The world of gadgets for lovers of high-quality sound in headphones is somehow very polarly divided into two parts: either more or less budget solutions with sound of different quality, or the incredible steepness and quality of the device cost “like a wing from an airplane”. There are very few interim solutions, even fewer solutions, aimed primarily at those who listen to music from a computer, and there are no modular devices with the possibility of upgrade. But iFi has changed a lot by presenting its line of devices, which I will talk about.
iFi is far from new to the audio market; their “parents” are the British company Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) respected in the world of “serious audiophilia”. The seriousness of preparing to enter the segment of "computer music lovers" is felt in full. Having appeared on the market quite recently, iFi with its “Micro” line actually made a sensation, presenting in a short time a whole series of products, and very successful products: iCAN headphone amplifier, iDAC DAC, iUSB Power stabilizer USB, iPhono phono amplifier, USB converter S / PDIF iLink and, finally, a new product - an amplifier using iTube lamps. I tried the first three devices kindly provided by the official distributor - the company .
In addition to the obvious advantages and expected features of such a company for products such as appearance and good sound (but more on that later), a very interesting feature comes to the fore: the modularity of the solution, which allows for a gradual upgrade. This purchase order looks very logical: iDAC, which gives the first gain in quality compared to the built-in sound card, then iCAN, if you have “tight” headphones or you don’t like the sound of a simple amplifier built into iDAC, and finally, iUSB, You want to get the maximum possible by filtering the power of the USB port. In this case, you choose your system and add only the components you need to it.
Now we will understand in order with all three devices.
iDAC
Technical characteristics of the DAC
- Chip: ESS Saber ES9023
- Supported resolution: up to 192 kb / s, 24 bits
- USB audio: class 2, asynchronous, XMOS chip
- S / N ratio: > 111 dB
- Dynamic range (–60 dBFs): > 111 dB
- Crosstalk: <–102 dB @ 1 kHz
- Total harmonic distortion: <0.005%
- Jitter: Below Measurement Limit
- Frequency range: 3 Hz - 33 kHz
- Conclusions: Line Out, RCA
Headphone amplifier specifications
- OU: MAX9722
- Output power: > 150 mW @ 15 Ω
- Output voltage: > 3.3 V @> 100Ω
- Signal to noise ratio: > 97 dB
- Total harmonic distortion: <0.003%
- Output impedance: <1 Ω
- Power Consumption: <2.5 W
- Dimensions: 158 mm x 68 mm x 28 mm
- Weight: 193 gr
- Output: 3.5 mm
Package and Delivery
All iFi devices come in the same package and are made in the same style (which is generally expected): an elongated box of white cardboard with silver embossing, a cardboard casing with a device print and listing the main features on the reverse side is put over it.
The DAC itself is in the top box, in two compartments below it: a USB cable (very good), 4 silicone legs so as not to scratch the bottom side of the device, a standard interconnect cable with 4 RCA connectors and an instruction / warranty card.
Design and management
As I wrote above, the design of the iFi series is the same - very small width and height, and at the same time quite noticeable length. The slightly bevelled edges and all-aluminum body complete the look. Banal stamp, but just next to the "poppies" iFi looks especially good.
On the upper surface are the logo and LEDs of the display, on the bottom of all devices the main features of the device are carefully applied, all controls are located on the front and rear ends. In the case of iDAC it is: a USB connector on the rear panel, a line-out connector and a headphone jack on the front panel, the volume control is also located there. It seemed a bit illogical to the arrangement of the line output on the front panel, especially since the input to the iCAN is at the back. A little more complaints are caused by the easy move of the volume control, but it is also difficult to call it a critical drawback considering the price.
LEDs indicate the presence of power, connecting to a computer and playing music.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening.
- MacBook Pro Early 2011
- Amplifiers iCAN, Fiio E12, Violectric V200 and Yulong Saber A18
- Fidelia as a player
- Records in lossless formats
- Ambient Acoustics AM6 HiRez, Sennheiser HD650, AKG K702, Fischer Audio FA-003Ti, Philips Fidelio X1
IDAC uses a very good chip from ESS Technologies: Saber 9023, it is found in a huge variety of devices, ranging from very budget to very expensive models. Therefore, iFi tried to squeeze the maximum out of it using Direct Drive technology (the minimum of additional components in the audio path) and providing good power with three internal power supplies.
Incredibly nice bonus is the work of iDAC in asynchronous mode, a rare opportunity for inexpensive DACs. A regular, synchronous DAC receives data from a source when the latter sends it. In the case of unsynchronization of the frequency of sending data and their reception (and it is difficult to reconcile two separate devices with sufficient accuracy) - part of the data is lost and failures occur. Of course, in most cases, a not very high percentage of data is lost, and this will not lead to clearly audible sound dips, but usually such interferences lead to a high-frequency and dirtier sound. In asynchronous mode, the source and DAC are swapped, and the DAC itself “tells” when to send data. Due to this, iDAC shows maximum resistance to jitter and other digital signal transmission interference.
