[va1enr0y]

Strangely, when I engage the DSD remastering engine, GTO, Apodizing and Transient Aligned filters are available except Bit-Perfect. That's weird... difference users having different sets of filters on v2.01 beta.

Hmm... perhaps I'm using the offline copy of the files which is the cause of the lockups. I will attempt to stream it online to see how that goes.

Anyhow, are you missing the first second or so of the music with MQA files? I can actually hear the sample rate switching whenever the file starts playing, quite ignoring actually.

 

[applesnowleo]

Strangely, when I engage the DSD remastering engine, GTO, Apodizing and Transient Aligned filters are available except Bit-Perfect. That's weird... difference users having different sets of filters on v2.01 beta.

Hmm... perhaps I'm using the offline copy of the files which is the cause of the lockups. I will attempt to stream it online to see how that goes.

Anyhow, are you missing the first second or so of the music with MQA files? I can actually hear the sample rate switching whenever the file starts playing, quite ignoring actually.

Hello, in remastering the filters work, when you do not use the remastering feature only bitperfect is present.

The MQA when skipping tracks needs to make some sort of validation, and the dac changes to MQA, but plaing without skipping tracks I have no issues.

 

[peterjgross]

Strangely, when I engage the DSD remastering engine, GTO, Apodizing and Transient Aligned filters are available except Bit-Perfect. That's weird... difference users having different sets of filters on v2.01 beta.

Hmm... perhaps I'm using the offline copy of the files which is the cause of the lockups. I will attempt to stream it online to see how that goes.

Anyhow, are you missing the first second or so of the music with MQA files? I can actually hear the sample rate switching whenever the file starts playing, quite ignoring actually.

I just tried on my unit. DSD remastering on - all the filters are available including BP.
You say you use firmware 2.01 beta? 2.01 is not flagged as beta release.

Regarding lockups: i have seen lockups when streaming 192/24 FLAC files to the iDSD (i very rarely happened with 96/24 FLAC). I have opened a ticked with iFi but this was never resolved. I now transcode FLAC files to WAV on my UPnP server. That way i experience stuttering occasionally but no lockup.
To be fair - i have not tried to stream hi-res FLAC since the 2.01 firmware is out.

 

[va1enr0y]

I just tried on my unit. DSD remastering on - all the filters are available including BP.
You say you use firmware 2.01 beta? 2.01 is not flagged as beta release.

Regarding lockups: i have seen lockups when streaming 192/24 FLAC files to the iDSD (i very rarely happened with 96/24 FLAC). I have opened a ticked with iFi but this was never resolved. I now transcode FLAC files to WAV on my UPnP server. That way i experience stuttering occasionally but no lockup.
To be fair - i have not tried to stream hi-res FLAC since the 2.01 firmware is out.

Actually on iFi’s website, it’s stated that firmware 2.01 is a beta release. You can find it below:-

https://ifi-audio.com/downloads/

Hello, in remastering the filters work, when you do not use the remastering feature only bitperfect is present.

The MQA when skipping tracks needs to make some sort of validation, and the dac changes to MQA, but plaing without skipping tracks I have no issues.

Maybe I wasn’t clear... what I specifically refer to is the DSD Remastering of DSD tracks, not the PCM ones. The Bit-Perfect option is missing when you engage the DSD Remastering Engine on DSD tracks, PCM tracks work fine.

 

[gordec]

I just tried on my unit. DSD remastering on - all the filters are available including BP.
You say you use firmware 2.01 beta? 2.01 is not flagged as beta release.

Regarding lockups: i have seen lockups when streaming 192/24 FLAC files to the iDSD (i very rarely happened with 96/24 FLAC). I have opened a ticked with iFi but this was never resolved. I now transcode FLAC files to WAV on my UPnP server. That way i experience stuttering occasionally but no lockup.
To be fair - i have not tried to stream hi-res FLAC since the 2.01 firmware is out.

Actually on iFi’s website, it’s stated that firmware 2.01 is a beta release. You can find it below:-

https://ifi-audio.com/downloads/



Maybe I wasn’t clear... what I specifically refer to is the DSD Remastering of DSD tracks, not the PCM ones. The Bit-Perfect option is missing when you engage the DSD Remastering Engine on DSD tracks, PCM tracks work fine.

The Pro iDSD does not DSD remaster native DSD tracks. It will play as is no matter what filter you are using.

 

[va1enr0y]

The Pro iDSD does not DSD remaster native DSD tracks. It will play as is no matter what filter you are using.

I keep having the impression that the iDSD behaves like a pyramix workstation whereby DSD files are converted to DXD or 2xDXD before any operations like, in this case, digital filters are applied. After which it’s converted back to DSD512 or DSD1024 to feed the DACs. So lower rate DSD would simply be modulated to DSD512 or DSD1024 and fed to the DAC as such regardless of digital filters selectable in the interface? Hmmm... perhaps the iFi team can enlighten us on this further.

 

[gordec]

I keep having the impression that the iDSD behaves like a pyramix workstation whereby DSD files are converted to DXD or 2xDXD before any operations like, in this case, digital filters are applied. After which it’s converted back to DSD512 or DSD1024 to feed the DACs. So lower rate DSD would simply be modulated to DSD512 or DSD1024 and fed to the DAC as such regardless of digital filters selectable in the interface? Hmmm... perhaps the iFi team can enlighten us on this further.

