Any ifi iDSD nano owners here??

[DomieMic65]

I am considering of buying this little thing to use it on the go with my laptop and cans but also in the main system untill I deside what to do after I have sold my previus DAC!!

I would apreciate any comment...

[john57]

There is quite a bit of posts on the iDSD that you will find on the forum here if you do an advance search. I already said quite a bit on it.

[DomieMic65]

There is quite a bit of posts on the iDSD that you will find on the forum here if you do an advance search. I already said quite a bit on it.

 

Thnx for your answer... i did and I found some oppinions... and reviews!!

Any new comments from other owners may be are wellcome!!

[DomieMic65]

I also would like to know how it compares to the m2tech hiface dac!

I have one for audition right now in my system...

Has anybody auditioned both??

[Andrew Allen Ballew]

iFi DSD nano user here.

 

Let me tell you a few things about iFi and the iDSD.

 

First, let it be known that iFi is a part of AMR, and uses much of the same technology as the high end and extremely well regarded AMR products.

 

Their design is the brainchild of Thorsten Loesch. He needs no introduction, actually. His reputation speaks for itself. But just a word or two about him. The man gets it. He knows good sound, and knows how to create it, whether the price point is iFi level, or AMR level. For a good intro to some of his ideas and design philosophy, I highly suggest you go over to Audiostream.com, where there is a very recent Q and A with him.

 

The customer support at iFi/AMR is incredible. Vince and Thorsten are ready and willing to help their customers, no matter the need or the question.

 

As far as the iDSD, it is an amazing sounding little device. It really is hard to believe such good sound can be had at this price. It uses a unique DAC chip, the BB DSD1793, which is sort of a hybrid multi bit/delta sigma DAC. Therefore it decodes PCM with a sound very much akin to real multi bit PCM conversion, and has a very low measured noise floor, which belies the fact that it uses delta sigma at all.

 

DSD playback is native. No processing whatsoever. DSD goes straight to the output switches, to the selectable (third order, I believe) analog filter, then to the gain stage. That is it. Voila. Native DSD. And it sounds great.

 

One of the other beautiful things about this DAC is it can play PCM up to 384khz, so it has native DXD capabilities. Sample rates this high need no digital filter at the DAC level. The only filtration is a second order analog filter than starts rolling off at around 75hz. (Of course, samples rates of 192khz and lower have a selectable digital filter in addition to this analog filter.) I convert all my PCM to either 352 or 384 khz, depending on the multiple. This way I avoid all digital filtering in the DAC itself. And it sounds amazing.

 

The iDSD measures as well as it sounds, too. AP testing shows it to be a low jitter, low noise device.

 

In closing, where else are you going to get support for true DSD, very good PCM performance, good headphone amp, that measures very well, for such a low price? No where, I don't think.

 

Also, don't be scared to spend a little extra on the iUSB power. It is a worthwhile upgrade for the iDSD and for many other USB bus powered DACS.

 

 

 

I am considering of buying this little thing to use it on the go with my laptop and cans but also in the main system untill I deside what to do after I have sold my previus DAC!!

I would apreciate any comment...

[Paul R]

I second what Andrew Allan has said here - the iDSD is almost unbelievably good.

 

One should expect sound like this in DACs that cost 10x as much. And given that Music Direct cannot keep them in stock more than a few days at a time, it just might. I notice they are selling for multiples of the list price on Amazon... how very odd!

 

This DAC costs less than $200 and sounds like it was designed by a master designer and voiced by someone with an excellent ear.

 

Oh wait - it was!

 

-Paul

[YashN]

To add to all this, I was surprised at how pure 44.1/16 and even MP3s sound with Audirvana and the iDSD Nano.

 

Audirvana allows the realtime upsampling of Redbook/44.1/16 to DXD for the iDSD to consume, but even non-oversampled Redbook sounds good.

 

In brief, all formats sound very good with that little DAC.

 

I would have preferred the RCA jacks at the back, as well as the filter switch on the front as well as no clicking on using the volume knob, but these are minor downsides compared to the value you get for a small amount.

[Andrew Allen Ballew]

I second what Andrew Allan has said here - the iDSD is almost unbelievably good.

 

One should expect sound like this in DACs that cost 10x as much. And given that Music Direct cannot keep them in stock more than a few days at a time, it just might. I notice they are selling for multiples of the list price on Amazon... how very odd!

 

This DAC costs less than $200 and sounds like it was designed by a master designer and voiced by someone with an excellent ear.

 

Oh wait - it was!

 

-Paul

 

 

And this is why I cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming iDSD Micro. And hopefully not long after that, the iDSD mini.

Imagine what T can do with about 5 times the budget of the Nano...

[Paul R]

And this is why I cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming iDSD Micro. And hopefully not long after that, the iDSD mini.

Imagine what T can do with about 5 times the budget of the Nano...

 

 

Oh oh yes, it boggles the imagination. I plan on buying one of each as soon as they become available..

 

I hope it turns out to be not just imagination though. Sometimes a company turns out an outstanding product, but the rest of the line can be somewhat less outstanding. Let us hope they continue the trend!

[DomieMic65]

Thnx a lot guys!!

It will soon be available to the local dealer....

My goal is to have it as main dac with the iUSB and Gemini and to use it also on the go standalone!

About the ican nano anybody??

[YashN]

Imagine what T can do with about 5 times the budget of the Nano...

 

Most probably he would do what Ted Smith did with the PS Audio DirectStream DAC.

