[bflat]

HI All,
 
New iDSD owner here. Pretty impressed so far and I think I understand most of the buttons and sliders. However, what is not clear to me is what the USB port on the side is for. I read it's for power only but a couple clarifying questions:
 
1) Should I connect a USB power cable to the side for best results?
2) If yes, does this also mean that the battery will never be used as long as the side USB port has power?
 
Thanks!

 

[vapman]

  HI All,
 
New iDSD owner here. Pretty impressed so far and I think I understand most of the buttons and sliders. However, what is not clear to me is what the USB port on the side is for. I read it's for power only but a couple clarifying questions:
 
1) Should I connect a USB power cable to the side for best results?
2) If yes, does this also mean that the battery will never be used as long as the side USB port has power?
 
Thanks!

It's only for charging other stuff with the iDSD's battery. Imagine it is no different than a wall USB adapter, that's pretty much all it does.
I never once used it on mine.

 

[bflat]

 
It's only for charging other stuff with the iDSD's battery. Imagine it is no different than a wall USB adapter, that's pretty much all it does.
I never once used it on mine.

Ah ha! Never once considered power out LOL. thanks

 

[DarktoreS]

Do you think the Ican SE is a good complement to micro IDSD is that the amp is much better than that of the IDSD ? I have a ATH R70x , I find the very good result so I wonder if I just increase the quality for a modest investment ?

 

[knorris908]

  Do you think the Ican SE is a good complement to micro IDSD is that the amp is much better than that of the IDSD ? I have a ATH R70x , I find the very good result so I wonder if I just increase the quality for a modest investment ?

I have both right here, and YES the iCAN has noticeably improved the the AMP performance over my iDSD Micro.  The Micro is still quite good, but the iCAN SE is just MORE.  Think tricked-out 8 Cylinder Mustang VS 12-Cylinder Ferrari FF.  Either has more horsepower than any SANE person would need, but yes, the Ferrari FF technically has more.  It's like that.

iFi iCAN, iCAN SE, iDSD, & iTUBE with HiFiMan HE400i - All part of my audio audition suite.
(So that you can see that I've been able to test them against each other head-to-head...)

 

[rafaelpernil]

  He guys.  I just got the Micro DSD and some Genelec 8010A's for my work computer setup.  I can't get the Micro DSD to be recognized on my laptop.  I've tried the included blue USB cable in addition to 2 other monoprice USB cables.  I've restarted my laptop and even tried on another laptop.  Mine is a Windows 7 64-bit laptop.  The Micro DSD shows up in the Device Manager but with a Device status that says it 'cannot start (Code 10)'.
 
Any ideas what to try next?  I filed a ticket with iFi but thought maybe the forum might have some pointers.

If v2.26 driver version doesn't work for you, try with v2.23. When I had Win 7, v2.23 ran perfectly fine.
 
Hope it helps

 

[DarktoreS]

Question : the IDSD micro with iTube buffer and Ican Se is good result ..? 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Do you think the Ican SE is a good complement to micro IDSD is that the amp is much better than that of the IDSD ? I have a ATH R70x , I find the very good result so I wonder if I just increase the quality for a modest investment ?

The Micro is more than enough amp in terms of power and quality for the R70X. Hell it is good enough for my LCD 2F and drives it nicely in Normal mode. I think at this quality of sound reproduction differences are very small and more of a sound signature preference (assuming iFi tuned it differently enough to matter).
 
You will see far more obvious difference/potential improvement with a new headphone (if you are wanting to experience a new signature, not because the R70X isn't a nice headphone).

 

[gr8soundz]

  Question : the IDSD micro with iTube buffer and Ican Se is good result ..? 

 
Don't have the iCan but I use the iTube after my iDSD Micro before going to a different amp. The iTube makes a huge difference. Much fuller, smoother sound with lots of low end. Sometimes I can no longer use the iDSD's xbass (in preamp mode). The low end is sometimes too much with it on and with the iTube in the chain.
 
Before getting the iTube, I asked iFi about the SE's TubeState feature and they stated some of their engineers still insist on using the iTube with the iCan SE.
 

 

[iFi audio]

   
Before getting the iTube, I asked iFi about the SE's TubeState feature and they stated some of their engineers still insist on using the iTube with the iCan SE.
 

 
Hi,
 
But some dont as we all have different tastes. Some like tubes more, some less.
 
Always, try before buy!

 

[DarktoreS]

  I have both right here, and YES the iCAN has noticeably improved the the AMP performance over my iDSD Micro.  The Micro is still quite good, but the iCAN SE is just MORE.  Think tricked-out 8 Cylinder Mustang VS 12-Cylinder Ferrari FF.  Either has more horsepower than any SANE person would need, but yes, the Ferrari FF technically has more.  It's like that.

iFi iCAN, iCAN SE, iDSD, & iTUBE with HiFiMan HE400i - All part of my audio audition suite.
(So that you can see that I've been able to test them against each other head-to-head...)

 
 
My "FINAL" combo for the ATH R70x with ear pads Brainwavz hybrid and Forza-audio cable. The IDSD Micro , iTube buffer 100€ on ebay fr and Ican SE from amazon french for 265€
 

 

[WindyCityCy]

Well I'm happy with the sound I'm getting through the Genelec 8010s and so far I've tried Denon D7000 and Audeze LCD-2v1 with great results.  However, the Micro gets dropped from my laptop somehow when I'm not playing anything (after approx 10-15 minutes of websurfing, etc).  It sends a loud thud to the Genelecs and then the only way to get sound again is to turn the Micro off and then on again.  
 
Suggestions on how to resolve this?

 

[howdy]

Well I'm happy with the sound I'm getting through the Genelec 8010s and so far I've tried Denon D7000 and Audeze LCD-2v1 with great results.  However, the Micro gets dropped from my laptop somehow when I'm not playing anything (after approx 10-15 minutes of websurfing, etc).  It sends a loud thud to the Genelecs and then the only way to get sound again is to turn the Micro off and then on again.  

Suggestions on how to resolve this?

You can search this thread but if I recall it times out after so long and the thud is the amp shutting down.

 

[DarktoreS]

Go firmware 5.2B

 

[WindyCityCy]

  Go firmware 5.2B

So far updating to this firmware seems to be working.  Thanks for the help!