[jexby]

I'm very happy with the sound quality of my iFi IDSD.

However, one thing that happens and surprises me is that battery runs out while I'm listening to it connected to a powered computer.

Shouldn't my MacBookPro be able to power it via USB? Looks like the iDSD spends more power while playing than is getting from the USB and ends up running out.

Is this normal?

It depends.
Do you connect the USB cable before turning on IDSD knob?

What is the Amp power and IEM setting at?
Turbo mode could deplete the battery even while plugged into a laptop.

 

[maricius]

  Got a custom coax interconnect for my DX50 for the micro iDSD today:
 

 

 

 
10 times better than the iBasso stock cable.

I never tried any coax cable other than the stock iBasso one. What are the differences in sound quality if there are any? Also, I didn't know the iBasso could work with 3.5mm TRS terminated jacks. I thought it was exclusive to the TS jack. 

 

[h1f1add1cted]

  I never tried any coax cable other than the stock iBasso one. What are the differences in sound quality if there are any? Also, I didn't know the iBasso could work with 3.5mm TRS terminated jacks. I thought it was exclusive to the TS jack. 

There is no difference sound quality, its a digital signal. That is not possible.I only want to decrease the size from the cable, from 7cm now to around 1 cm, it's a huge difference for me (not so bulky anymore).
 
It is no problem to use stereo jacks instead of mono jacks, as long you use a coax 75 ohms RCA jack on the other side.
 
For example the old FiiO X3 has a mono jack adapter coax cable, now with FiiO X3 2nd, it is a stereo adapter coax cable, so you can use this new adapter on the old X3 as well as the other way around for sure (if it works for iBasso too like in my case).

 

[Sound Eq]

can someone please who uses android lolipop and ifi dsd micro tell me why the light indicator on ifi is always yellow, and what does yellow mean
 
i am using neutron player and hibymusic

 

[ClieOS]

  can someone please who uses android lolipop and ifi dsd micro tell me why the light indicator on ifi is always yellow, and what does yellow mean
 
i am using neutron player and hibymusic

 
Yellow - 176/192kHz DXD352/384k
 
It is in the manual, do read it sometime

 

[Sound Eq]

   
Yellow - 176/192kHz DXD352/384k
 
It is in the manual, do read it sometime

but how come its always yellow when i use neutron player even the files i play are just 44.1 very confusing

 

[ClieOS]

  but how come its always yellow when i use neutron player even the files i play are just 44.1 very confusing

 
It means your particular Android has upsampled the output to 24/192. While Neutron uses its own audio engine, the output still goes through Android nonetheless and therefore it will be 24/192 at the end.
 
I will make a guess that you are referring to an Sony smartphone, are you? Last time around, Sony actually lets you decide whether to upsample or not (the setting is in its Walkman app), but they have changed that since Lollipop and now it automatically upsample to 24/192 by default. The only way around it is to use UAPP or Onkyo HD Player (not sure if Hiby does it or not as I haven't used it for quite sometime) that use their own USB driver which bypass the Android system. My Xperia Z2 does just that after updated to Lollipop so I know.

 

[Sound Eq]

   
It means your particular Android has upsampled the output to 24/192. While Neutron uses its own audio engine, the output still goes through Android nonetheless and therefore it will be 24/192 at the end.
 
I will make a guess that you are referring to an Sony smartphone, are you? Last time around, Sony actually lets you decide whether to upsample or not (the setting is in its Walkman app), but they have changed that since Lollipop and now it automatically upsample to 24/192 by default. The only way around it is to use UAPP or Onkyo HD Player (not sure if Hiby does it or not as I haven't used it for quite sometime) that use their own USB driver which bypass the Android system. My Xperia Z2 does just that after updated to Lollipop so I know.

thanks yes its a sony xperia z ultra
 
so is that upsampling supposed to be a good or bad thing?

 

[ClieOS]

  thanks yes its a sony xperia z ultra
 
so is that upsampling supposed to be a good or bad thing?

