iFi Audio introduces iDSD GR 2 Portable DAC/Amp
IFi Audio has announced today in Vienna the launch of the new iDSD GR 2, the next evolution of one of the company’s most celebrated portable audio products, the xDSD Gryphon. It has been rebuilt from the ground up with a new DAC architecture, a new OLED touchscreen and lossless Bluetooth connectivity. The iFi iDSD GR 2 is the first use of the Burr-Brown PCM1795 DAC chipset within an iFi…
IFi Audio iDSD PHANTOM
Introduction
The launch of this iFi Audio iDSD PHANTOM took place at Tower Bridge on a cold, squally post-Christmas weekday. The launch party was ignited by several exciting events, the first of which was a hand-stirred gin Martini, having turned down the vodka Martini on offer. The next highlight was the product unveiling, which debuted with a pair of Active PMC Twenty5 24i…
IFi Audio GO link 2 details released
Ifi Audio has announced details of its GO Link 2, a USB dongle DAC that is smaller and lighter than both GO Link and the GO Link Max, recently reviewed here. The GO Link 2 bypasses the source device's internal DAC circuitry of a phone or tablet, turning it into a high-resolution music player.
The GO Link 2 features an ESS Sabre DAC chipset that supports HiRes music files up to PCM 384kHz…
iFi Audio launches the iDSD Phantom
Ifi Audio has today announced the launch of their latest 'home device' flagship, the iDSD Phantom. It unites a reference-class DAC/preamplifier, a premium streamer and a headphone amplifier in a single unit. The iDSD Phantom features remastering up to DSD2048, using iFi’s Chrysopoeia FPGA remastering engine. K2HD Technology, beloved by many 80s and 90s producers, is included, as are…
iFi Audio GO Blu Air trip to the Ashmolean Museum
I had an excellent day yesterday at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, where I saw the Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood Exhibition of Radiohead artworks.
The point of this piece, however, is to discuss both the exhibition and highlight the capabilities of the iFi GO Blu Air that I received a month ago. The iFi GO Blu Air is a Bluetooth Dongle for smartphones; it's tiny (and just 31g) and slips…
iFI Audio unveil GO blu Air
Ifi Audio has today announced an update to the GO blu, the GO blu Air. Designed for everyday optimisation of wired headphones, the new GO Blu Air features an upgraded Bluetooth circuit that separates Bluetooth reception from the DAC and twin mono amplification. The GO blu Air features a Qualcomm QCC5144 chipset, which is used solely for Bluetooth reception. This signal is passed to a…
iFi Audio Valkyrie – Flagship Portable DAC with DSD Remastering
Introduction
In my experience, iFi Audio over the past five years has been a pioneer in accessible electronics, with a focus on price and quality. They’ve been doing this for a long time now, with the ZEN products driving the brand forward. Now iFi Audio is expanding its price range, firmly targeting the Chord Hugo bracket with a headphone amplifier and DAC packed full of their latest…
iFi Audio Go Link Max
Introduction
iFi Audio has been a pioneer in portable and affordable HiFi for many years. They design high-quality, price-competitive products, hailing from Southport, which are then manufactured in China. One of the HF&MS products of the year last year, 2024, was the GO Bar Kensai, an ultraportable headphone amplifier dongle in the same form factor, though a bit bigger, as this GO…
Best of 2024 – iFi Audio GO Bar Kensei
The next award this year for the Best of 2024 goes to the iFi Audio GO Bar Kensei, a balanced USB portable DAC/headphone amplifier featuring JVCKenwood cutting-edge K2HD audio processing technology. We said in the review that the;
… midrange is resolving, clear and detailed…
And we concluded, whilst making an Editor's Pick award;
This GO Bar Kensei has a stunning soundstage, it is…
iFi Audio launch GO Link Max
iFi Audio is launching the GO Link Max today, an ultra-portable DAC for enhanced mobile listening. The GO Link Max builds on the success of its predecessor (the GO Link), offering 241mW (32 Ohms) of output power on the move—iFi claims this is nearly five times that of the MacBook Pro. The GO Link Max features dual ES9219 DACs and balanced output with a 4.4mm balanced headphone socket and the…