Name: Used iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC, Adorama Exclusive undefined
Brand: iFi AUDIO
SKU: US1827069
Price: 246.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.6 (13 reviews)

iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC, Adorama Exclusive

iFi AUDIO micro iDSD Finale

iFi AUDIO

iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC

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iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp - SKU#1827069

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Audio

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Computer Audio for Video

Digital Audio Interfaces

iFi AUDIO Digital Audio Interfaces

iFi AUDIO micro iDSD Finale 

$8 PRICE DROP: Used iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC, Adorama Exclusive undefined

Before you delve into the world of high-fidelity audio, consider the iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale, an Adorama Exclusive. This portable headphone amplifier and DAC is the ultimate version of the Micro iDSD series, boasting an MQA Decoder for superior sound quality compared to older versions with renderers. This top-tier desktop/transportable DAC and headphone amplifier is designed to enhance your audio experience. Its durable finish and built-in rechargeable battery make it a reliable companion for your audio journey. The battery-powered design ensures ultra-clean, ultra-stable DC power, free from AC mains-related issues like dips, spikes, and RFI/EMI pollution. With up to 12 hours of playtime, it's a device you can rely on for extended listening sessions.The Micro iDSD Signature Finale is finely tuned with two Burr-Brown DAC chips in a custom 'interleaved' configuration. This unique setup provides four pairs of differential signals, two pairs per channel, resulting in a lower noise floor, improved channel separation, and enhanced musical detail and micro-dynamics. It can handle up to PCM 768, DSD 512, 2xDXD, and MQA, all natively, ensuring both PCM and DSD remain 'bit-perfect'.The device's digital engine is equipped with extensive jitter-eradication technologies, including iFi's GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and the intelligent memory buffer. It also comes with iFi's GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimized) digital filter installed. The Micro iDSD Signature Finale can drive a wide range of headphones, from highly sensitive in-ear monitors to current-hungry planar headphones, thanks to its power output of up to 4100mW. The signal path is refined to maximize sonic texture, and high-spec components ensure top-notch sound quality and maximum musical enjoyment. The device offers versatile sonic tailoring with a variety of filter settings for PCM and DSD files. The amp stage also has three settings to adjust power and gain. It also features iFi's iEMatch technology that adjusts output level, and XBass+ and 3D+ signature sonic tweaks for maximum flexibility.The Micro iDSD Signature Finale is equipped with two digital audio inputs - USB Type-A and an S/PDIF socket that accepts both electrical and optical signals. It also has a pair of RCA analogue outputs, a 6.3mm output for headphones with a standard single-ended connector, and a 4.4mm Pentaconn output for headphones offering S-Balanced connection. The Burr-Brown True Native chipset ensures file formats remain unchanged or 'bit-perfect', delivering music as the artist intended. The device also supports hi-res audio with True Native playback, handling PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512, and single and double speed DXD. The Micro iDSD Signature Finale is also equipped with a custom OV Series operational-amplifier, contributing to the extremely low noise, low distortion, and wide bandwidth. With output power up to 4,100mW, this headphone amplifier drives all headphones with ease. It also features iFi's exclusive S-Balanced circuit, delivering maximum performance from single-ended and balanced headphones alike. Incorporating Texas Instruments low-noise ICs and Panasonic OS-CON caps, the Micro iDSD Signature Finale offers excellent noise reduction capability and frequency response characteristics. The DirectDrive circuit design ensures a direct signal path, resulting in less signal degradation and a sound that is truly 'true'. In conclusion, the iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale, an Adorama Exclusive, is a versatile and powerful device that delivers superior sound quality, making it a worthy addition to any audiophile's collection.

Used iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC, Adorama Exclusive undefined

Seems well built. I thought the sound was great. It was also powerful enough to drive a set of electro static headphones and that impressed me.
I didn't like the popping and/or staticky sound it made when I turned it off or on. Last headphone amp I had that did that ended up failing in six months. I returned it.

Great sound but..

