[Sound Eq]

OK, what's your current Firmware?

And re line outs: http://support.ifi-audio.com/kb/faq.php?id=843

version 2,08, i think u will tell me its the standard known, but i see big company names not following that

it would be nice to have 3v on hifi fixed so we do not have to use pro fixed which might be too much

 

[iFi audio]

i see, can i ask why u opted to a low output compared to hugo2 and even to ak dap sp2000 on hifi fixed

You could at the same time ask whether others have it higher/lower than we.

it would be nice to have 3v on hifi fixed so we do not have to use pro fixed which might be too much

We're aware that once in a while someone might want more than 2.3V, but as a manufacturer we roll with what is the most universal.

 

[gerb0075]

@iFi audio

I just received two iDSD Pro units a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I am highly disappointed with the considerable amount of noise/hash/hiss that both units exhibit. After extensively analyzing every piece of my setup and researching the two Head-Fi forums, It is obvious to me that this noise emanates from within both of the iDSD Pros and is most likely due to a poor implementation of the WiFi subsystem.

I have never experienced any noise or interference with any of my other iFI products (iCan Pro, micro iDSD BL, Mercury 3.0 USB cable, iPurifier 2, iPurifier 3). I deliberately waited before purchasing my iDSD Pro to get a unit with the 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone output AND in hopes that all of the bugs that had been reported by early adopters were resolved.

This noise is quite significant. I hear it from both the iDSD Pro’s headphone outputs when used standalone, as well as the iCan Pro’s headphone outs when fed by the iDSD Pro as a DAC. The noise is best described as an amalgamation of noise, hum, and hiss — whose character changes and is modulated when digital filters, DSD remastering, and input settings are adjusted. It also appears related to the OLED display, as the spectral content of the noise changes with graphical changes in the display while some of the noise disappears when the display is fully shut off. Regardless of what I do, there is always noticeable background noise even when both iDSD Pro units are just “idling” (i.e., no music is being played) and is present across all three (SS, Tube, Tube+) operational modes. The noise is present with multiple headphones, none of which are highly sensitive IEMs.

Ultimately, the situation is particularly disturbing — and ironic — given the years of development work and focus on noise reduction put forth by iFi on this TOTL product.

Do you have any suggestions for eliminating the noise? Is there more noise exhibited by the newer, 4.4mm units, versus the older 2.5mm units? I have really loved my iFI products up to this point and greatly appreciate your contribution toward elevating the head-fi experience over these past several years.

 

[iamalex]

@iFi audio

I just received two iDSD Pro units a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I am highly disappointed with the considerable amount of noise/hash/hiss that both units exhibit. After extensively analyzing every piece of my setup and researching the two Head-Fi forums, It is obvious to me that this noise emanates from within both of the iDSD Pros and is most likely due to a poor implementation of the WiFi subsystem.

I have never experienced any noise or interference with any of my other iFI products (iCan Pro, micro iDSD BL, Mercury 3.0 USB cable, iPurifier 2, iPurifier 3). I deliberately waited before purchasing my iDSD Pro to get a unit with the 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone output AND in hopes that all of the bugs that had been reported by early adopters were resolved.

This noise is quite significant. I hear it from both the iDSD Pro’s headphone outputs when used standalone, as well as the iCan Pro’s headphone outs when fed by the iDSD Pro as a DAC. The noise is best described as an amalgamation of noise, hum, and hiss — whose character changes and is modulated when digital filters, DSD remastering, and input settings are adjusted. It also appears related to the OLED display, as the spectral content of the noise changes with graphical changes in the display while some of the noise disappears when the display is fully shut off. Regardless of what I do, there is always noticeable background noise even when both iDSD Pro units are just “idling” (i.e., no music is being played) and is present across all three (SS, Tube, Tube+) operational modes. The noise is present with multiple headphones, none of which are highly sensitive IEMs.

Ultimately, the situation is particularly disturbing — and ironic — given the years of development work and focus on noise reduction put forth by iFi on this TOTL product.

