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Closed Tour: iFi Audio – Black Label Signature and NEO iDSD Tour Series

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ClosedSource

Finding the Right Source

January 2021

iFi Audio Gear Discussed in this Tour can be found here: https://ifi-audio.com/

iFi Audio has had a long reputation as a quality brand to bring great sound to our audio gear. This long reputation has led to an extensive lineup that few of us have had the pleasure to audition. Even at CANJAM, it always comes down to making a choice as there are long lines to hear their product so I have heard items here and there as I have had the opportunity. However, I always seem to miss the one that people raved about after the fact.

To fix this situation, I set up a relationship with iFi to be able to do a series of tours so we can hear each of these important products at our leisure in the comfort of our own homes. My interest lies with the new NEO iDSD and well as their black label products plus the Pro iDSD. What do you want to hear? Please let comments below with your interest as you request participation in these tours. 

To start our tour series, we have been sent an iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature DAC/AMP to tour in the US. From my initial impressions, I know that this is going to be a popular tour with lots of positive impressions.

BECOME A VERIFIED TOUR MEMBER

iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Tour Kit

We have one tour kit in full retail boxing for our tour:

Tour Kit – Micro iDSD Signature – $650

  • Dual Core Burr Brown True Native chipset supports all hi-res audio formats up to PCM 32 bit / 768kHz, DSD512, and MQA
  • 4000mW headphone amplifier with balanced topology and 4.4mm pentacon output
  • XBass+, 3D+, and iEMatch create an immersive and personalized headphone or speaker listening experience
  • USB A, S/PDIF digital and optical audio inputs; 6.3mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs, RCA line outputs
  • Rechargeable battery provides 6-12 hours of listening, or play while charging

PLEASE NOTE: The tour kit does not contain all the necessary adapters to connect your digital sources. You will need your own pathway to connect to the USB cable. For example, I needed a Lightning to USB cable to connect my iPhone to the provided USB input cables.

iFi Audio Tour Kickoff Video

Tour Kit Pictures

Barra’s Quick Initial Impressions

The best part of managing tours is getting to hear all the great gear for myself. Here are some brief impressions from what I have heard so far between the tasks required to set up this tour:

  • Micro iDSD Signature: TBD

TBD

Rules and Responsibilities

Most of our tours are offering 7-day auditions which you are required to ship out to the next participant on day 8. Yes, you pay the shipping to the next participant, but we organize into logistically friendly orders to minimize the shipping expense.

The tour membership rules and responsibilities are described here. The key idea is that we must be communicative to participate and to keep the tour moving and interesting. It is our responsibility to follow these rules and to ensure the ability to ship out on day 8 when our turn is over.

Signing up for the Tour

To sign up for the tour, you must be a verified tour member and have joined our new AUDIOTIERs platform. The membership qualifications and requirements are described here if you are not already a member. Whether a HEADFI tour member that needs to transfer their membership to the new platform or you are a new member looking to apply for tour membership, please follow the instructions in the GETTING STARTED box below. We are now accepting applications from both US and Canadian citizens.

Getting
Started

NEW TOUR MEMBERS: 1) Register, 2) Subscribe, 3) Apply, 4) Join Tours

EXISTING HEADFI TOUR MEMBERS: 1) Register, 2) Subscribe, 3) Join Tours

Tour Signups for Verified Members: If you would like to be part of this tour, please feel free to post your request in the comments below.

Reviewers First Tour: This is a REVIEWERS GO FIRST TOUR, so if you would like to skip to the front of the line, please note that you would like to be a full reviewer in the request as in the sample below:

Sample Signup Request: I live in Anthem, AZ and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@AudioTiers.com. AS A FULL REVIEWER, PLEASE MOVE ME TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.

Tour Participant Logistics

We are offering 7-days auditions to each participant. This logistics list is updated as I can to show you where we are in the order with each participant bolded to signify that they received the kit. This is where you will find the next two participants to contact when you receive the kit.

Signup Period: During our signup period, we collect the initial participants and provide them with a logistically friendly portion of the tour. This is the lowest cost portion in terms of shipping. Once this closes, we move to the latecomer portion.

Latecomer Period: Latecomers are welcome to the tour on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will continue taking latecomer requests until we run out of participants or the manufacturer asks us to end the tour.

iFi Audio US Tour Logistics

Tour Kit – Micro iDSD Signature (Closed)

  1. Barra – Anthem, AZ
  2. eTHE2 – Diamond Bar, CA
  3. wardo – Porter Ranch, CA
  4. wormsdriver – McAllen, Tx
  5. towa – Nashville, TN
  6. Jeighell – Ephrata, WA
  7. uthood – Prosper, TX
  8. Barra – Anthem, AZ

NEO Only:

  1. REVIEWER: ngoshawk – Warrensburg, MO
  2. REVIEWER: antdroid – Lynnwood, WA 
  3. REVIEWER: Audio In – Merced, CA 

Potential Canadian Tour

We are checking participation levels for Canadian tour members. If we get 8 requests, we will move to extend our tour to Canada. If we get 16 requests, we will ask for an additional tour kit to start an additional tour right away. Again, Fir Audio will have to agree, but this should not be an issue if we get the numbers.

  1. @Barra – Anthem, AZ

Non-Logistical:

  1. Titienne – Quebec, Canada
  2. riverground – Toronto, ON, Canada

I am the Managing Director of ClearDiff (https://cleardiff.com/) - a technical marketing company specializing in product launches for the Global 2000. ClearDiff offers end-to-end support in bringing great ideas to market – from inception to launch and beyond. AUDIO Tours is my hobby that feeds my audiophile passion..

