I’ve been spending some time with the iFi stack, and I really like this setup. Sound quality will come with a proper evaluation, but this has to be the most versatile setup. The Pro iDSD in particular is super interesting - especially for those who are primarily listening in their living room, and not constantly at the computer. In a way its versatility is also ideal for reviewers like me. The sort of jack of all trades idea makes it able to handle just about any headphone, everything from power hungry planars to sensitive IEMs.
The main reason to buy the Pro iDSD though in my opinion would still be for its use as a streamer. I’ve never really had a chance (or a reason) to try this type of device, since most of my listening does happen at my desk. But I keep thinking of more and more situations where this concept would be extremely useful. If I had to nitpick at the moment, I’m not confident the DSD resampler does all that much to impart tangible differences. I’ve never really been into the DSD stuff to begin with, but this just kind of makes me once again ask… why?
In any case, even if you’re not convinced by the DSD idea, it’s still an interesting product.
If this is your first experience with a streaming device, don’t let this put you off - as it is quite poor in that regard compared to the experience of most such units (even RPi based units running stock audio/streamer builds).
Also, have they implemented the OpenHome extensions for DLNA/UPnP yet?
Gapless playback is a problem without that.
I was really disappointed they went with LinkPlay as the streaming solution. No Roon support (their half-assed bridge app is nothing like an actual Roon experience, right down to doubling up bandwidth requirements and having to do protocol conversions before ever reaching the DAC), and a janky app for the native part.
Yeah that’s my main worry. My general use case isn’t necessarily what this is designed for. So I think the evaluation has to anticipate that whoever is using it for those qualities gets what they’re expecting, and then consider its performance for sonic qualities - if that’s worth it. I’m currently just using it at my desk plugged in through USB, and just imagining what it would be like if I could have this in my living room with a nice chair and some scotch.
Strictly as a DAC, I don’t know if this would be worth it over an RME ADI-2 or something similar.
It’s a complex thing to review and evaluate, for sure.
There’s the raw DAC. The headphone output (in both SS and tube modes). The replay from local storage (SD card) … including the app that drives that. How it acts as a streamer. How well it works in DLNA/UPnP mode. The myriad control-point apps that are available there. And then the Roon bridge app (if you run Windows … otherwise no Roon for you!).
I love streamers.
My first was, well, pretty much THE first, the Linn Akurate DSM (I skipped the Arkiva product line). And they added the OpenHome stuff to the DLNA/UPnP stack back in, oh, 2008 I think.
Having seen how polished and focused the Matrix Element:X is (and even their entry level heapdhone-output equipped unit), there was a lot with the Pro iDSD that left me shaking my head.
Especially where they’re both only available in silver (understandable with iFi … as that’s the case with the entire Pro line).
Have fun with it!
I shall not say a word about its sonic performance here so as not to taint any expectations one way or another!
Nice review! Can’t disagree with you on your assessment.
I think I mentioned it before in one of the iFi threads but I do wish they would serve move of the “mid-range” better with some of their products (right now feels like it goes from Zen to Pro with a couple pieces in between). A standalone version of the pro-iDSD would be nice, strip off some of the extras and price it close to the Qutest.
less of a Burr Brown- ish sound? Makes me sad
I am a huge ifi fan.
The silver boxes with all the knobs, switches and special functions…
A simple DAC only box could be a thing.
On the other hand it would loose it’s ifi-nesse
If one wants a sub 1k wonderful sounding DAC, get the Bifrost 2 and choose between black or silver
That’s what I did!!! Can’t wait for it, I have the technical somewhat sterile SMSL SU-8 with the SMSL THX for a more technical experience if you will, then the iFi IDSD Micro Black label for a powerful lovely listening experience anywhere I go really, and soon the LYR 3/Bifrost to hopefully get a similar enjoyment experience next to the chair!
I was wondering how you were going to tackle the raw amount of functionality and flexibility these units have, especially reviewing them as a stack/together. So that was quite neatly navigated.
I did get the impression, initially, that you didn’t think there were actually tubes in the input stage of these units. There are, of course. Minor point of clarity. But, yes, the glow isn’t directly from the tubes.
And it is always interesting to see how iFi’s marketing/commentary is interpreted … especially on some of the technical minutiae, in this case regarding their use of the term “multibit”.
On the DAC(s) being “multi-bit” - that’s a bit of misnomer. Pretty much ALL modern D/S converters use a partial multi-bit component in the modulator. There IS a multi-bit register in the DAC (I believe it’s 6 bits in these Burr-Brown chips), but the conversion is still all D/S … it just changes how the noise-shaping is done and how much noise has to be shaped/recovered to signal.
It is nothing like how multi-bit conversion is done in a pure-multi-bit DAC (direct conversion from sample bit pattern to current output) such as the Schiit, Soekris, Metrum, Holo Audio or similar DACs.
I thought your comments on value, and how the level of functionally a user will actually employ affect that were spot on.
Yeah that’s my concern as well. I’ve seen ‘multibit’ being thrown around for a lot of DACs - even ones I’d consider inferior to this one - so I didn’t want it to seem like that was the defining characteristic of the DAC.
