[Esprit]

It'll hit the market in May 2015?

I hope so (as I hope it will be a better product than competitors... not only on paper...)

 

[EVOLVIST]

iFi... will it be the High End Society show in Munich, May 14-17th for the unveiling of the final iDSD Pro, or is this still proto stage?

 

[iFi audio]

iFi... will it be the High End Society show in Munich, May 14-17th for the unveiling of the final iDSD Pro, or is this still proto stage?

 
Hi,
 

 
...is a little far ahead for us to confirm at this moment in time.
 
As we all live in the real world, deadlines are very difficult to stick hard and fast to.
 
For example, the Micro iDSD which was Crowd-Designed here on Head-Fi was delayed by 1 month because we caught some little bugs and wanted to whack them on the head with a very large mallet before they were released into the wild.
 
We felt quite awkward as some Octa-Adopters had already paid a deposit to our dealers (even though we said just reserve but don't pay).
 
Thankfully, you customers were quite understanding of this situation as we made this public and very clear - we dont ship until we EXPECT it will surprise on the upside (as opposed to downside).
 
Plus in the real world, the cost of returns arising from software/hardware issues can hurt a company in more ways than one! (touchwood we ain't been there yet).
 
So to answer your question - yes there will be at least the prototype, possibly the first production unit but we cannot commit and hope you understand!
 
ps. next week, iFi skunkworks may show a little leg.

 

[BillsonChang007]

nah... one does not have to worry about how iFi do their work. its always the best. shall patiently wait for the Mini to go into the wild 

 

[EVOLVIST]

Edit Post

 

[EVOLVIST]

  nah... one does not have to worry about how iFi do their work. its always the best. shall patiently wait for the Mini to go into the wild 

 
I'm with you 100%. I wouldn't presume to ask others to be equally patient, but we all want it to be best product, so I wouldn't mind waiting until year's end if that's what it took for iFi to be certain they're shipping out exactly what they want to feed our ear holes.
 
In the meantime, most of us in this thread have some sort of iFi product, so if we've already reached iDSD micro, or iDSD nano level of quality, the wait shouldn't be too painful, given that we're already digging some of the best sound on the planet, as is. 
 
 Like dead Orson Welles here: we've got plenty of time, before it's time, only until it's time. 

 

 

[Esprit]

 
So to answer your question - yes there will be at least the prototype, possibly the first production unit but we cannot commit and hope you understand!

Ugh, nothing for May

 

[BillsonChang007]

 
In the meantime, most of us in this thread have some sort of iFi product, so if we've already reached iDSD micro, or iDSD nano level of quality, the wait shouldn't be too painful, given that we're already digging some of the best sound on the planet, as is. 
 

That's right! The Micro iDSD is very impressive! Which is why I am looking forward to see the upcoming iDSD

 [it will be a nice comparison between it and the Chord Hugo TT]

 

[earfonia]

   
Hi,
 

 
...is a little far ahead for us to confirm at this moment in time.
 
As we all live in the real world, deadlines are very difficult to stick hard and fast to.
 
For example, the Micro iDSD which was Crowd-Designed here on Head-Fi was delayed by 1 month because we caught some little bugs and wanted to whack them on the head with a very large mallet before they were released into the wild.
 
We felt quite awkward as some Octa-Adopters had already paid a deposit to our dealers (even though we said just reserve but don't pay).
 
Thankfully, you customers were quite understanding of this situation as we made this public and very clear - we dont ship until we EXPECT it will surprise on the upside (as opposed to downside).
 
Plus in the real world, the cost of returns arising from software/hardware issues can hurt a company in more ways than one! (touchwood we ain't been there yet).
 
So to answer your question - yes there will be at least the prototype, possibly the first production unit but we cannot commit and hope you understand!
 
ps. next week, iFi skunkworks may show a little leg.

 
Please don't launch it until it is perfect! 

We all can wait 

 

 

[sdolezalek]

Two questions:
 
1)  Any thoughts yet on whether you'll have a program like the "Octa-Adopter" program for the "Pro" series?  
 
2) As more and more of us are using software front ends like Audirvana/Izotope or HQ Player, have you thought about optimizing for the interaction with those players and their ability to upsample material to the optimal input setting of the DAC chip?

 

[iFi audio]

  Two questions:
 
1)  Any thoughts yet on whether you'll have a program like the "Octa-Adopter" program for the "Pro" series?  
 
2) As more and more of us are using software front ends like Audirvana/Izotope or HQ Player, have you thought about optimizing for the interaction with those players and their ability to upsample material to the optimal input setting of the DAC chip?

 
Hi.
 
To answer your questions:
 
 
1) "Any thoughts yet on whether you'll have a program like the "Octa-Adopter" program for the "Pro" series?"
Something is afoot. More later on this when it is closer to being soup.

 
 
 
2) "As more and more of us are using software front ends like Audirvana/Izotope or HQ Player, have you thought about optimizing for the interaction with those players and their ability to upsample material to the optimal input setting of the DAC chip?"
 
 
The Burr-Brown chipset we use allows for a "Bit-Perfect" and this to us, is the raison d'etrre.
 
We primarily only like one thing - the sound of unprocessed sound (there are exceptions but they are exactly that).
 
Our history is that we don't like to Up/OverSample. Information theory and all that.
 
If you take a look at AMR machines, you will get a feeling for our audio DNA.
 
