iDSD Diablo, with its sleek design and fiery red finish, proudly takes the top spot in the company's range of portable DAC/Amplifiers. It is created for purists - true headphone enthusiasts who crave pure, authentic sound performance. Just like a racing car designed for uncompromising speed, iDSD Diablo eliminates Bluetooth connectivity to focus on pristine and powerful sound. In simpler terms, iDSD Diablo is the best portable amplifier designed to deliver Hi-End level audio.
Uncompromising But-Perfect
The device uses two Burr-Brown chips and a new 16-core XMOS chip for processing data received through USB and S/PDIF digital inputs. This means that the iDSD Diablo can handle up to PCM 768, DSD 512, 2xDXD. The DAC also provides full MQA decoding! And with MQA now available via S/PDIF, you can enjoy any MQA CDs in your collection.
PureWave Clean Sound Technology
The differential analog circuit reduces noise and cross-interference in the signal path by completely separating the left and right channels. The iDSD Diablo utilizes a balanced dual-mono topology with short direct signal paths. This technology is called PureWave. Negative feedback is used in amplifier circuits to compare the output signal with the input signal and correct errors.
Phenomenal Dynamics
Capable of effortlessly driving all types of headphones, the iDSD Diablo delivers an incredible 5000mW of power and dynamics combined with the ability to showcase the highest resolution and detail. Three settings (Turbo, Normal, Eco) are available to adjust the power and gain to unleash the potential of any headphones.
Clean Power - Clean Sound
The iDSD Diablo focuses on high performance, and that means great attention has been paid to the power supply scheme. Battery power provides ultra-clean and stable DC current, avoiding issues with mains electricity such as voltage spikes, dropouts, and RFI/EMI noise pollution. However, there are limitations due to low output voltage and unmatched output impedance during battery discharge. These limitations are completely resolved by the power supply scheme of the iDSD Diablo. To unleash the potential and provide sufficient matching with planar magnetic headphones, the voltage needs to be increased from 3.7V to +/-15V. To achieve this, the Diablo utilizes a boost converter operating at 1.2MHz - a frequency far beyond audible range, making it easier to filter than a standard switch-mode power supply, ensuring high linearity and ultra-low noise level.
Formula 1 - iFi Style
The wide-band power supply scheme is designed for each part of the iDSD Diablo, and independent linear regulation ensures excellent PSRR (Power Supply Rejection Ratio) performance. The headphone amplifier stage avoids IC regulators in favor of Panasonic OS-CON capacitors, providing 2320μF between them. The DAC section has an ultra-low noise level with additional passive filtration, reducing high-order harmonic distortions and in turn jitter. Even the USB input stage benefits from dedicated regulation and multi-stage filtering, and the microprocessor control scheme also has separate regulation.
Switching
On the front panel of the device, next to the standard 6.3mm headphone jack, there is a symmetrical 4.4mm Pentaconn output for headphones with balanced connections. On the back panel, there are two digital audio inputs: USB-A and S/PDIF, which accept both electrical and optical signals. The USB-A input is equipped with a male connector rather than the typical female port for added reliability. There is also a separate USB-C port and a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn output for connection to an external amplifier.
Features:
- Dual mono circuitry
- PureWave technology
- Support for PCM 768, DSD512, MQA formats
- High-performance USB ZMOX 16x
- Audiophile components: Panasonic, Vishay, muRata, TDK
- 4800mAh battery
Output power:
- 19.2V/611mW (600 ohm)
- 12.6V/4,980mW (32 ohm)
Package includes:
- Portable amplifier with DAC
- iPower power adapter
- 4.4 mm to 2XLR adapter
- USB-A to USB-C adapter
- USB-C cable
- 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter