[jclyle]

Question for those using 4.4mm balanced out... Are you using a 4.4mm male to XLR 4 pin female adapter, or 4.4mm male cable straight to your cans?

This is what I have in mind:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082Y6TQLX/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=AKLBZV1QTRBAN&psc=1

Does balanced offer that much improvement over SE? The specs show a considerable difference. I'm looking for a solution with an adapter so I only need to have 1 cable that will work with the iDSD and any other amp with 4pin XLR.

 

[BTD1]

@iFi audio The Mac version of iDSD Pro firmware 2.15 is out on the download hub at the iFi web site and I just upgraded. It allowed the remote from the Pro iCan signature to control more functions on the Pro iDSD. Could anyone find out just exactly what all the firmware 2.15 release does?

 

[DavidWhite]

We'll ask our support team, stay tuned please.

I bought some WE JW2C51 1958 version and tried to replace iCan Pro stock tubes but have the same problem: the protection circuit is triggered. Did iFi provide any solutions/workaround since then? There is a ticket previously filed mentioned in the quoted thread. I am wondering what the conclusion was. Thanks.
(The original post was: "hello, I took the time to redo more accurate tests, 5 pairs of GE 5670 tube sets w only 3 tubes work including the 2 tubes of origins,
the 2 sets of tubes sent by ifi pro do not work, maybe most GE 5670 w, are not good, ticket # 347507")

 

[vonBaron]

Ifi is very sensitive to poor quality tubes.

 

[DavidWhite]

Ifi is very sensitive to poor quality tubes.

"poor qulity" means inbalanced section, mismatched pair or high current draw or something else? Thanks.

 

[vonBaron]

Probably something of this.

 

[chaz_flhr]

"poor qulity" means inbalanced section, mismatched pair or high current draw or something else? Thanks.

Only buy tested matched pairs for tube replacement otherwise it won’t work.

 

[DavidWhite]

Only buy tested matched pairs for tube replacement otherwise it won’t work.

Bought from Ebay and they are NOS, the measurement results are:
tube1: 5600/6300
tube2: 6300/5500
Seems decently matched.

 

[Brownbarbalute]

Those considering purchasing an iDSD Pro, first time tube rollers, and others who decide to risk opening the case, please be aware of my recent experience….

After enjoying my iDSD Pro for 90 days (and I do love it!), it began to fail at random times. I’d be listening and suddenly the DAC would just go black. Sometimes I could reboot, sometimes nothing would happen when the power button was pushed, and then sometimes just a red flash and a click. My dealer in SF referred me directly to iFi repair as he didn’t have any more of those units. Below are some things you might like to know about dealing with iFi support for repairs.

Expect to be without your DAC for two months. During this time you will receive no answers to queries about progress. You won’t even get any confirmation your DAC has been received for service, so make sure you request signature upon receipt so that you can feel confident that it was actually received at the iFi repair facility.

If you don’t already have a backup DAC, buy or borrow one. Two months without tunes is a long time! After some consideration, I bought the the new Mytek Liberty II. I do love the iDSD Pro and all of the “Swiss army knife“ features and options. But if you just want to listen and not spend your time splitting hairs, IMO the Mytek Liberty II has better sound for half the price of the iDSD Pro.

Getting back to my experience with iFi repair…. after two months with no communication at all, I was starting to suspect I may never see my DAC again. Thanks to signature on receipt, I knew it had been received but now was it lost or what? Was I going to be out the money? I got desperate and searched for any telephone numbers I could find on the Internet for the company. I found a number in San Jose and called it. Left a message with my name and repair ticket number saying I was desperate for some kind of confirmation they had my DAC and were at least eventually going to work on it.

Exactly two hours later, I got a repair ticket email message from a support tech. He said they were going to replace the main board on my DAC and they would be sending it back to me the next day. Which they did, minus the power supply. In two additional weeks, I had the DAC AND the power supply and was able to test it out. So far, so good!

But here’s the kicker. I love the iDSD Pro, but I love the sound of the Mytek Liberty II better. So that’s what is in my system now. As for the iDSD Pro… well, it’s good to have a backup DAC.

 

[DavidWhite]

Thanks @vonBaron and @chaz_flhr's help. I was able to get a pair of much better balanced/matched WE 396a to work in my iCan Pro amp. It looks like to me balanced triode within one tube is even more important than matching 2 tubes. Just my guess though.

