Loaner: iFi xDSD

Discussion in 'Closed Loaners' started by Vansen, Jun 6, 2018.

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  1. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    no driver install BS is required with a mac laptop.
    if iFi supplied drivers are a problem with Windows users, I would recommend that details be provided to iFi support so they can test and verify the myriad of stupidity that happens with the Windows OS.
     
  2. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Hmmm, that's wierd. We don't get complains about our drivers to be honest as the route to handle them is straightforward. But if there are any issues, our support staff helps in a jiffy here: http://support.ifi-audio.com
     
  3. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Received the xDSD this morning!
     
  4. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    Let me know when you want to hand it off and I'll run over and pick it up, if that works for you.
     
  5. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Does Friday work?
     
  6. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    Yep.
     
  7. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    iFi recommends for lowest possible noise floor, to not have the battery charging while listening.
     
  8. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    I concur.
    I have a "smart" 8 outlet with USB ports at work; plugging in headphones while charging the xDSD with those ports create a very loud periodic noise in my Andromeda with IEMatch on Ultra :rolleyes:.

    I can still hear a very faint noise when running in USB DAC mode offthe battery, when setting the IEMatch to High. Like pulsing noise.

    Granted, not many DAC and/or amps are quiet with the Andro and IEMatch on High. The Chord Mojo was. So is... Vali 2. The MCTH certainly isn't, but it produces more or a white noise than the pulsing noise of the xDSD.
     
  9. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    what is the source when running in USB DAC mode off the battery?
    my Andros + IEMatch (high) and a MacBook Pro 13" (USB-C adapter) had no faint noises or pulsing noise coming from the xDSD while in battery mode.

    will listen for this again once the xDSD works it's way back.
     
  10. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

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    I was experiencing the same noise as @Clemmaster. I was using a Late-2012 Retina MacBook Pro as source one and a Dell Precision 5520 as source two and I could not get it to go away.

    I was going to try new drivers on Windows, but Cisco's Talos platform flags the driver package as a Trojan. There's nothing I can do about that, even with active directory domain admin privileges.
     
  11. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Tried the charging thing again at work.

    No noise in USB mode even on High this morning, after bringing the unit from home.

    It seems like it's only after I plug it in the USB charger that the noise appears and then persists for a while after unplugging the charger.

    When shutting off the device and turning it back on, the noise is absent in USB mode.
     
  12. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    I picked this up on Friday from Clemmaster.
     
  13. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Yup, listening while the product is charging at the same time might introduce mild amount of noise. Other than that, any humm/buzz/hiss shouldn't be present even with very sensitive IEMs.
     
  14. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    The "issue" is that the pulsing noise remains after unplugging the USB charger.
     
  15. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    received safely and charging the unit up tonight. will check for "pulsing noise", which I did not hear prior to loaner start and report back in the impressions thread.
    xDSD being returned to iFi at RMAF.
    thanks all!

    @Vansen can you please lock and archive?
     
  16. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Many thanks to all participants btw.!
     
  17. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    We'll need to investigate this internally. Again, this noise shouldn't occur.
     
  18. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    honestly, with Andromedas in (no IEMatch) and a source connected, I can't hear any pulsing noise at all!
    with no music playing, there is slight air - but no "hiss" until the volume knob is in the RED at max 100% vol.

    there IS noise if turning on the xDSD on and NOT connected to a source, neither bluetooth or USB.
    the background noise remains until a source is connected, usb cable inserted or bluetooth paired.
    so I'm guessing that is what is being reported, noise during no source.

    that, or perhaps in certain environments the shielding of the case is not sufficient to block high EMF or cell radio waves or ?? that's not been my experience- had the xDSD real close to MacBook pro, and iPhone X not 1 ft away and didn't hear any pulsing noise when connected to a source.

    have the unit at work again today, and it's the best portable DAC/AMP for laptop + IEMs on the market IMO.
    still prefer using the IEMatch (balanced) + Andromeda to eliminate air and have more play with the volume.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2018
  19. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Thanks for your feedback.
     
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