 
That depends on whether you are a purist or not, but I'll say it is better than what Android original sampling setting (24/48 IIRC) for Lollipop. For the least, I don't think there is any bad in it. If you really want true native rate playback, just use UAPP / HD player then.

 

[PedroH]

What settings do you use most with the iDSD?
 
For pop, rock, jazz with Beyer T5p I use always:
- Xbass
- 3D
- Minimum Phase Filter
 
This combination sounds the most musical / exciting to me.

 

[kurb1980]

  What settings do you use most with the iDSD?
 
For pop, rock, jazz with Beyer T5p I use always:
- Xbass
- 3D
- Minimum Phase Filter
 
This combination sounds the most musical / exciting to me.

I upsample because this DAC sounds best and from a spec perspective performs better at the higher rates > 353kHz or DSD256.  I use HQP upsample PCM to 705kHz using bit perfect filter on the iDSD and poly sinc, NS5 for the filter and dither settings in HQP.  But I prefer the sound of DSD so I upsample to DSD256 in HQP filter set to standard on the iDSD and poly sinc *2, ASDM5 for the filter and modulator.  Upsampling at those high rates has its advantages bypassing the iDSD's filters and interpolation etc

 

[kurb1980]

Been experimenting with RAM disks to drag drop my audio files and drag drop from there to HQP playlist results are amazing. Much improved noise floor my externals are adding to much noise via USB.

 

[iFi audio]

  I'm very happy with the sound quality of my iFi IDSD.
 
However, one thing that happens and surprises me is that battery runs out while I'm listening to it connected to a powered computer.
 
Shouldn't my MacBookPro be able to power it via USB? Looks like the iDSD spends more power while playing than is getting from the USB and ends up running out.
 
Is this normal?

 
Eco mode, can charge battery from normal USB port at a rate of maybe 100mA, so around 48 Hours needed of Charge & Play to bring a flat battery back. Sleep mode allows 300mA charging, so 16 Hours in sleep mode come back from a flat battery.
 
Normal mode, no charging current available, audio peaks may eat into the battery so it may eventually go flat. Sleep mode allows 300mA charging, so 16 Hours in sleep mode come back from a flat battery.
 
Turbo Mode, battery is always drawn on, it is depleted at a rate of around 350mA without signal, more with. So the battery will be depleted in around 12-15 Hours of playback or less if playing loud.  Sleep mode allows 300mA charging, so 16 Hours in sleep mode come back from a flat battery.

Recommended workaround, purchase a Hub which is BC1.2 Battery charging compatible, it will allow charging even in turbo mode.

 

[DougD]

  I'm very happy with the sound quality of my iFi IDSD.
 
However, one thing that happens and surprises me is that battery runs out while I'm listening to it connected to a powered computer.
 
Shouldn't my MacBookPro be able to power it via USB? Looks like the iDSD spends more power while playing than is getting from the USB and ends up running out.
 
Is this normal?

 
I've had my iFi Micro iDSD for 3 months, turned on almost continuously and connected to a computer almost continuously for that period, and I have never had it run out of juice. In fact, I've never seen the red light indicating that power is low. OTOH, I have never had to use Turbo mode either. (Senn HD-650 and HiFiMan HE-400i are plenty loud for me in Normal mode.) 
 
Presumably you know that whether it uses USB-power or the battery depends on whether you plug in the USB and then turn the iDSD on, or vice versa. This is pretty easy to remember; if it wakes up and doesn't detect any juice, then it uses its battery ... as it must ... but if finds there is juice then it will preferentially conserve its battery and use the USB-power.
 
Does your MacBookPro provide USB power, even when the MacBookPro itself is turned off ? I don't turn my PC off until I am going to be out of town for a few days, so my USB connection to the iDSD is always powered. 

 

[digitallc]

I use the iUSBPower to both lower the noise floor - it really does improve the sound - and also to continually charge the micro iDSD, since the iUSB is always plugged into an electrical socket.