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ShareiFi AUDIO micro iDSD Signature DAC and Headphone Amplifier
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The iFi Dragonfly Red DAC/Amp is a great choice for audiophiles looking for a portable DAC/amp that sounds better than cheaper dongles and phones. It has a smooth detailed presentation without much warmth, and is perfect for headphones. It is also affordable and has a neutral tone and filtering, as well as sensitivity and volume controls. However, it is not the best DAC out there and may require a professional audio engineer to get the best sound quality.
Our iDSD Signature DishOur top-of-the-range desktop/transportable DAC and headphone amp will supercharge your tunes. Out of this worldSporting a Space Blue finish and powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, the micro iDSD Signature is a transportable DAC/headphone amp that's ready for anything that the universe thr…
Our iDSD Signature DishOur top-of-the-range desktop/transportable DAC and headphone amp will supercharge your tunes. Out of this worldSporting a Space Blue finish and powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, the micro iDSD Signature is a transportable DAC/headphone amp that's ready for anything that the universe throws at it. Battery power means it's ultra-clean with ultra-stable DC power and avoids the pitfalls of AC mains - dips, spike and noise-inducing RFI/EMI pollution. And with up to 12 hours playing time, depending on the headphones and performance mode engaged, it feels like you could take it to the moon and back. Finely tunedBased around two Burr-Brown DAC chips in a custom 'interleaved' configuration, the digital engine has four pairs of differential signals - two pairs per channel. This means- a lower noise floor- improved channel separation- finer musical detail and micro-dynamicsThe micro iDSD Signature handles up to PCM 768, DSD 512, 2xDXD and MQA. All this is done natively. Both PCM and DSD remain 'bit-perfect'.Precision personifiedExtensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital engine, including iFi's GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and the intelligent memory buffer. The micro iDSD Signature also comes with iFi's GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimized) digital filter installed. Circuit trainingWith up to 4100mW of power the micro iDSD Signature can drive all manner of headphones with aplomb, from highly sensitive in-ear monitors to current hungry planar headphones. The signal path has been refined to maximise sonic texture. High spec components featuring class-leading qualities such as low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance), high stability and low distortion mean top-notch sound quality and maximum musical enjoyment. Add in the direct-coupled nature of the circuit - no coupling capacitor is present - and the micro iDSD Signature definitely runs rings around the competition. Versatile sonic tailoringOne size no longer fits all when it comes to quality listening. The digital stage of the micro iDSD Signature features a variety of filter settings:- 'Standard', 'Minimum Phase' and 'Bit-Perfect' for PCM files- 'Standard Bandwidth', 'Extended Bandwidth' and 'Extreme Bandwidth' for DSDThe amp stage also has three settings to adjust power and gain. As well as 'Normal', you get- 'Turbo' to ramp up the level of drive for current-hungry headphones- 'Eco' to dial down the power to suit high-sensitivity in-ear monitors and/or to extend battery lifeComplete this with our iEMatch technology that adjusts output level and our XBass+ and 3D+ signature sonic tweaks, and the micro iDSD Signature is flexible to the max. Get connectedThe micro iDSD Signature features two digital audio inputs - USB Type-A and an S/PDIF socket that accepts both electrical, via a 3.5mm connector, and optical signals - adapter supplied. It also houses a pair of RCA analogue outputs to connect to a pair of powered speakers or a power amp to act as a DAC.There is a 6.3mm output for headphones that have a standard single-ended connector (headphones with a 3.5mm jack can be connected using an adapter) and a 4.4mm Pentaconn output for headphones offering our S-Balanced connection. Both headphone outputs utilise our 'S-Balanced' output circuitry. This delivers the sonic benefits of balanced connections with all headphone/earphone types - even those with single-ended connectors - cutting crosstalk and associated distortion in half. Burr-Brown MultiBitThe Burr-Brown True Native chipset means file formats remain unchanged or 'bit-perfect'. This means you are listening to music as the artist intended in the format in which it was recorded. At iFi we use Burr Brown extensively in our products having selected it for its natural-sounding 'musicality' and True Native architecture. Our experience with this IC means we know how to make the most of it. DAC chipsDoubling the DAC chips results in 3dB lower noise floor and better channel separation. Together with power supply advancements and advanced channel interleaving, the noise floor has been halved. All of this equals stellar sonic performance. Hi-res audioHi-res audio support is state-of-the-art with True Native playback. It handles PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and single and double speed DXD.Thanks to the Burr-Brown DAC chip's four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways - this enables DSD, as well as PCM, to remain 'bit-perfect' in its native form right through to analogue conversion. This is not the case with all DAC devices from other brands - even if DSD compatibility is stated, many such DACs convert DSD signals to PCM.MQAListen to Master Quality Authenticated audio straight out of the box. Connect to Tidal Masters and check the option to stream MQA.MQA is an award-winning audio technology that enables music fans to stream the original master recording into their home, car or on their mobile. In the words of Gilbert
AI-powered Review Insight
Review summary
The iFi Dragonfly Red DAC/Amp is a great choice for audiophiles looking for a portable DAC/amp that sounds better than cheaper dongles and phones. It has a smooth detailed presentation without much warmth, and is perfect for headphones. It is also affordable and has a neutral tone and filtering, as well as sensitivity and volume controls. However, it is not the best DAC out there and may require a professional audio engineer to get the best sound quality.
