iFi iDSD Black Review (watch this space)

Tyson · « **on:** 8 Dec 2016, 12:27 am »

EDIT - Full review is now up! Here you go - http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=147750.msg1580429#msg1580429

Alright, I just got in the new iFi iDSD Black, which I'll be comparing to my 2 year old iFi iDSD Silver, which has been my primary DAC over the past 2 years.

More to come....

Edit - the people at iFi tell me it takes about 500 hours for the Black to break in, I've got almost 200 hours on it now and I'm running it 24/7 so it should be just another 10 days or so to go.

wushuliu · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 01:23 am »

Subscribed

Phil A · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 02:16 am »

Looking forward to it

JerryM · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 02:27 am »

Here's hoping the break in goes down easy.

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 03:00 am »

Standing by!

jparkhur · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 03:04 am »

I love my dac2 so interested to see what you think of blk

rodge827 · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 03:29 am »

Awesome very interested in your findings!

JakeJ · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 04:08 am »

Thinkin' about getting one of these for a desktop rig and as a portable system paired with cans and a DAP.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 04:22 am »

Down the road I can shoot you my Mojo if you want to compare the two. Be curious to hear how they compare. Great inexpensive audio gear out there.

Nick77 · « **Reply #9 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 12:45 pm »

Looks interesting.........

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/11/ifi-audios-black-label-micro-idsd-can-go-everywhere-you-do/

jparkhur · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 01:26 pm »

What is the biggest difference between idac2 and idsd dac?

wushuliu · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 02:32 pm »

Quote from: jparkhur on 8 Dec 2016, 01:26 pm

What is the biggest difference between idac2 and idsd dac?

Dac2 is a dedicated dac. No battery no headphone amp.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 02:58 pm »

I will watch with interest, as I frequently look to pick up good items like this when they are 1-2 years out of current, and the depreciation has been taken by someone else!

Looking forward to it.

rollo · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 03:05 pm »

iFi is making some very good and interesting products like this DAC. Their accessories for USB, power and SPDIF connection are very impressive spec. wise.
The iDSD Black should sound better than the silver.

charles

brother love · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 03:47 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 8 Dec 2016, 02:32 pm

Dac2 is a dedicated dac. No battery no headphone amp.

One big distinction: the iDAC2 handles up to DSD256/ PCM384 whereas the iDSD does DSD512/ PCM768.

After getting HQPlayer & upsampling to DSD128 with my Gustard X20u, I see the future (at least mine anyway). I compared previous Decibel 16/44 sampling to HQPlayer DSD128 upsampling, & it was literally a night & day difference (the word gobsmacked comes to mind).

Only problem is in order to get DSD512 upsampling, you need a DAC capable of that & a SOTA computer with a 4 GHz processor & latest Windows OS.

Hopefully Tyson can take the iDSD BL to its highest capabilities as part of his review. Regardless, I'm looking forward to his findings.

Tyson · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 06:46 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 8 Dec 2016, 04:22 am

Down the road I can shoot you my Mojo if you want to compare the two. Be curious to hear how they compare. Great inexpensive audio gear out there.

Heck yeah!! I'd love to do that. In fact, if anyone wants to have it compared to any other piece of gear, let me know and I'd be happy to do it.

Brotherlove, I do upsample right now using Jriver on my server. I upsample anything that's 44, 88, or 176 to 352khz, while anything that's 48, 96, or 192 to 384kh. I find that if you keep the multiples evenly divisible by the original sample size, it sounds better. I haven't tried anything higher than that, but maybe I should....

brother love · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Dec 2016, 07:26 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 8 Dec 2016, 06:46 pm

... I upsample anything that's 44, 88, or 176 to 352khz, while anything that's 48, 96, or 192 to 384kh. I find that if you keep the multiples evenly divisible by the original sample size, it sounds better. I haven't tried anything higher than that, but maybe I should....

For me, the diff in PCM 384k Hz to DSD128/ 5.6 MHz was not as huge a leap, but still better. I know, let's do some YouTube videos & compare!

I can't exceed DSD128 (bound by OS-X DoP max & processor-limited 2011Mac Mini), but sources I trust say that DSD512 upsampling is a major improvement esp. w/ Windows 10 Pro.

I have an iTube & am very impressed w/ iFi Audio. They use the Burr-Brown chips in the iDSD which I always liked (had a Rotel CD player that implemented them nicely). Interested to see how much of an improvement that you hear w/ the BL-version.

zybar · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Dec 2016, 01:07 am »

What's the list and street price of the iDSD BL?

George

mr_bill · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Dec 2016, 01:15 am »

Retail - $550.
Street price - good luck

Tyson · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Dec 2016, 08:18 pm »

Quick update on how things are going. Man this thing is taking for ever to burn in. Per iFi, they put 48 hours of burn in before sending any units out. I got it a week ago and have been running it 24/7 since then. The entire past week it's been alternating between being etched/sharp sounding one day, and completely muffled the next day.

However, TODAY there's been a break in the clouds and it's sounding marvelous - open, clear and musical. And with a lot more boogie and jump factor than my old iFi Silver iDSD.

I'm sure this won't last because per iFi, full burn in takes about 500 hours. But so far the 200 hour mark has been pretty awesome.