[maricius]

  I have a Sony ZX1, and am looking for something to juicy it up (basically, for my TG334, HD600 and HE400i). I was interested in Pha2/3. But after reading some reviews and comparisons, iDSD micro seems to be a much better choice, especially considering the cans I have and the potential it can be used as a desktop rig. The compatibility then becomes my major concern. 
 
 
As my current understanding, we have two potential ways to connect zx1 to iDSD Micro (please correct me if I am wrong):
1, using a cable like Fiio L5 (wm port to 3.5mm) to connect two devices, in such case, we shall expect the iDSD only works as an amp. Considering that ZX1 do has a decent dac, and the amp part of iDSD is also wonderful, we shall expect something good out it.
 
2, using a WMC-NWH10 cable and a USB 2.0 cable to connect two devices, then the ZX1 shall only work as a storage device and the iDSD takes the whole floor here.
 
However, all of the above are just my speculations based on what I have read so far. It would be greatly appreciated  if anyone can share some the real experiences with these two devices (I did search for zx1 on this thread, no luck). 

 
Yes for 1 but I've read the ZX1 to be lean and slightly bright sounding. The iDSD's amp section alone is on the leaner side so synergy may not be ideal. Yes also for 2 but the WMC-NWH10 alone is enough. You won't need an extra USB 2.0 cable to connect them to each other as the WMC-NWH10's end is a USB A female and the micro iDSD is a USB A male similar to how a lightning CCK and apple device would work with the iDSD. I've yet to read it to work with the ZX1 but ClieOS has been able to use a Sony A15 as transport for the iDSD.
 
post #1402

 

[Sound Eq]

   
Yes for 1 but I've read the ZX1 to be lean and slightly bright sounding. The iDSD's amp section alone is on the leaner side so synergy may not be ideal. Yes also for 2 but the WMC-NWH10 alone is enough. You won't need an extra USB 2.0 cable to connect them to each other as the WMC-NWH10's end is a USB A female and the micro iDSD is a USB A male similar to how a lightning CCK and apple device would work with the iDSD. I've yet to read it to work with the ZX1 but ClieOS has been able to use a Sony A15 as transport for the iDSD.
 
post #1402

is this another opinion that the idsd is on thin side of sound signature, as the confusion is getting more and more in this thread to the sound signature

 

[osiris1]

is this another opinion that the idsd is on thin side of sound signature, as the confusion is getting more and more in this thread to the sound signature

The 3D option does appear to add some brightness that can be interpreted that way to me.

 

[Sound Eq]

The 3D option does appear to add some brightness that can be interpreted that way to me.

i think more people opinions is appreciated as i am trying to avoid getting an amp/dac that is thin in its sound signature  as that was the main problem i had with chord hugo, so i hope i will not make the same mistake again, my goal is to find a warm, rich , layered portable dac/amp for my audeze lcd2 rev2
 
plz guys i need your input before i do a purchase. should look for something different like a centrance m8 for the sound signature i am looking for, i don't care about dsd as most my files are not dsd anyway i care more about sound signature with my lcd2rev2

 

[BillsonChang007]

The Micro iDSD is warm, musical and very well textured as an amp/DAC all in one. As a standalone amp is the part where things sound a little thin.

 

[Sound Eq]

The Micro iDSD is warm, musical and very well textured as an amp/DAC all in one. As a standalone amp is the part where things sound a little thin.

i always thought its the opposite that if the amp is thin sounding then using it as amp/dac will be thin sounding too

 

[diamondears]

The 3D option does appear to add some brightness that can be interpreted that way to me.

is this another opinion that the idsd is on thin side of sound signature, as the confusion is getting more and more in this thread to the sound signature

No way iDSD is thin, nano nor micro. Use the iFi recommended Minimum Phase filter.

 

[Turrican2]

Don't know about the iphone 6plus, but the OnePlus One is a perfect size match to the Micro iDSD,
 

 

[BillsonChang007]

i always thought its the opposite that if the amp is thin sounding then using it as amp/dac will be thin sounding too

Its all about the synergy

Math is the best example when it comes to this IMO.
Say "-3". If you need neutral [0], you "+3" so if the amp is -3 the dac is +3, you get 0

Don't know about the iphone 6plus, but the OnePlus One is a perfect size match to the Micro iDSD,

Wow! That is a really nice combo!