Do you have any suggestions for eliminating the noise? Is there more noise exhibited by the newer, 4.4mm units, versus the older 2.5mm units? I have really loved my iFI products up to this point and greatly appreciate your contribution toward elevating the head-fi experience over these past several years.

Really?? I'm just in the process looking for an all-in-one device, but that is certainly a no-go..

 

[iFi audio]

@iFi audio

I just received two iDSD Pro units a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I am highly disappointed with the considerable amount of noise/hash/hiss that both units exhibit. After extensively analyzing every piece of my setup and researching the two Head-Fi forums, It is obvious to me that this noise emanates from within both of the iDSD Pros and is most likely due to a poor implementation of the WiFi subsystem.

I have never experienced any noise or interference with any of my other iFI products (iCan Pro, micro iDSD BL, Mercury 3.0 USB cable, iPurifier 2, iPurifier 3). I deliberately waited before purchasing my iDSD Pro to get a unit with the 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone output AND in hopes that all of the bugs that had been reported by early adopters were resolved.

This noise is quite significant. I hear it from both the iDSD Pro’s headphone outputs when used standalone, as well as the iCan Pro’s headphone outs when fed by the iDSD Pro as a DAC. The noise is best described as an amalgamation of noise, hum, and hiss — whose character changes and is modulated when digital filters, DSD remastering, and input settings are adjusted. It also appears related to the OLED display, as the spectral content of the noise changes with graphical changes in the display while some of the noise disappears when the display is fully shut off. Regardless of what I do, there is always noticeable background noise even when both iDSD Pro units are just “idling” (i.e., no music is being played) and is present across all three (SS, Tube, Tube+) operational modes. The noise is present with multiple headphones, none of which are highly sensitive IEMs.

Ultimately, the situation is particularly disturbing — and ironic — given the years of development work and focus on noise reduction put forth by iFi on this TOTL product.

Do you have any suggestions for eliminating the noise? Is there more noise exhibited by the newer, 4.4mm units, versus the older 2.5mm units? I have really loved my iFI products up to this point and greatly appreciate your contribution toward elevating the head-fi experience over these past several years.

Can you please open up a ticket here: http://support.ifi-audio.com/

We got some feedback on the issue you described and we're investigating it.

 

[iFi audio]

Woohoooo! Our Pro iDSD won the Sound+Image 2020 award in the "DAC / HEADPHONE AMP OVER $1000" category. Yeah!

https://www.avhub.com.au/news/sound-image/sound-image-awards-2020-music-sources-534319

 

[gerb0075]

@iFi audio

I just received two iDSD Pro units a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I am highly disappointed with the considerable amount of noise/hash/hiss that both units exhibit. After extensively analyzing every piece of my setup and researching the two Head-Fi forums, It is obvious to me that this noise emanates from within both of the iDSD Pros and is most likely due to a poor implementation of the WiFi subsystem.

I have never experienced any noise or interference with any of my other iFI products (iCan Pro, micro iDSD BL, Mercury 3.0 USB cable, iPurifier 2, iPurifier 3). I deliberately waited before purchasing my iDSD Pro to get a unit with the 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone output AND in hopes that all of the bugs that had been reported by early adopters were resolved.

This noise is quite significant. I hear it from both the iDSD Pro’s headphone outputs when used standalone, as well as the iCan Pro’s headphone outs when fed by the iDSD Pro as a DAC. The noise is best described as an amalgamation of noise, hum, and hiss — whose character changes and is modulated when digital filters, DSD remastering, and input settings are adjusted. It also appears related to the OLED display, as the spectral content of the noise changes with graphical changes in the display while some of the noise disappears when the display is fully shut off. Regardless of what I do, there is always noticeable background noise even when both iDSD Pro units are just “idling” (i.e., no music is being played) and is present across all three (SS, Tube, Tube+) operational modes. The noise is present with multiple headphones, none of which are highly sensitive IEMs.

