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In Reply to: RE: From iFi GO link posted by Leo loves music on May 11, 2025 at 02:24:19
I don't think 'hardware' based volume control is unique to just the iFi DAC.
In my case I can use my player App on iPad/iPhone/Mac to remote control Volume output from the DAC and the DAC hardware responds via a relay switched set of discrete resistors in it's attenuator circuit - separate from the DAC chip itself and fully in the analog domain - rather than dropping DAC 'bits' in the digital domain.
If the iFi remote Volume control is handled in its 'hardware' it's probably just dropping lower order bits within the DAC chip. Other DACs do this too with their dedicated Remote controls..... which ain't as bad as audiophiles think. If you have a 32-bit DAC and your source music is 16-bits or even 24-bits, you have several lower-order bits to play with w/o losing any audible resolution or dynamic range.
Does the iFi DAC have a separate hardware based volume control that resides OUTSIDE the DAC chip itself? What is it comprised of?
I have no interest to decode it.
Edits: 05/12/25
"I have no interest to decode it. "That's what they're counting on.
If the iFi GO Link dongle DAC had something truly unique going on inside they would be proud to describe it, proud to differentiate themselves from the others.
Other small dongle DACs also control volume in hardware like the Audioquest DragonFly family. A bullet point from the AQ spec sheet:
* 64-step, bit-perfect digital volume control (operated via your computer or mobile device)
Yup. Looks like it is hardware based too.
Edits: 05/12/25
Volume Control
Each output channel has its own attenuation circuit. The attenuation for each channel is controlled independently. Each channel can be attenuated
from 0dB to -127dB in 0.5dB steps. Each 0.5dB step transition takes up to 64 intermediate levels, depending on the vol_rate setting in Register 6:
DOP AND VOLUME RAMP RATE. The result being that the level changes are done using small enough steps so that no switching noise occurs
during the transition of the volume control. When a new volume level is set, the attenuation circuit will ramp softly to the new level.
The volume control can be either channel independent or synchronized using Register 27: GENERAL CONFIGURATION ch1_volume.Analog Volume Control
Analog volume control (AVC) provides improved noise performance as the gain is reduced. The hardware default programmable analog gain is -24dB
with 1dB steps up to 0dB. See Register 3: ANALOG VOLUME CONTROL.
The AVC is forced to minimum gain until the transition to HiFi mode is complete. The ES9219 follows a programmed timing sequence to enter HiFi
mode. Enabling the AVC is one of the last steps in that sequence. This procedure will not change the value of the analog volume control register.
See Register 32: AMPLIFIER CONFIGURATION.
Edits: 05/12/25
...and not iFI intellectual property but still a nice product.
> > "I have no interest to decode it."
That could mean you're buying their advertising talk versus something unique and significant. That's pretty common in this industry (and many others.)
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