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Thanks mansr. Guess I'm all squared away on this. I did have quiet pops with the nano; I'll have to play with iDAC2 for a while to see if I need an update or not.

Well, I finally re-set JRiver, correctly. I assume operator error to begin with, but it's hard to see how I could have gotten it so wrong the first time, having followed JRiver's wiki closely. But this was 3 years ago. Who cares? Everything works now, indications on the iDAC2 make sense, it all sounds good. But I am checking in one more time to see if I can get some clarification on the 5.20 update (my iMAC system info shows the iFi DAC (no model ID) as being Version: 5.00). Might as well optimize performance and/or ditch potential bugs, but I also don't want to unknowingly install a problem. Does "AMR/iFi audio" (company rep?) respond to posts anymore since iFi got moved from the sponsored area to this general DAC area? Seems like a "demotion", or at least a reduced public profile. Or maybe the iDAC2 is off the table (appears to be discontinued), and everybody has moved on to the latest gadgets. ? ? ?

Hey, thanks for hangin' with me here. I need to go through all of JRiver's settings again. Haven't looked at it since I first set it up, and therefore don't remember anything. I either did it wrong (what are the odds?), or it came undone somehow. A quick setting change or two got more plausible results on the iDAC2 (namely, Blue light for DSD). But i'm gonna plow through thoroughly again, before returning to this. Still curious about the specific fixes on 5.20. Might as well get to optimum.

Good catch. Output Encoding is set to None, as I think it should be, now that I've read, and tested, again. Apparently DoP up(down?)samples EVERYthing to DSD(?). I want simple bit-perfect as much as possible. Don't know why I remembered being set at DoP; must've tried it early on. I tend to set and forget. So, when I play DSF files, the White light on the iFi is the appropriate indicator? What is DXD, anyway? Obviously, I've got few DSD/DSF files. It's a negligible format to me, just something else to fuss over. I can't detect any significant improvement over a comparable 24/96 PCM. But that's just me. Oh yeah, the OP... So given my disinterest in DSD, and assuming nothing I've got exceeds DSD64, are you suggesting I don't need the firmware update at all? Are there no other benefits / improvements? Thanx again.

Thanks for the reply, mansr. I'm not very familiar with the details of DSD, and have only a few such files (mostly rips from disc). Does 'DSD256' refer to the sample rate? If so, and all my DSD/DSF files and rips show as 'Sample Rate: 2822400 Hz' in JRiver, does that mean I'm employing DSD256? Even if the numbers aren't a dead match? Further confusing the issue is that when playing these files, the iDAC2 (and the nano iDSD that preceded it) display a White light, which seems to indicate 'DXD352/384kHz' - which I know nothing about. Does my choice of using DoP have something to do with this?

I just bought the iDAC2 yesterday. It was the retailer's floor/demo unit, so I'm presuming it had not been updated, but don't know for sure. System Info shows an otherwise unidentified iFi USB DAC described as 'Version: 5.00'. But I wonder if the Mac errantly retained the info from the prior nano iDSD I was using. I don't know how else to analyze the attached DAC. I went to iFi's download page and found the descriptions to be vague. Now that iFi has been moved to the general DAC subforum here, searches don't yield much. Anyway... My system is: 2013 iMac > macOS Sierra 10.12.6 > JRiver > iDAC2 > ancient integrated and speakers. No headphones. Various formats and resolutions, including DSD/DSF via DoP. The update page describes some things I absolutely DON'T WANT: namely, ANYthing related to MQA, or anything that will disable SPDIF passthrough. Passthrough is half the reason I bought this DAC. (The other half is the sound quality of my nano iDSD). I obviously need to avoid 5.3 'Cookies & Cream' for this reason. Still vague, but it looks like 5.2 'Limoncello' is the firmware I should get. But there is no explanation of the 5.2a vs 5.2b sub-versions. Or if I must install previous firmware before 5.2. Mostly for fear of the damage I would do with 5.3, before installing I'd like to hear some clarification on what the correct firmware updates will do for me. Thanks in advance.

