Ifi Audio

[jobseeker]

I haven’t seen an Ifi Audio owner’s thread?

They have an interesting take on things, but I’ve been left with the impression that they’ve launched products before the operating software is up to the job..

Could the new Neo Stream be ready, out of the box? It looks like a very capable product.

 

[bencat]

Agree after reading the details they are going there own way . A little surprised that on a £1300 product they are using a wallwart power supply . However that does offer the scope for getting a decent LPSU for it which may well improve the quality of the music , or not . Sadly once again and this goes for many mfg companies this is a combined streamer and DAC . Many users already have an exceptional DAC already and would prefer to be able to buy a stand alone Streamer and save the cost of putting in a DAC .

 

[George 47]

I have the iFi stream here and it is very good for the price. They include a lot of noise reduction tech which helps no end. Agree on the software and having no manual, just a card was not entirely helpful. They could write an electronic one. The videos are good but little help when things don't work perfectly.

 

[MF 1000]

I have an ifi HipDac fantastic bit of kit between my iPad and headphones

 

[stormyuklondon1]

I have a ifi stream & zen dac signature 2, works brilliantly with tidal connect. Great sound too.

 

[Beyond you]

I’m impressed with their products!


I have the Nano iOne which allows me to listen to DSD files from Audirvāna from my Mac to my Powernode 2i.


My Zen Can improves my listening experience from my Powernode 2i.

 

[JANDL100]

I'm a bit of an iFi fan, I have their Blue V2 Bluetooth receiver.

Top sound quality, even better than the AudioEngine B1. But it does have the very annoying habit of vocalising when it gains and loses signal lock. A rather irritating female voice, that can be very loud depending on the gain settings of the Hifi system.
.... Look, sweetie, it already has a flashy flashy light to tell me the lock status, you don't have to nag me about it.

 

[Chumpchops]

Their PSUs are great value and a highly effective cost effective upgrade for DACs n streamers.

i have a perceptual challenge with spending more than the value of a component on a power supply, so ifi right are in the sweet spot.

 

[marko]

Just wondering if anyone has heard The Aurora ‘all in one’ music system and if so, what do you think? The two reviews I’ve read are very favourable.

 

[technobear]

Another iFi Audio fan here. I've been using their stuff for years now.

Micro iCAN, micro iDSD, micro iDAC2, iGalvanic, 3x iPurifier2, iPurifier3, DC Blocker, AC Purifier, iTraveller, iPower 9V

In the past I have also had iUSBPower, iTube, another micro iDSD, another micro iCAN

At shows I was very impressed with the Retro Stereo 50 - if I had more efficient speakers I would be very tempted.

Highly recommended!

 

[TheFlash]

I have an ifi HipDac fantastic bit of kit between my iPad and headphones

The HipDAC is a cracker for its price and purpose, I have one too.

 

[TheFlash]

Not quite in the core iFi kit sphere but I think the iPower and iPower 2 PSU’s are a fine and excellent value upgrade from most stock wallwarts.
Where they have to be careful is in the “active noise cancellation” technologies they’ve introduced in the iPower X and Elite PSU’s which have received mixed reviews as have some Isotek products using similar as they can squash dynamics. I admire them for being innovators at the cost-conscious end of the market but do hope they continue to offer active noise cancellation as a choice rather than as a take-it-or-leave-it across their portfolio.

 

[eddie-baby]

I bought an ifi mini DAC headphone amp at the Kegworth show (the snow year), the black one which was like half the size of the mini iDSD, have to say it was extremely good.

Tried hip DAC as well and that was also decent, I'd give the edge to the older little black one I had I think though.

Would like to try some of their bigger products out like their iDSDs. They are relatively quite expensive though. I see the new red one is a grand. I wonder how good it is though compared to a decent £1000 dac. I imagine just as good only smaller

 

[p147]

I have the Ifi Audio XDSD portable DAC, a Superb little DAC that enables playback of MQA and DSD512 files and especially the balanced headphone out.

 

[COUNTERCAN]

I have an iFi zen stream as a roon endpoint with a plixir elite bdc. Am I missing something but the output from the coax sounds fabulous.

 

[westerwick]

The Zen Phono certainly deserves all the praise that has been directed its way. I bought one for my daughter’s system but before I installed it I tried it out in my system. I was very impressed, I could easily have lived with it. My Allnic H1500 phono stage was obviously a little better, but for the money the Zen was incredible value.

 

[Lurch]

If have a Zen Blu 2 and the Zen phono.
Bought the Blu 2 for the Wam show so I had BT and didn't have to dick around with network stuff. Just as well I took it as @bencat ended up needing it to remove the silence from his dem room. As Jerry says, it's a superb sounding little thing and makes Qobuz/RP over BT very very listenable.
I only bought the Zen phono for its 72dB gain for very low, out put carts, as I'd grabbed an EEI 555MCP (0.14mV) off eBay for my vintage 2nd system. Using my 80s pre/power phono stage the background noise was horrendous at the volume position I had to use. I wasn't expecting much for the £159 rrp, but damn! It punches well above its, price point and sound superb with my other 80s carts as well (P77Mg & OC5).

 

[greybeard]

EEI 555MCP (0.14mV)

John, I thought I was the only person running that cartridge. Wonderful thing, probably down to the paratrace stylus. I use mine in a second system, on a Techie 1200 with a Sonik Cirkle arm, going through an Ortofon head amp into an Edwards MM1. It just sounds so right.

 

[Lurch]

John, I thought I was the only person running that cartridge. Wonderful thing, probably down to the paratrace stylus. I use mine in a second system, on a Techie 1200 with a Sonik Cirkle arm, going through an Ortofon head amp into an Edwards MM1. It just sounds so right.

Yes it is rather good, what's annoyed me is around 2 years ago I sold an EEI battery head amp that would I'm sure, have been an ideal match for it. Been kicking myself ever since, up until a couple of weeks ago that is, when I picked up this
An EEI SM5000 head amp, 36dB of gain and an external attached PSU. Sounds rather good throu a Lounge Audio LCR, MM stage on loan from Robin, and none to shabby through both the iFi mm setting and my 80s C50 pre phono stage.
Using it on my very early 401/R200.

 

[Joss]

Just noticed the ifi thread. I bought the zen DAC v2 as a change from my topping dac. Noticed a big difference in sound using a linear supply rather than letting the source power it. I also like having the fixed and variable switch on the back. I switched it to fixed and It means I can plug headphones in, use the volume dial while still leaving it also plugged into my amplifier.