iFi Digital Audio Products

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[Badas]

^

How sweet is that?

Really cool. They make nice looking gear.

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in the iFi Lounge, at work, listening to:



FLAC 96/24 @ 3298Kbps, Soul Lament for them Chitlins Con Carne!

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at work, in the iFi Lounge getting ready for a massive Pec/Lat workout, listening to:



FLAC 96/24 @ 3116Kbps, well, Benny & The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; lets live in Harmony!

[HedgeHog]

I just got the iDSD micro and I'm using it as a desktop DAC with occasional usage with my headphones (late night). So I have a few questions for the experienced.

1) When connected via the RCA out to my Focal Alpha 65 active studio monitors, powering the iDSD up makes a super loud “pop”. I fear this will damage the speakers. Is there anything that can be done to alleviate this? I am super nervous about connecting the Audezes up to it if this persists.
2) I set the outputs to Preamplifier mode so I could control the volume with the iDSD. Is this the preferred method (I have the PC output set to 100)?
3) I also noticed that at lower volume (9 o’clock), the right channel is very soft when compared to the left. Once I get to 10 or 11 o’clock it evens out. Is this normal?
4) How do I swap between line out and headphone out? I was hoping that I could just plug my headphones in and it will automatically bypass the RCA out but it seems it will always play out the speakers. (I have the iDSD really like a desktop DAC/pre-amp).

Thx in advance.

-Hedwig

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by HedgeHog

I just got the iDSD micro and I'm using it as a desktop DAC with occasional usage with my headphones (late night). So I have a few questions for the experienced.

1) When connected via the RCA out to my Focal Alpha 65 active studio monitors, powering the iDSD up makes a super loud “pop”. I fear this will damage the speakers. Is there anything that can be done to alleviate this? I am super nervous about connecting the Audezes up to it if this persists.
2) I set the outputs to Preamplifier mode so I could control the volume with the iDSD. Is this the preferred method (I have the PC output set to 100)?
3) I also noticed that at lower volume (9 o’clock), the right channel is very soft when compared to the left. Once I get to 10 or 11 o’clock it evens out. Is this normal?
4) How do I swap between line out and headphone out? I was hoping that I could just plug my headphones in and it will automatically bypass the RCA out but it seems it will always play out the speakers. (I have the iDSD really like a desktop DAC/pre-amp).

Thx in advance.

-Hedwig

i have the iDSD NANO, i'm not sure how different it is from the micro. i also never use mine for headphones, only as a DAC for music from a standalone netbook pc. i also have the iUSB Power filter between the pc & the DAC. i have never heard a pop or a strange noise output to my speakers.

does this popping happen everytime you turn it on (from being completely off) or was it only the first time (or only once) that it happened? i never turn my iDSD off either, i never turn my dedicated netbook pc off either and everything is connected to a UPS. i have an external intergrated amp that i use to control the volume. i have the volume on my iDSD set to about 3-3:30 position.

have you tried disconnecting everything from the DAC, except the headphones and turned it on (from being completely off) and was there a popping then?

have you another source of signal that you can connect to your focals via RCA, then turn the source on (from completely off) and does it too make a popping sound? if so, it just might be the speakers.

if everything seems cool on the other end, you can always contact iFi customer service to see how they can help you out.

sorry about the problem(s), good luck, keep us posted.

[frogmeat69]

I have my iDSD Micro set to direct, RCA out to my powered speakers, and use the volume control on my speakers, pc volume set to 100, no pop of any kind. When I use my headphones I get a slight pop, but it's not loud. I turn the iDSD knob just far enough to turn it on, it makes the sound, then all is okay after. Hope that helps, let us know i it gets better.

[HedgeHog]

Thx for the suggestions.

So I've been communicating with Focal and iFi regarding this and iFi told me that their DAC outputs quite a higher voltage than expected (up to 5v instead of the typical 1 or 2V line out); hence the pop.

The Focal Alpha series does not have any volume control so it cannot attenuate any incoming signal. I was looking into either the Rothwell or Harrison Labs in-line attenuators (l-pads?). But someone on Head Fi mentioned that solving my headphone playback scenario may be done with a source selection switch. When it goes from iDSD out to no connection, I should be able to use the headphone and then back to line out when I want to hear it from the speakers. Really, this is just an Rube Goldbergian way of unplugging the two RCA cables.

Anyway, Schiit Audio's SYS may come to my rescue. They told me I can connect it "backwards". So iDSD line out to Schiit SYS RCA out and SYS line in 1 to powered speakers and nothing connected to line in 2. So switching to 2 is like unplugging the RCA. And it's volume control should attenuate the signal to a compatible level between the iDSD and Focal Alphas. Fingers are crossed!

Thx again. And keep the music list coming...I tend to get ideas from other people listening suggestions!


Here are 3 vids showing the pop on power on/off as well as the clicks during playback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x9K...ature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn2j...=youtu.be&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-RZ...ature=youtu.be

[solarrdadd]

howdy people, long time no post! well, here i am, at work, in the iFi Lounge, enjoying some breakfast with eggs, sausage, oatmeal with fruit and coffee and to round out my spiritual nutritional needs:



192/24 FLAC @ 6755Kbps, smooth as Jenny Douglas's left cheek!

[solarrdadd]

at work, in the air conditioned iFi Lounge having my nerves mellowed out listening to:

Dvorak_Sym_8_Kertesz.jpg

DSD64 @ 5644Kbps G major baby, G major!

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at work, in the cool of things, working on reports, in the iFi lounge listening to:



DSD256 @ 22,579Kbps

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in the iFi lounge, currently being soothed by:



DSD64 @ 5644Kbps Dance Snow Maidens, DANCE!

[solarrdadd]

well, it's a workout day today, i'm in the iFi Lounge, at work, listening to:



FLAC 96/24 @ 2948Kbps.........Hey Nineteen, my Babylon Sisters, Shake it!

[solarrdadd]

at work, on a hot f'n Monday, in the cool of the iFi Lounge, listening to:

B Brew.jpg


FLAC 96/24 @ 2864Kbps truly the Pharoah's Dance!

[solarrdadd]

well, here i am, back at the job, in the iFi Lounge, Monday morning, listening to:



FLAC 96/24 @ 3035Kbps we are, in Search For The New Land!

[solarrdadd]

well, it's a workout day, a power day, i'm here in the iFi Lounge at work, mellowing out to:



FLAC 88.2/24 @ 2970Kbps at BIRDLAND, we go, One By One!

[solarrdadd]

I'm currently streaming this in the iFi Lounge



FLAC 88.2/24 @ 2817kbps

[solarrdadd]

it's been a while, but, the iFi Lounge is still movin & grooving! I'm here, right now, on a Monday morning doin the damn thang!

currently playing in the iFi Lounge:



WMALL 44.1/16 @ 905Kbps chillin, on the East River Drive!

[solarrdadd]

howdy. I'm at my office, lights up in the iFi Lounge, I'm chillin, in the cut, tappin my foot to:



FLAC 192/24 @ 6280Kbps Groovy Baby, Yeah!

[solarrdadd]

Scott, may your somewhat troubled soul rest and find the peace it might not necessarily have found in life. RIP Scott Weiland, STP

"Time to Take Her Home, Her Dizzy Head is Conscience Laden, Time to Wait Too Long, To Wait Too Long, To Wait Too Long.........Conversations Kill."