Gear fetishism has develop into a factor within the private audio class; the Head-Fi crowd is infamous for getting enthusiastic about one thing after which shifting on after just a few months. That situation ought to sound acquainted to seasoned audiophiles who’ve been subjected to that through the years from the patron A/V press.
A few of us love to leap on the bandwagon; having not even heard the product or had restricted publicity to it and all of the sudden it turns into the “subsequent new factor” earlier than it will get changed by one thing else.
We’ve develop into little puppies that run when a brand new toy is opened and toss it about for about 8 minutes after which determine it’s time for one thing else.
Don’t make {that a} behavior. It’s not good on your pockets or appreciation of music as a type of enjoyment or remedy.
None of that makes the brand new iFi Audio iDSD Diablo 2 transportable DAC/Headphone amplifier a product you shouldn’t contemplate.
If it affords a giant step up from the iFi Audio iDSD Diablo presently in my bag that sounds completely terrific with the Meze Audio 109 Professional Headphones — then it most likely is smart to attempt it out.
However I believe I’m going to hold onto this one for a 12 months or so. Why repair what is just not damaged?
iFi Audio, nevertheless, desires individuals searching for their first transportable DAC/Headphone amplifier to contemplate the brand new iDSD Diablo 2 and there’s a lot happening beneath its beautiful pink hood.
In January 2021, iFi launched the battery powered iDSD Diablo DAC/Headphone Amplifier and the market definitely responded to it.
Two years have passed by and the crew at iFi felt that they may enhance the prevailing unit in just a few ways in which would considerably change its efficiency; particularly on the streaming entrance with developments in Bluetooth expertise.
The iDSD Diablo 2 has been completely redesigned in and out, constructing on the performance-tuned design philosophy and prodigious energy of its predecessor’s amp stage with technical advances throughout the board. Its versatility has been enhanced too; whereas the unique Diablo centered solely on cable connectivity from the supply system – be it a PC or a Mac, a smartphone or a pill – the Diablo 2 provides the newest era of iFi’s well-known Bluetooth engine, full with aptX Lossless assist.
This makes it the world’s first transportable DAC/headphone amp able to processing lossless Bluetooth audio.
The iDSD Diablo 2 is analogous in measurement to the unique – 166 x85 x 28.5mm – which makes it extra ‘transportable’ than ‘pocket-size’. It was designed to sit down on a desk or be taken with you inside a knapsack or laptop computer bag.
From a design perspective, the unit may be comparable in measurement to its predecessor, nevertheless it now includes a new grooved aluminum enclosure completed in a brand new shade of metallic crimson.
The 22 grooves are usually not only for present; they support thermal dissipation and double as fixing rails for the devilish ‘wings’ provided with the iDSD Diablo 2. These removable appendages act as a desk stand and may be positioned in several methods, permitting the Diablo 2 to be positioned horizontally or vertically as its proprietor prefers.
DAC and Format Assist
The iDSD Diablo 2’s digital stage incorporates a Burr-Brown DAC chip that iFi makes use of extensively, chosen for its True Native structure. Right here, two of those chips are put in in a customized ‘interleaved’ configuration – this allows 4 pairs of differential indicators (two pairs per channel) which lowers the noise ground, improves channel separation and enhances the DAC’s capacity to resolve high quality musical element and micro-dynamics.
One such vital element is the XMOS chip that iFi makes use of to course of audio information acquired over the digital inputs. The iDSD Diablo 2 incorporates a 32-bit, 16-core XMOS Cortex microcontroller, its processing energy utilised by iFi to optimise sound high quality and unlock the total potential of the Burr- Brown DAC chip.
Intensive jitter-eradication applied sciences are additionally utilized, together with the newest model of iFi’s GMT (World Grasp Timing) femtosecond-precision clock and sensible storage cache. This mixture of applied sciences kinds the premise of a proprietary ‘digital engine’ that’s distinctive to iFi.
iFi has at all times tried to assist each hi-res codec and the brand new IDSD Diablo 2 affords assist for 32-bit/768kHz PCM and all ranges of DSD to 22.5792MHz (DSD512).
It additionally affords assist for MQA, however we’ll need to see how issues unfold going ahead in regard to Lenbrook’s latest acquisition of the expertise.
Lossless Bluetooth Assist
The headline addition for this next-generation iFi module is aptX Lossless – the primary ‘lossless’ Bluetooth audio format. Whereas different Bluetooth codecs described as ‘hi-res’ exist already – for instance, aptX Adaptive can stream audio as much as 24-bit/96kHz and LDAC’s specification stretches as much as 32-bit/96kHz – these are ‘lossy’ codecs.
aptX Lossless is the primary Bluetooth audio format able to streaming CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) audio ‘losslessly’. Technically it nonetheless applies a type of compression, nevertheless it ‘zips’ and ‘unzips’ the audio file in a means that preserves the unique information.
