[tamleo]

It does say in the Pro iDSD manual that it will output 2.3V single ended or 4.6V balanced when the output selector is set to 'HiFi Fixed' on the back panel so you are good to go.

I would avoid turning down the Pro iDSD for the same reason as keeping the Pro iCAN volume control as high as you can. This avoids reducing the signal with respect to the noise floor. Keep the Pro iDSD in 'HiFi Fixed' mode.

Your PhD outweighs my humble BSc so definitely overthinking it

Hello,
May I ask if I should keep the volume pot of my amp at max (loudest) in case the amp got a crapy pot? So that I better use the higher quality pots from the dac (super big highend Japanese potentiometer in the Idsd pro) or my Schiit preamp (that comes with a mighty step-attenuator) to control volume. Tks

 

[technobear]

Hello,
May I ask if I should keep the volume pot of my amp at max (loudest) in case the amp got a crapy pot?

What amp?

So that I better use the higher quality pots from the dac (super big highend Japanese potentiometer in the Idsd pro)

What is an Idsd pro? I don't know that model.

or my Schiit preamp (that comes with a mighty step-attenuator) to control volume. Tks

Why do you need to insert a preamp?

 

[tamleo]

What amp?



What is an Idsd pro? I don't know that model.



Why do you need to insert a preamp?

Any amps that use small cheap potentiometers. For example: schiit magni +
Idsd pro is the flagship dac from Ifi.
Adding preamp for controlling in-out on multiple devices or adding tube flavor. For example: schiit freya +

 

[Doctor HiFi]

It does say in the Pro iDSD manual that it will output 2.3V single ended or 4.6V balanced when the output selector is set to 'HiFi Fixed' on the back panel so you are good to go.

That's what our manual says indeed

Yes, you're right, it's mentioned clearly in the manual. I guess I got lost in the calculations and overlooked this. Thanks.

Since your Cayin has its own volume control, the odds are that the best sound you'd get by connecting this amp directly to Pro iDSD (set in the fixed mode to bypass its own volume control), so without Pro iCAN in-between. Unless the goal is to use all three at once?

I actually tried that too: connecting Pro iDSD (HiFi Fixed) and bypassing Pro iCAN. That was exactly when the rabbit-hole of my calculations started The problem was that then I had to decrease the volume on the Cayin amp to very very low (about 2-3 steps only - i.e. ~7-8 o'clock - was already loud even on a 300Ω high impedance headphone), and each step was a huge increase in volume. As a result, I then have to switch to Variable HiFi mode and play with the volume knob on Pro iDSD to get to the right output voltage (similar to what I'm currently practising with Pro iCAN), because 4.6 V output voltage seems to be too high when taking the 400 mV Input Sensitivity of the Cayin amp into account.

As I have read so far it seems to be best to have an output voltage from DAC/preamp that is 1 to 3 times higher than the input sensitivity of the amp (0.4-1.2 V). And to be honest, that's where I hear the least distortion and have the best listening experience with the combo, that is assuming Pro iCAN outputs 4.6 V with Pro iDSD set on HiFi Fixed.

The main reason for why I prefer to keep Pro iCAN in the chain is to have xSpace and xBass available, because they're so addictive and for some headphones they make a difference (in a positive way) even on the Cayin amp which provides quite good soundstage already and a full-bodied low-end.

 

[technobear]

Any amps that use small cheap potentiometers. For example: schiit magni +
Idsd pro is the flagship dac from Ifi.
Adding preamp for controlling in-out on multiple devices or adding tube flavor. For example: schiit freya +

Still not clear but I'm going to assume you have a Pro iDSD from iFi and not an ldsd pro whatever that might be, from lfi whoever they may be.

So, if you have a Pro iDSD, a flagship DAC, why would you connect it to a crappy amp with a crappy volume control? Get a better amp.

Some of the Schiit amps have very good volume controls. If you can't stretch to a Pro iCAN, I would take a look at the latest Schiit Lyr which has both tube and solid state outputs and a relay ladder volume control.

 

[tamleo]

Still not clear but I'm going to assume you have a Pro iDSD from iFi and not an ldsd pro whatever that might be, from lfi whoever they may be.

So, if you have a Pro iDSD, a flagship DAC, why would you connect it to a crappy amp with a crappy volume control? Get a better amp.

Some of the Schiit amps have very good volume controls. If you can't stretch to a Pro iCAN, I would take a look at the latest Schiit Lyr which has both tube and solid state outputs and a relay ladder volume control.

