[ImperialBlade]

If you ask me, it's Fula Schiit...

LOL...I see we have a vote for the iFi DSD Micro!

 

[MattTCG]

I opened a support ticket yesterday. I am getting all sound with distortion when the pre-amp IC are plugged in. The problem goes away when the cables are unplugged, but...I really need the pre-amp function!! I have not heard anything yet. Hoping to hear something soon. 

 

[tf1216]

  I opened a support ticket yesterday. I am getting all sound with distortion when the pre-amp IC are plugged in. The problem goes away when the cables are unplugged, but...I really need the pre-amp function!! I have not heard anything yet. Hoping to hear something soon. 

 
Might we be able to lend you a hand?
 
What's your setup look like?  

 

[MattTCG]

Custom build pc (very quite psu)-LH labs custom usb cable-usb in to micro using the adapter supplied by ifi. I'm using Kimber IC's that I know are of good quality and have never been any trouble. 

 

[tf1216]

Using JRiver?  What driver is selected?  What does the headphone out sound like?
 
Do you have another USB cable you could try?

 

[MattTCG]

yes, jriver and other players also with the same result...distortion. I use both ASIO and waspi depending on the rip. 

 

[john57]

MAtt,
 
You need to provide more information what the IC is connected to. Are you saying that the headphones are good when the RCA's are disconnected?

 

[tf1216]

Headphones sound OK direct out of the iDSD?  Any other USB cables to try?

 

[technobear]

I'm using Kimber IC's that I know are of good quality and have never been any trouble. 

Have you actually tested these cables with something else?

This sounds like it could be a broken screen/earth connection causing the cable to act as an aerial.

 

[MattTCG]

These are good cables. I have used them with many other sources and have tested them recently. The cables are connected to a hometheater receiver-Denon. It makes no difference whether the receiver is on or off...I get distortion until I unplug the cables (Kimber). Out of the receiver everything sounds perfect. But directly out of the micro the sound is distorted. 

 

[john57]

When you are getting distortion are you getting a hum or buzz? What the inputs on your Denon are you using to connect with the micro?

 

[MattTCG]

CD in put...

 

[Edric Li]

CD in put...

cd input from my panasonic SL series CD player works well with idsd. I'm pretty curious about the issue you are experiencing.

 

[maitokaakao]

I’m having some mysterious channel imbalance problem with my iDSD Micro…  I’m all aware that there is slight channel imbalance at very low volume, but this problem is something else. 
 
About a week ago in a normal music listening session I woke my iMac from sleep, checked the iDSD was on and started listening music. I immediately noticed that the music was not center; right channel was about 20% louder than left channel. Weird. I use the RCA out in direct mode with my speakers. I checked my speakers volume knobs and they were correct. Then I tried the device with my headphones. Same thing, right channel was louder than left. 
 
Then I thought maybe there is something wrong with my iMac audio setup, but everything was correct so I unplugged the device and tried it with my iPhone / camera adapter cable (without the ifi blue usb cable). Same thing. Right channel was louder than left channel. Then I tried the 3.5mm input with my iPhone and the 3.5mm input worked perfectly; the music was center. So clearly there was something wrong only with the DAC section of the iDSD…? I tried all the possible settings, but no luck, only the 3.5mm input worked properly. I also updated the firmware, but the problem did not go away.

 
The next day I once again checked that every possible setting was ok, but the channel imbalance persisted… I left the device and went to school. Then at the same day evening I came back, put music on and in the middle of the second song the imbalance suddenly disappeared!! Right in front of my eyes (or ears), so to speak. I was so relieved and hoped it would not happen again.
 
Well… About one week later, today, it happened again and I’m again trying to figure out what caused the problem and how to get rid of it.
 
So couple questions:

• Has anyone else experienced this kind of problem?
• Is there a way to reset the device? Like reset the DAC to factory settings or something?
• Is it in any way possible that iMac sleep mode messes up the device? Because both times the problem has occured when my iMac has woken up from sleep mode and the iDSD has been on the whole time. Usually I turn the device of before I put my iMac to sleep and turn it on after I wake up my iMac.

 
I use iTunes with BitPerfect software. iDSD is connected to my iMac using the blue USB cable iFi supplied.
 
Thank you in advance for any replies. I think I should also contact iFi directly...

 

[jmsaxon69]

CD in put...

I bet it's on a preamp out mode instead of a fixed line level output mode. I think the proper output is Direct and not preamp.