Latest Firmware 5.30C

[Tnewell]

I upgraded the firmware on my Micro IDSD (silver) to the latest firmware 5.30C. 

 

I noticed the LED is yellow when playing 16 bit 44.1 files. Is this normal? It used to be green.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

[Totsipaki]

My black micro Idsd normally changes colour according to the fed sample rate after the firmware update.

[AMR/iFi audio]

Yellow LED is intended, please see here:

 

https://ifi-audio.com/downloads/

[JavierS]

Does 5.30C also include MQA?

On my iDSD I'm using 5.2A because I want DSD512 and have no MQA files but would like to have those "Major Optimisations"

[macuniverse]

2 hours ago, JavierS said:

Does 5.30C also include MQA?

On my iDSD I'm using 5.2A because I want DSD512 and have no MQA files but would like to have those "Major Optimisations"

 

+1

 

I'm in the same boat. I have Micro iDSD (original). I have no interest in MQA. I'm still using v5.2

 

Why not v5.30C for MQA users (where they are happy to limit DSD rates)

... and v5.30D with just code optimisations/other improvements and leave DSD alone?

 

I'm not really happy that all these improvements are being attached to MQA (as if MQA is a requirement for all these improvements to happen).

 

[Totsipaki]

My impression is that the sonic improvements of the new filter which take place only in the bit perfect or minimum phase filter setting depending on the device indeed resemble the "effect" that MQA files have when decoded which means a substantial improvement to timing, stereophonic imaging and realistic reproduction (at least this is my perception).

 

Since many ifi owners consider that sound phlosophy not to their taste and prefer perhaps a softer and more spacious effect to their sound by using dsd upsampling as more natural or realistic, rejecting MQA as "processed" or faulty which is fair enough. I do not understand why they would request for that MQA-ish effect to their sound but at the same time do not want Mqa which they do not like, since they want to retain the ability to upsample at very high frequencies which is their preference.  

 

Do not misunderstand me I do not want to judje how people like to enjoy their music but since Ifi still has all firmware options available for flashing our devices as they say them selves* why not try and choose which option we like most? It makes no sense to ask for something we reject but without wanting It as a real option at the same time since we will still keep listening the way we liked on the first place. Not to me at least..

 

 

*If the GTO™ digital filter is so ‘perfect’, why include the other filters with the Pro iDSD? As remarked before, individual listeners may have different listening preferences and rather than imposing one option, even if we feel this option is not the best, we prefer to leave the choice down to the individual. (quoted from the gto filter press release)

[Totsipaki]

On 9/15/2018 at 6:23 PM, Totsipaki said:

My black micro Idsd normally changes colour according to the fed sample rate after the firmware update.

Correction.  mine too goes yellow when playing all pcm sample rates through the USB input. I was confused the day I wrote the quoted post because I was listening through the optical port at the time..

[AnotherSpin]

To my ears the sound of PCM files becomes slightly over-processed. Returned back tp 5.20.

[jtconte]

Waiting on the release of the Mac OS version so I can try this on my micro iDAC2.

[AnotherSpin]

38 minutes ago, jtconte said:

Waiting on the release of the Mac OS version so I can try this on my micro iDAC2.

 

If you use MQA, then it makes sense, otherwise you may want to stay with 5.20.

[AMR/iFi audio]

4 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

If you use MQA, then it makes sense, otherwise you may want to stay with 5.20.

 

Yup!

[jtconte]

Does 5.30 treat non-mqa files differently than 5.20?

[AMR/iFi audio]

1 hour ago, jtconte said:

Does 5.30 treat non-mqa files differently than 5.20?

 

Nope.

[AnotherSpin]

9 minutes ago, AMR/iFi audio said:

 

Nope.

 

And 5.30 does not permit upsample to 768, only 384. In this respect it treats non mqa files worse.

[AMR/iFi audio]

On 9/25/2018 at 10:27 PM, AnotherSpin said:

 

And 5.30 does not permit upsample to 768, only 384. In this respect it treats non mqa files worse.

 

Due to resources and CPU time consumed by the MQA renderer component, the firmware 5.3X does not support 705.4/768kHz and DSD512 or DoP DSD 256.

 

If these sample rates are required, please use Firmware 5.2X.