Hi. It's been several months since I've looked in to learn about the Pro iDSD. I did a search and read the last 7 or 8 pages of this thread but couldn't find this information: Has the gapless issue been resolved by now? Do I understand correctly that there had been a handshake issue that causes the first 1/2-second or so of music to be cut off upon playback? If so, has that been resolved? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the reply; very encouraging. iFi has obviously been thorough; makes me think the long wait will be worth it.

I’m still considering a new DAC, after much hesitation. Hesitating mostly because my Nano works so well; the system is iMac > JRiver > old amp + speakers. Files are lossless, locally stored. No streaming, headphones or mobile. Still, I keep coming back to the PRO iDSD, even at its higher price, mainly for its complete all-in-one-box solution. I was disappointed to read that iFi would install MQA circuitry in DACs going forward. Don’t want to have that debate here, there’s plenty elsewhere; suffice to say that, for several reasons, MQA is a non-starter in this house. Still, I figured I can consider iFi anyway, assuming that MQA circuitry could be easily bypassed. Recently, however, it has come to my attention that a number of MQA-compliant DACs now run all files/streams through the MQA decoder and renderer subsystem including non-MQA files/streams. The Aurender A10 and the MyTek Brooklyn DAC are two current examples. With the Aurender A10, there’s now no way to use its filters because they’ve been disabled by a firmware update. The filters are still selectable in the control app, but they’re not actually functioning. Everything runs through MQA. It appears that implementation of MQA in hardware renderers is making it difficult for DAC makers to also have their own filters available. I’m not remotely expert on this, or DAC design in general. All I know is I won’t buy into MQA, and that if I do buy an iFi DAC, it must provide sound crafted by iFi designers using iFi filters and circuitry. No more, no less. Can iFi demonstrate, and guarantee, that any built-in MQA circuitry in their DACs can be kept 100% completely out of the signal path for those who don’t want it? Ideally, disabled as a default. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for the very detailed reply. You just made a sale! I might even give that iUSB 3.0 nano a look, which up to this point I was willing to ignore. Good luck with the Pro iDSD. Maybe someday for me...

Could you elaborate on that, please? I can't say I'm entirely clear on each product description, but based at least on pricing, I had the impression that the Black would provide better sound quality, regardless of usage. iDAC 2 didn't seem to have a lot of marketing promotion behind it, and yet the suggestion is this is the better-sounding unit for an integrated amp with speakers. Would it be fair to say that the main difference between the Black and iDAC 2 is the Black's 3D / XBass circuitry? And are those things basically enhancements intended for headphones? Maybe sort of like a "loudness" switch on old stereo receivers? And by turn, the iDAC 2's lack of those things yields a more bit-perfect(?) signal going out to an integrated amp / speaker system? I've been very happy with the Nano in such a setup, enough to stick with iFi for an upgrade. The Pro has grown beyond my budget, so it seems a Micro product would be a discernible move up. But which one? If it helps, my system source is iMac > JRiver > outboard DAC (Nano). Thanks!

Thanks again guys. PMW/JR does appear to set up well enough for my purposes without inconvenience. I will try it strictly as a player for a while, namely to test its performance on my redbook + hi-res PCM library. If it matches BitPerfect performance, I'll hang with that for a while before considering uRendu. I'm not wild about being connected to Pono, where I can obviously be monitored and solicited. Maybe hacked (I did receive a weird robot telephone call about some Microsoft something immediately after registering with Pono). But I'm not wild about being connected to iTunes Store either, and I live with that I guess. Thanks for your detailed post. An aside: I tried HQPlayer, and while it was immediately seductive, after a while it started to feel like all the upsampling options were somehow steps away from the intended original audio signal; a little like the old-fashioned Loudness button on a receiver. Plus I need to stick with ALAC and its better ability to retain metadata. But that's just me. I understand all the steps in your journey, and can see how your particular upgrade path works. But for my purposes, I wonder if adding all those bits and pieces - and researching/experimenting with the variations therein - might be more effort than the result will justify. When a one-box hardware solution (with built-in power supply etc) might be be a more streamlined solution. I guess that has much to do with sound quality, which is hard to qualify and express from one person to another. And with regard to this thread, how the uRendu itself performs. Which still leaves me with the question: how does one describe or characterize the uRendu? Is it a player? Seems not. A renderer? Exactly what is it doing that makes it a discernible step up by adding it to PMW/JR?