Got it for 244, best bang 4 buck semi-portable amp

I made a purchase of the info Micro iDSD on Adorama and the difference was night and day. I'm not an audiophile but the audio sounded much better through my cheap pair of Sony MDR-EX15 earphones. Layer on, I paired the DAC with my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X and compared it against the computer. At first, the audio sounded relatively the same, with a slight loudness coming from the computer. But after switching over to the DAC and listening to the music for a while, I noticed that the sound from the DAC is more pleasant, it has more sound stage.

More sound stage

Works as described.  Small, sturdy size.  I use as a desktop amp / dac, easily mounted under my desk.  Plenty of juice for demanding headphones.  Filter / power options for sensitive iem's works fine.  Windows 11 see's the device without having to install additional drivers.

Works great.

After looking at several online stores for this , for a couple weeks , I finally found it in my budget range . It looked as it should , brand new and only needed a charge and worked perfectly elevating my portable music experience !

Good Deal

I'm listening to the Idsd Finale, and I was just listening to the xdsd. They both sound wonderful, and amazing. But the Finale sounds better, clearer, more layered, more detailed and delicate. I can hear and feel things in the music that I don't hear in the xdsd. It's wider and more spacious. The sounds, the instruments, are placed more in space, and they have a texture and separateness, a distinctness, and 3 dimensionality, that you can't hear from the xdsd. The tonality and timbre is so much better. The control and the power is superior. And I was wrong about the channel imbalance. Before 10, maybe 10:30am max, they're lined up fine afterwards. This is with a pair of 16 ohm kbear ks1's USB from the iPad, gentle to easy, about 37 decibels, extremely detailed and separated, D.J. Spooky, The Subliminal Kid. The 6mm jack, Power Match eco, Filter bit perfect, IE-Match ultra sensitive. I suspect the l.e.d. is white because of gto over-sampling, which is fine. Conclusion: Buy it!

It Really Is the Best of the Line

Great portable dac / amp combo. Plenty of power to drive about any set of cans. I replaced my older iFi black label and could not be happier.

Solid Portable Combo from iFi

Great dac and headphone amplifier I recommend.

Great Product

I own a fairly wide range of audio gear, including several headphones ranging from $50-$4K.  Some of those headphones are a little harder to drive and need more power, are DACs that can provide better transients (fast attack, clean decay), or push out more power, or can provide some extra sound profile adjustments to make the listening experience that much more enjoyable.

The iFi iDSD Finale delivers those elements well.

When listening to jazz or classical, if the transients aren't delivered well, at least for me, things like percussion high hats, cymbals, snare drums don't come through well and lack that sharpness, violas can be missing that right resonance, and bass cellos can sound a little too rumbly.  Everything sounds sort of veiled, and if you care about that sort of thing, it can pretty annoying.

On the flip side, something delivering an artificially sharp, fast transient sound can seem almost tinny, and can feel grating.  for just instrumentals, that can be okay sometimes, but then when you listening to vocals, everything sounds very unrealistic, or a bit distant.  It's just not fun to listen to.

The iFi iDSD Finale strikes a nice balance between the two extremes.  Acoustical jazz and classical instruments come through very well, and vocals sound very musical and are easy on the ears.  Maybe, if I were to nitpick, sometime vocals can sound a little more forward than they are meant to, but that could be my imagination.

Either way, I find that the iFi iDSD delivers music in a way that I can enjoy listening for long periods of time without getting annoyed at little things.  And that's a big winner for me since there are very few DACs that I really enjoy listening to for long periods of time.

For headphones that require that little bit extra bass boost, the iFi iDSD's Finale (as well as the entire series), has a nifty little bass boost.  Not an excessive boost, but enough to lend a helping hand to headphones like the HD800 (original), which can use a bit of help for more modern music.

