A CORNUCOPIA OF WONDROUS MUSICALITY!

As I had mentioned in the review of the iFi Hip-DAC, iFi Audio since its inception has been very conscious of what we refer to here as the Glorious Age of Accessible Music (GAAM)—access to millions of songs available for listening at home or On-The-Go (OTG). And as a result iFi Audio has developed a number of solutions ranging from the Nano iOne to the Nano iDSD Black to the Hip-DAC to the xDSD to a host of other products for OTG or at-home listening.

This brings us to the review of iFi Audio’s brimming-with-options flagship the Pro iDSD DAC/Headphone Amplifier/Streamer ($2,499). The Pro iDSD is without question an at-home listening component, that will avail to its owner, access to near Yottabytes of music, across every current format—MP3, MP4, PCM, DSD, DXD, MQA, etc.

Additionally, the iFi Audio Pro iDSD provides several filters, for dialing in one’s own personal musical preference, as well as a choice of three “tunings”—Class A solid state (JFET), Tubed (General Electric 5670) or Tubed+ (General Electric 5670 w/reduced negative feedback) from which to chose. And when the ability to upsample any track to either DSD512 or DSD1024, on-the-fly, across all of the above filters/outputs is added, there are basically thirty (30=3x5x2) music shaping “algorithms” from which to chose. But there’s more! The Pro iDSD can be wired directly to an Ethernet connection, where it can “play (music) from a router or NAS (Network Attached Storage)” or it can be utilized for Apple’s Airplay. This is, of course, quite spectacular for those who prefer options!

The time spent with the Pro iDSD was time well spent, in that it offered, as listed above, a plethora of options, wonderful musicality and quite good transparency across all of its options, and it played well with many partners ranging from headphones (dynamic, planar) to In-Ear-Monitors (IEMs) all of which it drove beautifully.

Also, the iFi Pro iDSD allies well to iOS, Android, Mac, and PC alike and to them it will deliver a cornucopia of musical options, that, to date, has no equal. In this respect, the Pro iDSD is a good place to start one’s head-fi adventure or to continue one’s head-fi adventure, as headphones and IEMs alike will, inevitably, mate well.

REFRAIN: Unlike most reviews, this review will be non-sequential, as it will start with how the headphones actually sound and not the process of physically “undressing” them and/or laying out their various parts, specifications, etc. Think of this review then, as a  non-linear movie—Memento, Kill Bill, Arrival, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Terminator etc—that, likewise, starts at the end and winds its way to the beginning.

THE SOUND

The iFi Audio Pro iDSD was paired to our MacBook Pro laptop and to the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (review coming soon) or the Meze Empyrean, as both were approximately within its listed selling price, offered both balanced and single-ended configuration, and were on hand.

Your flavor Sir/Ma’am? As mentioned above, there are numerous options from which to chose when listening to the Pro iDSD and one’s headphones. And as a reviewer it is, generally, our mandate to provide explanation, if not insight to the various musical options. However, time constraints, word limits, and other pressing reviews would combine to put the kibosh—put an end to; dispose of decisively—doing all but three of the “tunings,” which were those that we found most compelling. The first tuning (T1) was the standard, MOSFET output-stage with “BitPerfect” (44.1 – 192kHz, always used for 352.8 – 768kHz) PCM filter, and no upsampling.  The second (T2) comprised the “Tube” output stage with the “Gibbs Transient Optimised (GTO)” filter and DSD512 upsampling. And the third tuning (T3) comprised “Tube+” with the GTO filter and DSD1024 upsampling.

Across all of the selected tunings the Pro iDSD was always musical, though increasingly transparent when T2 and T3 options were selected, perhaps, as a result of the GTO filter in combination with increased DSD upsampling (512, 1024).

A favorite song of mine, for decades now, for reviewing equipment is Shirley Horn’s Beautiful Love (You Won’t Forget Me, Verve Reissues). A poor performance is when Shirley’s voice is threadbare, microdynamics are unresolved, sibilant, the guitar is muted, unnatural, and the harmonica is flat, lacking extension, and a natural sense of decay. The Pro iDSD as allied to the Meze Empyrean render Shirley’s voice, her articulation of words and phrases, the microdynamics therein, the guitar, and the harmonica as rich, resplendent, superb.

