iFi Audio Pro iDSD Signature DAC / Headphone Amplifier

iFi Audio Pro iDSD Signature DAC / Headphone Amplifier

 

The iFi Audio Pro iDSD Signature builds upon the strengths of its award-winning predecessor, delivering high-quality music in a way that will leave you breathless. Whether you're using it as a standalone unit, a DAC/preamp, a network streamer, or a headphone amplifier, the Pro iDSD Signature will exceed all expectations.

The Pro iDSD Signature boasts a sonically darker background and a punchier bass. Its power-supply components have been upgraded, resulting in a 300% decrease in overall system noise. And let's not forget the precisely matched NOS GE5670s tubes, the added support for USB1.0 (PS4/PS5), and the new aluminium remote control.

The Pro iDSD Signature also features a quad-stack DAC - 4 x DACs in an interleaved configuration - for exceptional resolution. Its powerful XMOS XU216 X-Core 200 series chipset allows for state-of-the-art audio support, including MP3, 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512, 2xDXD, and full MQA decoding.

Thanks to the Crysopeia FPGA Digital Engine, the Pro iDSD Signature brings studio-grade DSD remastering to a wider audience. It can even upconvert PCM and DSD files to DSD512 and DSD1024. And with the convenience of controlling it all from an app in the palm of your hand, there's truly nothing else like it.

E-tailoring is another unique feature of the Pro iDSD Signature. You can listen to your music in solid-state, tube, or tube+ modes - all at the flick of a switch. And with the Crysopeia FPGA Digital Engine, you have several options for digital filtering, including the GTO filter, Bit Perfect, Bit Perfect+, Apodising, and Transient Aligned filters.

The Pro iDSD Signature also offers a discrete, fully balanced Class A amplifier stage with adjustable gain. And when it comes to streaming options, the possibilities are endless. You can stream wirelessly from Tidal, Spotify, Napster, QQ Music, and more. Or, for a wired connection, use Airplay, Ethernet, DLNA, or connect to a hard disc drive, USB memory stick, or SDHC card.

The Pro iDSD Signature comes with the flagship iPower Elite, coupled with a re-crafted power supply board that reduces noise by up to 300x. We've left no stone unturned in our quest for the cleanest, purest power - both within and without.

 

Features

• Enhanced Sound Quality: Darker background, punchier bass, upgraded power-supply components.
• Compatibility: Supports USB1.0, includes aluminium remote control, iPower Elite power supply.
• Advanced Technology: Quad-stack DAC, XMOS XU216 chipset, Crysopeia FPGA Digital Engine.
• Customisation: Listening modes, digital filtering options, adjustable gain.
• Connectivity: Wireless streaming, Airplay, Ethernet, DLNA, USB, multiple headphone outputs.
• Power Supply: Includes iPower Elite for clean power, reduced system noise.

 

Top of line DAC and so much more.

The Pro iDSD Signature is our new flagship reference class DAC and then some! The Signature edition builds on the strengths of the original, multi-award winning Pro iDSD.

It continues to cater for those who love good music delivered at the highest quality.

Use the Pro iDSD Signature as a standalone unit, a DAC/preamp, a network streamer and a headphone amplifier.

 

A Signature step up

The Signature takes the original Pro iDSD and pushes it even further towards perfection.

The Pro iDSD Signature has:

• a sonically darker background and a punchier bass
• upgraded power -supply components to lower the overall system noise by 300%
• precisely matched NOS GE5670s tubes
• added support for USB1.0 (PS4/PS5)
• a new aluminium remote control
• a top-of the range iPower Elite power supply included

 

Stacked. With tech.

The Pro iDSD Signature uses a quad-stack DAC – 4 x DACs in an interleaved configuration – to deliver exceptional resolution.

The powerful XMOS XU216 X-Core 200 series chipset processes incoming digital data and enables the Pro iDSD Signature to provide state of the art audio support – from MP3, 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512, 2xDXD and full MQA decoding.

Thanks to the Crysopeia FPGA Digital Engine the Pro iDSD Signature brings studio grade DSD remastering to a wider audience. It can upconvert PCM and DSD files to DSD512 and DSD1024.

And all controlled from an app in the palm of your hand.

 

E-tailoring

The Pro iDSD Signature, like its predecessor, takes sonic tailoring to the extreme.

Listen to the your music to in solid-state, tube or tube+ modes, your choice, all at the flick of a switch.

Our Crysopeia FPGA Digital Engine strikes again as it enables the Pro iDSD Signature to offer several options when it comes to digital filtering. The GTO Filter adds gravitas and a new dimension, and while the Bit Perfect, Bit Perfect+, Apodising and Transient Aligned filters give you even more choices to tweak the sound.

The discrete, fully balanced Class A amplifier stage offers adjustable gain.

 

Your choice. The only choice.

• Stream wirelessly from Tidal, Spotify, Napster, QQ Music and more
• Use Airplay to enjoy playback from your iPhone, iPad or Mac
• Go wired via an Ethernet connection to play from a router or NAS (Network Attached Storage)
• Use DLNA network audio playback with smartphones, tablets, Windows/Linux computers
• Connect to a hard disc drive (HDD)
• Pop in a USB memory stick or SDHC card

And with a variety of headphone outputs – Single-Ended 6.3mm, S-Balanced 3.5mm and Balanced 4.4mm – the only choice is your choice.

 

Power cleans. Absolute.

