iFi iDSD Diablo Review and Measurements

@purr1n THANKS SO MUCH for all the work you've put into this thread, in particular for all the key points you make about iDSD Diablo, both good and a bit on the negative side. Also, I think that the way how you've described its sound profile is a spot on, so thanks again!

 

First off, let me say that when I first listened to this device, I was impressed. I then found out that iFi pulled all the stops for the best sound quality on a small device, and I truly believe that. I was quite pleased to see such high quality components (capacitors, resistors, etc.) in such a device. And not just one kind and not just haphazardly. There seems to be a lot of forethought on what high quality parts where and not just throwing in stuff just so say they have some Panasonic conductive polymer aluminum caps. I mean they do that, but if you look at the board layout, you can clearly see it is all for a specific purpose. It also has some custom built op amps that can’t really compare to anything off the shelf. Let me also say that I believe the SQ is a direct result of all this design and components in the right places, and I will just end this intro saying that it has a BIG sound for such a small device.

Good -
Dynamic sound with plenty of layering and details
Low end is clean and clear and well defined, yet top end is crisp without being crispy
STRONG amp - plenty of power
Good for IEM’s or hard to drive planars

Bad
Volume knob too easy to move and very sensitive
Almost needs 4-gain stages
Expensive device for a small thing, but kind of worth it.

And YT Review if you like -

Just like the iFi iDSD transportable devices, this one is no different. On board rechargeable battery for the power supply.This one is charged by USB-C, which should be standard on all devices (until it is just replaced by something else).

For inputs, it can be driven by USB audio, and no penalty for OTG since all the power comes from the iDSD itself, so no portable battery drain. It also has a 3.5mm SPDIF in to use a SPDIF source, but no adapter with this loaner. I could not get it work with my FiiO adapters I use with my X5 DAP.

I did test the connection with an iPhone and it did not want to work right away with the supplied blue USB cable with the Apple OTG dongle. I finally plugged the OTG dongle right into the USB-A connector on the iDSD and it worked. After that, I unplugged and the USB cable worked with the OTG adapter. I even tried an aftermarket OTG adapter and worked great. It also has a Pentagon balanced in to use your own analog source from a DAC output or source to use as an amp only. I do not have any Pentagon breakout cables, so I did not test this function.

On Windows, as soon as the device is turned on, Windows 10 recognized the device right away and was usable. No issues.

On the front, there are very few controls. THANK YOU iFi. The less options the better (sans X-bass, bit pefect, etc.) and you don’t have to shove 1000 features into a device. For output, ¼” unbalanced (for transportable…but okay), and Pentagon balanced out. Then just a simple three way gain switch labeled “Turbo, Normal. Eco”, but just think of this as High, Medium, Low gain respectively.

Then the LED light that the colors mean different things, read the manal, but it will indicate that it is on. The volume is switched to turn it on from 0 (I wish more portable devices would do this and helps keep from blowing your ears out on turn on.) However, it will keep your computer from recognizing the device unless you turn the volume switch on.

SOUND

The first noticeable thing about the iFi iDSD Diablo, is the warm and inviting almost liquid lows and mids. Kind of a wet low end punch that is almost OTL tube like. At least that is what it reminds me of, although the effect is not near as much as on a Bottlehead Crack, but that is the only way to describe it. I think this is in part to the dual Burr Brown chips, although, full confession, I am kind of a PCM chip addict. (They almost did not make a bad one..PCM53, 57, 63, 67, 1792, 1796, 1798…okay, maybe the 1702/04, but I digress.)

The width is very good as well as the layering. It kept up with my modded Bifrost Multibit and nothing pulled me away as far as harshness or flatness. Dynamics were clean and not very congested. It is not what I would call “aggressive”, but it is not quite laid back either. Certainly 3rd row seating, right in the middle with the maximum amount of width.

It actually sounds almost a bit too transparent, but not bright at all. Going back to a couple of my other signal chains, I realized that the mids on the iDSD were kind of missing some punch, which some might see as a negative and one might really lean into and like. It just has a kind of “open” sound. Some might call “clean” or “detailed”, but it is one of those things that is most hard to describe. In this way it is a bit “polite”, but not in a lazy way, since all the top and leading edges were there and details jumped out.

I can say it was much more enjoyable and more exciting than the Singxer HA-1 and felt it brought more details more cleanly and more straightforward without a warm haze. It certainly leans quite on the warmer side of things for sure, just not quite as relaxed as the HA-1.

One minor annoyance is the volume knob being so easy to turn. With such a powerful amp, I would expect a bit more resistance, especially if it is going to be on a desk and accidentally brushed by with a hand and then it raises the volume by much or lowers it by a ton. You have to realize, with the volume power switch, 9 o’clock is the starting point, and about 9:45 or 10 is decent desktop working volume on Eco gain with HD650’s. And at high noon in this config is about as loud as I want to go with most rock or jazz. Maybe 11 o’clock if I am jammin’ out. And it is so sensitive at the bottom end. Yes, you can lower the volume on the comptuer, but that does not work with iOS devices.

