FAQs

Filter
Reset
Reset
Reset

3D, is it a cross feed?

Analogue DAC General Lifestyle
Aurora micro iCAN SE micro iDSD micro iDSD Black Label Pro iCAN Pro iCAN Signature Retro Stereo 50 xCAN xDSD ZEN DAC
Here is some information regarding the 3D effect inside our products; The bottom line is that all classic ‘cross-feed’ systems produce, with well-recorded music and with a natural rendering of…
Read more

All format LED’s remain lit?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
When all the 3 LEDs light up and you’ve excluded the tubes by using the supplied extra tube. This means the front PCB gets no signal or the MCU is…
Read more

Any sonic difference replacing tubes?

Lifestyle
Retro Stereo 50
Sonically the greater effect is always the driver tube, compared to output tubes. NOS EL84 should remove the four jumpers. They should also be fully tested, including at rated voltages,…
Read more

Bluetooth is not working / pairing.

Retro Stereo 50
With regards to the Bluetooth can you try the following; 1) Manually delete the connection from your smart device. 2) Turn off the Retro and smart device. 3) Restart the…
Read more

Burn-in: Is it a myth or for real?

Lifestyle
General
Retro Stereo 50
Our own experiences with “burn-in” (that is a material parameter change in electronic components over the early hours of being operated in a circuit after being manufactured, or inactive for…
Read more

Earth / ground pin is missing from my machine?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
The Stereo 50 was designed ground-up without earth connection. There is no earth connection in the IEC Socket, it is a C18 Standard type, that readily accepts power cables without…
Read more

EL84X, what does the X stand for?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
The PCB has a jumper for EL84x tubes. What does the “X” stand for? Answer: We use a tube that is a modern equivalent of the EL84. It has a slightly…
Read more

Frequency response for all iFi DSD DACs

DAC General Lifestyle
Aurora hip-dac hip-dac2 micro iDAC2 micro iDSD micro iDSD Black Label nano iDSD nano iDSD Black Label nano iDSD LE nano iOne Pro iDSD Pro iDSD Signature Retro Stereo 50 xDSD ZEN DAC
All iFi DSD playing DACs have a -3dB point for around 75kHz / 90kHz (depending on the precise model) if the sample rate is > 96khz. At sample rates lower…
Read more

How can it output 25W per channel?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
Short answer: The typical “measured” max output power is 15-17W. This is measured in a lab read: simulated, with a sine wave into a resistor load. This is not reflective of…
Read more

How do you tell its a faulty tube?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
With later models of the Stereo 50 its equip with system protection – in other words tube protection system. It will detect a faulty tube and shut the unit down…
Read more

How to install tubes?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
Please see the PDF which will explain how to swap out the tubes should one fail. Retro_Stereo50_Valve_Installation_manual_New1.0J
Read more

Is the power supply regulated?

Lifestyle
Power
Retro Stereo 50
The power supply in the Stereo 50 is a regulated SMPS, designed for 85V – 265V operation and the design has been verified against these voltages for normal operation. Example: The…
Read more

Is the Stereo 50’s tube circuit bias?

Lifestyle
General
Retro Stereo 50
The circuit of the Retro is auto-adjusting the bias, no manual adjustment needed. Just replace the tubes (not even matched pairs are needed, though it measures better if they are…
Read more

Possible to use with a sub-woofer?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
Yes. Sub-woofer with high gain connected to the speakers. We always recommend that a sub-woofer is connected in “high pass” mode that is, where it is connected to the speakers…
Read more

Red LED next to tube?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
This means that the tube has a fault and the tube protection system is flagging that its the one triggering the machine to reset mode. Please see this image, its…
Read more

Speakers, what are recommended?

Lifestyle
General Operation
Retro Stereo 50
The Retro LS-3.5 speakers are what we recommend. Not just because we designed them from the ground-up but their 90dB/2.83V sensitivity makes them a perfect match for a tube/valve amplifier…
Read more