IFI iDSD Nano Black Label Review: Buy This Instead of a Schiit Stack

[Max_Settings]

I don't typically review DACs or Amps because normally I don't find them that interesting to review. It's also hard to find things to talk about in comparison to another Amp, especially when comparing two of similar quality. When I will review a DAC or an Amp is when I come across one that truly stands out to me as special or different. I have recently came across a portable DAC/Amp combo that I think is worth your time to look at. In fact, I am going to tell you to buy it over a Schiit Stack. I'm talking about the IFI iDSD Nano Black Label.

 

IFI iDSD Nano Black Label: $199

 

The Nano as I will refer to it as for the rest of this review is a $200, portable, battery powered DAC/Amp combo unit made by the England based IFI Audio. This unit has some amazing things going for it and a few flaws.

 

It comes in a nice box with the unit, a black velvet carrying bag, a 3ft blue colored USB 3 male to female cable, a solid USB A female to USB type B adapter, a 6in flexible USB A female to USB type B adapter, and 2 rubber bands to strap this to your phone or player. As for the size the Nano is a little smaller than a deck of cards in length, but a tad thicker. It is made of black aluminum and it feels very solid.

 

Starting with the overview of the unit, you will find nothing on the top or sides besides a logo and some writing. On the front you have the volume knob that also acts as the power switch, only complaint is I wish the volume indicator had some sort of texture so I could feel where it is in the dark. There is a LED that will change colors depending on if it is running off of USB or battery power, it also will change depending on the bitrate of the music and if you are using DSD, DXD, or MQA (more on this in a bit). Then on the front you will find 2 outputs, both 3.5mm. The first is labeled direct, that is very simple, it is just the full power output of the device. The second is labeled IE Match, this is a technology that IFI uses where with some very sensitive IEMs it will limit some of the output power and try to match the resistance of the headphones, or more likely, IEMs. The problem with this port is the output impedance is 4ohm. For those of you who don't know, you want as low of an output impedance as possible, particularly so with low impedance headphones or IEMs. Most very sensitive IEMs such as the Campfire Andromeda (which are 12ohm) simply have too low of an impedance for a 4ohm output impedance. What happens if your output impedance is too high for your headphone impedance is the pitch of your headphones also gets thrown off. You would need at least 32ohm IEMs to use this port. I tried IE Match with the one pair of IEMs I have, as well as a few other easy to drive headphones such as the Koss KSC75 and Phillips SHP9500S, and with those the music would get loud enough, but it would be near maximum. I never got any of the hiss that some people claim out of direct so your mileage may vary, but I would just recommend using Direct and forget about IE Match.

 

 

Now for the really interesting thing, this is a balanced headphone Amp. IFI has been pushing using a 3.5mm 4 pole as a balanced connection, and that is quite interesting. Many people agree that the 2.5mm balanced typically found in players made by Fiio, Hifiman, and Astell and Kern, is too fragile of a connection because it is so small. Sennheiser and Sony have been pushing the new 4.4mm Pentaconn 5 pole connector, and IFI is going with 3.5mm 4 pole. IFI doesn't claim more power using balanced as opposed to unbalanced like many Amps do, so the only benefit of going with balanced is the usual benefits of balanced if you believe in them. The problem with 3.5mm balanced is IFI is the only one who uses it to my knowledge and therefor there are no headphones cables for it. You'd have to make your own or have someone make one for you to use it. I wish IFI would of either included a 2.5mm 4pole to 3.5mm 4 pole adapter, or at lease sold one separately. Heck, I would of even take a 4pin XLR to 3.5mm 4 pole. Anyway, I have no 3.5mm 4 pole cables so I haven't tried balanced on this unit, so I can't speak to how well that works. Another thing I though of that IFI should have done by using a 3.5mm 4 pole is make this take a mic input. I don't know if it would be possible to make this have a 3.5mm balanced and a mic input at the same time, but that would be really cool sine this thing will always be hooked up via USB. That would make this the best gaming DAC/Amp too for people who use the Vmoda Boompro I often recommend. IFI, for the next version see if you can make this thing take a mic input, if not ditch the balanced and add the mic, that would be a much more used feature.

