So, question guys. What's with the weird USB input that isn't USB B, Micro, or anything else standard like that on the iDSD? It's not even COMPATIBLE WITH iFi'S OWN CABLES like the Gemini and Mercury! So how the heck is one supposed to get an aftermarket cable that is compatible????? Is it a ploy to make people buy the iPurifier2?
The iDSD comes with 1 cable to connect to your PC with normal USB and 2 additional adapters in case you need something else. Can't get better than that my friend. And the connector is what it is to connect directly to Apples CCK - so direct connection from your iPhone/iPod touch, pretty awesome.
The iDSD comes with 1 cable to connect to your PC with normal USB and 2 additional adapters in case you need something else. Can't get better than that my friend. And the connector is what it is to connect directly to Apples CCK - so direct connection from your iPhone/iPod touch, pretty awesome.
The USB connection on the iDSD is a perfectly standard USB A male.
It was done that way because the Apple CCK is terminated with a USB A female.
In the box with the iDSD, you will find a USB A female to USB A male cable (the blue one) for connecting to a PC, and two USB A female to USB B female adaptors (one solid and one with a short lead) for using other USB A to B cables.
Hey folks, I am thinking of upgrading my headphones and I can't decide if I am going to buy new headphones or active speakers to connect to my micro. My price range is between 500 and 1000 euros. Do you think that the micro would play well with active speakers? Or for that amount of money I would be getting far better resaults with a headphone rig?
In the end is the micro designed to play equally good with speakers and headphones?
The iFi iDSD micro can be set to have a preamplifier output which includes 3D-Sound for speakers and X-Bass.
In order to minimize noise the active speaker should have adjustable input sensitivity and be able to be set to offer maximum output at around 5V Input (iDSD micro in normal mode).
There is no muting on the line output of the iDSD micro if a headphone is connected, it is important that your active speakers will not "load down" the line output if turned off, otherwise the headphone signal will distorted.
Alternatively using the iTube as line controller for active speakers may be preferred, it is the preferred option of our chief designer to run his office system like this, as he uses both headphones and speakers.
The back RCA connectors have an output impedance set to around 200 ohms, so it will be more suitable for feeding active speakers compared to using the headphone out.
Having too low output impedance on the line output is not ideal for consumer gear, so most CD players etc tend to set 100 ohms as a typical output impedance. It basically act as a voltage divider to minimize output variations and avoid inadvertent sudden current dumps (like thumps and pops, oscillation) that could fry some poorly designed amps or active speakers. It happens more often than most realize, especially when people try to use smartphone headphone out set to max volume to act as an ad-hoc line out.
200 ohms impedance remain regardless of if the RCA output is set to fixed or variable, so I use the variable output to send to my Genelec or ADAM speakers.
Most actives don't have a volume control except for a trimmer at the back, so iDSD is very handy as an on the go DAC+preamp+monitor controller.
Some bigger studio actives have 600 ohm termination end-to-end, so you will get some level matching and damping factor issues (so might be better to pass through a console), but most modern compact active speakers like Genelec has moved to 10k input impedance like consumer gear (nobody has a 20 metre 600 ohm cable running in their bedroom setup), so iDSD should be fine for that.
Having said that, iDSD's line output of 5.8Vp-p (2.0Vrms) is very high (at least the max industry guideline in Japanese standard) so some poorly designed preamps could overload and clip with such a high level signal. Most home gear aim for around 0.5-0.7 Vrms, while pro 600 ohm gear aim for 1.2-1.5 Vrms tops, although most gear have overload headroom.
The USB connection on the iDSD is a perfectly standard USB A male.
It was done that way because the Apple CCK is terminated with a USB A female.
In the box with the iDSD, you will find a USB A female to USB A male cable (the blue one) for connecting to a PC, and two USB A female to USB B female adaptors (one solid and one with a short lead) for using other USB A to B cables.