 

[adydula]

I have both the Soekris 2541 and the OG iDSD Pro....both are awesome...I used these dacs with many amps, but the newer iCAN Pro Signature is really an awesome amp.
But with out the dac input its "nothing"...using a ADX 5000 with some "good" acoustic guitar and female vocal recordings of Katie Melua , No 8 Acoustic the presentation is just about as good as it gets with this tech at this time in space....IMO of course but its exceltional.

With the iDSD I prefer the Bit Perfect NOS setting over all the other setup selections....just superb. Feeding the iCAN Pro amp from the Soekris 2541 is great as well....but there is no NOS setting with this dac...my ear seems to like the BP of the iDSD a tad better...go figure.

Its really great gear...

Alex

 

[Spedinfargo]

I bought a used iDSD Pro and previous user had really only used it for solid state. However, I'm having this problem in tube and tube+ modes. It's worse in tube+

https://imgur.com/silSx2p
https://imgur.com/wVS9U3P

(you have to turn on sound manually)

Essentially it makes an electric-y static noise - a very crackly thing. Sometimes it just goes away, sometimes it gets bad enough that it reboots the unit - maybe this is the protection circuit? When the noise isn't present it works fine and sounds good. Usually the noise is when it boots up, but one day I came to the office after leaving it on overnight and it was making the noise.

I thought it might be the power supply, but I switched with the one from my iCan Pro and it didn't get better. I also swapped the USB cable - I thought maybe that took care of the problem, but in the last day or two the issue is back.

It initially had the issue right away when I powered up the unit for the first time - but I thought maybe it was just some dust or moisture from shipping that was getting taken "burned off" so to speak. When I powered it off and on that first time it worked fine for a couple days without exhibiting the issue. But since then it comes and goes.

Since the unit is out of warranty, I'm wondering what my best approach is. Does this seem like it's just the tubes that are damaged? If so, I have a couple spare sets of tubes that I could swap in and see if the issue goes away (both from the my iCan Pro and a pair of Western Electric 396A that I just picked up off eBay). Otherwise, any idea what iFi charges to look at it? Or am I just stuck with an expensive solid state DAC?

Thanks...

 

[dcguy73]

I bought a used iDSD Pro and previous user had really only used it for solid state. However, I'm having this problem in tube and tube+ modes. It's worse in tube+

https://imgur.com/silSx2p
https://imgur.com/wVS9U3P

(you have to turn on sound manually)

Essentially it makes an electric-y static noise - a very crackly thing. Sometimes it just goes away, sometimes it gets bad enough that it reboots the unit - maybe this is the protection circuit? When the noise isn't present it works fine and sounds good. Usually the noise is when it boots up, but one day I came to the office after leaving it on overnight and it was making the noise.

I thought it might be the power supply, but I switched with the one from my iCan Pro and it didn't get better. I also swapped the USB cable - I thought maybe that took care of the problem, but in the last day or two the issue is back.

It initially had the issue right away when I powered up the unit for the first time - but I thought maybe it was just some dust or moisture from shipping that was getting taken "burned off" so to speak. When I powered it off and on that first time it worked fine for a couple days without exhibiting the issue. But since then it comes and goes.

Since the unit is out of warranty, I'm wondering what my best approach is. Does this seem like it's just the tubes that are damaged? If so, I have a couple spare sets of tubes that I could swap in and see if the issue goes away (both from the my iCan Pro and a pair of Western Electric 396A that I just picked up off eBay). Otherwise, any idea what iFi charges to look at it? Or am I just stuck with an expensive solid state DAC?

Thanks...

Wowsers, that noise sounds like electrical issues. I’m no expert, but maybe @iFi audio or @Sebastien Chiu has some ideas?

If the noise only occurs in tube or tube+ mode, I’d suspect the tubes themselves. If you open up the units, you could switch out the tubes and also find out if there’s any dust or other build-up inside the unit or the tube sockets.

 

[BattousaiX26]

Hi Guys,

I just received my Pro IDSD. I just want to ask if it is ok to leave the screen on at all time?

Thanks in advance.

 

[marcus2704]

Looking for recommendations of DACs that have good synergy with the ICAN Signature, should I look no further than a Chord Qutest?