Pros
- Smooth, detailed presentation
- Good for headphones
- Affordable price
- Good sound quality
- Adjustable sensitivity
Cons
- Lacks bass extension
- Slightly artificially smooth in mids
- Lacks highs with highs
- Limited EQ adjustment
Description
Our iDSD Signature DishOur top-of-the-range desktop/transportable DAC and headphone amp will supercharge your tunes. Out of this worldSporting a Space Blue finish and powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, the micro iDSD Signature is a transportable DAC/headphone amp that's ready for anything that the universe throws at it. Battery power means it's ultra-clean with ultra-stable DC power and avoids the pitfalls of AC mains - dips, spike and noise-inducing RFI/EMI pollution. And with up to 12 hours playing time, depending on the headphones and performance mode engaged, it feels like you could take it to the moon and back. Finely tunedBased around two Burr-Brown DAC chips in a custom 'interleaved' configuration, the digital engine has four pairs of differential signals - two pairs per channel. This means- a lower noise floor- improved channel separation- finer musical detail and micro-dynamicsThe micro iDSD Signature handles up to PCM 768, DSD 512, 2xDXD and MQA. All this is done natively. Both PCM and DSD remain 'bit-perfect'.Precision personifiedExtensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital engine, including iFi's GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and the intelligent memory buffer. The micro iDSD Signature also comes with iFi's GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimized) digital filter installed. Circuit trainingWith up to 4100mW of power the micro iDSD Signature can drive all manner of headphones with aplomb, from highly sensitive in-ear monitors to current hungry planar headphones. The signal path has been refined to maximise sonic texture. High spec components featuring class-leading qualities such as low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance), high stability and low distortion mean top-notch sound quality and maximum musical enjoyment. Add in the direct-coupled nature of the circuit - no coupling capacitor is present - and the micro iDSD Signature definitely runs rings around the competition. Versatile sonic tailoringOne size no longer fits all when it comes to quality listening. The digital stage of the micro iDSD Signature features a variety of filter settings:- 'Standard', 'Minimum Phase' and 'Bit-Perfect' for PCM files- 'Standard Bandwidth', 'Extended Bandwidth' and 'Extreme Bandwidth' for DSDThe amp stage also has three settings to adjust power and gain. As well as 'Normal', you get- 'Turbo' to ramp up the level of drive for current-hungry headphones- 'Eco' to dial down the power to suit high-sensitivity in-ear monitors and/or to extend battery lifeComplete this with our iEMatch technology that adjusts output level and our XBass+ and 3D+ signature sonic tweaks, and the micro iDSD Signature is flexible to the max. Get connectedThe micro iDSD Signature features two digital audio inputs - USB Type-A and an S/PDIF socket that accepts both electrical, via a 3.5mm connector, and optical signals - adapter supplied. It also houses a pair of RCA analogue outputs to connect to a pair of powered speakers or a power amp to act as a DAC.There is a 6.3mm output for headphones that have a standard single-ended connector (headphones with a 3.5mm jack can be connected using an adapter) and a 4.4mm Pentaconn output for headphones offering our S-Balanced connection. Both headphone outputs utilise our 'S-Balanced' output circuitry. This delivers the sonic benefits of balanced connections with all headphone/earphone types - even those with single-ended connectors - cutting crosstalk and associated distortion in half. Burr-Brown MultiBitThe Burr-Brown True Native chipset means file formats remain unchanged or 'bit-perfect'. This means you are listening to music as the artist intended in the format in which it was recorded. At iFi we use Burr Brown extensively in our products having selected it for its natural-sounding 'musicality' and True Native architecture. Our experience with this IC means we know how to make the most of it. DAC chipsDoubling the DAC chips results in 3dB lower noise floor and better channel separation. Together with power supply advancements and advanced channel interleaving, the noise floor has been halved. All of this equals stellar sonic performance. Hi-res audioHi-res audio support is state-of-the-art with True Native playback. It handles PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and single and double speed DXD.Thanks to the Burr-Brown DAC chip's four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways - this enables DSD, as well as PCM, to remain 'bit-perfect' in its native form right through to analogue conversion. This is not the case with all DAC devices from other brands - even if DSD compatibility is stated, many such DACs convert DSD signals to PCM.MQAListen to Master Quality Authenticated audio straight out of the box. Connect to Tidal Masters and check the option to stream MQA.MQA is an award-winning audio technology that enables music fans to stream the original master recording into their home, car or on their mobile. In the words of Gilbert
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