[Maconi]

So say my headphones (Audeze EL-8C) have a good listening volume at around ~200-300mW with my current AMP/DAC. Is there someway I could take advantage of the ~4W the iFi iDSD Micro gives, or would I be stuck using Eco mode and not really getting any benefit from it? Is there some EQ trick to take advantage of the extra power to squeeze out extra details/bass (without ruining the overall sound)?

 

[gr8soundz]

  So say my headphones (Audeze EL-8C) have a good listening volume at around ~200-300mW with my current AMP/DAC. Is there someway I could take advantage of the ~4W the iFi iDSD Micro gives, or would I be stuck using Eco mode and not really getting any benefit from it? Is there some EQ trick to take advantage of the extra power to squeeze out extra details/bass (without ruining the overall sound)?

 
Eco is best for iems and/or for saving battery power if your headphones are sensitive enough. Turbo is only for very hard to drive headphones like the Hifiman HE-6.
 
I use normal for my Oppo PM-3 (similar specs to the el-8c). Think the extra power fills out the mids and low end well.
 
Just be sure to turn the volume down before switching.
 

 

[Koolpep]

  So say my headphones (Audeze EL-8C) have a good listening volume at around ~200-300mW with my current AMP/DAC. Is there someway I could take advantage of the ~4W the iFi iDSD Micro gives, or would I be stuck using Eco mode and not really getting any benefit from it? Is there some EQ trick to take advantage of the extra power to squeeze out extra details/bass (without ruining the overall sound)?

You can use the IEM match switch to a certain extend. While ifi says it's not to be used in Turbo mode on the highest setting, you can increase the resistance at least one notch. To my ears the extra power usually gives a more pleasant low volume listening experience. 
 
So turbo mode with IEM match on middle setting (High sensitivity) works quite well to get over the initial imbalance hump
 
Cheers,
K

 

[LoryWiv]

In prior posts within this thread, iFi notes it's amp. performs closer to "Class A" above volume knob setting of 12, and recommends adjusting power settings to permit running between 12 and 3. After some experimenting I agree this produces best sound quality, but of course YMMV.

 

[technobear]

In prior posts within this thread, iFi notes it's amp. performs closer to "Class A" above volume knob setting of 12, and recommends adjusting power settings to permit running between 12 and 3. After some experimenting I agree this produces best sound quality, but of course YMMV.

I think you need to read those posts again :rolleyes:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728236/ifi-idsd-micro-dsd512-pcm768-dac-and-headphone-amp-impressions-reviews-and-comments/4035#post_11726137

and

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728236/ifi-idsd-micro-dsd512-pcm768-dac-and-headphone-amp-impressions-reviews-and-comments/4050#post_11727898

 

[LoryWiv]

Point taken, technobear. I think I misremembered the discussion around channel imbalance referenced here and misapplied it to amplifier secton...proving that in my case, a (very) little knowledge can be dangerous. Appreciate your feedback.

 

[Maconi]

 
You can use the IEM match switch to a certain extend. While ifi says it's not to be used in Turbo mode on the highest setting, you can increase the resistance at least one notch. To my ears the extra power usually gives a more pleasant low volume listening experience. 
 
So turbo mode with IEM match on middle setting (High sensitivity) works quite well to get over the initial imbalance hump
 
Cheers,
K

Good to know (didn't know you could use IEMatch to keep the dB down while increasing the current), although opinion on doing so seems conflicting. Could you accomplish the same goal with a simple -dB Preamp EQ, or is that an improper way to go about it?

 

[227qed]

I unboxed my ifi micro iDSD a few days ago also and took a few photos of the included adapters while I was waiting for that initial 24 hour charge to complete.  I'm now about 40 hours into my 100+ hour burn-in process, but I thought I'd take a few minutes to share the box contents.  T[COLOR=222222]he ifi micro iDSD box contains [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]a lot[/COLOR][COLOR=222222] of adapters...eight to be precise![/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]There are two female USB Type-A to male Type-A cables--this small black one and a larger, heavier blue one (not pictured because I was using it for the crucial initial 24 hours of charging)  These are for charging the on-board 4800mAh battery and connecting the micro iDSD to a mobile device via an OTG adapter ([COLOR=1155CC]Android[/COLOR]) or Camera Connection Kit (iOS).  In this mode, your smartphone acts as a digital USB transport ([COLOR=1155CC]special software required[/COLOR]) for ultra high quality portable listening.  My OTG cable fits in the micro iDSD's unusual recessed male Type-A connection port, so I could strap this fairly heavy monster to my Samsung Galaxy Note II for high-end portable listening if I wished without having to use these cables.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
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[COLOR=222222]There's a pair of inexpensive looking RCA cables and a gold 1/8" female to 1/4" male TRS adapter (the micro iDSD is equipped with a full-sized 1/4" headphone jack--good choice in my opinion for a premium headphone product)  Thankfully, the analog RCA outputs on the micro protrude more than those on the nano making it possible to use a wider range of audiophile interconnects (some will still be excluded because the jacks are still very close together):[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]​

[COLOR=222222]There are two female USB Type-A to female Type-B adapters...one is "zero length", and the other is rather short.  These are critical as they are required to connect the micro iDSD's very odd recessed male Type-A USB input to a laptop or computer using standard audiophile grade USB cables like the ifi Gemini or Audioquest Diamond (terminated with male Type-B USB connectors on the DAC end).  I'm a little disappointed that the provided adapters do not incorporate gold plated connectors and are apparently not terminated with the same technology and care as the ifi Gemini/Mercury cables.  I'm told that these adapters do not impact sound quality, but it's something that's rather difficult for an audiophile to accept.  I also don't like seeing bits with a "RadioShack" look and feel in my otherwise uncompromising signal path, even if there is an on-board iPurifier to clean things up.  I would have happily paid $50 more for the ifi micro iDSD package if it included a "Gemini" quality adapter for this type of connection:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]

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[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]​

[COLOR=222222]Next are bits to plug into the 1/8" TRS analog input.  The short male-to-male cable is for connecting the analog headphone output of an iPod or similar such device.  In this mode, the micro just acts like a powerful analog headphone amplifier.  My understanding is that when connected thusly, the digital circuitry is powered down.  The other small plug is a TOSLINK S/PDIF adapter.  It enables 1/8" input to perform double-duty as an optical S/PDIF input...perhaps intended for use by someone who wants to use their micro iDSD with an Xbox for massive overkill gaming sound?:[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]​

[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]Finally, there are stick-on rubber feet for desk installation and a protective rubber sheet and bands for strapping the micro iDSD to an iPod or smartphone for "portable" listening (an unwieldy bundle in my opinion--I think I'll continue to use my nano iDSD for on-the-go listening):[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]There's also a black velvet pull-tie case with the "ifi" logo (similar to the one that comes with the nano).  As you may have seen on the head-fi forums, early adopters also receive a (size Large) T-shirt, a laptop decal, and [COLOR=FF0000]red [/COLOR]ink used for the serial number on the micro iDSD plus an invitation to join the iClub.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]I listened to the micro iDSD a little right after it finished the 24-hour charge, and t[COLOR=222222]he soundstage, mids, and highs were not there yet, which is similar to my experience with both of our nano iDSDs when fresh out of the box (rather dark sounding); I'm not worried.  Bass is deep, detailed, and better controlled than the nano already, so I can tell it's going to be [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]amazing[/COLOR][COLOR=222222] after a hundred or so hours of burn-in.  I suspect that improvements due to burn-in may come slightly slower with the micro than the nano because of all of the extra gadgetry, but time will tell.  Cheers and happy listening![/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222][COLOR=222222]-- David[/COLOR][/COLOR]

I would like to get this for massive overkill on my xbox one and ps4 audio outputs. BUT it's so hard to find technical data on the audio output formats of the consoles. They both have the square spdif connectors.

So can I run a the square spdif from the console through a 3.5mm adapter to the 3.5mm input on the idsd micro then output to my headphones?

I have ha-SZ200s and would like some earth shattering bass for explosions and such. I do listen to music while I game so a setup described above would be well worth it too me since the sz2ks need a lot of power for the 55mm drivers to really thump.

 

[marcus1]

I'm using the Micro as a DAC only, using the direct mode and bypassing the Micro's volume control for my home stereo.
Great sound but I'm wondering what DAC I would have to buy to better it? Any opinions or actual comparisons been done?

Thanks

 

[kbuzz]

I'm using the Micro as a DAC only, using the direct mode and bypassing the Micro's volume control for my home stereo.
Great sound but I'm wondering what DAC I would have to buy to better it? Any opinions or actual comparisons been done?

Thanks

Same here ......the word Hugo or major keeps coming up. .....very curious if it's 1K mo better then the ifi-which sounds great. Not just for the money but exceptional and versatile.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

Same here ......the word Hugo or major keeps coming up. .....very curious if it's 1K mo better then the ifi-which sounds great. Not just for the money but exceptional and versatile.

 No.
I coulda bought both that you mentioned and did not. We are in placebo range. If sending the extra convinces you it gets you extra then it's worth it. Technically speaking there is no reason to think you will hear any difference that a numerical value put in dollars could be attached to.

 

[ClieOS]

Same here ......the word Hugo or major keeps coming up. .....very curious if it's 1K mo better then the ifi-which sounds great. Not just for the money but exceptional and versatile.

 
I have both micro iDSD and Mojo with me right now and I have listened to Hugo carefully in the past. If you are looking for either of the Chord as upgrade then I'll advise you to keep your iDSD. Hogo is actually a fairly even match for iDSD, though the two have very different presentation where Hugo is much more euphony and musical. Mojo is very close to them, though I will consider it a very tiny step down overall.

 

[Maconi]

First, I'm a Power (Watt/Volt/whatever) believer now. I've been using the HA-2 and just got my iFi iDSD Micro in. If I attempted to EQ much at all with the HA-2 I'd get clipping (for instance amping up 30hz and below for bass) with my Audeze EL-8C (200mW to 4W optimum power, 15W max/peak allowed). Plugged in the Micro, same deal (on Eco).
 
However, if I crank it up to Turbo and turn the Preamp to -40 dB (volume knob @ around 12 o'clock, I can hit 3 o'clock with -55 dB but then I get hissing instead of a black background) the headphones sing! I can get close to the same affect by putting the HA-2 on High Gain and cranking the volume knob as far as it goes, but it still doesn't sound as deep/wide as the Micro.
 
-40dB seems excessive but Turbo really does open the headphones up (and according to the specs I'm still well within the "optimal range" since I think I can only get ~2W out of Turbo @ 30Ohm right?). Meaning @ 12 o'clock (half Turbo volume) I'm only pulling ~1W (is that how it works)?
 

 
 

 
 
Second, I had to do a lot of EQ with my HA-2 to get the sound where I wanted it, and the imaging/soundstage wasn't great. The Micro (stock) sounds almost like my HA-2 EQ'ed. Always a plus.
 
This is all within the first 15 minutes (after letting it charge up). I hear it gets better with burn-in so we'll see.

 
I was also considering trying out the Mojo but if power (plus EQ) opens these up like this I dunno how it could compete (with these headphones). People claim it has 5v vs the Micro's 8v and it has a larger Dynamic Range (by 8dB) but then the Micro has way more Wattage. Not sure what it all means in the end (when it comes to the sound in my situation)? I think the only upgrade from here would be a $1k Schiit stack or something (with even more power), right? 

 
 
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jbcumming/CONVCHARTdBm.pdf
 
Also, quick question. Does it use battery power even when using USB mode? If so, does the battery drain faster than it can charge while in Turbo? I've been using it plugged in but now that I've turned it off the blue LED is still on (like it's charging). Hopefully not as I plan on using this mostly as a desktop AMP/DAC for now (all day @ work). 

 

 

[iancraig10]

I find the same ..... It opens up on turbo. Trouble is, I'm nowhere near the two or three o clock position which is supposed to be optimal!!

 

[Sound Eq]

its really strange why the sony z5 premium does not work with the ifi dsd micro, does any one own the sony z5 premium and can test if it works with ifi micro dsd