 

Flipping around to the back of the unit you will find a full sized USB 3.0 A Male. In order to hook this unit up, you have to use either a USB 3.0 male to female cable, or an OTG cable to use it with your phone. Next you will find a switch that says "Measure" or "Listen" leave it on listen and don't worry about why it's there or what it's for (otherwise I'd have to type another few paragraphs explaining it). And finally, you will find a 3.5mm line out. A line out is for if you want to use this as a DAC on another Amp, which I highly recommend as you will see in a bit. Line out if the full signal of the DAC, so the volume knob does nothing to control that, which is awesome for using it with another Amp, but not good if you want to use it with powered monitors in which case you would need a separate pre-Amp.

 

 

As for a few more general usage items, as mentioned earlier this is USB only and there is no analog input so you can't use the Amp with another DAC. As for it being battery powered, this means it can be used with with your phone with the use of an OTG cable. When you use it on your PC plug it in first and then turn it on, this tells the Nano to use USB power. When you are using it with your phone turn the Nano on first and then plug it in, this tells it to use it's battery power. As for battery life, I haven't fully drained it, but from what I've heard it's 4-6 hours depending on how hard your headphones are to push. As for using it with your phone, I find it a bit thick to strap on the back of your phone, it's not thin like a Fiio Q1 MK2, or Oppo HA-2SE, but it is doable.

 

As for a few more specs, this is a 32bit, multibit, 192 DAC, that supports DSD 256, DXD 384, PCM 384, and MQA. Don't concern yourself with 32bit, DSD, DXD, PCM, and MQA. As for power, the Nano claims 285mw at 32ohm, and 20mW at 600ohm. This isn't a crazy powerful headphone Amp, but you'd be surprised how well it does at pushing headphones. Now, I can confirm it is doing loudness EQ. I know this because when I plug T50s in they are loud at 1:00 despite sounding incredibly distorted. If it did no loudness EQ I should be able to max the Nano and the T50s should still be relatively quiet. But that doesn't mean it can't drive headphones. Even 300ohm cans like the HD6XX and HD600 this can push quite well. Anything easier to drive this thing doesn't break a sweat. If I compare the 6XXs on the IFI to a bigger Amp, they sound just a tiny bit better on a larger Amp, but I have 0 issues with using them on the IFI. I'll give a list of all my headphones and whether or not the IFI can drive them.

 

VE Monk Plus: Yes

Koss KSC 75: Yes

Sennheiser HD500A: Yes

Monoprice Retro: Yes

SHP9500S: Yes

Hifiman HE4XX: Yes

HD600: Yes

HD6XX/HD650: Yes

T50RP MK3: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NO

Monoprice M1060 V2: Yes

1More Triple Driver Over Ear: Yes

Hifiman HE560: Ehhhh.....More or less

HD660S: Yes

 

 

As you can see it does a pretty good job at driving headphones. As for the sound quality, I have no issues using this over anything else on my desk. It's not quite as good as say a modified Lyr 2 fed by a Yggdrasil, but still it is exceptional. For it's price, I have no reservations saying it's a higher quality Amp than the Magni 3, and I will say without question this is a better DAC than the Modi 2. Not it is not as powerful as a Magni 3, that is for sure, but it pushes even relatively hard to drive cans quite well. As for the DAC, it's a higher bit rate DAC than the Modi 2, it's multi-bit, and it supports more formats. Not that any of that really matters, but to me it sounds better than a Modi 2. This is where I am going to tell you to buy this over a Schiit Stack. This is the same price as the non-Uber Schiit Stack. So what do you loose for the same price. Power, and pre-outs, that's it.The Magni 3 has a lot more power, which if you need the power, you need it, i can't blame you there, but if you don't take the IFI. Then the IFI can't be used as a pre-Amp for powered monitors, you'd need to buy another pre-Amp, but I doubt too many of you care. Both the Nano and the regular Modi 2 are USB powered, but the Nano has USB filtering where the Modi 2 doesn't. I have gotten 0 USB noise out of the Nano which is something I can't say about my other USB only DAC, the Grace SDAC. I would take the Nano over the Modi 2 as a DAC any day. Now if we compare the Nano to the Uber Schiit Stack and swap out the standard Modi 2 for the Modi 2 Uber, there you gain external power which helps with the USB noise, and optical if you really need that, but that's still $50 more than the Nano and I still prefer the sound of the Nano. 

