[kurb1980]

I set my iDSD to standard and prefer to use the filters and modulators in HQP DSD256!

 

[gixxerwimp]

 

  Hi All,
 
I just bought my iDSD micro and am getting the hang of it; but I do have a question....
 
In the manual, referring to the Digital filter, iFi says: "For DSD, select Extreme/Extended/Standard to find the one that sounds best for listening" but I only see  "Bit-Perfect - Minimum Phase -  Standard" settings. So I'm not sure what Extreme or Extended is referring to.
 
Can someone clarify this?

Extreme/Extended/Standard are the analog DSD filters that tells the Micro what frequency  to start the filtering out the High frequency noise that is part of all DSD files. The standard DSD filter will start sooner at a lower frequency which might be good for 64DSD files. If you have 128 or higher DSD files you can try the extended or Extreme, less sharp curve, if you can hear a difference. If you can not hear a difference it may be safer just to leave it at standard for DSD files so that less high frequency noise will slip thru. That is my simple explanation.  

 
From the iDSD manual:

PCM (digital filter)	Bit-Perfect	Minimum-Phase	Standard
DSD (analog filter)	Extreme	Extended	Standard

 
On my unit playing DSD files, Standard sounds brightest and Extreme starts cutting off at a much lower frequency. The manual says to select “Standard” for measurements for both PCM and DSD. My thinking is that the Standard filter (digital for PCM and analog for DSD) lets "the most through" and will therefore measure better (insert much hand waving here).
 
My original iDAC2 actually had the analog filter settings reversed (brightest on Extreme, dullest on Standard). I couldn't say for sure what the behaviour of the digital filters was. iFi sent me a replacement unit and the DSD filters now behave the same as the ones on my micro iDSD.
 
I can't tell much difference between the 3 digital filter settings and so leave it at Minimum Phase. For DSD, Standard is too harsh and Extreme too stifled, so I leave it at Extended. It's a happy medium for me for all file types.

 

[aCuria]

@iFi

I have said this before, but after using this product for quite awhile I know for sure there has to be a better way to handle swapping between the preamp and headphone outputs.

1) is it possible to have an option to automatically mute the preamp output when headphones are plugged in

2) otherwise is it possible to have a software option to mute the preamp or headphone output

 

[sandalaudio]

 

1) Firmware v5.0 optimises DSD via DoP was launched a few days ago to give it equal performance; freedom from clicks and sound quality on par with native DSD (which was up to now, only available on Windows). While the 30% data overhead of DoP is retained, special code optimisation in the iFi firmware brings it level with ASIO native. Sonically, both protocols are now equally good.

 

 
This is just my technical curiosity, but I don't quite understand what the new v5.0 brings to us micro iDSD owners (other than the v5.0B sleep disable thing).
 
Does the new optimisation of DoP apply to micro iDSD? (or just the nano iDSD which now supports DSD256 over DoP?).
 
I use a Mac, and I always though that DoP could achieve equivalent sound quality as the Windows ASIO native mode, as long as it was using the same rate, like DSD64.
Did the DoP always have some sonic issues that was somehow resolved by the new firmware?
The DoP overhead is unavoidable, so what else can be done to improve DoP compared to ASIO native?

 

[iFi audio]

@iFi

I have said this before, but after using this product for quite awhile I know for sure there has to be a better way to handle swapping between the preamp and headphone outputs.

1) is it possible to have an option to automatically mute the preamp output when headphones are plugged in

2) otherwise is it possible to have a software option to mute the preamp or headphone output

 
Hi,
 
Sorry, this is simply not possible using the circuit toplogy we designed which was optimised first and foremost for sound quality. We did consider it but things would have been made more complex and compromised.
 
We made the conscious decision to not offer this switching between pre-amp and hp outs and the small comprise was the swapping. No easier way to handle this. It just isn't a simple beast! The iDAC2 is more easier option to use.
 
Cheers.

 

[iFi audio]

   
This is just my technical curiosity, but I don't quite understand what the new v5.0 brings to us micro iDSD owners (other than the v5.0B sleep disable thing).
 
Does the new optimisation of DoP apply to micro iDSD? (or just the nano iDSD which now supports DSD256 over DoP?).
 
