[Lohb]

Just got mine this week. This device is pretty great and definitely a keeper.

It drives my Aeons surprisingly well using a TRRS adapter from XLR.

Edit: looks this also drives ETHER Cx really well too. The xCAN must be putting out a lot of power at low impedance values.
Bluetooth sounds pretty good, but wired sounds better. I have found great synergy with the dragonfly red as the DAC.

One question, should the bluetooth source be run at 100% and volume controlled with the xCAN to preserve dynamic range or is this not a thing with bluetooth?

Good to know....have Aeon 2 and Ether Cx is a fussy one on synergy and its not even a higher priced unit that 'fixes' them.
Fiio BTR5 balanced-out and this might be interesting ..though technically double-amping !

 

[iFi audio]

though technically double-amping !

Looks like it. I'd avoid two amps in the same chain though

 

[Lohb]

Looks like it. I'd avoid two amps in the same chain though

Please bring out something dual ES9038Q2M with LDAC rolled inside also..

 

[tcellguy]

Seems to work OK for me. I think the DragonFly Red can function as a line out DAC at 100% volume per the manual. I'm not sure about the BTR5 but it seems to likely be similar.

How would this be different from using line out on the xDSD into the xCAN?

 

[iFi audio]

Please bring out something dual ES9038Q2M

I'm poking a hornets' nest here, but here goes: why ?

 

[Lohb]

I'm poking a hornets' nest here, but here goes: why ?

Based on the imaging/separation/dynamics I heard with another company's dongle device....makes you feel planar IEMs are crossing over to a headphone presentation...the unit had other issues...but it was really stand-out 'wow' for my ears anyway - in brief time I had it...ES9038Q2M duals combined with your bespoke opamp chips and caps...5* I'm guessing.
Edit: The other Dual ES9038Q2s had a bit better body/liquidity than their previous effort dongles - but the stuff you have to put in a smaller unit with above chips would really perfect what that chip has to offer with the right caps/opamps around it..other dongle now using OPA1622 - but your proprietary OV chips will be much better than that....I think it would be a good alternate choice to your burrbrown segmented multibit chips with all the ifi know-how supporting that newer DS chip....The newer ESS stuff does not have that glare/brittleness anymore to my ears.

LDAC - to me it just has more air/separation mainly in treble region is where I feel the difference is over apt-X...ton of phones have LDAC ready to transmit now.

 

[iFi audio]

Based on the imaging/separation/dynamics I heard with another company's dongle device....makes you feel planar IEMs are crossing over to a headphone presentation...the unit had other issues...but it was really stand-out 'wow' for my ears anyway - in brief time I had it...ES9038Q2M duals combined with your bespoke opamp chips and caps...5* I'm guessing.
Edit: The other Dual ES9038Q2s had a bit better body/liquidity than their previous effort dongles - but the stuff you have to put in a smaller unit with above chips would really perfect what that chip has to offer with the right caps/opamps around it..other dongle now using OPA1622 - but your proprietary OV chips will be much better than that....I think it would be a good alternate choice to your burrbrown segmented multibit chips with all the ifi know-how supporting that newer DS chip....The newer ESS stuff does not have that glare/brittleness anymore to my ears.

LDAC - to me it just has more air/separation mainly in treble region is where I feel the difference is over apt-X...ton of phones have LDAC ready to transmit now.

Thanks. Although there's a fair bit more to DAC chips than what you wrote, I understand well what you wanted to say. As for LDAC, yeah it's really cool

 

[Audazed]

I'm really impressed with this device! It pretty mich goes everywhere with me and has been a pretty simple option to boost my cars stereo performance via aux over the native Bluetooth implementation!

It pairs so well with my LCD-X that i hardly find myself needing to use my desktop setup for it. The one thing though that seems might need more reinforcing is the bal 2.5mm out. Maybe it's because I'm pretty mobile with it or heavy cables? - but the port seems to disconnect from the board leaving only one channel active. But IFi's warranty is super amazing though and they have already replaced a unit once. I figured i can just solder it back on though so i don't have to do without one for too long

Just some caution to be careful if you use the balanced out a lot

 

[iFi audio]

I'm really impressed with this device! It pretty mich goes everywhere with me and has been a pretty simple option to boost my cars stereo performance via aux over the native Bluetooth implementation!

It pairs so well with my LCD-X that i hardly find myself needing to use my desktop setup for it. The one thing though that seems might need more reinforcing is the bal 2.5mm out. Maybe it's because I'm pretty mobile with it or heavy cables? - but the port seems to disconnect from the board leaving only one channel active. But IFi's warranty is super amazing though and they have already replaced a unit once. I figured i can just solder it back on though so i don't have to do without one for too long

Just some caution to be careful if you use the balanced out a lot

Thanks for your feedback and enjoy!

As for 2.5mm out, it's not the most durable balanced output out there, but in the event of its failure we got your back

 

[stefano81x]

Good evening to all owners of the little big Ifi xCAN.

I have a question...
when i turn the volume wheel quickly, it skips the notches. I see it because the central "Ifi" logo does not keep the same position / sequence with respect to the backlit starting color if I lap fast. For example, if i turn the wheel quickly, the volume does not increase, but only works by turning it at moderate speed. Does it happen to you too? Thanks.

Stefano

 

[Audazed]

Hmm. My unit doesn't behave as such. Although, the logo doesn't perfectly align with the number of turns but the volume does go up even if it's not directly proportional to the number of turns i make on the wheel

 

[stefano81x]

That's exactly what happens to mine too. Theoretically each notch corresponds to 1dB but turning the volume with more speed skips notches. Has anyone encountered the same thing?

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Good evening to all owners of the little big Ifi xCAN.

I have a question...
when i turn the volume wheel quickly, it skips the notches. I see it because the central "Ifi" logo does not keep the same position / sequence with respect to the backlit starting color if I lap fast. For example, if i turn the wheel quickly, the volume does not increase, but only works by turning it at moderate speed. Does it happen to you too? Thanks.

Stefano

That's exactly what happens to mine too. Theoretically each notch corresponds to 1dB but turning the volume with more speed skips notches. Has anyone encountered the same thing?

Hi all!

This is nothing to worry about! It's deliberately set this way with the volume knob so you don't accidentally crank it up to 11 and blow your IEM/ears out (e.x. when you're on the go and the xCAN is in your pocket).

 

[jonchauchiu]

I'm really impressed with this device! It pretty mich goes everywhere with me and has been a pretty simple option to boost my cars stereo performance via aux over the native Bluetooth implementation!

It pairs so well with my LCD-X that i hardly find myself needing to use my desktop setup for it. The one thing though that seems might need more reinforcing is the bal 2.5mm out. Maybe it's because I'm pretty mobile with it or heavy cables? - but the port seems to disconnect from the board leaving only one channel active. But IFi's warranty is super amazing though and they have already replaced a unit once. I figured i can just solder it back on though so i don't have to do without one for too long

Just some caution to be careful if you use the balanced out a lot

I actually had the same issue happen where my left channel would go out. Except I just use the bal 2.5mm out for iems... I sent it in for repair but the output started acting up again after a few weeks of light use. They said they replaced the main board of my unit, so I'm not sure if the parts they use are just really prone to breaking or if my unit wasn't actually replaced. Let me know how your replacement goes!

 

[stefano81x]

Hi all!

This is nothing to worry about! It's deliberately set this way with the volume knob so you don't accidentally crank it up to 11 and blow your IEM/ears out (e.x. when you're on the go and the xCAN is in your pocket).

This gives me more confidence, thank you for the feedback!