Of course, all these cool technologies and innovations do not cost anything by themselves, the sound that gives the device as a result is important.
For starters, about the sound of the iDAC when using only the DAC. For this, I connected the iDAC to the Fiio E12, Violectric V200 and Yulong Saber A18 amplifiers. Considering the price, the sound of the DAC can be considered close to the standard. It is even, without distortions, very detailed - in general, everything that can be expected from a very, very well prepared Saber 9023. Especially successful are iDAC tracks with vocals, live recordings of non-electronic instruments, orchestral jazz recordings.
In some rare compositions, oversaturated with fine details, the DAC slightly compresses the edges of the “scene”, but solutions from as little as $ 1,000 cope with such tracks, so it can hardly be called a disadvantage.
The headphone amplifier section in iDAC slightly loses to good dedicated solutions, MAX9722 can hardly be called a super-op-amp opamp, but iFi engineers tried to do everything they could to achieve maximum: low output impedance allows iDAC to work even with capricious multi-driver fittings, and there is enough power for most non-earphones. The amplifier, like the DAC, has an incredibly low noise level, high transparency and attention to detail, but it clearly lacks rigidity in controlling the bass and the breadth of the scene, but as an added bonus to the DAC it is quite a good solution that can satisfy the discerning music lovers.
If for any reason, you no longer have enough quality built-in amplifier, come to the aid of the second component of the system.
iCAN
Specifications
- Amplification part: fully discrete, class A
- Buffer part: TPA6120A2
- Equalizer: two-level controllers 3D Holographic Sound and XBass
- Signal to noise ratio: > 117 dB
- Total harmonic distortion: <0.003%
- Frequency range: 0.5 Hz - 500 kHz
- Output power: > 400 mW @ 32Ω
- Output voltage: > 5 V @> 600 Ω
- Power consumption: <4 watts to idle, 10 watts maximum
- Power supply: 100 - 240 V, 50/60 Hz
- Dimensions: 158 mm x 68 mm x 28 mm
- Weight: 216 gr
- Input: RCA and 3.5 mm
- Output: 6.3 mm
Design and delivery
The packaging and appearance of iCAN are almost the same as in iDAC (and in iUSB), only the set of connectors and indicators differ. In the case of iCAN, on the front panel there is a volume control, two three-position equalizer effect switches and a headphone output. On the rear panel there are both input jacks and a power supply connector, which is external to this amplifier. The upper indicators show the power connection, music playback and the work of proprietary technology Direct Drive.
In addition to the amplifier itself, you will get a power supply, a simple interconnect cable with RCA connectors, a short white cord with two 3.5 mm jacks, 4 silicone legs, an adapter from 6.3 to 3.5 mm and an instruction / warranty card .
Sound
- MacBook Pro Early 2011
- DACs: iDAC, Audinst HUD-MX2, Yulong Saber DA8
- Fidelia as a player
- Records in lossless formats
- Ambient Acoustics AM6 HiRez, Sennheiser HD650, AKG K702, Fischer Audio FA-003Ti, Philips Fidelio X1
Of course, the main thing that makes the iCAN stand out from the competition is the presence of two “improvers” of sound. Severe audiophiles usually treat such additions with disdain, but if you do not give audiophilia to the brain, it can be noted that sometimes these possibilities are very useful. With XBass everything is more or less clear, this is an increase in the bass frequencies of two levels. The weaker one amplifies the area up to 200 Hz, reaching a maximum of +7 dB at 20 Hz, the strong works in the area up to 800 Hz, adding +9 dB at 20 Hz.
3D HolographicSound - a beast that is less common in amplifiers. Its first level is similar to a regular crossfade: the channels “mix in” with each other, creating the effect of listening on a large speaker system (I wrote about this in detail in the description of the Fidelia player). The second level is much more interesting and gives the effect, really similar to three-dimensional sound, as it does, for example SRS. The most amazing thing is that this effect in iCAN was achieved without the use of digital signal processing, using purely analog methods.
These settings are interesting, their different combinations give funny effects and sometimes allow you to hear familiar headphones in new ways. Having played with them, I had to turn them off to write objectively about the iCAN sound. In the tests, I listened to it with iDAC and with Yulong DA8.
The amplifier part consists of an amplifier built on discrete components, as well as a buffer amplifier on the TPA6120 chip, which is quite popular in audio technology. The disadvantages of this chip include the need to use a resistor of at least 10 Ω in the output circuit, which does not benefit the amplifier with low-impedance headphones (especially multi-driver fittings), but iFi engineers managed to circumvent this limitation. As I understand it, they used inductance and a resistor of low resistance, ensuring both low output impedance and chip stability.
The iCAN sound is neutral, optimized for maximum transparency and stealth. Very low noise level gives the same “black background”, which is so necessary for immersion in detailed and complex music.
There is enough power reserve for revealing the potential of most headphones (maybe with the exception of the tightest ones). Of course, the iCAN perfectly complements the iDAC in the event that you use sophisticated headphones, adds everything that is missing from the built-in iDAC amplifier: volume, instrument separation, clear and detailed bass. My iCAN brilliantly handled the AKG K702 and the Sennheiser HD600. On the modding Fostex T50RP, I didn’t have enough resolution on the MF, but Fostex is generally quite capricious, and is best disclosed with amplifiers that provide a very large range of output current. Due to the general neutrality of the amplifier, it is good with almost any headphones: with a monitor, it will convey all the nuances, and with taste it will not interfere with revealing its own way of serving.
The only drawback, or even rather, the iCAN feature, is its high gain: with sensitive headphones, even with a regulator for 8-9 hours, the volume is very high, it’s good though the smoothness of the regulator eliminates the problem of setting a comfortable level.
If you want to achieve the maximum quality from your desktop computer audio system, you will need a power filter.
iUSB Power
Specifications
- Two USB connectors: one power only, the second power and data (recommended for use with iFi Gemini cable)
- Output voltage: 5 V ± 0.5%
- Output Current: 1 A
- Output noise: 0.0000001 V
- High-speed USB 2.0: 480 MB / s
- Input voltage: 100 V - 240 V, 50/60 Hz (ultra low noise power supply included)
- Power consumption: <9 W (including USB power)
- Dimensions: 158 mm x 68 mm x 28 mm
- Weight: 195 gr
Design and delivery
Yes, yes, yes, the box and the appearance of the device are exactly as we expect. On the front panel are two USB-out, one transmits both power and data, the second - only power. On the back are the power connector, USB input and IsoEarth function switch. The latter allows you to disconnect from the “ground” line in the USB power supply and thus significantly reduce the level of interference, although in some cases it may be incompatible with your computer, so the function is disabled.
The indicators on the top panel are responsible for indicating the presence of power, connecting to a PC, and the operation of the IsoEarth function.
The package includes a USB cable (just as good as an iDAC), a power supply, traditional warranty manuals, silicone feet, and a white USB cable on one end and a round connector on the other. According to the company, this cable is designed to power the Logitech Squeeze Box Touch (a device that is popular among Western audiophiles, who just often mod its power). Although I have seen reviews in reviews that this cable is great for iCAN power supply from iUSB Power, which saves one place in the outlet, I did not check this option because it was not recommended by the manufacturer.
Sound
- MacBook Pro Early 2011
- DACs: iDAC, Audinst HUD-MX2, Fiio E17
- Fidelia as a player
- Records in lossless formats
- Ambient Acoustics AM6 HiRez, Sennheiser HD650, AKG K702, Fischer Audio FA-003Ti, Philips Fidelio X1
It is worth saying that I was initially skeptical about the idea of devices like iUSB, considering that once USB is a digital bus, then the digital signal is uniquely transmitted through it. But it is worth considering the fact that USB, in addition to data transfer, often also serves as a power source for devices, and this is where all the problems begin in the form of interference from a PC power supply, bad “ground” and so on. I came across this for the first time on a friend’s laptop: he complained that the Fiio E17 DAC from one USB port played well, and when connected to the second one - it made noise. The reason for the noise was precisely the power feeds. Of course, not always poor-quality power manifests itself so noticeably, its “harm” is often less noticeable and results in a general degradation of sound, especially in DACs, the developers of which did not take care of input voltage filtering (funny that iDAC filtering is good enough and the benefits of iUSB are not so noticeable - in iFi they did not go about marketing and did not begin to specifically make a problem in order to offer a solution).
For iUSB, a special Gemini dual cable was developed, transmitting power and data over individual wires, I didn’t have it on the test, I don’t undertake to judge its usefulness, but even without it, there is good sense from iUSB.
What does this device do? It replaces the USB power from the computer with its own, received from the power supply and optionally filtered by iFi iUSB Power itself. By the way, despite the fact that iFi devices use pulsed power supply units (I did not write this badly in this review), the company did a maximum to filter out high-frequency noise, so their power supplies are a separate value that can be useful for other gadgets.
The most difficult question is the utility of iUSB Power for users. First of all, it depends on how well the power of your computer is implemented. If its USB-powered is already stable, you will notice a not-so-big increase (although when I listened to pure iDAC, connecting via iUSB Power improved bass control, partially reducing the claims to it), if you use, for example, a budget laptop - iUSB Power effect will be more noticeable. Secondly, it depends on your perfectionism. If you are ready to pay for a small step that brings you closer to the ideal, then iUSB Power will be a good addition to your system, especially when using USB-powered DACs.
findings
What do we have in the end? A set of several very good devices both in terms of design and in terms of sound, focused primarily on "computer audiophiles", although, of course, the level of devices will allow them to take their place in more high-end systems. Separately pleased that the manufacturer is actively refining the line, improving existing devices and adding a new one, and the modular design allows you to assemble exactly the “setup” that you need. By the way, the recent iFi novelty: iTube sound “improver” is another interesting component that can fit into this ecosystem.
The article is based on materials .
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