Ok many tks. My bad. I cannot remember names of Ifi products though I like the sound and design from this brand lol. Sorry I meant iFi lol.
Well amps often color the sound much more than dacs so using a good dac with multiple cheap (not bad) amps is very usual situation imo.
I don’t like the compressed sound of the Schiit Jot and the Lyr3. I still see that problem in some reviews of the Lyr+.

 

[iFi audio]

Well amps often color the sound much more than dacs so using a good dac with multiple cheap (not bad) amps is very usual situation imo.

There's some true to that, but for a different reason. DACs sit earlier in a setup, so what they make gets amplified later on. In other words, amps rely on what they get from DACs, which makes DACs rather important

I actually tried that too: connecting Pro iDSD (HiFi Fixed) and bypassing Pro iCAN. That was exactly when the rabbit-hole of my calculations started The problem was that then I had to decrease the volume on the Cayin amp to very very low (about 2-3 steps only - i.e. ~7-8 o'clock - was already loud even on a 300Ω high impedance headphone), and each step was a huge increase in volume. As a result, I then have to switch to Variable HiFi mode and play with the volume knob on Pro iDSD to get to the right output voltage (similar to what I'm currently practising with Pro iCAN), because 4.6 V output voltage seems to be too high when taking the 400 mV Input Sensitivity of the Cayin amp into account.

Okay, so that Cayin has to have really sensitive inputs then. In any case, now I understand. Pro iDSD set in variable mode effectively allows you to expand usable volume range on your Cayin, while Pro iCAN adds our analog filtering that you like. If that's the case, @technobear's explanation several posts back has all the info you may need. Also, experiment, see what works best for you and reduce active volume controls in your setup to minimum if possible

 

[Shane D]

Haven't used my iFi Pro iCAN in a while. I have been playing with a new to me Schiit Valhalla 2 and doing a fair bit of tube rolling. Nice little amp and I am enjoying it.

Today I got in a set of new to me Senn HD660S2's. Nice sound on the V2, but pretty bass light. Ok should insert here that this my EIGHTH purchase of Sennheiser's with little satisfaction in the past. I wrote off Sennheiser, as a whole, just not being my type of sound.

Then I hear that the new HD660S2 has a bit of bass to it. I am skeptical and they are expensive for an HD6X headphone.
Lo and behold I came into some money on Monday and I saw a used pair being advertised at a reasonable price. I hopped on the deal and received them today. Tried them on the V2. Nice sound, but no bass to speak of.
Mmm...switch to the iFi Pro iCAN tonight and set the bass boost at mid thrust. Wow! Now, these are fun. I will be rolling into the weekend with this combo. The iCAN may not be the sweetest sounding amp, but it's flexibility is unmatched. I am never selling this unit. And I am a guy that has resold almost everything in the last eight years.

 

[iFi audio]

Folks, a new iCAN Phantom flagship from us:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-ican-phantom-vanish-into-the-music.968343/

Enjoy!

 

[alekc]

Folks, a new iCAN Phantom flagship from us:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-ican-phantom-vanish-into-the-music.968343/

Enjoy!

While I love my Pro iCan and it is not going anywhere anytime and I do wish ifi all the best I think this will be a huge failure and I'm sorry for ifi marketing team who will be forced to quickly bring a lot of very positive reviews to the market. I fail to see a reason to upgrade and Phantom looks so ugly, cheap and scary I'm not sure I can convince myself to schedule a demo of it. Overall I feel sorry that such great product like Pro iCan has only such ugly successor. I just hope it sounds amazing. However I will do a listening session with my iCan later in the evening today

 

[Jefecesti]

Hi,

Is the WE396a good upgrade to the iCan Pro? Should it be circle or square ring?

 

[Jefecesti]

Hi,

Is the WE396a good upgrade to the iCan Pro? Should it be circle or square ring?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...!sea!FI!2312507045&curPageLogUid=et0ctWo7plXm

 

[Jefecesti]

What would be reasonably priced DAC which meets the standards of the iCan Pro, if I want to listen music from the Spotify by mobile phone?

 

[beefsupreme510]

What would be reasonably priced DAC which meets the standards of the iCan Pro, if I want to listen music from the Spotify by mobile phone?

I like the Schiit BF2/64 or SMSL SU-10 myself but there's lots of great options out there. May I suggest getting a better streaming service that has lossless like Apple Music, Tidal or Qobuz. Those services have much better resolution of music & will make a good upgrade over Spotify

 

[tamleo]

I like the Schiit BF2/64 or SMSL SU-10 myself but there's lots of great options out there. May I suggest getting a better streaming service that has lossless like Apple Music, Tidal or Qobuz. Those services have much better resolution of music & will make a good upgrade over Spotify

I prefer Ifi dacs’ sounding to any Schiit multibit or ds dacs ones I have owned