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    Titienne
    Titienne(@titienne)
    #310
    CA Tours
    11/06/2020 8:33 pm

    Very interested to hear this ! I live in Quebec, Canada and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I am a verified Canada tour member and my contact information is up to date.

    0
    ngoshawk
    ngoshawk(@ngoshawk)
    #362
    US Tours Reviewer
    11/28/2020 1:47 pm

    The NEO would be a nice comparison to my Pro iDSD. Count me in.

    FULL REVIEW.

    0
    eTHE2
    eTHE2(@ethe2)
    #376
    Admin
    12/06/2020 12:13 am

    I live in Diamond Bar, Ca and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I am a verified US tour member and my contact information is up to date.

    0
    riverground
    riverground(@riverground)
    #378
    CA Tours
    12/06/2020 12:26 am

    I’m very much interested to hear these!

    I live in Toronto, ON, Canada and would like to participate in the tour.
    I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I am a verified Canada tour member and my contact info is up to date.

    0
    Jeighell
    Jeighell(@jeighell)
    #381
    US Tours
    12/06/2020 1:04 am

    Would love to be on this tour. Bill, you should have all my information from HeadFi days and I agree to the rules. Ephrata, WA

    0
    wardo783
    wardo783(@wardo783)
    #383
    US Tours
    12/06/2020 1:15 am

    I live in Porter Ranch, CA and would like to participate in the tour. I agree
    to follow the terms of the tour. I am a verified US tour member and my contact information is up to date.

    0
    Towa
    Towa(@towa)
    #384
    US Tours
    12/06/2020 3:40 am

    I live in Nashville, TN and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. My membership information is up to date.

    0
    Wormsdriver
    Wormsdriver(@wormsdriver)
    #385
    US Tours
    12/06/2020 5:28 am

    Count me in!
    I live in McAllen, Tx and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I am a verified US tour member and my contact information is up to date.

    0
    Drunkenmunkey
    Drunkenmunkey(@drunkenmunkey)
    US Tours Reviewer
    #398
    Reply to  Wormsdriver
    12/10/2020 7:19 pm

    Responded to the wrong post, oop!

    Last edited 2 years ago by Drunkenmunkey
    0
    Drunkenmunkey
    Drunkenmunkey(@drunkenmunkey)
    #399
    US Tours Reviewer
    12/10/2020 7:20 pm

    Thanks for the signups yall, keep them coming!

    The Neo is temporarily put on hold as we figure out what’s up with the firmware and noise issues that people are experiencing in the head-fi tour.

    The iDSD Signature will be on it’s way to Barra soon.

    Big thanks to all of you who plan on writing reviews too! Please PM me if you ever have any questions since I’m the direct iFi contact for this tour.

    Last edited 2 years ago by Drunkenmunkey
    0
    antdroid
    antdroid(@antdroid)
    #401
    US Tours Reviewer
    12/15/2020 7:43 pm

    I would be interested in the NEO tour as a reviewer

    0
    Audio In
    Audio In(@audio-in)
    US Tours Reviewer
    #402
    Reply to  antdroid
    12/17/2020 4:41 pm

    I would love to be part of the NEO tour as a reviewer

    Last edited 2 years ago by Audio In
    0
    Audio In
    Audio In(@audio-in)
    #403
    US Tours Reviewer
    12/17/2020 4:55 pm

    I’m interested in the NEO tour as a reviewer

    0
    uthood
    uthood(@uthood)
    #424
    US Tours
    01/28/2021 2:30 am

    I live in Prosper, TX and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour.

    • My membership information is up to date.
    • I have applied for membership and have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@cleardiff.com
    0
    wardo783
    wardo783(@wardo783)
    #455
    US Tours
    02/04/2021 11:27 pm

    I have concluded my time with the unit and will be shipping to  Towa today.

    0
    Wildcatsare1
    Wildcatsare1(@wildcatsare1)
    Admin
    #568
    Reply to  wardo783
    03/25/2021 8:15 pm

    Thanks for the update!

    0
    Wildcatsare1
    Wildcatsare1(@wildcatsare1)
    #555
    Admin
    03/16/2021 10:41 pm

    Hi All, I’m assisting Bill in managing the tours, and I need some info from your participants. Pleas4 note in the thread when you receive the tour unit, and note when you’ve sent it on to the next participant. I appreciate everyone’s assistance in making AudioTiers better for all members!

    0
    Wildcatsare1
    Wildcatsare1(@wildcatsare1)
    #569
    Admin
    03/25/2021 8:16 pm

    Towa, are you ready to ship, or have you done so already?

    0
    Jeighell
    Jeighell(@jeighell)
    #593
    US Tours
    04/07/2021 2:31 pm

    I have officially received the kit today and it’s in good condition. Thank you

    0
    runningwithit
    runningwithit(@runningwithit)
    #601
    Member
    04/09/2021 3:15 pm

    I live in Memphis Tn. and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow such terms on the tour. I submitted my information and ID to billb@cleardiff.c

    0
    Drunkenmunkey
    Drunkenmunkey(@drunkenmunkey)
    US Tours Reviewer
    #655
    Reply to  runningwithit
    05/27/2021 4:25 pm

    Hi guys! Just checking in on how things is going with the tour and where the Signature is.

    Hope you all have enjoyed your time with it!

    0
    Gc335
    Gc335(@gc335)
    #680
    US Tours
    07/02/2021 1:33 pm

    I’d love to join the tour. I agree to the rules of the tour and all my info is up-to-date! Thx!

    0
    wpdiscuz   wpDiscuz