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| Justin Bieber, "Believe" available at Apple iTunes Music. |
Aside from the iFi Logo, which resembles either a hanging lamp (think the Lamplighter ala Le Petite Prince) or a hangman contrap, minus the i, the best or most prominent feature set of the iFi Nano iDSD DAC ($179.00 USD) or Digital to Analogue Converter to us is the resemblement to a tooth-paste cap of the volume control knob.
The chastity belt?
Rather than travel for sex, we played with the iFi Nano iDSD. It was a nice building, of Surrey, we could of visited. The Hundreds. To which, follows this review.
High Definition
The iFi website was down for not one, but more than one days. So, we were not able to test their claim that it plays High Definition music files, despite it's lack of dynamic range. We played "High Definition" (6:07) by Rick Ross. That had nice video! Typical Rick Rosse. Classé.
The tie fighter?
Despite our claim that it is not a Headphone Amplifier (<1W), and it does not function as well as the FiiO Olympus in this respect, with the same headphones and source files, if you run it with 1/3rd volume an the Fostex TH-600 Headphone (to Darth Vader Tie Fighter compliment it's X-Wing look) it will sufficiently play proper bass on Rick Ross's "Diced Pineapples" when the track hits (1:07).
A proper playlist for the iDSD should begin with "High Definition" and "Diced Pineapples" is a good place to start. Perhaps, after visiting the new Rolex Boutique in the Shangrila Hotel, and witnessing the platinum watch, we were in a better mood to take the Rick Ross Rolex strap (necklace).
It was a Jewelry Day. Tiffany has a nice $7M stone. Talked of Yellow and Pink diamonds. Gentleman ID.
We re-looked the shoes of Steffano Richi, too. Nice shoes.
Our first day play list included Die Antwoord, due to the iFi's missing bits in the word length. "Rich Bitch" might be the right one, but we played "Baby's on Fire" - wow we noticed it had a JP - and "Fatty Boom Boom" with all the usual regular headphones ... HiFiMan HE-300, AKG Q701, etc.
Wow, we noticed, that we had a AKG K550. Hadn't seen that in a long time. Wonder where our Sennheiser HD650 is?
No point in bringing out and putting in our Ferrari's in Black and Tan, either yet, as we haven't visited Jason Rickerby yet, and that will follow in a subsequent review.
The Ricker or the Vicker, hmm? Jack the trip.
Now, to not be a knob, let us go over the specifications ...
Power Output: 130 mW.
That isn't 1 W, so that means it's not a headphone amplifier. It may function, subsequently, to suitably power the Sennhesier IE 800 In-Ear Headphones ($799.00 USD).
There is something not good, but romantic about the numbers.
@ 16 ohms
That's like an old-fashioned speaker. Think Jadis Eurytheme II!
Dynamic Range: 104 dB.
That's like a high-sensitivity (Klipsch) speaker, though. Actually, that's the exact same sensitivity as the Klipschorn (35 - 17,000 Hz) of Hope, Arkansas. Think Star Wars IV, a New Hope. We talked about it and the Dearth Star.
While the iFi iDSD advertises itself to be a 32-bit device, it is actually a 17.27 (a bit better than .25) bit device. This means it will play CD and DSD with aplomb.
It will fail however, to replay 32-bits of dynamic range or resolution (192.66 dB), and also fail at 24-bit replay, which would need 144.49 dB of DR.
Ok. No Empire Death Star. More X-Wing that Tie-Figher in-design.
If you have a speaker, like the Klipschorn, and aged electronics, like Jadis, it should be fine.
THD: .005%.
That's in the range of a Sony ES (0,004%). Reference: TA-N55ES Power Amplifier.
output impedance 1 ohm
Playlist:
Bit-depth is everything, in a world of reduced hearing frequency, thus this playlist will aptly demonstrate ...
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| Nikka From the Barrel Japanese Whisky |
1. Die Antwoord, "Ugly Boy" (4:52 duration), TEN$ION.
For the Ugly Boy video, the voices are natural (in the introduction), but the instrumentation (last Ninja SID implementation) is suspect synthology, as was the original C64.
As a comparison companion liquor, we recommend Nikka From the Barrel ($60 CDN).
Do we like it better? It provides increased detail over the AudioEngine D1.
Switching to the AKG Q701 Headphone ($ £349.99 GBP USD) and placing on the desk, it plays quietly nicely and much nicer than the tinny loudspeakers which may be typically used with your on-board audio circuitry.
Listen to "Alien" (Mount Ninji and Da Nice Time Kid), alternatively.
Like the Q701, this (the iFi Nano iDSD DAC) could be recommend as the basic device (hi-fi) which does everything. It's 70% of the Sennheiser HDVD 800 DAC / Headphone Amplifier ($2,199.00 USD), just as the Q701 is 70% of the Sennhsier HD 800 Headphone ($1,399.95 USD).
We prefer the tonality of the onboard Intel Audio of the HP Pavillion a6152n.
2. Die Antwoord, "Pitbull Terrier" (4m:19s), TEN$ION.
This video is much more exciting.
Alternatively, listen to Beat Boy with the HiFiMan HE-300 Dynamic Headphones ($249.00 USD) at Maximum volume (Maximum Overdrive). Put them firmly on your ears.
ok.
3. Die Antwoord, "Baby's on Fire." (6:55s), TEN$ION.
The basic premise is that device device is capable of DSD 1x replay, but as the back of the box so aptly demonstrates a 104 dB DNR dynamic range is not capable of presenting DSD (120 dB), DXD (144 dB) - What Kyk Jy - but we can recommend it for replaying reduced bit depth recordings.
We've listened to Radio Paradise, and found it just fine with our in-board Intel Audio and Stax 007/007t.
If you are into folding, get into baking, but MQA, as a reduced-bit-depth medium should be fine (if CPU processed) on the iFi!
For those seeking a DA to compliment a Class C+ recommended device like the Stax 007 Omega 2 Electrostatic Earspeaker / 007t Omega 2 Electrostatic Earspeaker Tube Amplifier, we recommend this device as fully and perfectly sufficient. We'd rate it solid class G for Good!
Typically, we would use Justin Bieber's "All Around the World (feat. Ludacris)", "Take You" and "Right Here feat Drake" tracks, our standard loudspeaker test material for loudspeakers such as the Focal Grande III EM (see review) for such reviews.
We chose not to use such material as the increased resolution (although reduced tonality) of the iFi DA chose to render it tinaly. Nice. Good with beer!
What a great res-lution. Perfect for the rez-room!
Ok, you can use it to power your tinny speakers!
We purchased the iFi Nano iDSD DAC ($179.00 USD) at The Headphone Bar for $149.00 CDN from $269.00 CDN. With sales-tax it is $166.88 CDN, a lucky number (88). We are not sure of the 66, however!
Sound: 20/100 (does not do 24-bit, nor 32-bit, nor DSD as advertised. This is a pre-iFi device!)
Value: 60/100 (this is fine value) in the real world, this is worth $20.00 CDN. If you were a real man, you would buy one for $20.00, and buy another 10, and sell for $200!
Total Points: 80/200
For us, the iFi Nano iDSD DAC ($179.00 USD) is a Toothpaste Cap.
As it outputs RCA, it may make a perfect companion to the Apple iPad.
We like a recommend the iFi MyDSD as a basic Hi Fi (Fidelity) device.
JP 2017/08/02
www.hifiart.ca
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