Ultimately, the situation is particularly disturbing — and ironic — given the years of development work and focus on noise reduction put forth by iFi on this TOTL product.

Do you have any suggestions for eliminating the noise? Is there more noise exhibited by the newer, 4.4mm units, versus the older 2.5mm units? I have really loved my iFI products up to this point and greatly appreciate your contribution toward elevating the head-fi experience over these past several years.

@iFi audio

A quick update regarding my noise issue. I’m happy to report that 90 percent or so of the noise has disappeared after allowing one of the iDSD Pro units to sit a few days disconnected from the mains power, then attaching the wifi aerial to the wifi terminal on the rear of the unit. After reconnecting to the mains, most of the noise I had previously experienced is no longer present.

I had initially assumed that connecting the wifi antenna would increase noise, but it seems that it may have reduced it. In any event, I will report back should the noise resurface or if I gain any further insight.

 

[iFi audio]

Folks, the latest issue of Hi-Fi+ lists all products which won the 2019 award. You can see it here.

But the big news is that our PowerStation got awarded as well! YES!

 

[iFi audio]

Folks, if you're by any chance visitors to the GUANGZHOU HIGH END event (this weekend!), we'll be there! You can find us at the Dongfang Hotel's rooms 661 and 663 at the 6th floor, and also we'll have a booth (12B) at the ground floor!



And yup, that's the award for our Pro iDSD right there!

 

[practikl]

It seems the 2.08 firmware makes the Pro iDSD losing some of it's warmness while adding more soundstage depth. What were the areas of sound improvements looked for in firmware 2.08?
Before I had version 2.02 (updated by ifi themselves when they came at Montreal audiofest).
Now I can only go back to 2.01 which still seems warmer than 2.08 in every filter. Can I have back the 2.02 firmware?

I loved firmware 2.02 of this dac for its musicality and for being forgiving to sub-par recordings while still being able to depicting a wide, deep and defined soundstage on good recordings. Now the sound signature of firmware 2.08 seems to go toward a different route. Or am I missing something?

 

[Jerry C]

@iFi audio Could you please check If I upsample DSD to DSD (ie. DSD64 to DSD1024), does it convert directly from DSD to DSD or like some other programs, it goes by DSD => PCM => DSD? Thanks!

 

[iFi audio]

It seems the 2.08 firmware makes the Pro iDSD losing some of it's warmness while adding more soundstage depth. What were the areas of sound improvements looked for in firmware 2.08?
Before I had version 2.02 (updated by ifi themselves when they came at Montreal audiofest).
Now I can only go back to 2.01 which still seems warmer than 2.08 in every filter. Can I have back the 2.02 firmware?

I loved firmware 2.02 of this dac for its musicality and for being forgiving to sub-par recordings while still being able to depicting a wide, deep and defined soundstage on good recordings. Now the sound signature of firmware 2.08 seems to go toward a different route. Or am I missing something?

With each FW update we squash some bugs and introduce new functionalities if we can, but that's pretty much it.

@iFi audio Could you please check If I upsample DSD to DSD (ie. DSD64 to DSD1024), does it convert directly from DSD to DSD or like some other programs, it goes by DSD => PCM => DSD? Thanks!

It's internally converted inside of the device with no PCM involved.

 

[practikl]

So practically speaking, between 2.01 and 2.08 I shouldn't ear a different sound signature?
There is no problem if I flash the device back and forth between versions to verify if I imagining things or not?

 

[gerb0075]

It's internally converted inside of the device with no PCM involved.

@iFi audio
Are you positive? I thought upsampling DSD to a higher sample rate requires a digital filter of some sort (e.g., GTO, apodising, transient aligned) and that such a filter can only operate in the PCM domain.

 

[Jerry C]

@iFi audio
Are you positive? I thought upsampling DSD to a higher sample rate requires a digital filter of some sort (e.g., GTO, apodising, transient aligned) and that such a filter can only operate in the PCM domain.

I'm of the same view and would like to see a direct DSD to DSD upsampling being implemented in future firmware update.