 

In my opinion, the Nano is the better buy over the Schiit Stack, unless you need power. If is small and works very well on a desk, and boy does it sound good. What I would recommend is unless you are going right out for crazy hard to drive stuff like T50s or 600ohm Beyerdynamics, get the IFI over the Schiit Stack. Then down the road if you need more power, buy a Magni 3 and use the line out of the IFI to feed the Magni, or if you want a tube Amp, say a Darkvoice or Valhalla 2, feed that with the Nano. Then you have a powerful Amp for your desk, and an amazing DAC/Amp for on the go. Just unplug the USB and 3.5mm, plug in your OTG with you phone and go. It is a more convenient and better solution in my opinion. I promise, you won't be disappointed in the sound. I used this as my only DAC/Amp for an entire week when I was on vacation, and I never once questioned the quality. Another thing I like to do with the IFI is use it to listen to headphones in bead, that is something many of you can't do with a Schiit Stack. Loosing power over the Magni 3 is worth it to me to be able to go anywhere with high quality audio. You will never need to question your phone or laptop audio ever again.

 

Hope you found this helpful, and I hope I sold you guys on the IFI iDSD Nano Black Label. I will link it, as well as a few other things below.

 

IFI iDSD Nano Black Label

1st Party Lightning OTG Cable

Generic Lightning OTG Cable

USB C OTG Cable

Micro USB OTG Cable

3.5mm to RCA to use with another Amp

1/4in to 3.5mm Adapter.

1More Triple Driver Over Ear (My Portable Headphone Most Often Used on the Nano)

Periapt Cables (If you want to get a custom 3.5mm 4 pole cable)

[Drake Mallard]

I think I should have gotten this instead of the Q1 MKII. The Q1 MKII is 100 bucks plus around 60 for a 2.5mm balanced cable. How does this sound with the 660S compared to Q1 MKII's balanced out?

[GamerDude]

Nice review, I'm an iFi fan myself, having owned the Micro iDSD (sold), an iFi Nano iDSD and an iFi Micro iDSD BL. The AKM DAC used in the Micro iDSD BL isn't quite as clinical than the Sabres in the Oppo HA-1 and Gustard X12, but they are more euphonic to me, with very good clarity as well.

[Max_Settings]

7 hours ago, Drake Mallard said:

I think I should have gotten this instead of the Q1 MKII. The Q1 MKII is 100 bucks plus around 60 for a 2.5mm balanced cable. How does this sound with the 660S compared to Q1 MKII's balanced out?

This is a better Amp and DAC than the Q1 MK2 and more powerful. Pushes the 660S with ease.

[Bhavin Lakdawala]

Hello.

 

ifi company claim tht "TI Burr Brown 1793 DAC" chipset used in "ifi Nano BL" makes it only DAC Amp in the market who converts DSD file formats to Native DSD without convert it to PCM first.

ifi claim tht other DAC chipset & other DAC first converst DSD to PCM & then give DSD output.

Is this claim of ifi company right? Also did u get better sound through ifi Nano BL than other DAC Amp while u used it for listen DSD files?

