[HiFiRobot]

Devices that focus on resolution and openness rather than warmth and density we tend to perceive as lean and quick. Many our products are tuned to lean towards warmth and tone however. micro iDSD Diablo is one of the leanest ones we have, so in comparison to our other DAC/amps it can be seen as quicker and more open.

Most our products get hot at work, but that's normal and fine as long as enough space around them is provided, just so their enclosures can dissipate heat. As for 5W per channel, only Turbo mode does that. Hope this helps, thanks!

I have the Zen HFM stack, Micro iDSD Silver and the Diablo. And the first thing that came to mind when playing the Diablo was "this is tuned differently than the others". Interesting to hear how you describe it.

 

[pcsgcs]

I have the Zen HFM stack, Micro iDSD Silver and the Diablo. And the first thing that came to mind when playing the Diablo was "this is tuned differently than the others". Interesting to hear how you describe it.

How would you describe the sound difference between the ZEN stack (no tune applied) vs Diablo? In which regard is it "tuned differently"? Which device you use the most?

 

[HiFiRobot]

How would you describe the sound difference between the ZEN stack (no tune applied) vs Diablo? In which regard is it "tuned differently"? Which device you use the most?

Something similar to what iFi wrote actually. Zen Stack has more character and the iFi house sound I was used to (warmth, weight, midrange note density, sense of grittines) whereas the Diablo is more neutral and airy to me without being boring or overanalytical. I havent been using the Diablo that much yet need to do more thorough comparisons. But to me these are supplementary devices, not a clear upgrade following similar sound signature. I have used them equally I'd say (got Diablo quite recently) depending on headphone and mood. But the the Diablo is too much power for my IEMs until I get the IEMatch so then I go for the Zen Stack.

 

[Dixter]

the Diablo is about unadulterated power for people who use balanced headphones/iems (with iem match).. its advantage is that it interfaces with iphone/android devices very well so you get an option where you can mount your favorite DAP and still get the sound signature from that DAP but at a increased power for harder to drive phones... on mine I leave a M11Pro SS strapped to the Diablo so I can play back my personal song catalog and there are times when I want to listen to Apple music via my iphone... it does both very well... and if I need to have a portable desktop solution during travel you just plug the charger into the back and hook it up via USB to the laptop or computer and stream Tidal or Apple Music...
my only suggestion to the ifi guys is I wish that more manufactures would go towards allowing the user to be able to replace the batteries in ALL portables... there are easy solutions these days for rechargeable batteries...

 

[iFi audio]

Something similar to what iFi wrote actually. Zen Stack has more character and the iFi house sound I was used to (warmth, weight, midrange note density, sense of grittines) whereas the Diablo is more neutral and airy to me without being boring or overanalytical. I havent been using the Diablo that much yet need to do more thorough comparisons. But to me these are supplementary devices, not a clear upgrade following similar sound signature. I have used them equally I'd say (got Diablo quite recently) depending on headphone and mood. But the the Diablo is too much power for my IEMs until I get the IEMatch so then I go for the Zen Stack.

That's where we're at, thanks. You have good ears

I have the Zen HFM stack, Micro iDSD Silver and the Diablo. And the first thing that came to mind when playing the Diablo was "this is tuned differently than the others". Interesting to hear how you describe it.

I'm happy to read that my previous post reasonates with your findings. We're not into the analytical side of the spectrum, but we audition our products and always think hard how to tune them; whether to do our usual or make them a bit different. Our Diablo was designed to be different and sportier in a way

 

[Evshrug]

Location location location! I'm amused @iFi audio

 

[iFi audio]

Location location location! I'm amused @iFi audio

Heh, thanks, it's time to update profile info it seems

This worked prior to Head-fi's layout change though.

 

[HiFiRobot]

That's where we're at, thanks. You have good ears

Thanks, might have good eyes too. Spotted an interesting unreleased device in this video

 

[iFi audio]

Spotted an interesting unreleased device in this video

Thought I was alone who did

 

[ducnsh]

Hi @iFi audio, can I use zen can hd6xx signature as a hardware-upgraded version of the original zen can (turn off hd6xx tuning option)?

 

[tamleo]

Hi @iFi audio, can I use zen can hd6xx signature as a hardware-upgraded version of the original zen can (turn off hd6xx tuning option)?

Sure. The signature version uses better hardware. How can it not sound better than the regular version?

 

[ducnsh]

Sure. The signature version uses better hardware. How can it not sound better than the regular version?

I mean that these hardware components were designed as a common amp or specified for HD6xx (except for the tuning option) since in the explanation of HD6xx tuning, iFi said that it is the combination of hardware and software to reduce the distortion

 

[tamleo]

I mean that these hardware components were designed as a common amp or specified for HD6xx (except for the tuning option) since in the explanation of HD6xx tuning, iFi said that it is the combination of hardware and software to reduce the distortion

Common amp. I actually like using the Zen can sig on many other headphones and iems. And it sounds more defined than that on regular zen can.

 

[iFi audio]

Just to clarify, ZEN CAN Signature 6XX is a higher-tiered ZEN CAN version that works better with all headphones, not only HD6XX. Thanks!

 

[ducnsh]

Just to clarify, ZEN CAN Signature 6XX is a higher-tiered ZEN CAN version that works better with all headphones, not only HD6XX. Thanks!

Thanks for your information, I thought that it was produced to work specifically with HD6xx and many sellers in my country thought that also. But after reading the product description on iFi home page, I know me and many people were wrong so just want to confirm here.