Not at all; everyone's very helpful here. I hope I'm not coming across as difficult. I just run my household differently. I'm not a computer enthusiast. HDDs are connected directly to the iMac (2013, OSX 10.11.5) via 10-ft USB3 cables. Files are ALAC, no DSD, some high-res. The Airport Extreme is connected via Ethernet as a router. Phone line > DSL modem > Extreme > iMac. WiFi is deliberately disabled. (This is the part that puzzles people; I don't want WiFi used here for performance and security, regardless of counter-argument. I do enable it in very brief patches to check my websites' performance on my iPod Touch, and quickly disable it.) There is only one desktop here. If the mere presence of the Extreme constitutes a network, OK. Or from the Airport Extreme to the uRendu, yes? There is only one Ethernet port on the iMac. Yes, I understand the concept and physical connection. The big unseen for me is: will those controllers organize and display the library in the same way iTunes does? If I need to edit metadata on 2200 albums / 50K tracks to accommodate a new component, that's a deal-breaker. Especially if it doesn't work out and I go back to iTunes library management. Can I try those controllers without buying a uRendu, to test them? And that's the big unheard. The $600 question. The guys on the Audirvana, HQPlayer, etc threads are equally enthusiastic, and my experiences with those players differ. Like I said, I'd been content with iTunes/BitPerfect until I lost gapless capability. I'm also on a budget that can't afford a non-refundable misstep. Which is why I might be stuck with software players. Against all odds – yes. Thanx!

Thanks, that's a helpful clarification. Although I'm now thinking a microRendu is overkill here. 1. The music files already exist in HDDs, with backup, outside the music room. 2. The iMac is in the listening room. It's dead-quiet (SSD). I've been using it to play via iTunes/BitPerfect, and am content to continue this way. I might be interested to use an iPod Touch, but only via Bluetooth. No WiFi. There is no home decor here; the room doesn't have to look a certain way. Cables are OK, WiFi is not. 3. The DAC is an iFi Nano, USB connection is the only option. Currently connected direct to iMac (no hub). 4. The DAC is near the desktop; it's small, USB-powered, and can be moved. 5. No existing network. I have an Airport Extreme as a router, nearby the iMac. All hardwired Ethernet, with an available port. WiFi is deliberately disabled. I've set up simple file-sharing networks via Ethernet (when there was a 2nd desktop, gone now). I'd like to avoid unnecessary complexity, and have a player that plays a mix of 16/44 and high-res files (no DSD) on the fly. Like iTunes/BitPerfect did, before the last update tanked. I'd also like this "controller" to manage a library in the same manner that iTunes does, so I don't have to edit metadata. OR, simply resume using iTunes as library management. Given the responses, and my own misunderstanding, I sense that I should just continue to explore other software players. But I'm certainly willing to learn more stuff here. Thanx.

Thanks again guys. It seems I've misunderstood the uRendo product altogether; it struck me as a specialized hardware player that could also handle networking chores. Which I don't need. Music server products really do confuse me with their various features and proprietary setups. Though I'm comfortable with OSX and can troubleshoot and maintain my Macs, I'm not a computer enthusiast, and have no need for or interest in networking. Online music streaming services have nothing I want. The only music I listen to online is off-the-radar stuff found on internet freeform radio and Youtube. There is only one desktop here. I don't use mobile devices (much). I avoid WiFi for performance and security. If there was a compelling need for networking here, I'd learn to set it up. Otherwise, I won't bother. So I guess I need to go back and try other software players. Or throw $1K at a mainstream hardware player, like Marantz. I'll try it (if it really is some kind of standalone software player), but I am skeptical of Blow Away claims. I've tried several software players, and the only one that sounded significantly different was HQPlayer. But it was so different that I suspect all the upsampling options were only distorting the original music signal, even if it was pleasing at times. Plus it was a kludge to work (no ALAC). I've been content with iTunes for playback, and adding BitPerfect - for cheap - allowed playing hi-res files on the fly without having to access AudioMidi. The only reason I need to change is that I've lost gapless capability in BP with the latest iTunes "update." I'll give Pono/JR a try, and otherwise butt out of the uRendu discussion. I appreciate the clear responses.