 

[diamondears]

i always thought its the opposite that if the amp is thin sounding then using it as amp/dac will be thin sounding too

The iDSD's amp is not thin, it's perfectly neutral (without 3D and XBass engaged). I think the different impressions (thin vs warm) is due to the digital filter engaged. Standard filter to me is bit thin/bright, Bit-perfect neutral-thin, and Minimum Phase is neutral-warm with bit thicker deep bass.

I think in gauging each DAC's sound quality, the digital filter used should always be accounted for.

 

[BillsonChang007]

The iDSD's amp is not thin, it's perfectly neutral (without 3D and XBass engaged). I think the different impressions (thin vs warm) is due to the digital filter engaged. Standard filter to me is bit thin/bright, Bit-perfect neutral-thin, and Minimum Phase is neutral-warm with bit thicker deep bass.

I think in gauging each DAC's sound quality, the digital filter used should always be accounted for.

Personal opinion, I have my 3D on all the time and I don't find them anyway thin at all. Maybe brighter by a small ted bit but definitely not thinner.

 

[fzman]

The Micro iDSD is warm, musical and very well textured as an amp/DAC all in one. As a standalone amp is the part where things sound a little thin.

 
I like the wy you worded this ...   If the amp section itself was thin sounding, it would make the 'whole thing' thin sounding......   Seems more like the truth is that the amps shows you that other dacs (i.e., when you connect analog to the micro,) are thin, and it is just showing that (Sabre dac, perhaps)  - or the mini cables are thin - probably silver or spc????

 

[maricius]

 
is this another opinion that the idsd is on thin side of sound signature, as the confusion is getting more and more in this thread to the sound signature

Only the amp section. As a whole, it's surely warmer than neutral but not overtly so. It is closer to neutral than very warm. 
 

 
i always thought its the opposite that if the amp is thin sounding then using it as amp/dac will be thin sounding too

 
Nope. A system's synergy is dependent on the sound of every piece of equipment. IMO, an amp reflects what the DAC provides either plainly amplifying it or adding its own coloration. 
 
 

The Micro iDSD is warm, musical and very well textured as an amp/DAC all in one. As a standalone amp is the part where things sound a little thin.

Exactly.

 

[hifi25nl]

I have made some tests driving micro in BitPerfect mode and polynomial upsampling to 768K (polynomial really is not a filter, I would call it "higher frequency digital reconstruction of digital signal").
I have tested also with HQplayer DSD to DSD256 or PCM to DSD256 options. With this configuration the distortion (particularly of 44.1 files) is very low and mirror images are dislocated to very high frequencies.
In my system there is also a transformer preamplifier (SAC thailand) that will cut drastically out of audio band images.
This premise is important because a bright sound could be the result, with BitPerfect, of high distorsion and near audio band digital images.
The iDSD micro was used in Direct mode to preamplifier input in all tests.
 
Compared to Metrum Octave with polynomial upsampling to 192 kHz (connected to s-pdif out of micro) the sound of Micro is only a little brighter and a little less "fat".  The subjective perception is of a lower bass level, but not too much.  Female voices are more present (in front of the scene) with Metrum.
 
Since my micro is below 100 hours I think that the sound could change in the future. The differences are not too big. I consider the results very good. The iDSD micro is neutral.

 

[guyuemuziye]

Yes for 1 but I've read the ZX1 to be lean and slightly bright sounding. The iDSD's amp section alone is on the leaner side so synergy may not be ideal. Yes also for 2 but the [COLOR=333333]WMC-NWH10 alone is enough. You won't need an extra USB 2.0 cable to connect them to each other as the WMC-NWH10's end is a USB A female and the micro iDSD is a USB A male similar to how a lightning CCK and apple device would work with the iDSD. I've yet to read it to work with the ZX1 but ClieOS has been able to use a Sony A15 as transport for the iDSD.[/COLOR]

post #1402

Thank you ！It answers most of my questions. ：). I will do more research on the thin signature though. I lived in a small city in Canada. I will never get a chance to audition these gears before I pull the trigger. Sigh......