Wonderful googa mooga, this DAC/Amp is superior! It is stunning on the surface, feature-packed on the within, and has some equalizer presets that enliven the celebration everytime you need. iFi Audio is a good audio equipment, however they’ve outdone themselves with this one and it’ll develop with you. It may be up to date wirelessly with new Bluetooth codecs as they turn into accessible. That is virtually a no brainer.
iFi GO blu: Worth and availability
You should purchase the iFi GO blu for $200 straight from ifi-audio.com or Amazon. I’d additionally take into account buying the $29 blue GO case with a clip from ifi-audio.com. The case makes it simpler to make use of the headphones by clipping them to your shirt so the microphone is nearer to your mouth when taking calls.
iFi GO blu: Construct and assemble
Subsequent to the Qudelix-5Kthat is One of many smallest DAC/Amps in the marketplace. to pack this stage of sophistication and options. It’s the dimension of a 9V battery. The outside of the unit is wrapped in a soft-touch polymer with copper-colored trim. On the precise facet of the GO Blu is the place you may discover a luxurious infinitely scrolling ChronoDial, which provides you glorious analog quantity management and handles playback and telephone features with a number of clicks. Beneath is the button that controls the EQ preset modes, Bluetooth pairing, voice alert features, digital filter mode, and manufacturing facility reset.
On the high, you may discover an LED that tells you which ones EQ preset you are utilizing, the Bluetooth connection, and the standing of the digital filter. Alongside which might be the 4.4mm Balanced and three.5mm S-Balanced headphone outputs. On the backside, there’s an LED for battery standing, a microphone, a manufacturing facility reset gap, and a USB enter, which helps charging and audio playback as much as 24-bit/96kHz.
The ability button is on the left facet. Press it twice to listen to which Bluetooth format you might be at present receiving. You will additionally use this button together with the button under the dial to show voice bulletins on or off.
This highly effective system is extremely small and light-weight, however has a pleasant really feel in your hand because of the soft-touch plastic. All of the buttons have satisfying clicks and the USB-C port does not work when plugging and unplugging cables. A refined contact are the engraved labels on the again subsequent to all of the buttons, telling you what they accomplish that you do not have to recollect all the pieces. They do so much!
iFi GO blu: Options
We talked about {hardware} options whereas we had been speaking about construct high quality and match, so let’s look in somewhat extra element at what a few of these options do. The GO Blu comes with three presets: XBass, XSpace, and XBass + XSpace. The primary two enhance the bass and widen the soundstage, respectively. The third is a mix of each. As a bass lover, I would love extra management over how a lot the bass is boosted, however for many, it’ll give a noticeable increase that will not overpower the remainder of the combo.
The three.5mm output options balanced circuitry relatively than the single-ended circuitry method historically used on most merchandise at this worth level. This reduces noise and offers you clearer sound.
The GO Blu makes use of Qualcomm’s QCC5100 chip, together with Cirrus Logic 43131, which helps aptX Adaptive/HD/LL, LDAC, LHDC, AAC and SBC with the flexibility to replace over the air so as to add newer codecs. As a result of the GO blu is name enabled and makes use of that QCC chip, you additionally get energetic noise cancellation with these microphones so you need to use IEMs or conventional headphones throughout your commute or within the workplace and have the flexibility to take and make calls with minimal disruption. to your listening stream. Select the GO blu case with clip so you possibly can clip it to your shirt and make hands-free calling even simpler.
I have never drained the battery but, but it surely will get me via a full work day and lasts ten hours. A high-power charger (6.3v) can recharge the GO blu in 40 minutes.
iFi GO blu: Sound high quality
So, with all this expertise packed into such a small area, what do you assume? I’ve listened via the three.5mm and 4.4mm ports, utilizing Bluetooth and wired USB-C audio sources, and I’ll inform you that the output of this DAC/Amp is an elevated expertise. I examined the audio high quality with delicate and unwieldy IEMs from 1MORE, Campfire Audio, and Sennheiser’s IE900. For headphones, I did the identical, utilizing Sennheiser and HiFiMan planar magnetic over-ear headphones.
Realizing that the iPhone solely helps AAC, I wished to see what the GO blu may do with one of many high-resolution codecs. On this case, LDAC was related to a Pixel 7 Professional and each codecs had been a delight. The LDAC transmission provides extra dynamics, however iPhone homeowners will not really feel ignored, because the sound picture remains to be fairly nice via AAC.
The wired connection, which provides you entry to lossless audio from Apple Music, is transcendent. Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Sneakers” and the title observe from the film soundtrack “Get Out,” Michael Abels’ haunting “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga” had been ethereal experiences for its large, open soundstage. With the precise mixture, the iFi GO blu’s imaging is extremely analytical, permitting you to get misplaced within the nuances of the music you are listening to. Mixed with headphones or IEMs that are not very analytical themselves, you continue to get spectacular readability and nuance.
The general sound signature may be very balanced and impartial, so I respect the XBass function. Getting that increase in bass made hip-hop tracks far more pleasing after I plugged within the 4.4mm cables from the Sennheiser IE900, which itself may be very impartial sounding. The Go blu actually provides you brilliant, brilliant copy of higher mids and excessive frequencies with out being sibilant or harsh. Your entire listening expertise is easy with out compromising the assault or nuances of the instrument, and I by no means needed to flip the amount on my telephone larger than 75%. More often than not I listened at very passable ranges with the slider as much as round 50%.
iFi GO blu: Competitors
Curiously, iFi’s Zen DAC 3 is identical worth, however that DAC is bigger and extra suited to a desktop expertise with its accessible 5V DC enter. Then you definitely’ll need to take a look at the FiiO BTR7. It has comparable options, however doesn’t have microphones for calling and has a barely shorter battery life. Nevertheless, it does have a companion app with a parametric equalizer, one thing the GO blu does not have.
The Quedelix 5k is $100 cheaper and whereas it does not have as large a soundstage, it is undoubtedly a really succesful Bluetooth/USB-C DAC/Amp and has microphones for calling. Add to that an extremely spectacular companion app with strong parametric EQ settings and it turns into a really tempting contender. I purchased the Quedelix 5k for my private use, however I may also purchase the GO blu sooner or later.
iFi GO blu: Do you have to purchase it?
You can purchase the iFi GO blu if…
- You need an ideal multi-source DAC/Amp
- You need nice sound at a good worth
- You need sufficient battery life to get you thru a workday
You should not purchase the iFi GO blu if…
- You need PEQ
- Cash is tight
A powerfully versatile DAC/Amp
The iFi GO blu Bluetooth Amplifier/DAC has soundstage and readability that seems like your music is radiating from the sky. One of the best half? Audiophile high quality at a good worth!
