Ifi Audio’s Idsd Diablo 2 Portable Headphone Amplifier Might Be A Cure For Gear Fetishism

Equipment fetishism has develop into a factor within the private audio class; the Head-Fi crowd is infamous for purchasing occupied with one thing after which shifting on after a couple of months. That state of affairs will have to sound acquainted to seasoned audiophiles who’ve been subjected to that over time from the shopper A/V press.

A few of us love to leap at the bandwagon; having no longer even heard the product or had restricted publicity to it and abruptly it turns into the “subsequent new factor” earlier than it will get changed through one thing else.

We’ve develop into little pups that run when a new toy is opened and toss it about for roughly 8 mins after which come to a decision it’s time for one thing else.

Don’t make {that a} dependancy. It’s no longer just right in your pockets or appreciation of track as a type of enjoyment or remedy.

None of that makes the new iFi Audio iDSD Diablo 2 transportable DAC/Headphone amplifier a product you will have to no longer imagine.

If it provides a large step up from the iFi Audio iDSD Diablo these days in my bag that sounds completely terrific with the Meze Audio 109 Professional Headphones — then it most probably is sensible to take a look at it out.

However I believe I’m going to hold onto this one for a yr or so. Why repair what isn’t damaged?

iFi Audio, then again, desires other folks in search of their first transportable DAC/Headphone amplifier to imagine the new iDSD Diablo 2 and there’s a lot happening beneath its stunning crimson hood.

In January 2021, iFi offered the battery powered iDSD Diablo DAC/Headphone Amplifier and the marketplace surely answered to it.

Two years have long gone through and the group at iFi felt that they might strengthen the prevailing unit in a couple of ways in which would considerably exchange its functionality; particularly at the streaming entrance with developments in Bluetooth era.

The iDSD Diablo 2 has been totally redesigned inside and outside, construction at the performance-tuned design philosophy and prodigious energy of its predecessor’s amp level with technical advances around the board. Its versatility has been enhanced too; whilst the unique Diablo centered only on cable connectivity from the supply instrument – be it a PC or a Mac, a smartphone or a pill – the Diablo 2 provides the most recent era of iFi’s well-known Bluetooth engine, entire with aptX Lossless enhance.

This makes it the arena’s first transportable DAC/headphone amp able to processing lossless Bluetooth audio.

The iDSD Diablo 2 is the same in length to the unique – 166 x85 x 28.5mm – which makes it extra ‘portable’ than ‘pocket-size’. It used to be designed to take a seat on a table or be occupied with you within a knapsack or computer bag.

From a design viewpoint, the unit may well be an identical in length to its predecessor, nevertheless it now includes a new grooved aluminum enclosure completed in a new coloration of steel red.

The 22 grooves don’t seem to be only for display; they support thermal dissipation and double as solving rails for the devilish ‘wings’ provided with the iDSD Diablo 2. Those removable appendages act as a table stand and will also be situated in numerous tactics, permitting the Diablo 2 to be positioned horizontally or vertically as its proprietor prefers.

DAC and Structure Toughen

The iDSD Diablo 2’s virtual level accommodates a Burr-Brown DAC chip that iFi makes use of broadly, decided on for its True Local structure. Right here, two of those chips are put in in a customized ‘interleaved’ configuration – this allows 4 pairs of differential indicators (two pairs consistent with channel) which lowers the noise flooring, improves channel separation and complements the DAC’s skill to get to the bottom of tremendous musical element and micro-dynamics.

One such crucial element is the XMOS chip that iFi makes use of to procedure audio information gained over the virtual inputs. The iDSD Diablo 2 accommodates a 32-bit, 16-core XMOS Cortex microcontroller, its processing energy utilised through iFi to optimise sound high quality and unencumber the overall doable of the Burr- Brown DAC chip.

In depth jitter-eradication applied sciences also are carried out, together with the most recent model of iFi’s GMT (International Grasp Timing) femtosecond-precision clock and good garage cache. This mixture of applied sciences paperwork the foundation of a proprietary ‘virtual engine’ this is distinctive to iFi.

iFi has all the time attempted to enhance each hi-res codec and the new IDSD Diablo 2 provides enhance for 32-bit/768kHz PCM and all ranges of DSD to 22.5792MHz (DSD512).

It additionally provides enhance for MQA, however we’ll have to look how issues spread going ahead in regard to Lenbrook’s contemporary acquisition of the era.