Yes, there is a slight bit of channel imbalance at the very bottom of the volume knob, but no more than on other products and not really of note. If I were using IEM’s, I would be using unbalanced and it is not an issue. I noticed this more on my Starfields and not as much on my Timeless.

I never had any hiss with any of my IEM’s. It handled my Moondrop Starfields and 7Hz Timeless just fine. With the balanced cable for the Timless was almost too much. Unbalanced is all you need for IEM’s…for real…really dang loud even on the Eco setting. On the unbalanced output, the Timeless really shined because I felt the Diablo could really power them up. And if you are still worried about planars, I was reading about their power and this..

“In order to make less efficient headphones, like planar magnetics, sing, the voltage needs to be stepped up from 3.7V to +/- 15V. We use a step-up converter running at 1.2MHz – a frequency far beyond audibility that is easier to filter than a typical switch-mode supply, enabling high linearity and ultra-low noise.”

It sounds good for marketing, but all I know is that as you move up in gain, it just sounds louder and just as free of distortion at the lower gains. The personality of the amp does not change like in some other amps and it has PLENTY of power to hand out - like almost too much.

I also agree that the balanced out had more of a harsh upper mid-etch to it than the unbalanced out, even when on IEM's on Eco. With the PMx2's, it was more noticeable in Turbo mode. Most of my listening was done in Normal or Eco as Turbo was just too much gain almost.

The thing I love about this thing, is that it has just a relaxed enough sound to listen to all day, yet still has enough details shine through to satisfy me that I am not missing out on anything that the producer intended (or did not intend) to be there. It has kind of an “immersive” quality rather than anything assgressive or laid back.

Very rarely does a product just work and sound so well that it pulls me away and I just want to crank the tunes. I have found that how much I want to turn up the volume is a good sign of a really good product, and this one was begging to be cranked.

So, if transportability and ultimate sound quality is your thing and can’t deal with anything else, this thing is the stuff. I know it is $1k, and it really is about $700 of desktop quality, but wherelse is there this much SQ in a small transportable box? This really makes me curious about the other newer desktop stuff from iFi and some of these design philosophies of clean signal paths and high quality components are being applied. Well done @iFi audio!

 

Small correction based on iFi's website: it's a Pentaconn balanced fixed output. I don't think there is a way to use an external DAC with this device.

 

It comes with the Pentaconn to XLR male output cable. So I think as a DAC is eactly how you can use the device. But yes, you cannot inject an analog signal IN as an amp only. So "with a DAC" and "as a DAC". If I said "with a DAC" on my video, my aplogies and I wil make a correction.

Also the SPDIF input is a mini-optical input, which they also include the Toslink adapter for any Toslink cable.

 

Thank you very much, it's a lovely read

 

That's correct!

Actually, if micro iDSD Diablo doesn't see a digital signal (all digital cables are disengaged), its balanced 4.4 line output becomes an input, so the product can be used as a standalone headphone amp.

That's sort of an easter egg we did, but we waited with it until community members find it and they did on HF just recently.

 

Holy crap! I presume this is exclusive to the Diablo and a similar easter egg doesn't exist on the Signature?

I really appreciate the ability to use the iDSD Micro BL as a standalone headphone amp, so being able to use the Diablo as one as well is pretty enticing given how competent the amplifier looks.

Now to find a dual-XLR-female-to-Pentaconn-male adapter... (or maybe XLR female-to-female bridges would work with the existing adapter?)

 

I bought and included a Forza male 4.4mm to female 4 pin XLR adapter for the tour so that’s not included with the Diablo. (And I want it back afterwards so don’t loose it! )

 

Yup, this easter egg is for micro iDSD Diablo only!

 

Thank you @iFi audio , @rhythmdevils , and SBAF for the opportunity to take part in this loaner! My chain was Win10 computer or tablet > Roon > USB to Diablo > Final Audio D8000 pro, Focal Utopia and Clear OG, HD6XX

