Affordable DAC That Doesn't Resample High Rate DSD?

[dericchan1]

11 minutes ago, Jud said:

Also: iFi Pro iDSD signature - Price over $3200, and it has tubes.  Those are a non-starter for me, because I can tell you for certain that the day we decide to have a bunch of friends over is the day one of those tubes will burn out.

I have been using the ifi neo idsd and very happy with it. Seems to fit all your requirement for $799 usd.

 

balance out, preamp/dac  pcm 768, native dsd 512 (no resample). Been using hqplayer to upsample everything to dsd256, 7ECV2

 

Brought to a friend’s place two weeks ago to ab with his pontus ii with a pi2aes and he brought his pontus ii to my place last week and concluded that they sound more alike than Pontus ii vs Aries ii (which I had owned and ab with the ifi neo for a couple of months and sold the Aries ii at the end)

 

I started another thread earlier asking about potentially upgrading from the neo to the pro, but since I already have a Freya +, I don’t really need a tube dac, concluded no need to make that jump to the pro since I am pretty happy with the neo 

[dericchan1]

17 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

DAC 200 is more expensive, but also measures better, as one would expect.

 

I've only measured with my modulators. So if you intend to use something else, YMMV.

 

Hi Miska, I am also interested to see how my ifi neo idsd measures with your modulators. Would you mind posting something for us interested? Would dsd256 measure better than dsd512?

 

I mean it sounds pretty decent subjectively to my ears using dsd 44.1x256 with 7ECV2.

Thanks 

 

Deric

[dericchan1]

9 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Yes, I'm using it with my iMac for testing Intel silicon Mac versions. I even use it in undocumented (?) way with just USB3 power, without external PSU, it actually works decently that way.

 

DSD256 is it's sweet spot and any THD is practically only second order, so the least disturbing type.

 

Thanks Miska, saves me $2k for a PC upgrade to get to DSD512!!!  Cheers

 

Deric

[dericchan1]

3 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

My cheapest machine running doing DSD512 with ASDM7ECv2 is i5-11600 (non-K!), at 65W TDP. It can barely do it, but it can! And it doesn't cost $2k. But the nice thing is that you can do DSD256 using EC modulators with a lot of different kind of hardware, even my old totally passive cooled i5-7600T (35W TDP) server.

 

Thanks Miska but I guess there’s not much of a point to go with dsd512 if dsd256 is the “sweet spot”? 

[dericchan1]

2 hours ago, DuckToller said:

I tried to find more resilient information on the iFi website, thus even they have listened to critics for the new incarnation, their information level still contains 90% marketing phrases ...
but
"Since it’s original release we’ve added more digital filters for your listening pleasure. The NEO iDSD now comes with the GTO, Minimum Phase, Bit-Perfect and Standard filters. "
on the firmware:

Updates:

1. New audio filter functions. To access audio filter functions, long press Input Selection button for 3 seconds to display filter selection (USB and S/PDIF inputs only), turn Volume knob to select a filter mode, then short press Volume knob to confirm and return to main display.
BP=Bit perfect, MIN=Minimum phase, STD=Standard, GTO=GTO
 

However, according to Miska, the BB1793DSD  should not be capable to do both, PCM and DSD in a real NOS mode sans oversampling, iirc.

There seems to be again some magic potion at work - from the iFi engineering&research department.
I would think the best way is to try at the NEO @  home to find out  if you're happy with the outcome ...
 

Yes I can confirm the Neo with the firmware update will allow you to choose between 4 digital filters for PCM. The bitperfect mode while does not oversample is not true NOS without digital filter.

 

dsd is natively supported - no oversampling or processing done as Miska suggested. 

[dericchan1]

5 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I don't know which one of the four it is. I could have tried to figure it out for example based on the output level vs PCM, but I didn't bother.

 

At audio band NEO performs best at DSD256 although the difference to DSD512 is small. DSD512 naturally gives you lower out of band noise though.

 

@Miska So the NEO is priced at $799 USD, I have had owned simultaneously a Chord Qutest, Schiit Bifrost 2, Denafrips Aries 2 for a few months and at the end the NEO stays. 

 

I have had the opportunity to swap with a buddy for a Pontus ii for 2 weeks and could not conclude a final winner. 

 

I would consider switching to any of the above dacs from the NEO a sideway change rather than a clear upgrade.

 

Are there any DACs out there < $2k that would be a clear step above the NEO? Obviously the point is to upgrade without breaking the bank 😂  I feel like an upgrade but not feeling like spending $2k and ending up with something that sounds just slightly different or just a slightest touch cleaner!!!

 

Or I pretty much need to step up to a Spring 3 @ $2199 USD?

[dericchan1]

8 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

I can see the RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition with AKM 4493 for 1444 $ chez Thomann. (plus delivery)

That sounds like a decent deal considering everywhere else is selling this at $1699...

[dericchan1]

3 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

Miska, just for proper understanding:

The Pro with dual AkM4493 chips doesn't do DSD256/DSD512 through digital inputs in dual channel mode?

And only DSD64 in multi channel mode?

Sorry just like to confirm so the rme pro allows multichannel mode? Or do you need more than one rme pro?

[dericchan1]

9 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

DSD256 with DoP requires 705.6/768k PCM. This is what ADI-2 can do. Thus it can do all it's supported formats (DSD256 and 768/32 PCM) on all platforms, including macOS.

 

Hi Miska, can you please advise on a high level what the connection would be for multichannel mode to work?

 

say if I want to do a 2.2 system with digital crossover and separate channels to speakers and separate channels to subwoofers….

 

thanks

 

deric

[dericchan1]

13 minutes ago, Jud said:

Wound up buying the iFi NEO Performance Edition. (Performance Edition comes with iFi’s “Purifiers” for SPDIF and USB. The SPDIF Purifier is big and has a separate wall wart - I just didn’t want to fiddle with it. I preferred the ISO Regen to the USB Purifier.)

 

Got in balanced cables today and running the NEO direct to amp. Really enjoying the way the system sounds, very musical and clear. Different tracks sound different, instruments sound like themselves.

 

One caution about a decision by iFi regarding the default configuration for the DAC: It is switchable between fixed (no volume control) and variable (analogue volume control) output. Mine was set to fixed out of the box. Since I’m running direct to the amp, I got full volume on initial hookup, and am lucky I didn’t blow out my speakers and eardrums . So if you're planning on running direct to amp, be sure you switch to variable output first. (The fact that the volume control numbers change does *not* mean the DAC is set to variable output. That’s what fooled me.)

Glad you enjoy the neo. It’s pretty satisfying to me thats giving me headache as to what to upgrade to really

[dericchan1]

On 12/12/2022 at 5:10 PM, dericchan1 said:

Glad you enjoy the neo. It’s pretty satisfying to me thats giving me headache as to what to upgrade to really

Sorry I have to eat my words from only 2 days ago. I have now upgraded to the IFI Pro IDSD (non signature version) after an offer being accepted!!!!!  So I will be looking to sell the NEO. Cheers!!!

[dericchan1]

Yes, I love the neo so much it pains me to have to sell it… I may just hold on to it for my second system!! It could make quite a nice combo to hook up the neo to a pair of Genelec g1 for the bedroom