Don’t feel like you must exclusively use the balanced 4.4mm output option unless you already have balanced aftermarket cables. The performance was excellent from both the standard ¼” jack and the 4.4mm balanced jack. I was able to play high-energy electronic music at a satisfying volume for 12 hours before the red battery light started flashing, indicating less than 10% battery life remaining. I tested the real-world battery life on the Eco setting with my Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 headphones. If you need additional power, it’s available with a flick of the switch to “Normal” or “Turbo” levels. Power levels were effectively limitless, even on the lowest “Eco” setting, which I imagine will be more than enough for most listeners. I knew I would be in for a treat when I connected my higher-end headphones. They sounded better than ever! I don’t use these headphones often because their sound quality is nothing special, but the iDSD Signature elevated their performance to new heights. I began evaluating the headphone amplifier’s performance with my entry-level $100 Koss Pro4S headphones. Bass energy was less boisterous than the SA8004’s presentation but exhibited admirable agility and speed. Treble clarity and presence were spot-on, and never sounded harsh or shrill even with the volume cranked up. I heard a distinct three-dimensional quality to the midrange, with discernable layering and textures. The sound quality easily matched, and in some areas exceeded, that of the SA8004. To understand the DAC’s performance before trying the headphone amplifier, I unplugged the USB cable from my Marantz SA8004 DAC and connected it to the iDSD Signature. I found the latter to be well-implemented on the iDSD Signature, with no perceptible loss of fidelity or tonal changes when engaged. The XBass setting is indispensable it’s one of my favorite features on iFi’s headphone amplifiers.Īlso present from the iCAN are three selectable power output settings, as well as the IEMatch feature to fine-tune your listening experience. The XBass setting remains an essential feature, perfectly bolstering the low-end frequency response of your headphones. This is a more simplistic and straightforward implementation of these two features versus the flagship iCAN’s ability to engage and fine-tune them. IFi’s ubiquitous XBass and 3D+ features are accessible via on/off toggle switches directly to the left of the main volume knob. There was no chassis flex or other failure-prone weak points that I could see. All it took was few moments of holding it to validate its robust build quality. The metal enclosure, finished in a slightly textured space-blue finish, felt solid in my hands. Weighing in at just over a half-pound, the compact chassis exhibited almost no discernable heat output while in use. It’s also aimed at those who are new to the world of audiophile headphone listening and want a complete setup that uses the least amount of room. However, it also features fixed-volume RCA outputs which means that you can use it as a traditional USB DAC with any preamp. The company markets the micro iDSD Signature toward music lovers who primarily use a mobile phone or tablet as their source. Keep reading to see if the $649 micro iDSD Signature matches the performance a full-sized desktop setup costing over 5 times as much. I took a close look at the iDSD Signature’s feature set and most importantly, its sound quality, to see how it stacked up against my reference SPL Phonitor X headphone amplifier ($2,499) and Marantz SA8004 DAC ($999). “Signature” edition implies polish and fine-tuning – the best version to date.
#Idvd 11 review portable
The micro iDSD Signature is the new version of the company’s previous portable DAC and headphone amp, the micro iDSD Black Label. It was even more interesting to see which of the iCAN’s high-end features and technology show up in iFi’s more-affordable headphone products. It was exciting to review iFi’s flagship headphone amplifier. I reviewed the $1,799 iCAN last October, and I wanted to see how close the iDSD Signature came to its high level of performance – at less than half the price. The design uses technology from the iCAN, iFi’s flagship headphone amplifier. The iFi Audio micro iDSD Signature ($649) is a compact battery-powered DAC and headphone amplifier.
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