I use a Mac, and I always though that DoP could achieve equivalent sound quality as the Windows ASIO native mode, as long as it was using the same rate, like DSD64.
Did the DoP always have some sonic issues that was somehow resolved by the new firmware?
The DoP overhead is unavoidable, so what else can be done to improve DoP compared to ASIO native?

 
Hi,
 
DoP has minimal overhead on the PC Side, it simply adds 8 Bits that alternate between two Values, this is trivial and the impact on PC playback is minimal (compare CPU utilisation between playing 176.4kHz PCM and single speed DSD)..
 
There is overhead when decoding DoP over native on the DAC side as a separate core is needed on XMOS for that. Optmising the code reduces the impact of this extra processing a lot.
 
Over on the Crowd-Designed thread, we went through the 'beyond datasheet' details. There is a lot to crunch through:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/711217/idsd-micro-crowd-designed-and-the-new-firmware-flavours-are-here-page-138
 
 
These are the most pertinent:
 
Software Design Team's Notes - 1 - the XMOS solution

http://www.head-fi.org/t/711217/idsd-micro-crowd-design-the-meaty-monsters-are-flying-out-page-95/510#post_10545817

Software Design Team's Notes - 2 - star clocking

http://www.head-fi.org/t/711217/idsd-micro-crowd-design-the-meaty-monsters-are-flying-out-page-95/525#post_10569555
 
With our own firmware, we always try to squeeze every last drop from the XMOS chipset.
 
Cheers.

 

[ultraman]

Not knowing when the battery will run out is a problem. It has happened to me so many times that the battery just run out.
Is it something that will be fixed?

 

[sandalaudio]

 
Hi,
 
DoP has minimal overhead on the PC Side, it simply adds 8 Bits that alternate between two Values, this is trivial and the impact on PC playback is minimal (compare CPU utilisation between playing 176.4kHz PCM and single speed DSD)..
 
There is overhead when decoding DoP over native on the DAC side as a separate core is needed on XMOS for that. Optmising the code reduces the impact of this extra processing a lot.
 

 
Thanks for the fast and detailed response.
So I'd take it that the v5.0 has benefits on the micro iDSD for DoP playback, because XMOS is less stressed, hence less effect on the other important parts of the D/A process.
 
Thanks for all the hard work. It's sounding great and the Mac firmware updater worked flawlessly.

 

[Music Path]

Nice FW update. The 5.0 version has a smoot sound, almost fluid. Great work from ifi.
Would like to know if the Ifi atenuators are almost coming too? 

 

[rickyleelee]

I set my iDSD to standard and prefer to use the filters and modulators in HQP DSD256!

The micro led pulses red. I would like more notice as it only has 15-20 mins left in the tank.

 

[effsandoval]

I currently bought a Sony Z1 compact since it was very cheap. I was hoping to pair it with the ifi iDSD micro. However, after several attempts it just wouldn't pair. It would probably run on Onkyo or Universal Android Player but my plan was to run the device with Spotify also. I am currently running Android 4.4.4, will an upgrade to Android 5.0 solve the issue?

 

[effsandoval]

I would like to answer my own question and confirm that the ifi iDSD micro did work on the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact running Android 5.0.=)

 

[Mashi-Maro]

Does the iDSD sound closer to Delta-Sigma or R2R DAC?
 
I know the chip is DS but some say it's analogue sounding.
 
Thanks.

 

[ClieOS]

  Does the iDSD sound closer to Delta-Sigma or R2R DAC?
 
I know the chip is DS but some say it's analogue sounding.
 
Thanks.

 
The DAC chip used in micro iDSD is a Delta-Sigma + R-2R hybrid. In DSD decoding, it uses only the Delta-Sigma section of the DAC. In PCM decoding, it uses the 8bit R-2R section first, then finish up the rest with Delta-Sigma.

 

[gr8soundz]

   
The DAC chip used in micro iDSD is a Delta-Sigma + R-2R hybrid. In DSD decoding, it uses only the Delta-Sigma section of the DAC. In PCM decoding, it uses the 8bit R-2R section first, then finish up the rest with Delta-Sigma.

 
The Micro really is the most versatile DAC out there right now.
 
Do you know if or how changing filters (Standard, Min Phase, etc.) affect the D-S and/or R2R sections of the Micro?