iFi Audio Pro iDSD discussion thread

[gr8soundz]

Can we please get Part 1 (of the features) now?

I think it's great that iFi actively participates here, especially with the detailed explanations of what your products do. However, it's not so great waiting 2 weeks, slowly being fed pieces of final specs for a DAC that needed 4 years of development after it was announced.

 

[Roscoeiii]

The buffer size between DP-777 and iDSD Pro is similar; short enough to not cause any issues with lip-sync, long enough to make sure the programmable clock will be stable after adjustment.

Great to hear and thanks for the quick reply. Now back to my iDSD Micro! Damn I love this thing...

 

[Roscoeiii]

Can we please get Part 1 (of the features) now?

I think it's great that iFi actively participates here, especially with the detailed explanations of what your products do. However, it's not so great waiting 2 weeks, slowly being fed pieces of final specs for a DAC that needed 4 years of development after it was announced.

I dunno, I kind of like this rollout in installments. It also lets us ask and get clarifications a little bit at a time and not be overwhelmed by getting all of the details at one. To each their own.

 

[iFi audio]

Can we please get Part 1 (of the features) now?

I think it's great that iFi actively participates here, especially with the detailed explanations of what your products do. However, it's not so great waiting 2 weeks, slowly being fed pieces of final specs for a DAC that needed 4 years of development after it was announced.

Shortly we'll do this exactly, yet not at this moment.

And here 'shortly' means days, not months.

 

[bluesaint]

The marketing folks at IFI are simply doing their job. Like many companies, they are simply going off the rollout playbook they been utilizing for all their launches the last couple years. ie info info info, announcement, tour program, launch, etc. The delivery mechanism may be unconventional since they didn't start this thread, and was not able to "reserve" post spots early on to keep the info flowing without user posts interleaving in between.

 

[iFi audio]

The marketing folks at IFI are simply doing their job. Like many companies, they are simply going off the rollout playbook they been utilizing for all their launches the last couple years. ie info info info, announcement, tour program, launch, etc. The delivery mechanism may be unconventional since they didn't start this thread, and was not able to "reserve" post spots early on to keep the info flowing without user posts interleaving in between.

It is slightly inconvenient, but we work with what we have. In the long run, the official Pro iDSD thread will be established and we'll accumulate all nfo realeased thus far in there.

At the same time we are aware that some folks here would like to have everything dished out clearly, but - as you've correctly noticed - there's a grand plan behind every product we introduce to the market and our Pro iDSD is no different in this regard.

Besides, this is a complex device and our piece by piece tech nfo publication somewhat helps to decrease the number of the same questions. Between our publications there's time to digest their content.

 

[Elawarai]

• Us: Are there digital outputs on the Pro?

Skin: No, what would be the point? This device was designed as a d/a converter above all else.

The point is a streamer is also interesting for the ability to switch between DACs. You can use the DAC you prefer regarding the music you listen or the way you listen to it. More over, if you love the functions of the streaming unit (speed, reliability, buffer, playlist management, music app, and/or compatibility) and not the sound of the DAC, this is quite a sad situation because everything stays or goes away.

On the ICan Pro, you got 3 pairs of RCA inputs, RCA and XLR output and many headphone outputs. On iESL, you got the faculty to connect an amplifier for speaker and also to use old electrostatic headphones or a dynamic headphone in XLR4.

IMHO, the "Swiss knife" aspect of you products (size, power, connections, compatibility and functions) are a big part of their interest ! The interest of having a maximum of high end capacities in a small assembling of boxes.

A Streaming and DAC unit which can't be use as a standalone streamer is, in my opinion, a bad point, quite opposite to this mind.

But that's just my opinion.

 

[iFi audio]

The point is a streamer is also interesting for the ability to switch between DACs. You can use the DAC you prefer regarding the music you listen or the way you listen to it. More over, if you love the functions of the streaming unit (speed, reliability, buffer, playlist management, music app, and/or compatibility) and not the sound of the DAC, this is quite a sad situation because everything stays or goes away.

On the ICan Pro, you got 3 pairs of RCA inputs, RCA and XLR output and many headphone outputs. On iESL, you got the faculty to connect an amplifier for speaker and also to use old electrostatic headphones or a dynamic headphone in XLR4.

IMHO, the "Swiss knife" aspect of you products (size, power, connections, compatibility and functions) are a big part of their interest ! The interest of having a maximum of high end capacities in a small assembling of boxes.

A Streaming and DAC unit which can't be use as a standalone streamer is, in my opinion, a bad point, quite opposite to this mind.

But that's just my opinion.