In that case though, why do iFi not separately sell a cable with the termination that is compatible with the iDSD? The way I feel is that if the cable that comes with the device ever FAILS, I will be screwed. . .there will be nowhere for me to get an AUDIO-QUALITY USB cable, rather than one meant for printers and the like (with poor power-isolation from the digital signal and whatnot) with that type of termination, as every single audio-USB cable on teh market today has either USB-B, USB-Micro, or USB-Mini connectors.
In that case though, why do iFi not separately sell a cable with the termination that is compatible with the iDSD? The way I feel is that if the cable that comes with the device ever FAILS, I will be screwed. . .there will be nowhere for me to get an AUDIO-QUALITY USB cable, rather than one meant for printers and the like (with poor power-isolation from the digital signal and whatnot) with that type of termination, as every single audio-USB cable on teh market today has either USB-B, USB-Micro, or USB-Mini connectors.
I also want iFi to sell a good quality USB cable that fits the micro iDSD, since they sell so many USB power quality related gadgets.
The stock blue cable is pretty solid, but probably not as well built as the iFi Gemini or Mercury cables.
Using the B to A adaptor thing makes the connection feel wobbly and unreliable.
All the "USB Extension cable" that I've found so far in computer shops are really cheap and suspicious. Some people say expensive USB cable doesn't make any difference, but cheap cables give me all sorts of issues like pop and click noise, unable to detect, or suddenly dropping off.
Dude, its just a usb extension cable. ANY similar cable will work. I have a couple of Monster ones that I got on clearance but actually use a shorter Monoprice cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13749
If you want an even higher quality cable the Supra ones are also highly regarded:
http://www.futureshop.co.uk/supra-usb-20-type-a-male-to-type-a-female-cable-1m-p-8649.html?osCsid=focrqk4bh9h8b0nmhagr197fu4
The iFi iDSD micro can be set to have a preamplifier output which includes 3D-Sound for speakers and X-Bass.
In order to minimize noise the active speaker should have adjustable input sensitivity and be able to be set to offer maximum output at around 5V Input (iDSD micro in normal mode).
There is no muting on the line output of the iDSD micro if a headphone is connected, it is important that your active speakers will not "load down" the line output if turned off, otherwise the headphone signal will distorted.
Alternatively using the iTube as line controller for active speakers may be preferred, it is the preferred option of our chief designer to run his office system like this, as he uses both headphones and speakers.
I was listening to some music today and something wierd happened. IDSD crashed a few times (I heard usb sound and it disconnected). I was able to turn it off/back on but i wonder whats wrong. Maybe battery needs rechaging? But, I always had it plugged in USB 3.0 port, has anyone experienced anything like this?
Dude, its just a usb extension cable. ANY similar cable will work. I have a couple of Monster ones that I got on clearance but actually use a shorter Monoprice cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13749
If you want an even higher quality cable the Supra ones are also highly regarded:
http://www.futureshop.co.uk/supra-usb-20-type-a-male-to-type-a-female-cable-1m-p-8649.html?osCsid=focrqk4bh9h8b0nmhagr197fu4
Thanks. I think that Monoprice one looks good. Certainly much better than what I've found so far.
I also like the fact that the female end has plastic around it, which makes it less wobbly. I tried the Belkin extension cable, but this keeps cutting out or loses connection.
http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F3U134/
I actually bought three different budget USB extension cables becuse I needed long flexible one (one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0), but all of them had some issues while the original blue cable didn't have any. I guess it depends on the USB connection on the computer. On my ASUS motherboard, the ASMedia USB port works fine while Intel USB port drops out every now and then, even if nothing else is connected or drawing current.
The Supra cable looks great. I have the normal A to B Supra cables and they are solid and reliable, but unfortunately our local import distributor doesn't bring in the extension cable.
Fortunately I was able to get a couple Monster extenders on clearance. Very high quality cables but a bit long at 7ft:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_25007_Monster-Cable-USB-Extension-Cable-DL-USB-HSX-7.html
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