It achieves bitrates of as much as 1.2Mbps at CD-quality – that’s greater than twice the utmost bitrate of aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, and roughly 20 per cent larger than LDAC’s most determine.
To profit from the format, nevertheless, each the supply system (maybe an Android smartphone) and the receiving system (Bluetooth headphones or earphones, a DAC or an audio system) should incorporate a suitably outfitted Snapdragon chipset.
iFi’s NEO iDSD 2 ($899) was the world’s first DAC to incorporate aptX Lossless decoding; now, a month later, the iDSD Diablo 2 turns into the primary transportable DAC to take action, benefitting from iFi’s shut collaboration with Qualcomm to make sure the format’s advantages are maximised.
Along with aptX Lossless, a full suite of Bluetooth codecs is supported, together with aptX Adaptive (backwards appropriate with aptX and aptX HD), LDAC, HWA/LHDC, AAC and SBC.
iFi’s Bluetooth module will also be up to date over-the-air, so additional codecs could also be added as they emerge in future.
In addition to being the primary transportable DAC to assist aptX Lossless, the iDSD Diablo 2 is the primary to incorporate Bluetooth model 5.4 – the most recent Bluetooth normal, introduced earlier this 12 months.
How A lot Energy Does it Have?
With output energy of 5,180mW/12.9V into 32 ohms and 611mW/19.2V into 600 ohms by means of its 4.4mm balanced output, the Diablo 2 has extra energy to drive the hardest headphone masses than some other transportable DAC/headphone amp presently accessible.
The amp stage provides three achieve settings to go well with the drive necessities of the linked headphones or IEMs. The default mode is Regular (0dB); from there you possibly can step as much as Turbo (+8dB) or Nitro (+16dB).
There may be additionally an IEMatch attenuation mode – that is significantly helpful with super-sensitive IEMs, eradicating potential background noise and rising the usable quantity vary.
Quantity is managed by a high-quality analogue potentiometer, which delivers superior sonic transparency in comparison with chip-based quantity controls and may be locked in place to keep away from unintended adjustment.
Connectivity?
In addition to wirelessly over Bluetooth, supply units corresponding to PCs/Macs, smartphones, tablets and different digital leisure units can join asynchronously to the iDSD Diablo 2’s USB-C port (licensed to five Gbps). A 3.5mm S/PDIF enter can be offered; this accepts each coaxial and optical connections (a 3.5mm to Toslink adapter is provided).
Each digital inputs reside on the rear, alongside a separate USB-C port for mains energy/charging. Balanced analogue outputs are provided, profiting from the iDSD Diablo 2’s absolutely balanced PureWave circuitry.
On the entrance, alongside a normal 6.3mm single-ended headphone socket, resides a 4.4mm output for headphones providing balanced connection – an rising variety of high-quality headphones and IEMs both come so outfitted or give the choice of detaching the cable and upgrading to a 4.4mm balanced connector.
A second 4.4mm socket resides on the again; this can be utilized as a fixed-level line output, bypassing the headphone amp to attach the iDSD Diablo 2 to an exterior amp/audio system in ‘pure DAC’ mode.
This allows a totally balanced connection to high-end amps and powered audio system with balanced inputs, whereas single-ended connections may be made by way of an adapter.
This 4.4mm socket additionally doubles as a balanced analogue enter, bypassing the DAC stage to in order that supply units with an analogue output can connect with the Diablo 2’s headphone amp.
Truckload of Equipment?
iFi has at all times been fairly beneficiant relating to equipment and the iDSD Diablo 2 continues that pattern.
Together with the ultra-low-noise iPower 2 AC/DC adapter and related USB-C charging cable, three digital audio cables are provided: a USB-C OTG cable for smartphones and different transportable units, an extended USB-C cable for PCs/Macs, and a Lightning to USB-C cable for iOS units outfitted with Apple’s proprietary connector.
Varied adapters are included for various connector sorts: USB-C to USB-A (to attach the USB-C cable to supply units with USB-A outputs); 3.5mm to Toslink (to transform the iDSD Diablo 2’s S/PDIF enter to Toslink optical); and a 3.5mm to six.3mm headphone adapter.
The wing-style appendages that function a fairly intelligent desktop stand are additionally provided, along with a premium-quality journey case to guard the Diablo 2 and hold every part neat and tidy.
The place to purchase: $1,299 at Audio46 (save 5% with coupon code: ecoustics)