To us, sushi tastes nicer than grilled salmon but if one like grilled salmon, then it is still possible.
 
i. At the PC end with your aforementioned audio players.
ii. At the iDSD, we do include digital filters both a "measure perfect"  option and one "measure ok and sound better than the measure perfect" filter, because not everyone likes Sushi.
 
As some of the staff are more partial to Burger King, you can "have it your way".
 

With the iDSD micro, iDAC2 micro and iDSD mini/Pro you can already bypass any digital processing in the DAC for PCM and directly stream unmanipulated data to the DAC (Bitperfect mode). Thenano and Retro only bypass the digital filter for sampe rates above 192kHz PCM as they do not have the switchable "Bitperfect"  Filter option.
 
 
 


In DSD mode there is never any digital processing - DSD is always in "digital filter bypass mode" with DSD signals directly send to the analogue filter and no digital processing.
 
 
 
We do not see any Up/OverSampling as "optimisation", other than making very high sample rates availble and allowing digital processing bypass, which is precisely what all digital iFi products (except the original iDAC) allow.
 
With regard to our ongoing audio software players auditions - as is AMR/iFi's company policy, we do not comment on other manufacturers' products. But what we can say is that what you see us using at shows (watch out for upcoming Bristol Show) and demos is what we find sounds "nicest to our ears". And those are the ones that do not mess with a high-quality, well-recorded music file.

 
Cheers.

 

[jexby]

Um,
iDAC2 micro?

Coming soon or typo or ?

 

[ClieOS]

Um,
iDAC2 micro?

Coming soon or typo or ?

 
Probably not a typo, as the original iDAC simply doesn't give you any option on digital filter (all built-in on the ESS's DAC and that). Definitely love to see an update on the original iDAC as iDSD micro already pushes the envelop too far ahead.

 

[iFi audio]

Um,
iDAC2 micro?

Coming soon or typo or ?

Originally Posted by ClieOS
 
Probably not a typo, as the original iDAC simply doesn't give you any option on digital filter (all built-in on the ESS's DAC and that). Definitely love to see an update on the original iDAC as iDSD micro already pushes the envelop too far ahead.

 
Well spotted!
 
Jexby and ClieOS both had their 3 Shredded Wheat today.
 
 
Yes, the iDAC2 is the next one out of the iFi Skunkworks. It is the successor to the the iDAC. ETA - on/before end of March.
 
Instead of the ESS Sabre, it will have the Burr-Brown chip as used in the nano iDSD and micro iDSD.
 
Native DSD256 & 384k PCM, a more powerful Headphone Amp (>300mW 16 Ohm) and some other new tech.
 
 
 
 
Think:
 
iDSD micro = best Portable and SPDIF DAC under $xxx
 
The iDSD micro was designed to be the best portable DAC we could make, with an emphasis on Headphone performance. It is the most advanced product we make, a road warrior that pushes the boundaries of what is possible.
 
 
iDAC2 =  best Desktop USB only DAC under $xxx
 
The iDAC2 was designed to offer the best straightforward USB Desktop DAC we could make. In effect the same design remit that gave birth to the original iDAC in 2012.
 
In the interim we have learned much more in the process of the many other projects that are now shipping (or still await finaly production). We have brought this to the iDAC2 design.
 
Additionally, time has moved on. Where in 2012 having an affordable USB DAC with 192K "Full HD" was still novel, we want to keep pushing the envelope where affordable gear really needs to offer at least DSD, with DSD256 and 384kHz DXD now being "Full HD".
 
 
 
 
 
Sonically:
The iDAC2 is based upon the micro iDSD (but slightly different for pure desktop use as there is no internal battery of course).
 
The headphone section is a dual-mono headphone amp, each channel with 940uF to backup the power delivery to the HP Amp, for better dynamics and bass...
 
The line outs incorporate a Class A buffer circuit that combines J-Fets and Bipolar transistors to deliver enough Class A power to drive 600 Ohm loads with 0.005% THD - this originally came from developments for the Pro Audio line.
 
Though the mini/pro line ended up not using it, it fitted the iDAC2 design remit to a T.

 
We're listening to the iDAC2 in a "little big rig" with the LCD-Xs right now...

 
So it is running, undergoing field trials and is on the way!

 

[sdolezalek]

Thank you for the very detailed response. I too tend toward the "sushi end of things," however, I have found that with my iDSD Nano upsampling 16/44 files to the point where the digital filter is bypassed with both Izotope and HQ Player can (if the right filter settings are chosen very carefully) sound better (to my ears) than straight redbook run only through the Nano.  I have not found any benefit to upsampling DSD64 to DSD128 or DSD256 before running it through the iDSD although I have found that listening to well recorded DSD256 can be enlightening.  That being said, it seems that the "best" settings do vary by DAC chip implementation and overall system and it took me months of experimenting with iZotope (and I'm still in the process of experimenting with the filters in HQ Player).  
 
As you put it in your response:  "We do not see any Up/OverSampling as "optimisation", other than making very high sample rates available and allowing digital processing bypass, which is precisely what all digital iFi products (except the original iDAC) allow,"  I'm trying to use the in the PC/MAC upsampling only to get to the level where digital processing is bypassed.  Of course that leaves open the question whether there is any difference between feeding the DAC 24/192 and 24/88 versus 24/384 or 24/352 material?
 
Since I haven't been able to attend any of your shows, I'll have to watch your videos very closely to see which software front ends you are playing with.