[saudio7]

What are the biggest differences in sound between old and new Signature version, I remember iDSD PRO as very nice DAC, but couldn’t make it working with external SSD or microSD, also streaming application was not that good, are those things fixed with Signature?

 

[TooFrank]

As I can read in your signature, you already have the ifi Pro iCan.
At first I only had the iCAN and was too stingy to buy the iDSD ...
For this I have bought countless other devices, tested them, and mostly resold them at a loss at money...


At some point then, I got a good offer for the iDSD, and then I hit it right away.
I haven't regretted it and have never thought about a new AMP or DAC since then!
I can say, i realy love my ifi Stack!

+1 however, I had the iDSD first - then the ICAN, but same result: those two are keepers

 

[adydula]

I have the older version of the iDSD and the new Signature iCAN amp. I really see no urgent reason to updating to the newer Signature version of the iDSD. I have used the newer Elite lower noise power supply with the iDSD, no real discernable differences here.

The reason I got the newer Signature iCAN was I was caught in between the changeover to the Signature series. If you find a good deal with the older gear its still a wonderful TOTL setup IMO.

The new amp and the older amp have MORE than enough power for most anything. Running ADX 5000s at 420 ohms and D8000 Pros and hardly have to turn up the volume at the lowest x1 gain.....this amp has "balls!"....This leads to the one issue with the amp I do not like...that the way the gain is configured and having to run the amp with the volume control at the low positions....I have alleviated this somewhat by driving it with the variable output from the iDSD. But this IMO may not be the best thing to do?
The question is here what is the noise etc by lowering the drive output from the iDSD vs running at the fixed voltage of the fixed dac output setting (2 volts?).

That said these are the Swiss Army Knife dac/amp combination done very very well.

They are not cheap. I would also say iFI should offer a better warranty for TOTL stuff other than the standard 12 month. If your stuff is this good as you tout how about a 3 yr warranty less the tubes??

After all Schiit and others have way longer warranties for less costly gear?

iFi are you listening?

Alex

 

[CADEng]

What are the biggest differences in sound between old and new Signature version, I remember iDSD PRO as very nice DAC, but couldn’t make it working with external SSD or microSD, also streaming application was not that good, are those things fixed with Signature?

Answer is simply NO! People are complaining here to iFi, including me, almost two years for streaming problems. Unfortunately NO reactions from other side

 

[chaz_flhr]

Answer is simply NO! People are complaining here to iFi, including me, almost two years for streaming problems. Unfortunately NO reactions from other side

Have you tried the new WiiM player it is definitely better than the old version, although local playback still isn’t exactly perfect it is better, for all the things ifi got right with the pro iDSD they definitely dropped the ball on the streaming / local playback part hopefully they will continue to improve that feature.

 

[daniele80]

Hi, I'm Daniele from Italy. Reading your comments I decide to buy the IFI iPower Elite for my IFI iDSD Pro. I have some doubts about the version to buy: I need the 12V, 15V or 24V version? Please le me know, thanks!

 

[adydula]

Hi, I'm Daniele from Italy. Reading your comments I decide to buy the IFI iPower Elite for my IFI iDSD Pro. I have some doubts about the version to buy: I need the 12V, 15V or 24V version? Please le me know, thanks!

Here is the link to the OG iDSD Pro dac: https://ifi-audio.com/products/pro-idsd/

Looks like the only choice would be the 15 volt version.

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Hi, I'm Daniele from Italy. Reading your comments I decide to buy the IFI iPower Elite for my IFI iDSD Pro. I have some doubts about the version to buy: I need the 12V, 15V or 24V version? Please le me know, thanks!

Here is the link to the OG iDSD Pro dac: https://ifi-audio.com/products/pro-idsd/





Looks like the only choice would be the 15 volt version.

Correcto. The Pro iDSD only works with the 15v!

 

[practikl]

Sharing:
I tried the iPower Elite 15V with the Pro IDSD, as a DAC the difference is significant. More focused, better soundstage, maybe a bit less bass, but definitely tighter, the attacks and highs seems more present but the highs are silkier than before. Because of that, the tonal balance seems to have shifted a bit more towards neutrality (less warm, more resolution) than with the standard PSU. But since the highs are silkier than before it's not a problem for me as I don't get listening fatigue. YMMV, if you need a warmer DAC maybe your electronics are not forgiving enough, because this DAC (even with the iPower Elite) is still on the warm side of neutrality. I also heard that the difference between the original and the Signature is mostly the upgraded PSU, so do yourself a favor and try the iPower Elite.

Sharing:
- I often like to bypass Tidal MQA decoding and use the filters on the Pro iDSD instead. I find a way to do just that with JRiver Media Center. You have to create a new playback zone with a "fake DSP" that just pretend to change the volume (i.e. if you don't have Peak level audio analysis done before the signal will be unchanged) the signal will be sent as regular BitPerfect PCM instead of Tidal MQA.

Asking:
- Trying now the ifi Zen Stream to (maybe) replace my JRiver/PC as the streamer. I would like to know if there is a way to bypass Tidal MQA decoding on the Pro iDSD with the Zen Stream. I guess I'm not alone not always liking MQA? I really think ifi should let the user play with the filters instead of defaulting to MQA playback when available, let MQA be done in BP mode only, but not when another filter/remastering is selected.

Asking:
- Anyone updated to v2.15? What changed? Maybe it makes the Pro iDSD able to benefit of the same remote controlled functions as the Signature? I have an Harmony universal remote, I would love to have theses remote functions programmed on it!

 

[CADEng]

@saudio7 I manage iDSD non Signature Pro to work with couple microSD cards but I have trouble with few USB sticks. Just try few solutions and don't forget FAT32 formating (FAT32 in 21st century )

@chaz_flhr I tried WiiM player since someone mentioned that app here (also MuZo player earlier). Definitely better and stable but ALL songs on microSD, without folders, in one endless line of songs!!! Useless

DAC & headamp are fine also filters&tubes but streaming/local playback is

 

[chaz_flhr]

@saudio7 I manage iDSD non Signature Pro to work with couple microSD cards but I have trouble with few USB sticks. Just try few solutions and don't forget FAT32 formating (FAT32 in 21st century )

@chaz_flhr I tried WiiM player since someone mentioned that app here (also MuZo player earlier). Definitely better and stable but ALL songs on microSD, without folders, in one endless line of songs!!! Useless

DAC & headamp are fine also filters&tubes but streaming/local playback is

Maybe they will fix the issue on mircoSD in the next playback software upgrade.
Yes for a unit as capable and being a TOTL at ifi one would think the streaming part of this would be much better implemented, like blue os. Even though the WiiM player works much better for streaming Just about everyone who has this unit feels the same way about the streaming / local playback if they use that feature set.

 

[JaquesGelee]

Maybe they will fix the issue on mircoSD in the next playback software upgrade.
Yes for a unit as capable and being a TOTL at ifi one would think the streaming part of this would be much better implemented, like blue os. Even though the WiiM player works much better for streaming Just about everyone who has this unit feels the same way about the streaming / local playback if they use that feature set.

It will not be fixed, cause it couldn't (like more infos?, PM me).

Instead of WiiM Player aka crappy Muzo i would recommend to use other well known DLNA/UPnP Apps. WiiM Update is indeed an improvement over MUZO, but not much at all. Choosing MUZO was a mistake, but it was choosed for reasons.

Don't get me wrong, a good product, but especially the streaming section and the issues (issues mentioned how customers expect they work) above degraded it.

Like i wrote earlier with no poison, decisions where made over the heads of some genius people.

Cheers

 

[adydula]

I just updated the older OG iDSD I have with 5.12 USB drivers and the 2.15 firmware..went ok.

All the buttons now work!

Even the play, stop, next selections and mute work with my Win 10 AIO.

Great job iFi!

Now extend your warranty to 3 yrs!!

Alex

 

[TooFrank]

How do I check the firmware version on the Pro iDSD. Checked the support page and discovered a vs 2.15 from Sept 21. Wondering what this is about. Anyway, support says that it is both for windows and iMac. I have the latter, but apparently it is only the windows version that I got downloaded?
thanks...

 

[JaquesGelee]

How do I check the firmware version on the Pro iDSD. Checked the support page and discovered a vs 2.15 from Sept 21. Wondering what this is about. Anyway, support says that it is both for windows and iMac. I have the latter, but apparently it is only the windows version that I got downloaded?
thanks...

You could check it by pressing and hold source select knob while startup.

Download Page says macOS and Windows, but there is only Windows in it.

Changelog doesn't offer a lot Info. So only a few comfort fixes i think.

Cheers