This has been officially confirmed by ifi in an earlier post a few months back. I can't find it, but it's what it is.

 

[flyte3333]

The Pro iDSD does not DSD remaster native DSD tracks. It will play as is no matter what filter you are using.

Not correct...

You can have Pro iDSD 'remaster' (up-sample) with up to DSD256 content...

The option to remaster/up-sample disappears when you feed Pro iDSD DSD512....

It's even in the manual... notice the "except DSD512"...

Let's share accurate information people lol

 

[gordec]

Not correct...

You can have Pro iDSD 'remaster' (up-sample) with up to DSD256 content...

The option to remaster/up-sample disappears when you feed Pro iDSD DSD512....

It's even in the manual... notice the "except DSD512"...

Let's share accurate information people lol

You are right. I was confused. DSD filter does apply to DSD files just the other filters no longer apply. See this post.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-pro-idsd-discussion-thread.702376/page-138#post-14398796

But here is how DSD remaster works.

If you upsample a nonDSD file to DSD512/1024, iDSD first oversamples to 705.4/768kHz. None of the filters applies in those 2 modes. You can turn the knob, and may appears that you are switching digital filters, but they are not doing anything.

If you play a native DSD file, iDSD will only play it in bitperfect mode. If you upsamples a native DSD file to DSD512/1024, there is no bitperfect mode because a digital filter has to be applied.

 

[gordec]

I have been using JW Western 2C51 tubes for the past 2 weeks thanks for one of other local headfier. This by far has made the biggest difference to the SQ of the Pro iDSD. The Susvara sounds more full bodied, more dynamic, better imaging and holographic. I would be convinced if someone told me this is like Pro iDSD MKII.

I think if you are a Pro iDSD owner upgrading the tubes and use ethernet as the input are the two biggest improvements you can make.

 

[va1enr0y]

I have been using JW Western 2C51 tubes for the past 2 weeks thanks for one of other local headfier. This by far has made the biggest difference to the SQ of the Pro iDSD. The Susvara sounds more full bodied, more dynamic, better imaging and holographic. I would be convinced if someone told me this is like Pro iDSD MKII.

I think if you are a Pro iDSD owner upgrading the tubes and use ethernet as the input are the two biggest improvements you can make.

Thanks for the suggestion, where do you get those tubes from? I've read that warranty would be void if we roll the tubes within the first year of ownership so I think I'm going to hold off that for the time being.

 

[gordec]

Thanks for the suggestion, where do you get those tubes from? I've read that warranty would be void if we roll the tubes within the first year of ownership so I think I'm going to hold off that for the time being.

You are right. You either take the risk or send it to ifi to get it changed out. Getting to the tube is very easy. If you know how to use a screw driver, you can do it. However, if you have never removed a tube before, taking the stock tubes off can be a little taunting though not dangerous. You just have to be careful. If I didn't have someone who's done it many times to supervise me, I probably would have passed. The improvement, however, is like at least 10%-15% over the best I have heard the stock Pro iDSD. It's almost a sin not to upgrade if you are a Pro iDSD owner. I listen in tube+ mode, BTW.

 

[bluesaint]

ifi actually recommends the western electronics 396a over their stock 1980s GE5670. And the JW WE are the creme of the crop of these as they were the military designation and were only made between late 40's to early 50's.

 

[Rob N]

ifi actually recommends the western electronics 396a over their stock 1980s GE5670. And the JW WE are the creme of the crop of these as they were the military designation and were only made between late 40's to early 50's.

Been looking trough my stash and found these. The Sylvania with gold pins is an Engineering sample, Pity the 6385’s are too tall

 

[datasyd]

ifi actually recommends the western electronics 396a over their stock 1980s GE5670. And the JW WE are the creme of the crop of these as they were the military designation and were only made between late 40's to early 50's.

It's perhaps worth understanding the context of this statement. Below is the official statement from ifi.

Glass going on record
Makers of 5670/2C51/ECC40 on record: (we are not going to do a sonic ranking between the valves in each category - waaay too subjective).

Best
• WE USA (as 396A) (there are D and O getter versions) - probably the best of the lot but good luck
in finding original 'good' ones from reputable sellers for £££
• Bendix USA (as 6385) - very rare and hyper expensive
• GE 5670 USA - as used in AMR CD 777 SE/DP-777SE & iFi Pro Series/Tube2/iTube

Middle
• Raytheon USA
• Tung Sol USA
Old Soviet 6N3P-EV OTK marked Stock

Worst
• Soviet Russia 6N3P civilian type (marked in Cyrillic so looks like 6H3П)
China (as 6N3)

The 5670/2C51 has similar data and application as the later European ECC88 and variants, so European valve makers concentrated on that type of valve.
Some valves marked "England" have been sighted, these appear mostly remarked Russian units.
Sylvania also made a 5670 which was also seen remarked as ‘Mullard’ but it isn't a true Mullard as they never made this version of valve, just a rebranding job.
To conclude, with the AMR CD/DP-777 SE or iFi iCAN Pro/iTube/iTube2/NOS 6922, we would not spend our hard earned cash on anything but the WE396A or Bendix USA.

See https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iTUBE2-Tech-Note-One-Why-GE-5670.pdf