T1 Tuning (Solid State, BitPerfect, No Upsampling): Beautiful Love via this tuning is beautifully rendered, musical, and natural. Shirley’s microdynamics are clearly resolved, sibilance free, and the harmonica is natural, as it floats in the background, and has a good sense of decay.

T2 Tuning (Tube, GTO, DSD512 Upsampling): In this tuning all of the above apply, but there is more. There is greater refinement in Shirley’s voice, it is more natural, tone and timbre are more saturated, richer across voice, guitar, and harmonica. And there is an analog-like warmth infused across the entirety of the song.

T3 Tuning (Tube+, GTO, DSD1024 Upsampling): Interestingly, all of the above and yet even more, though this is decidedly a music lovers journey! Additional detail is freed but in a manner that is very musical, the soundstage has expanded, and there is a Single-Ended-Triode (SET) richness that is compelling. And Shirley’s voice is even more emotive and nuanced with a good deal more texture.

All three of iFi Audio’s Pro iDSD tunings beautifully rendered this time tested review disc, whereas quite a few high-end two channel stereo systems failed and some miserably so. In this respect, technology has come a long way.

The iFi Audio Pro iDSD’s volumetric cube—its soundstage—is large, though with the Rosson Audio RAD-0 planar headphones it was cavernous—very wide, deep, and of good height. There is a very good level of naturalness, transparency, and refinement even before any of the “tunings” are implemented and the dynamics, separation, and positioning are exceptional.

The Pro iDSD was allied to the Rosson Audio RAD-0 or the Meze Empyrean planar headphones across the various frequencies and for the various tunings as detailed below.

BASS

I’ve selected for review of the bass region Eiji Oue’s rendition of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1919 version): V. Infernal Dance of King Kashchey (Stravinsky, Reference Recordings).

T1: Impact! As the fourth movement begins and it is foundational, it moves air and sets a rather dramatic stage. Or as written in the review of the Rosson Audio RAD-0, the bass “is a gauntlet of subterranean bass notes instigated by a single timpani masquerading as a phalanx of timpani.” The bass of this tuning is taunt, dynamic, with good definition, a generous volumetric cube as soundstage, and quite good separation.

T2: Interestingly, with this tuning the bass is not as impactful, nor as solid, nor as menacing as it was in the T1 tuning. However, tonal and timbral saturation have become richer, more saturated and thus more natural. There is also a greater sense of transparency and texture, which instigates a heightened sense of emotional involvement.

T3:  Thunderous impact! Perhaps, increasing the level of remastering to 1024 has not only overcome any diminution of bass as was experienced in T2, but has doubled-down upon it. And there is even greater tonal and timbral accuracy than T2, which conjures an even more corporeal, palpable stage as populated with musicians. Transparency mother to detail and resolution and micro dynamics is ascendent, as the detail from flutes previously muted and distant are now fully represented and alive. Violins rise unattenuated, sweet, and naturally. The emotional engagement is sumptuous and reminiscent of a Single-Ended-Triode (SET) sound.

MIDRANGE

The track selected for review of the midrange is Olafur Arnalds’ Árbakkin (Island Songs, Mercury (Universal France)). I have often gone to this track for its beautiful simplicity and its connection to nature witnessed by birds beyond the building chiming in with the music and its captivating, natural beauty.

A man—poet Einar Georg Einarsson—recites a poem in his native language—Icelandic—in a small, wooden building. It is a language that I do not understand and, nonetheless, Einarsson recital is compelling, poignant, engaging. A piano, Olafur Arnalds at its keyboard, joins him. And soon cello, violins follow to weave musical poetry of their own.

T1: Clear, detailed is the voice of Einar Georg Einarsson with birds punctuating the start of his recital. There is a natural reverberation in this church space and air as Einarsson’s recital is joined by piano and then violins, cello before his recital ends.