Lossless Bluetooth Toughen

The headline addition for this next-generation iFi module is aptX Lossless – the primary ‘lossless’ Bluetooth audio structure. Whilst different Bluetooth codecs described as ‘hi-res’ exist already – as an example, aptX Adaptive can circulation audio as much as 24-bit/96kHz and LDAC’s specification stretches as much as 32-bit/96kHz – those are ‘lossy’ codecs. 

aptX Lossless is the primary Bluetooth audio structure 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 record in some way that preserves the unique information.

It achieves bitrates of as much as 1.2Mbps at CD-quality – that’s greater than two times the utmost bitrate of aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, and more or less 20 consistent with cent upper than LDAC’s most determine.

To take pleasure in the structure, then again, each the supply instrument (most likely an Android smartphone) and the receiving instrument (Bluetooth headphones or earphones, a DAC or an audio device) will have to incorporate a suitably provided Snapdragon chipset.

iFi’s NEO iDSD 2 ($899) used to be the arena’s first DAC to incorporate aptX Lossless interpreting; 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 verify the structure’s advantages are maximised.

Along with aptX Lossless, a complete suite of Bluetooth codecs is supported, together with aptX Adaptive (backwards suitable 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 formats is also added as they emerge in long run.

In addition to being the primary transportable DAC to enhance aptX Lossless, the iDSD Diablo 2 is the primary to incorporate Bluetooth model 5.4 – the latest Bluetooth usual, introduced previous this yr.

How A lot Energy Does it Have?

With output energy of five,180mW/12.9V into 32 ohms and 611mW/19.2V into 600 ohms thru its 4.4mm balanced output, the Diablo 2 has extra energy to force the hardest headphone quite a bit than another transportable DAC/headphone amp these days to be had.

The amp level provides 3 acquire settings to fit the force necessities of the attached headphones or IEMs. The default mode is Commonplace (0dB); from there you’ll step as much as Turbo (+8dB) or Nitro (+16dB).

There could also be an IEMatch attenuation mode – that is specifically helpful with super-sensitive IEMs, eliminating doable background noise and extending the usable quantity vary.

Quantity is managed through a fine quality analogue potentiometer, which delivers awesome sonic transparency in comparison to chip-based quantity controls and will also be locked in position to keep away from unintentional adjustment.

Connectivity?

In addition to wirelessly over Bluetooth, supply gadgets comparable to PCs/Macs, smartphones, capsules and different virtual leisure gadgets can attach asynchronously to the iDSD Diablo 2’s USB-C port (qualified to five Gbps). A three.5mm S/PDIF enter could also be equipped; this accepts each coaxial and optical connections (a three.5mm to Toslink adapter is provided).

Each virtual inputs live on the rear, along a separate USB-C port for mains energy/charging. Balanced analogue outputs are equipped, profiting from the iDSD Diablo 2’s absolutely balanced PureWave circuitry.

On the entrance, along an ordinary 6.3mm single-ended headphone socket, is living a 4.4mm output for headphones providing balanced connection – increasingly more fine quality headphones and IEMs both come so provided or give the choice of detaching the cable and upgrading to a 4.4mm balanced connector.

A 2nd 4.4mm socket is living 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 ‘natural DAC’ mode.

This allows a completely balanced connection to high-end amps and powered audio system with balanced inputs, whilst single-ended connections will also be made by the use of an adapter.

This 4.4mm socket additionally doubles as a balanced analogue enter, bypassing the DAC level to in order that supply gadgets with an analogue output can connect with the Diablo 2’s headphone amp.

Truckload of Equipment?

iFi has all the time been somewhat beneficiant with regards to equipment and the iDSD Diablo 2 continues that pattern.

Along side the ultra-low-noise iPower 2 AC/DC adapter and related USB-C charging cable, 3 virtual audio cables are equipped: a USB-C OTG cable for smartphones and different transportable gadgets, an extended USB-C cable for PCs/Macs, and a Lightning to USB-C cable for iOS gadgets provided with Apple’s proprietary connector.

More than a few adapters are incorporated for various connector sorts: USB-C to USB-A (to attach the USB-C cable to supply gadgets with USB-A outputs); 3.5mm to Toslink (to transform the iDSD Diablo 2’s S/PDIF enter to Toslink optical); and a three.5mm to six.3mm headphone adapter.

The wing-style appendages that function a somewhat artful desktop stand also are equipped, along with a premium-quality commute case to give protection to the Diablo 2 and stay the whole lot neat and tidy.

The place to shop for: $1,299 at Audio46 (save 5% with coupon code: ecoustics)

Similar Studying: