[gr8soundz]

  lol u seem quiet sarcastic in ur long passage. i was only trying to use logic to explain what i felt would work. i am no expert in this and nor do i have experience of using my headphones with more powerful. people with more technical knoweldge should know how this works in theory and how it relates to real world.  
 
my itnetion is not to start argument but find the truth of how this works and that is why i posted the numbers and how i could best possibly interpret them with me limited to no knowledge. no need to get offended. 

 
No offense taken. Apologies for the bit of sarcasm but I didn't know what else to say.
 
Myself (and at least 1 other user) are giving you real world examples that we've actually tried. In theory, many amps can damage headphones or speakers (and hearing) so the only way to avoid that is by being careful with the volume knob. 
 
It's no different than cars with 700hp. Doesn't mean no one should drive them. Just means being more cautious with the throttle pedal.
 

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

The opposite.
702 has a very curved impedance and phase graph. Curve increases in the high-mids and trebles. High-Mids makes the sound thinner and that can be misunderstood like it's "underpowered".
Increase on the Trebles makes a headphone more brighter.
At the end, that curve indicates 702 will be much more brighter and thinner with iDSD compared to something that can't drive 702.(like Audioquest)

To my understanding, you don't need something that can give more power, you need the opposite. More power will always make AKG702 sound like this.

If you like a darker and thick sounding headphone(it seems you would like it) I would recommend a HD650. And it would be a good pair with iDSD.

this is mind opening! And here I always thought the reason why my Little Dot I+ makes the akg k702 warmer is because of the tubes, and yet the m9xx makes it sound a bit thin

 

[GerMan]

Seems to be a conflict of objectives with AKG 702. It needs power to shine, but if I use normal or turbo setting (not eco) the volume knob turns quite left where the volume knob suffers problems with stereo balance. To get 11-12 o'clock volume knob wherer stereo balance is good ifi service advised me to use "eco" and iem. In eco mode it sounds a bit underpowered, not dynamic. 
 
Hm, love K702 for ist detail and resolution. Seems to me a bit weird to buy a new warm darker headphone just to be able to use ifi micro idsd. 

 
 
Never read of an ifi micro idsd user with AKG 701/702 who reported to be totally satisfied with the sound...
 
Using my 702 with headphone socket of my Accuphase amp gives me a totally controlled detailed and no thin at all sound. Nearly perfect. Seems I have to look further for a solution with pc using.
 
Thanks for your contribution so far!

 

[willowbrook]

  Seems to be a conflict of objectives with AKG 702. It needs power to shine, but if I use normal or turbo setting (not eco) the volume knob turns quite left where the volume knob suffers problems with stereo balance. To get 11-12 o'clock volume knob wherer stereo balance is good ifi service advised me to use "eco" and iem. In eco mode it sounds a bit underpowered, not dynamic. 
 
Hm, love K702 for ist detail and resolution. Seems to me a bit weird to buy a new warm darker headphone just to be able to use ifi micro idsd. 

 
 
Never read of an ifi micro idsd user with AKG 701/702 who reported to be totally satisfied with the sound...
 
Using my 702 with headphone socket of my Accuphase amp gives me a totally controlled detailed and no thin at all sound. Nearly perfect. Seems I have to look further for a solution with pc using.
 
Thanks for your contribution so far!

So are you looking for a warmer sound? K702 by nature is thin sounding. No matter what amp you pair with, you are going to notice more difference by switching headphones.

 

[EVOLVIST]

Does anybody know how the build quality of this unit is? Can I bet on this serving me well for several years without issues or are there common known issues that plague the product? 

I've had my iDSD micro for two years and a few months now. The feel of it is that it's built like a little tank, and it lives up to that. I've had no problems whatsoever. Then again, I only use the DAC section of the product, so it only sits on my desk. Take that as you will.

 

[Haris Javed]

  Hi everyone!
 
New to this forum. Read that ifi micro idsd sonically is said to be a bit on the bright side. Decided to give it a try anyway. First impression after three days is that it is really important not to pair it with the "wrong" headphone. 
 
My AKG K-702 seems not to be the right choice.
 
Being a very precise, detailed and open headphone the sound with micro idsd is too bright for me, sometimes near aching. Tried all filter positions, 3D cannot be used at all, as it sounds even brighter. 
 
What is more ifi micro idsd is said to drive any headphone. Maybe it is loud enough for all HF, but AKG 702 sounds a bit "underpowered", a bit limp, not dynamic. Switching to Audioquest Dragonfly and YES, power and pressure is back again.
 
Hearing flac files with pc, using JRiver MC and foobar2000 with WASAPI, all settings as recommended by ifi and JRiver, latest driver and firmware from ifi. 
 
Any suggestions? 

   
 
Thank you.
 
GerMan 

Hello 
 
maybe your amp is defective? have you tried any other headphone with it? I used to have an audio quest dragon fly that I was using with my HD650 - going to IFI made a big difference in sound presentation (it did not add any extra special secret stuff, it just made what was there more observable). The bass is tighter and hits harder - mids were not impacted much, the highs actually got duller, but more enjoyable. 

 

[gr8soundz]

  Seems to be a conflict of objectives with AKG 702. It needs power to shine, but if I use normal or turbo setting (not eco) the volume knob turns quite left where the volume knob suffers problems with stereo balance. To get 11-12 o'clock volume knob wherer stereo balance is good ifi service advised me to use "eco" and iem. In eco mode it sounds a bit underpowered, not dynamic. 
 
Hm, love K702 for ist detail and resolution. Seems to me a bit weird to buy a new warm darker headphone just to be able to use ifi micro idsd. 

 
 
Never read of an ifi micro idsd user with AKG 701/702 who reported to be totally satisfied with the sound...
 
Using my 702 with headphone socket of my Accuphase amp gives me a totally controlled detailed and no thin at all sound. Nearly perfect. Seems I have to look further for a solution with pc using.
 
Thanks for your contribution so far!

 
Where was the volume knob when you tried Turbo and IE Match?
 

 

[warrior1975]

Received my loaned micro idsd today. I tried two different coaxial cables, no sound. For fiio x7, the cable that works with mojo. Should work for this? Anyone has any input for me? Please.

I think. I need an adapter, to a full rca for the micro side

 

[gr8soundz]

Do you have usb connected at the same time as the coaxial?
 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Seems to be a conflict of objectives with AKG 702. It needs power to shine, but if I use normal or turbo setting (not eco) the volume knob turns quite left where the volume knob suffers problems with stereo balance. To get 11-12 o'clock volume knob wherer stereo balance is good ifi service advised me to use "eco" and iem. In eco mode it sounds a bit underpowered, not dynamic. 
 
Hm, love K702 for ist detail and resolution. Seems to me a bit weird to buy a new warm darker headphone just to be able to use ifi micro idsd. 

 
 
Never read of an ifi micro idsd user with AKG 701/702 who reported to be totally satisfied with the sound...
 
Using my 702 with headphone socket of my Accuphase amp gives me a totally controlled detailed and no thin at all sound. Nearly perfect. Seems I have to look further for a solution with pc using.
 
Thanks for your contribution so far!

So you are simply making a point that there is a lack of synergy with these devices, cool, there are many excellent amps and headphone combinations that don't work. I agree, based on my experience with the Micro I would not match a detail monster headphone with it and expect a result that worked for my preferences. I no longer really like detail monster headphones, they are extremely limiting in what you can enjoy with them as frankly, a great deal of musical recordings in my experience are poor enough that too much detail retrieval is actually punishing as opposed to pleasurable. I used to be into signatures like the DT 880, or SR series Grado cans, now I prefer a little taken off the top in the interest of actually being able to listen to music without wincing at thin, strident details revealed in all of their stark and unforgiving glory.

 

[h1f1add1cted]

Received my loaned micro idsd today. I tried two different coaxial cables, no sound. For fiio x7, the cable that works with mojo. Should work for this? Anyone has any input for me? Please.

I think. I need an adapter, to a full rca for the micro side

 
 
The iDSD has a combo SPDIF port, which has coxial input as RCA and the optical input is 3,5mm mini. For the Mojo the coaixal input is 3,5mm mini and a separate optical input with toslink port.
 
This optical input with FiiO L12S cable:
 

This is coaxial input with custom OE coaxial cable:

 

[warrior1975]

Do you have usb connected at the same time as the coaxial?

 

Nope. I think I'll need a special cable like the one h1f1add1cted posted.

I am able to get it to work with my lgv10 and otg cable. This thing has lots of headroom, my God. Talk about power. Did some very brief abing with mojo and this, they sound very similar to me, volume matched (closest I can with my ears) they sound identical, which is a good thing.

I can only get my Fostex Th900 to work, the 3.5mm input doesn't give sound. Not sure if there is another setting I'm missing, but I don't believe so.

 

[technobear]

I can only get my Fostex Th900 to work, the 3.5mm input doesn't give sound. Not sure if there is another setting I'm missing, but I don't believe so.

The answer is in your question: 3.5mm input

As in, not an output.

 

[warrior1975]

Sorry, typo. I plugged my IEMS into the 3.5mm jack. Oh...wait,is that an input only? I need a converter? Derp. Thank you. Brain farting.

That's what I get for rushing in excitement. Hopefully I am able to get the Fiio X7 to work now. Viper and micro... The ultimate basshead stack.

 

[GerMan]

  So you are simply making a point that there is a lack of synergy with these devices, cool, there are many excellent amps and headphone combinations that don't work. I agree, based on my experience with the Micro I would not match a detail monster headphone with it and expect a result that worked for my preferences. I no longer really like detail monster headphones, they are extremely limiting in what you can enjoy with them as frankly, a great deal of musical recordings in my experience are poor enough that too much detail retrieval is actually punishing as opposed to pleasurable. I used to be into signatures like the DT 880, or SR series Grado cans, now I prefer a little taken off the top in the interest of actually being able to listen to music without wincing at thin, strident details revealed in all of their stark and unforgiving glory.

 
Well I suppose you are right, Sonic Defender.
 
Frustration seems to have come over me as it is said that micro idsd can drive ANY headphone. And perhaps that in a German Forum I was told micro idsd was not bright sounding (which it is in my and other people's opinions), combination with K702 worked well, it was simply my wrong ears/hearing.
 
And of course frustration has come over me as micro idsd is a nice peace of gear and I don't find any alternatives looking at quality/price for my K-702. What headphones are you using for the time being?