[iFi audio]

   
makes some sense if you have HD800 that you can't get/extract any more soundstage by enabling 3D, and it could be highly variable to headphone pairing.
 
note:  the 3D effect on iCan IS different (in some ways) than on iDSD micro.
IIRC some have said the iCAN 3D is more hm... strong?/intense/noticeable? than iDSD micro's implementation.
 
to my listening pairs (below), the 3D does help-
as normally connected to iDSD micro:  IEMs (UM3X, Heir Audio 4.AiS) and NAD HP50.  only 5% of the time with HE-560.

 
Hi
 
- iCAN and iDSD both have the same 3D technology in the sense that they are Analogue Signal Processing, not Digital Signal Processing.
 
The benefit is that the Bit-Perfect is maintained.

 
BUT
 
- iCAN has * and *** settings. The iDSD on/off which is **.
 
Same goes for XBass.

 

[h1f1add1cted]

I own the HD800 and the micro iDSD with 3D (crossfeed) enabled its a great improvement of the soundstage! I'm listening only classical music. Since then I'll never disabled again the 3D from the iDSD because with, my classical music is more realistic. I attend per month 3 up to 4 classical concerts and it's a similar "feeling" now at home with HD800 and the iDSD crossfeed enabled, thanks iFi.

 

 

[orlando1]

Hello;
 
You are absolutely right. There is only one micro iDSD.
After looking at iFi's on-line page.
 
The page I was looking at is for one of iFi's distributors named Sight+Sound Gallery.
 
Here is the link for the page I was looking at under Sight+Sound Gallery  --> Sight+Sound Gallery
805 Peachtree Street
Atlanta GA, 30309
 
Link   --->   http://shop.sightandsoundgallery.com/ifi-s/1938.htm?searching=Y&sort=13&cat=1938&show=10&page=2
 
I have not contacted them yet, but I will do that this coming Monday the 12th of January 2015. It looks like
an obvious mistake on their part.
 
Thanks to everybody who helped me with this issue . . . .
 
Prosperous New Year . . . . ! ! ! 

 

[orlando1]

You are absolutely correct. There is only one micro iDSD:
 
The place I was looking at was one iFi distributor called --> Sight+Sound Gallery out of Atlanta, GA
 
Thank you for your help ! ! !

 

[Triodemode]

Hi all, I currently have the iDAC and iCAN, but I'm keen to get an iDSD. A fellow enthusiast and Head-Fier mentioned that the soundstage from the iDSD micro wasn't as big as he expected (lacking depth), but acknowledged that it may have been the earphones he was using.
Can you please tell me if the DAC alone and DAC+amp of the iDSD create a spacious soundstage? Is the inbuilt amp a limiting factor in this?
Thanks!

I responded to another poster regarding this question a few pages back though will repeat it here.  "I do not own an iCAN myself, though several comments throughout this thread and elsewhere have indicated that the iCAN amp does indeed sound better.  This makes sense as the iCAN utilizes a beautifully designed discrete class A topology, while the iDSD micro contains more conventional chip based circuitry.  I have read that the Xbass equalization curve is a little more pronounced in the iCAN as well." 
 
I personally do experience a slightly bigger and more cohesive sound when connecting the iDSD line out jacks (direct mode) to an external class A headphone amp as compared to the iDSD's built in amp.  That being said, the DAC section in the iDSD micro is truly exceptional, and as a one box solution there is no comparison anywhere near this price. 
 
If you pick up the iDSD micro I am sure many here would enjoy hearing your results comparing the iCAN to the built in headphone amp of the iDSD micro.

 

[SonicWarrior]

  Folks,
 
My micro idsd arrived today and I am almost at the 24hour mark to complete the initial charge. I have a Macbook pro which will be my main source for listening.
 
What is the best player to get the best out of micro? Is itunes good enough for all MP3 as well as high-res files? Is there any link/support document to use this?
 
Also, I just tried connecting micro to my mac to do a quick listen. I played a 268 kbps VBR MP3/44.1 Khz song through micro and I notice the light is white and not green? Am I missing something here?
 
Also,  what is the best way to use micro when playing through Mac/desktop? I mean is it better to use power from internal battery/usb power?
 
Sorry for too many questions.
 
Thanks

I just figured out why the light is white even though I play 320 kbps or 256 kbps MP3. In the Audio MIDI setup in my mac (Applications>Utilities), under the Audio Devices, IFI AMR format is defaulted to 768KHz and hence it is always white. If I manually change the frequency here, the colour in micro changes accordingly.
 Not sure if I have to leave as it is.
 
Now to my other request, can some Mac users suggest good software for audio playback. I use default itunes and VLC in Mac but not sure if it will do justice to micro. I just don't want any software to compromise hardware capabilities.
 
I am seeing quite a few mentions about JRiver. Is it good?
 
Thanks

 

[jimmypowder]

I just figured out why the light is white even though I play 320 kbps or 256 kbps MP3. In the Audio MIDI setup in my mac (Applications>Utilities), under the Audio Devices, IFI AMR format is defaulted to 768KHz and hence it is always white. If I manually change the frequency here, the colour in micro changes accordingly.

 Not sure if I have to leave as it is.

Now to my other request, can some Mac users suggest good software for audio playback. I use default itunes and VLC in Mac but not sure if it will do justice to micro. I just don't want any software to compromise hardware capabilities.

I am seeing quite a few mentions about JRiver. Is it good?

Thanks

IMHO , Audirvana+ is best on a Mac . Jriver on Windows . For playing music services , Amarra SQ.

 

[SonicWarrior]

IMHO , Audirvana+ is best on a Mac . Jriver on Windows . For playing music services , Amarra SQ.