Comparing DACs? There's much easier way to listen and compare them in the apples to apples fashion on-the-fly:

I. Use a Windows PC
-Use JRiver
-Setup zones in this program
II. Use a USB cable
III. Use micro iUSB3.0
IV. Connect two DACs to iUSB3.0 via two identical USB cables
V. Connect each DAC to a different input of the same amplifier
VI. Level match them

It doesn't get any easier/faster to switch rapidly between DACs in exactly the same environment and on-the-fly as this. And you can use either headphones or a pair of speakers, it's up to you.

Here's the guide for you: https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/iusb3-0-2/



And having explained all this, let us say it again: Pro iDSD is a DAC above all else, everything on top of this key functionality we were able to squeeze in the same box is a bonus. Pro iDSD is already stuffed to the roof with goodies and if one needs a standalone streamer, he gets himself a standalone streamer. We strive to please as many enthusiasts as possible, yet not everything can be done.

 

[EVOLVIST]

So, if I have this correct, one can plug in a direct RJ45 LAN line into the iDSD Pro? If this is true, it would seem to me that if one uses UPnP bridge in let's say, a headless computer, like the SonicTransporter, then one can control the music via Roon, straight into the iDSD Pro via a LAN line. Would this be correct?

 

[iFi audio]

So, if I have this correct, one can plug in a direct RJ45 LAN line into the iDSD Pro? If this is true, it would seem to me that if one uses UPnP bridge in let's say, a headless computer, like the SonicTransporter, then one can control the music via Roon, straight into the iDSD Pro via a LAN line. Would this be correct?

Please see what LinkPlay offers as that's what our Pro iDSD is based on as far as network music playback goes: http://linkplay.com

Roon isn't a part of LinkPlay yet, maybe in the future, but that's above us.

 

[Elawarai]

Comparing DACs? There's much easier way to listen and compare them in the apples to apples fashion on-the-fly: (...)

And having explained all this, let us say it again: Pro iDSD is a DAC above all else, everything on top of this key functionality we were able to squeeze in the same box is a bonus. Pro iDSD is already stuffed to the roof with goodies and if one needs a standalone streamer, he gets himself a standalone streamer. We strive to please as many enthusiasts as possible, yet not everything can be done.

I'm not talking of comparing but switching from one to another considering the wished sound. But I note that the iUSB 3.0 allows to replicate the usb signal for two connections.

I wonder how it's complicated to insert a digital output on a streamer ... You can find many streamers with both DAC and digital output and not very expensive for some of them :

I totally understand you haven't planned it but I'm a bit disappointed with that because that's so simple and useful.

 

[Roscoeiii]

I'm not talking of comparing but switching from one to another considering the wished sound. But I note that the iUSB 3.0 allows to replicate the usb signal for two connections.

I wonder how it's complicated to insert a digital output on a streamer ... You can find many streamers with both DAC and digital output and not very expensive for some of them :

I totally understand you haven't planned it but I'm a bit disappointed with that because that's so simple and useful.

Disappointed that a DAC doesn't have a digital output? Wow. That's a new one. Can't please everyone.

I suppose you could buy an ADC to follow the DAC though i can't figure out why you'd want to on a DAC like this

 

[Tom Blake]

Please see what LinkPlay offers as that's what our Pro iDSD is based on as far as network music playback goes: http://linkplay.com

Roon isn't a part of LinkPlay yet, maybe in the future, but that's above us.

So the iDSD Pro cannot function as a Roon endpoint as part of its streaming functionality?.

 

[Elawarai]

Disappointed that a DAC doesn't have a digital output? Wow. That's a new one. Can't please everyone.

I suppose you could buy an ADC to follow the DAC though i can't figure out why you'd want to on a DAC like this

Not for the DAC, for the streamer.

 

[iFi audio]

So, if I have this correct, one can plug in a direct RJ45 LAN line into the iDSD Pro? If this is true, it would seem to me that if one uses UPnP bridge in let's say, a headless computer, like the SonicTransporter, then one can control the music via Roon, straight into the iDSD Pro via a LAN line. Would this be correct?

Actually we'll elaborate on this subject more. To answer your question, yes, this would be correct.

You can use any player/control system that supports DLNA or Airplay. If a Windows PC is used as Roon core, then our iDSD Pro can be connected via DLNA. Equally if a Mac is used as Roon core, then our upcoming flagship can be connected via Airplay.

The iDSD Pro also integrates into multi-room systems with any Linkplay protocol compatible devices, including products by Harman Kardon, Energy speakers and GE, yet this list goes on and on.

For now there is no Roon endpoint option. This functionality is currently being investigated and - if possible - will arrive as a firmware upgrade in the future. However we can't formally promise that this will happen as it's not entirely up to us.