[jtwrace]

And this is why I cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming iDSD Micro. And hopefully not long after that, the iDSD mini.

Imagine what T can do with about 5 times the budget of the Nano...

 

What's the difference between the iDSD and iDSD Micro & Mini? Any talk of a fully balanced unit?

[Andrew Allen Ballew]

I need to correct a typo. The analog filter on the iDsd is Not 75hz. I of course meant kHz. As far as the differences between the micro and the nano, I believe the micro will use multiple Dac chips in differential mode. And I am sure some other upgrades.. Improved analog stage, etc. You can find more info about it over at head-fi. The crowd design thread..

[YashN]

From the specs page at Head-Fi:

 

Specifications - iDSD micro

Input:

 

• USB 3.0 type B Socket
  
• compatible with iPhone,iPod, iPad and Android Devices USB-OTG
  
• camera kit or USB-OTG cable required
  

 

 

• SPDIF RCA (only PCM up to 192KHz), only active if SPDIF signal detected
  

 

Outputs:

 

• SPDIF RCA (only PCM up to 192KHz), only active if USB detected
  
• Audio RCA, (variable 0 to 2V)
  
• 6.3mm Headphone socket
  

 

PowerSource:

 

• USB Bus power / 3,300mAH Lithium Polymer battery
  

 

Battery life:

 

• appx. 10 Hours USB playback (varies with headphone load and volume setting)
  

 

Indicator

 

• Single Multicolour LED to indicate Signal and Sample Rates
  

 

DAC:

 

• Dual-Core Bit Perfect DSD, PCM & DXD DAC by Burr Brown (2-DAC Chip; 4-Channel; 8-Signals)
  
• (2-DAC Chip; 4-Channel; 8-Signals, custom interleaving for maximum SNR)
  

 

Audio Formats:

 

1. 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/384KHz PCM
   
2. 2.8/3.1/5.6/6.2MHz DSD
   
3. DXD
   

 

Filter:

 

• PCM: Bit-Perfect Processing and Minimum Phase/Standard digital filter selectable
  
• DSD: Extreme/Extended/Standard Range analogue filters selectable
  
• DXD: Bit-Perfect Processing, fixed analogue filter
  

 

HP Volume Control:

 

• precision analogue volume control, < 2dB Tracking error
  

 

HP section:

Output Power:

 

• >400mW(32Ω)
  

 

Output Voltage:

 

• >5V (>600Ω)
  

 

HP Volume Control:

 

• precision analogue volume control, < 2dB Tracking error
  

 

THD + N (line):

• <0.005% @ 0dBFS
  

 

THD + N (HP):

 

• <0.005% @ 0dBFS
  

 

SNR (Line):

 

• 117dB(A) @ 0dBFS
  

 

SNR (HP):

 

• 111dB(A) @ 2V out
  

 

Clock:

 

• Ultra low jitter Crystal Clock (rms jitter < 300 Femtoseconds)
  

 

Audio Path passives:

 

• Tantalum Oxide Thin Film thin film surface mounted resistors
  
• TDK high stability C0G surface mounted capacitors
  
• Panasonic PolyPhenylene Sulfide stacked film surface mounted capacitors
  

 

We hope you like this and we'll be adding more info in the days to come.

[jtwrace]

So what does this mean compared to the iDSD?

[YashN]

Compare to the specs for the iFi iDSD Nano here. Click the little Tech Specs link on the top right.

[jtwrace]

Compare to the specs for the iFi iDSD Nano here. Click the little Tech Specs link on the top right.

 

I'd prefer to see fft measurements from an AP or dScope.

[YashN]

Buy both, measure.

[jtwrace]

Buy both, measure.

 

Not that interested. Send both, and measure. ;-)

[YashN]

Not sure what you think you're asking for.

[jtwrace]

Not sure what you think you're asking for.

 

I know exactly what I'm asking for...

[nbourbaki]

If only it would work natively with the new Macbooks I'd buy one tonight.

[phatoldsun]

If only it would work natively with the new Macbooks I'd buy one tonight.

What do you mean? I've been listening with an iDSD nano and a Macbook for a week.

[nbourbaki]

What do you mean? I've been listening with an iDSD nano and a Macbook for a week.

 

I contacted iFi Audio and their response on compatibility for late 2013 Macbook Pro Retina is that it won't work. The non-retina will work, but not the higher end model. Apparently there is an issue with the USB 3.0 port and the nano.

 

Thank you for your kind enquiry.

 

Yes - some new MBPs (And PCs) have USB3.0 ports where a certain chipset vendor deviated from the USB audio class specification.

 

This summarises which machines use this chipset in their port and which do not use this certain chipset in their port.

 

MacBook Pro w/ Retina Mavericks 10.9.2 USB3.0 port issue

iMac Mavericks 10.9.2 USB3.0 port issue

MacBook Air Mavericks 10.9.2 USB3.0 port issue

MacBook Pro w/o Retina Mavericks 10.9.2 Works

Mac Mini Mavericks 10.9.2 Works

Mac Pro Mavericks 10.9.2 Works

[tmkirst]

I've had one for about three weeks and am impressed! Good thread on Head-Fi about the issues some of the earlier adopter encountered (crackling volume changes on occasion, and subject to hanging when opening some resource rich internet pages) but these have not been show-stoppers. And I'm sticking to USB 2.0 even though 3.0 is an option. And ASIO on JRiver.

 

I've not been listing to the Wadia 121 or Oppo BDP-105 nearly as much since the iDSD nano arrived.