• Holy bass grip/texture/quantity/quality Batman. The Diablo reveals how good SS can trump the bass of pricy SET/OPT amps like my DNA Starlett. The more natural competitor for me is the Shanling AKM M6 pro dap I use as a bedside setup, and here again the bass of the Diablo is superior in every way - the AKM "velvet" bass really is noticeable in contrast
• With the mids, the AKM dap pulls ahead. The Burr-Brown chips in the Diablo just don't have the same level of detail, nuance and "dimensionality" as the modern AKM's. Voices from the Diablo sound somewhat flat, less resolved, even if the clarity is actually superior as the AKM dap has some "greyness" whereas everything pops out of a superior "blackground" on the Diablo.
• Treble is again more resolved from the AKM dap but perhaps with an (over?) emphasis on "air", but here the Diablo is more balanced with the mids. So the treble was track/recording dependent for me.
• Gillian Welch harmonizing with David Rawlings (basically all her albums) was a good comparison. With the Diablo I could occasionally make out Rawling's supporting voice, but with the AKM dap I could more often make the distinction and hear all the subtleties of both their voices.
• If raw microdetail goes to the AKM dap, I think I prefer the tonal balance of the Diablo. I noticed with the bright/peeky D8000 I needed to use less EQ to calm it down. Whereas purr1n called it neutral, I would say it is overall a touch "warm" or down-sloped, but then maybe the quality and quantity of the bass is skewing my expectations here.
• The Diablo did not really synergize with either Focal - both of them spot lit the limits of the Burr-Brown's too much I suspect. However the D8000 and HD6XX synergized really well, not only better than the AKM dap but I would say even my Yggdrasil/Starlett main rig, particularly the HD6XX. Not since I had @BarryT "Black Amp" on loan had I heard the HD6XX sound this good. I actually listened to the HD6XX for pleasure a few times, instead of merely as a reference.
• Headstage was decent, not great. There is enough separation and placement to get a sense of "stage", but it's not wide or deep like a tube amp. Still, it was only a touch behind the more "euphonic" AKM.

I found myself wishing I still had a ZMF HP to hear with this DAC/AMP. The battery life was epic, and I appreciate the minimalism and solidity of the design. If the HD6XX was my main HP I would snap up a Diablo and call it a day.

 

Awesome, thanks a lot!

 

Hey @rhythmdevils & @iFi audio , I'm driving to Austin tomorrow for this weekends "Texas Audio Roundup", aka SBAF show/meet. I have a table with my all my gear. Is it kosher for me to detour the Diablo and set it up for folks to listen to, and ship it off to the next person next Monday?

edit: oops, meant to post this question in the Diablo loaner thread

 

We're fine with whatever's fine with tour organizers, just saying

 

Usual Disclaimer: I'm greying about the muzzle and have demonstrably damaged hearing about 12 kHz. I prefer an overall neutral tone with raised mids and textured bass.

Bottom Line up Front:

If you want a portable amp to drive power-hungry full-size headphones on the road and just want to plug in to listen, this may be the portable amp for you. I prefer the iFi Gryphon as it offers more features to tailor the sound, Bluetooth, and works well with my IEM/Closed headphones.

IEM and Headphones tested:

Empire Ears Odin
Dan Clark Mad Dog Pro
BT 880 600 ohm edition

Songs used:

Tool - Right in Two
Halestorm - What Sober Couldn't Say
Cut of Luna - Full Moon

My goal:

I wanted to determine if my research when looking to buy the iFi Gryphon led me to the correct choice, for me. I was looking for a portable amp I could also use at the office to drive IEM or closed-back headphones. I prefer the quiet car on the train and work in an open office environment where it would be rude to share my diverse musical taste with my colleagues.

Gryphon vs. Diablo Shootout:

I'll add a link to my prior review of the Gryphon later. I own and use the Gryphon at least weekly. To compare the amps, I turned off any sound modifiers on the Gryphon (save the GTO setting) and used the balanced jack. I agree with other reviewers about the overall sound qualities of Diablo. I also agree with the few minor concerns, including the sensitive volume knob. I accidentally bumped the volume knob while swapping amps. The Gryphon has digital volume control and takes more effort to turn the knob in distinct clicks.

I enjoyed Diablo's ease of use, impactful and textured base, and ability to drive any of the headphones I used. I stuck to the ECO or Normal modes and didn't try the Turbo mode because of the aforementioned concerns with the volume knob. The least sensitive headphone I tried was the Beyer DT880 600 ohm edition which has 96 DB sensitivity. Diablo drove this headphone well and didn't gloss over the known problems with this particular can. In contrast, the Mad Dog Pro had great texture and impact in the bass with great treble extension. I agree with others who would probably prefer the Diablo for less sensitive headphones. I set the Gryphon at -25 DB volume and roughly tried to match the volume on Diablo. Diablo sounded better at the same perceived volume.

When it came to the highly sensitive EE Odin (108 DB, 3 ohms), I preferred the Gryphon. The Gryphon iematch reduced the hiss to imperceptible levels while the Diablo still had some hiss, even in Eco mode. The Diablo had less hiss without iematch. When it came to sound, I really couldn't tell the difference between the two amps for this IEM.

Gryphon offers more settings to tweak the filters (3 options), XSpace, XBassII (presence and bass boost), and a greater volume knob range. If you have audio Nervosa and don't want to adjust settings, Diablo would be the better choice for you.

Summary:

I would like to thank Rhythmdevil and iFI for facilitating the loaner tour. The Diablo delivers on the promises. Where the Gryphon shines is on sensitive IEMs, tweaking settings, and Bluetooth. Diablo offers better sound quality for harder to drive headphones and easier plug and play settings. For now, Gryphon remains the best choice for me. I hope you found this comparison helpful and I will gladly answer any questions about my mini shoot out.

 

Out of curiosity (and sorry for going a little OT), could you try the EE Odin out of the Gryphon's line out?