Pls replay. Thanks & regards,

~ Bhavin

[Max_Settings]

Just now, Bhavin Lakdawala said:

Hello.

 

ifi company claim tht "TI Burr Brown 1793 DAC" chipset used in "ifi Nano BL" makes it only DAC Amp in the market who converts DSD file formats to Native DSD without convert it to PCM first.

ifi claim tht other DAC chipset & other DAC first converst DSD to PCM & then give DSD output.

Is this claim of ifi company right? Also did u get better sound through ifi Nano BL than other DAC Amp while u used it for listen DSD files?

Pls replay. Thanks & regards,

~ Bhavin

I didn't test that because I don't believe in DSD. Very expensive, not much available in it, and at that point you are being insane, you can't hear a bit rate that high.

[GamerDude]

2 hours ago, Bhavin Lakdawala said:

Hello.

 

ifi company claim tht "TI Burr Brown 1793 DAC" chipset used in "ifi Nano BL" makes it only DAC Amp in the market who converts DSD file formats to Native DSD without convert it to PCM first.

ifi claim tht other DAC chipset & other DAC first converst DSD to PCM & then give DSD output.

Is this claim of ifi company right? Also did u get better sound through ifi Nano BL than other DAC Amp while u used it for listen DSD files?

Pls replay. Thanks & regards,

~ Bhavin

I do some some DSD tracks, a good collection of Classical/Pop/Rock/New Age tracks actually, and I do hear some difference between DSD and FLAC/WAV, but then I put it down to better original source (many of these DSD tracks were mastered from SACD source).

[Guest]

I like the aesthetics of this black box. Thanks for the review, eh. The more inexpensive, well-crafted DAC/amps available on the market... the better.

 

I'm assuming I can use a Torx wrench, open it up, and replace the batteries as necessary?

Edited October 15, 2018 by Guest
Torx

[Max_Settings]

1 hour ago, PrometheanCat-1970 said:

I like the aesthetics of this black box. Thanks for the review, eh. The more inexpensive, well-crafted DAC/amps available on the market... the better.

 

I'm assuming I can use a Torx wrench, open it up, and replace the batteries as necessary?

Can’t comment on opening it up.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Max_Settings said:

Can’t comment on opening it up.

Roger, that.

I find it interesting how there’s a school of thought that all electronics should be (somehow) repairable by Joe/Jane-Q-public. The group iFixIt are a big fan of it. I don’t understand my country’s consumer protection laws. I heard a rumour (in a LTT vlog?) that Tesla cars sold in Canada have to be serviced by Tesla. I shudder to think what would happen if a grease-monkey at Minit-Lube or one of those drive-through oil/change places bridge the connections, after prying off an insulating cover.

 

I visited the IFI site...

Spoiler

Ooof. There’s some niiiiiiiice gear there. Enough for even as Schiithead like me to switch teams. 

 

[Spuriae]

14 hours ago, PrometheanCat-1970 said:

Roger, that.

I find it interesting how there’s a school of thought that all electronics should be (somehow) repairable by Joe/Jane-Q-public. The group iFixIt are a big fan of it. I don’t understand my country’s consumer protection laws. I heard a rumour (in a LTT vlog?) that Tesla cars sold in Canada have to be serviced by Tesla. I shudder to think what would happen if a grease-monkey at Minit-Lube or one of those drive-through oil/change places bridge the connections, after prying off an insulating cover.

 

I visited the IFI site...

  Hide contents

Ooof. There’s some niiiiiiiice gear there. Enough for even as Schiithead like me to switch teams. 

 

The designer ("ThorstenL" on diyAudio and "Kuei Yang Wang" on diyHifi) used to be one of the biggest names in the DIY audio community; if you want to see more of his stuff, he's posted a lot of his thoughts online. As for repairability, I'd imagine that it's a bad idea from a legal and support point of view to encourage users to play around with potentially dangerous electronics. Schiit takes the same pro-DIY yet no officially user serviceable parts stance.