The RCA jacks are nice for desktop speakers, and the IEMatch is great for sensitive IEMs.  Power Mode is nice to jack up power for hungry headphones.  But the volume, when dialed low, causes an imbalance for stereo, so I adjust the Power Mode setting for whatever makes the 12 o'clock mark sound about the right volume to keep left and right well balanced.  Not sure the Filter switch works, but I leave it on bitperfect.  

The 3D switch is fun.  When a recording is too split between left and right, it can get a little weird (especially true of some studio recorded tracks I have from the 80's, so the 3D rounds things out a little better sometimes.  But I use it rarely.  For most jazz and classical, the recordings aren't as isolated, so it's not much of a concern.

The SPDIF input is a happy inclusion as I still have some gear where optical is my transport.  

And finally, it's always great when a portable battery operated dac separates power and audio input, so I can charge while using it.  

The iCAN and iDSD lines were both born in an era when smart phones didn't have good 3.5mm sound, and headphones like the HD800 were still really big, causing a rush for better mobile sound that is usable with the Beyerdynamic T1 and Sennheiser HD800.  They've done a great job continuing the tradition.

With the FInale updating internal components, it's a wonderful final salute to the end of an era.

Wonderful final version of a truly the best of an iconic series.

This is by far the best impulse buy I've  made in my audiophile journey.
I have various desk top and portable units and they all have different synergy with my headphones.
This unit has good synergy with more of my headphones than any other.
Two standouts are the Hifiman Sundara and the Focal Elex.
I've never heard them sound better and was just blown away at the transformation.
The bass boost adds just a hint of sub bass, not bloated or gimmicky on most headphones,a bit much on a few.
I was surprised how much I like it, I purchased and returned the Gryphon, disliked the sound signature and gimmicky features.
Would highly recommend this powerhouse.

Blown away!

My new favorite amp/dac. I love my hip dac2 for its portability, but I just ordered the iFi case so I can carry the Finale. The hip dac2 is good, this is incredible. The hip dac2 can drive most HP's efficiently, the Finale takes it to another level with turbo mode. The Finale filtering with x bass & 3D, you can customize the sound signature to suit different HP'S. I use all features just not at the same time. I run easier to drive HP in normal with xbass, some with xbass & 3D, some in turbo with xbass. Having those finite adjustments allows you to bring your HP to optimal performance. The sound is warm and very clean using my iPad on Apple Lossless tracks. My favorite is Playing For Change for all the various instruments from around the world. Vocals are not too forward or to far back, it's like it's coming from all around me. Bass & mid bass is booming and not bloated with nice crisp and clean highs. I was able to use 3D on 2 HP'S, otherwise it thins out the highs making it too bright for me. I am even enjoying this more than my desktop stack with a Schiit EQ. The Finale sound should improve as time goes on and become even warmer and wrap you up like a cozy blanket on a chilly night. I'm so glad I pulled the trigger on this dac/amp because it pleases my soul.

A warm & soulful experience

I purchased this as a replacement for my aging IFI Black Label unit. I wanted the balanced output as well as the multiple sound options provided. I am pleased with the sound performance of the unit. A notable sound stage improvement, and the volume seems much more controllable. Good unit for anyone in the market

Great Amp/Dac

One caveat, I am reviewing this from owning the Micro IDSD Black Label in the past. Never tested the IDSD Signature. I love the BL but sadly it died due to some unfortunate circumstances, so I was looking to replace the BL. To me, the Finale is an improvement in sound quality, but I cannot compare it to the BL side to side. I remember the BL being warmer. 

Unlike the BL, the Finale cannot charge and play with one cable. This may be a blessing to some if you don't want the unit to drain your phone or laptop's battery. I got used to using two cables, one for charging and one for data.

Plenty of power for the headphones I use. I like having the IEMatch built in for versatility. The XBass function is fun if I want to go a little crazy with the Fostex TH900 MKII. Although I do miss the flippy switches from the BL. 

One thing I don't like is the battery indicator. Very difficult to see.

Used iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC, Adorama Exclusive

Buy it New

iFi AUDIO iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale Portable Headphone Amp and DAC