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Folks, it's that time of a year, you know... eggs and all that jazz. Hence please allow us to leave our critter here:

 

5abd69ce95d97_iFiEasterEgg.thumb.png.f3831a69e2603521cc2eb3c33c0aa372.png

 

... aaaaand that's it! Right? RIGHT?!?

 

Well, nope.

 

We have something very special to share with you tomorrow. Very, very special.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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Extra Ordinary MQA Easter Egg

[IMG]

Introduction

With Easter just around the corner, iFi audio has delivered an eagerly anticipated upgrade option as a very special Easter gift.

iFi first introduced MQA into its product mix with the nano iDSD Black Label in November 2017. Since then, iFi customers across the globe have been asking when this option would be available in other iFi products. The good news is that the latest improvements to the nano Black Label firmware version 5.30, ‘Cookies & Cream’, does just that.

Mqa for all

This latest firmware flavour not only adds the latest scoop to the nano iDSD Black Label sundae but it also dishes out MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) audio to the full range* of iFi audio products going back to 2013!

[IMG]

This ‘legacy’ update means that you can now download the MQA upgrade (PC and Mac) straight from the Support section of iFi’s website at no extra cost.

Mqa optimised

Firmware version 5.30 will optimise your device for MQA and can handle up to DSD256 and PCM384. Enjoy the MQA magic like never before.



And Finally…

None of the above would have been possible without the MQA software engineers who worked tirelessly alongside the iFi software team to make this unique opportunity happen. Thank you.

Go to https://ifi-audio.com/audio_blog/mqa-firmware/ to enjoy your upgrade.

This firmware provides MQA rendering as this is the ideal solution for portable products and those with power considerations. This means the workload is shared between the host (the computer) and the client (the DAC). The listener will still enjoy full MQA experience.

For more information on MQA, go to http://www.mqa.co.uk/customer/how-it-works

Legacy

*The only exception is the original iDAC.

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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Easter ‘Bug Bounty’ Hunt

Hunt 'em, wherever they are...

 

bounty1.thumb.jpg.38271577092d083f8f1a7d6ae00a63f6.jpg

 

Introduction

Our just announced firmware v5.30 is MQA capable and in one fell swoop, elevates legacy iFi products* with MQA capability for even more sonic enjoyment.

 

The MQA integration was a little difficult. It involved:

  • Totally replacing the customised core code
  • Re-apply tuning/core loading and
  • Further fine tuning the firmware for even more precise allocated resource use in order to allow us to support MQA and384kHz.

 

To bring all this to fruition required the combined efforts of the MQA and iFi software developers or a total of +1,000 programming hours to deliver firmware v5.30 (excluding testing on all iFi legacy units).

 

Notwithstanding, there may still be one or two software bugs we have not quashed – hence we would like to involveyou, the customer  in the Easter Bug Hunt.

 

More details are to be found in this thread:

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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  • 4 months later...

Folks, awesome news!

 

EISA (the European Sound and Imaging Association) has awarded the xDSD as the Best Portable DAC/Headphone Amplifier for 2018-2019.

 

The official release is to be found here:

 

 

B| HAPPY!

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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Folks...

 

IFA 2018 
...it's almost here!

 

[IMG] 


When?

  • The 31st Aug - 5 Sept 2018!

The place?

  • Berlin!

Where exactly?

  • Hall 1.2, stand 206, WOD Audio (iFi's German distributor)

 

You'll have a chance to preview our EISA award winner - xDSD! Our two lovely girls - Victoria and Sarah - will be there supported by Thorsten Loesch himself.

 

If you'll attend, please visit us!

 

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Also folks, the second biggest audio event in Europe and one of the biggest in general - Poland's Audio Video Show - starts in 9 days. 

 

And we'll be there!

 

AVS.thumb.png.7d86dab849c16eb61bb343e7440fd3f3.png

  • Where: Warsaw (Poland)
  • Where exactly: The PGE Narodowy stadium, 1st floor
  • When: November 16-18, 2018

 

If you're there, please visit us!

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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Folks...

Pro iDSD & MQA

Some of the best things in life are worth waiting for.

 

1.png.0e51ff3605c9501c7b4ea21d4bdfe88e.png

 

The Pro iDSD Firmware Version2.0 (Beta) is a ground-up complete re-write which totally replaced large chunks of XMOS code with all-new, in-house code, to reduce resource usage without losing functionality.

 

We wanted the best features for the Pro iDSD, including the full MQA decoder.

 

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To make room for the full MQA decoder, the entire audio subsystem was streamlined, optimised and pared down in resource use WITHOUT affecting functionality. The MQA team also worked to maximise the efficiency of their code with hand-written assembler optimisations.

 

That also meant redoing USB Audio, S/PDIF Audio, I2S Audio (for Wifi Module).

 

The full source code package for the Pro iDSD is around 75 million characters.

 

The Encyclopedia Britannica is ‘only’ 43million so just over half as ‘thin.’

 

3.thumb.jpg.63ebb8f8d93fc759c6ac119167b48984.jpg 

 

In addition to the code re-work, we realized from earlier releases, that there was also room for improved usability (it is a very complex product), so we stepped up the testing. This additional testing increased time between iterations. As you modify the firmware > you debug > you do limited testing (usually a few rounds in the loop) > you go to formal testing > you list the bugs and go back to the beginning. You get the gist.

 

We appreciate everyone’s patience but it took as long as it did because we want the product to be the best it can be.

The result? Pro iDSD Firmware Version 2.0 (Beta), to our ears, sounds amazing.

 

And yep, this is a Beta version. We thought you guys had waited long enough. Tell us what you think.

 

How to get this FW:

Where to report bugs?

  • Please report these via our Support Ticket Platform

Additionally, down below you'll find two handy tutorial videos on how to enable MQA on your Pro iDSD in Tidal:

 

Setup via S/PDIF:

 

 

Setup via USB:

 

 

 

 

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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Great! The update went smoothly. It looks different on the display a bit than in the video but I like the "fat" MQA.

Filters or upsampling is not available. Makes sense. 

 

Thank you very much. I hope I will find some time on weekend for listening to my "new" Pro iDSD. ?

pic1.jpg

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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3 hours ago, Em2016 said:

So MQA decoding is also possible via the Pro iDSD TOSlink/Digital coax input?

 

I didn't know this before. I thought it was only via the USB input.

 

 

Hi Em,

 

yes it works indeed not only via USB! I have hooked my pi/DigiOne to the Pro iDSD. The only thing I need to do was de-activating Roon's MQA decoder.

 

Time to go to bed here!

 

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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2 minutes ago, Holzohr said:

 

Hi Em,

 

yes it works indeed not only via USB! I have hooked my pi/DigiOne to the Pro iDSD. The only thing I need to do was de-activating Roon's MQA decoder. Sorry for pic quality.

 

Time to go to bed here!

 

 

Thanks! I don't know many MQA DACs that support full decoding via SPDIF. Most have the USB interface do the MQA decoding, so this is different.

 

And wow you got the firmware really quickly from iFi. Was that via the Support Ticket?

 

 

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Yes, via the Support ticket. I was sure I will have to wait untill tomorrow. ?

 

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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1 hour ago, Holzohr said:

Yes, via the Support ticket. I was sure I will have to wait untill tomorrow. ?

 

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That was quick indeed.

 

I see in your signature you use Roon (and HQPlayer).

 

Were you one of the people that had pops with Roon alone playing to Pro iDSD, bit perfect with no up-sampling?

 

I wonder if the new firmware addresses this.

 

There were quite a few reports, on the Head-Fi forum and I had these pops too with Roon alone, playing 16/44.1 bit perfect. I had no issues with HQPlayer DSD512 though.

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Hmm.. I don't remember any such pops. I was using the GTO filter or the DSD1024 upsampling mostly when I switched to Roon. I always had pops in the beginning before the very first playback started. No matter if with Roon or HQPlayer and when I switched between solid state and tube/tube+. Now I don' t have these kind of pops anymore. 

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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I am just listening via the ethernet input. Thanks to Sonore's UPnP bridge app (part of the Rendu os). MQA also works here. I really hope that ifi still makes the ethernet input Roon-ready. It is worth this.

 

An issue I seem to have after switching from tube/tube+ mode to solid state shouldn't the tubes turn off? At least I think it was like this with the original firmware.

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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IMG_20181113_103148.jpg

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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  • 2 weeks later...

No time for rest at iFi if we want to bring close to you the latest in high quality audio gear!

 

This weekend you’ll be able to see us at the HXOS audio show in Athens, Greece! So make sure to drop on by and listen to all the iFi audio gear on display.


1.jpg

Our PowerStation is here: click me!

 

Check out our Tidal MQA Set-up Guides below. 
Android (Renderer) Mobile
Desktop (Decoder) via USB
Desktop (Decoder) via SPDIF

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