iDSD, but that is of course just my personal opinion.

You definitely have it rough in Alaska being an audiophile. I imagine there is not a whole lot of people into high end audio up in that area. I thought it was tough for me, but my guess is your payin more for shipping then me too.

 

[21qz]

If its between the Hugo 2 or the iDSD I'm going iDSD all day because the Hugo 2 is just not as good as the TT2. There is the possibility that it sounds better then the iDSD, but I can guarantee that possibility is far outweighed by the overwhelming amount of options that you get with the iDSD, but that is of course just my personal opinion.

You definitely have it rough in Alaska being an audiophile. I imagine there is not a whole lot of people into high end audio up in that area. I thought it was tough for me, but my guess is your payin more for shipping then me too.

Yeah it sucks, the only thing i have is a best buy magnolia, but that's more beneficial for home theater here. =( Eventually i'd like to add the Mscaler, so i may just keep it Chord. I'll hang out here for awhile if anyone else has some thoughts.

 

[iFi audio]

Ok. Let me ask this. What is the voltage of the iFi power supply that I’m using right now with the Pro iDSD??

It's 15V/4A.