The Pro iDSD Signature ships with our flagship iPower Elite.

Coupled with the re-crafted power supply board which offers up to 300x lower noise, the music is buttery smooth.

Within and without – we left no stone unturned in our quest for the cleanest, purest, power for the Pro iDSD Signature (same for Pro iCAN Signature too!)

 

	Data is sent to the Memory Buffer from all inputs. Here it is de-jittered to eliminate any transmission of source jitter to the DAC output. The data from the Memory Buffer is further re-clocked by the low-jitter Global Master Timing® clock, which also drives the X-Core 200 and FPGA.
	The Pro iDSD Signature employs the new XMOS XU216 X-Core 200 Series 16-Core processor. All-digital processing is Bit-Perfect unless particular digital filters are explicitly selected.
	MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) MQA is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. The Pro iDSD Signature adopts MQA technology to receive and decode MQA audio and provide master-level sound.
	The amplifier audio circuit is fully discrete, fully-balanced with either tube or J-FET input switchable, bipolar second stage and MOSFET-buffered bipolar Class A Power stage.
	Galvanic isolation is the ‘holy grail’ of computer audio. All inputs are galvanically-isolated (including USB). The USB input section has its own separate power management system with multiple regulators and filtering operating from the galvanically-isolated voltage generated to power this section.
	The Pro iDSD Signature has a ‘quad stack’ of Bit-Perfect DSD and DXD DACs by Burr-Brown. The ‘interleaved’ configuration means up to 8 pairs of differential signals can be used and mixed, equal to 4 pairs of signals per channel.
	Upsampling to DSD1024 has previously only been available to a select few. The Pro iDSD Signature makes it available to a wider audience. The DSD1024 remastering is handled by the Crysopeia® FPGA and this is where we believe the FPGA excels.
	With LINKPLAY™ WiFi/network playback, built-in Spotify and Tidal, and wide protocol support for 32-Bit/192kHz and DSD64, the Pro iDSD Signature can be also used without a computer to stream audio directly.
	Unlike other amplifiers that have the same circuit and just switch in/out the tube section, the original Pro iDSD and now the Pro iDSD Signature are among the very first to have two individual input circuits – one tube (General Electric 5670 tubes!) and one solid-state. This results in the ‘best sonics of both worlds’.
	The amplifier audio circuit is fully discrete, fully-balanced with either tube or J-FET input switchable, bipolar second stage and MOSFET-buffered bipolar Class A Power stage. We’ve given the Pro iDSD Signature an extra Tube+ setting. This reduces overall loop-gain and negative feedback to the minimum and presents a different sonic perspective between the tube’s natural harmonics and transient performance.
	The Pro iDSD Signature is packed full of premium components – a Japan Alps rotary volume potentiometer, audio-grade ELNA Silmic capacitors and a bank of Elna Dynacaps ‘super capacitors’.

 

Specification

• Sample rates: PCM 768kHz / DSD 49.152MHz (DSD 1024) / MQA 352.8KHz/DXD (2xDXD)
• Inputs: USB / AES3 (XLR) / S/PDIF (coaxial/optical combo) BNC / Ethernet / Wi-Fi / Micro SD
• Filters: Bit Perfect / Bit Perfect+ / Gibbs Transient Optimised / Apodising / Transient Aligned
• Gain: User-selectable: 0dB, 9dB and 18dB (headphone section)
• Dynamic range: 119dBA (solid-state, PCM, -60dBFS)
• Output Power (RMS): >4,200mW / >1,575mW (16Ω, balanced/single-ended)
• Output voltage (RMS): >11.7V / >5.9V (600Ω, balanced/single-ended)
• Input voltage (Pro iDSD): DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
• Input voltage (iPower Elite): AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
• Power consumption: < 22W idle, 50W max
• Dimensions: 213 x 220x 63 mm / 8.4” x 8.7" x 2.5"
• Net weight: 1980 g / 4.37 Ibs

 

About iFi Audio 

iFi Audio is an award-winning audio tech company dedicated to enhancing your music enjoyment. With a mission to improve sound quality and eliminate noise, distortion, and hiss, iFi Audio offers a wide range of products that cater to headphones, speakers, portable audio devices, phones, and TVs. By doing so, they aim to deliver studio-quality audio that allows you to experience music as the artists intended.

Since its establishment in 2012, iFi Audio has been driven by the love of music and a commitment to making a difference in people's lives. With over 50 meticulously designed and manufactured products, they ensure every detail meets their high standards. Sourcing parts from around the world, including Germany, the USA, and Japan, they bring together global expertise to create exceptional audio devices.

At the heart of iFi Audio's business are its customers. They prioritise delivering the highest quality audio wherever you are, whether in the comfort of your home or on the go. Their distribution centre in the USA serves renowned retailers such as B&H and etailz, expanding their global network and reaching more music enthusiasts.

iFi Audio takes pride in its eco-friendly practices, using recyclable materials like aluminium, paper, and recycled plastics for its products and packaging. They strictly adhere to environmental standards, ensuring their components are hazardous toxins-free.

With a focus on Class A analogue circuitry and maintaining the audio signal's integrity, iFi Audio's products offer exceptional performance without compromising environmental sustainability. They believe that how a product looks, performs, and impacts the environment all matter, and they strive to deliver audio solutions that meet these criteria.

Experience the difference of high-quality audio with iFi Audio and immerse yourself in the joy of music.