T2: Increased timbral and tonal accuracy now bring an analog-like ease and smoothness, that is more natural, more engaging. The piano is fuller and richer, the violins and cello sweet and textured and the reverberation and decay more pronounced, real. And the increased transparency give clearer voice and three-dimensionality to the bird or birds participating from outside.

T3: Transparency is glorious as every movement, every creak of the wooden chairs, seemingly, every sound, that may have been previously obscured, covered beneath a veil, is now set free and in bold relief. Tonality and timbre are richer still which beg greater emotional engagement and a true heartfelt connection to the music. The music is sumptuously rich, in a decidedly SET-like manner. There is a greater volumetric cube, and more space and air, than either T1 and T2 and microdynamics are all nicely improved as well.

TREBLE+

Vilda Frang’s String Trio, who together play the first two movements of this album, on the track Allegro Molto (Veress: String Trio – Bartók: Piano Quintet, Alpha) weave a fabric of atonal rhythmic staccatos, plucks, drums and knuckle raps into a musical fabric that is richly dissonant, provocative, and beautifully played.

T1: With this tuning the instruments are distinct, clear, resonant, and emerge from a black-quiet background with weight, extension, and air, across a sizable soundstage. There is very good immediacy and transparency across this movement.

T2: Via this tuning Allegro Molto is more natural, more textural, more vivid, with greater reverberation and decay as note hang, however briefly, in the air then circulates about the players. There is greater twang now across the strings and all instruments. The various movements of the musicians is now more corporeal, real. And transparency and immediacy are greater still.

T3: The energy, drive is more vivid and, yet, even more natural, more organic, more textural, with reverberation and decay reaching new levels of verisimilitude. This tuning, it appears, has “lifted all boats,” which now float above the blackest of a dead-quiet background. As a result, clarity, separation, speed, inner detail, immediacy, and microdynamics rise above the other—nested, split-personality tunings of the Pro iDSD. And quite beautifully so, I would say. This is, without doubt, musical nirvana, a glimpse of the “musical grail,” so to speak, for those who consider themselves music lovers first.

THE WRAPPINGS AND ACCESSORIES

The iFi Pro iDSD comes in a printed sleeve that is clean and tastefully done. The inner box embraces print minimalism with simply the iFi logo spot printed in silver, and in large type across its top and sides. It is reminiscent of a high-end department store’s design and branding, and it is quite appealing.

Inside, the top lifted, one finds the Pro iDSD snugly ensconced within its foam housing. Once the Pro iDSD is removed and its top compartment lifted one finds below it three separate compartments. The contents of these compartments:

1 plastic remote with volume controls (only)
1-Power cable
1-15V Power Unit
1-USB-A (male) to USB-B (male) adapter cable
1-Pair of iFi short, RCA interconnects
1-Wifi antennae
1-Toslink adapter
1-Plastic flat-head screwdriver

DESIGN—LOOK AND FEEL

The design of the Pro iDSD is straightforward industrial, with a rectangular body fitted with heat vents, that are designed in the manner of expanding, dotted, concentric ‘circles.’ The circles expand from a window which exposes its tubed treasures (2-NOS GE 5670). The circular vents rise and fall over an undulating wave pattern on the Pro iDSD’s top face. Ripples across a pond of windblown water, perhaps? It is a desktop solution for all but the most hardy of OTG/Coffee Shop/Office Head-fiers.

The front and back faces of the Pro iDSD are, literally, chock-full of digital inputs, outputs, and knobs, with a round OLED display center-front that provides the digital lay of the land with regard to digital filter, sampling rate, upsampling rate, and selected input.

All in all, it is a clean, functional outer case design with a dizzying amount of bells, whistles, options, that give the appearance, at least on its back face, that things have been shoved together on too little real estate. This is, of course, from a design perspective. Functionally, this is a veritable candy store for audiophiles, music lovers, and experimentalist, who may well be pleased with all that the Pro iDSD has to offer.