Thank you, jimmypowder. I really appreciate it.

 

[tf1216]

Hi,

Small correction. The micro iDSD has an optical input.

There is an optical adpater inside the micro iDSD pouch (that ships with the unit).

If you insert this into the SPDIF port then one can send in an optical SPDIF signal, hence optical input.

Reference from the www.ifi-audio.com  > Specifications.

Inputs/Outputs
Inputs (rear)	USB 2.0 type A “OTG” Socket(with iPurifier® technology built-in)	Compatible with computers (Apple/Win/Linux), iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android Devices, camera kit or USB-OTG cable required. (Full USB3.0 port compatible)
	Intelligent SPDIF® Coaxial	3 Way combo SPDIF port (Coaxial In/Out; Optical In); Up to 192kHz PCM
	SPDIF Optical

For example, with A&K or HD Streamers that output an optical signal, take a look at this Connection Diagram:

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/astell-kern/

and

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/hd-streaming/

Hope this clairfies.

I forgot all about the optical adapter. Thank you for correcting me iFi.

 

[Franatic]

  I own the HD800 and the micro iDSD with 3D (crossfeed) enabled its a great improvement of the soundstage! I'm listening only classical music. Since then I'll never disabled again the 3D from the iDSD because with, my classical music is more realistic. I attend per month 3 up to 4 classical concerts and it's a similar "feeling" now at home with HD800 and the iDSD crossfeed enabled, thanks iFi.

 

Yes, that 3D effect is awesome. It especially works for classical orchestral or any recordings where you want BIG sound. In my speaker setup it expands the sound 'til it's bigger than the room. You can close your eyes and picture a big hall for your concert.......it doesn't work for all recordings, maybe I use it 50/50. When it doesn't work it can make your audio sound hollow or echoey.
 
I have recently become a convert to upsampling my PCM. It seems to increase resonance, imaging and details. I upsample in Jriver as follows
44, 88 & 176 converts to 352 khz
48, 96 & 192 converts to 384 khz
This formula uses factors of 2, 4 & 8 and satisfies the mathematician in my head. It also seems to sound better, especially upsampling 44 to 352 instead of 384.
I play all files in native format and never convert. The dsd I play as is.
 
The more I use the idsd micro and tweak my settings, the more I love this device. The sound quality is just amazing.

 

[iFi audio]

 
Under the Audio Devices, IFI AMR format is defaulted to 768KHz and hence it is always white. If I manually change the frequency here, the colour in micro changes accordingly.
 Not sure if I have to leave as it is.
 

 
Hi,
 
OS X defaults automatically to the highest sample rate which is why you see the "white light".
 
You have two options:
 
1) Manually change the Sampling Rate in iTunes (or whichever program you use) each time you play the file to match the Sample Rate with the file.
 
Or
 
2) Use a Non-OS X program such as Audirvana or JRMC which auto selects the native Sample rate each and every time.
 
You can leave it as it is but certeris paribus, Bit-Perfect is our preferred option for the best sonics.
 
Cheers.

 

[iFi audio]

  I own the HD800 and the micro iDSD with 3D (crossfeed) enabled its a great improvement of the soundstage! I'm listening only classical music. Since then I'll never disabled again the 3D from the iDSD because with, my classical music is more realistic. I attend per month 3 up to 4 classical concerts and it's a similar "feeling" now at home with HD800 and the iDSD crossfeed enabled, thanks iFi.

 

 
Hi,
 
It is a little more than Crossfeed in the Analogue Domain. Otherwise "artificial" solutions like the "Crossfeed" DSP setting in JRMC would sound very similar and they don't.
 
We can't give out the secret sauce but what we can give out is here:
 
 
3D Holographic for Headphones
http://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/data/3DHolographic.pdf
 
 
3D Holographic for Speakers
http://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/data/iTubeTechpaper2_3DHolographic.pdf

 

[iFi audio]

I forgot all about the optical adapter. Thank you for correcting me iFi.

 
Hi,
 
No problems.
 
If one does not use a feature/article, one tends to forget.
 
Happens to us too.

 

[EVOLVIST]

   
Hi
 
- iCAN and iDSD both have the same 3D technology in the sense that they are Analogue Signal Processing, not Digital Signal Processing.
 
The benefit is that the Bit-Perfect is maintained.
 
BUT
 
- iCAN has * and *** settings. The iDSD on/off which is **.
 
Same goes for XBass.

Very Interesting. Since I haven't gotten my iDSD charged yet (should be getting the Orico charger tomorrow ) would the XBass on the iDSD be comparable to the lowest XBass setting on iCAN, the highest, or somewhere in between?  I don't know if that's an easy question to quantify, but I thought I would ask anyway, because it's killing me not being able to run my iDSD yet! Haha!

 

[iFi audio]

 
Very Interesting. Since I haven't gotten my iDSD charged yet (should be getting the Orico charger tomorrow ) would the XBass on the iDSD be comparable to the lowest XBass setting on iCAN, the highest, or somewhere in between?  I don't know if that's an easy question to quantify, but I thought I would ask anyway, because it's killing me not being able to run my iDSD yet! Haha!

 
Hi,
 
The 3D Holographic and the XBass on the micro iDSD is on/off (for other people who dont have acces to the micro iDSD).
 
Whereas on the iCAN it is Off / * / ***
 
The micro iDSD's 3D and XBass **
 
 
From customer reports, almost all hear a difference. Some report it as small, some report it as significant. There are many other variables to factor in.

 
In the main, for our personal listening just about all our staff use 3D Holographic (+90%) and most use XBass (+70%).
 
Hope this helps.