Audiophiles are constantly in search of the endgame gear that redefines their listening experience. A DAC is one essential accessory all music lovers swear by to listen to audio from their Hi-Fi headphones, IEMs, or earphones. There’s no shortage of digital-to-analog converters in the market, with iFi being one of the most trusted brands. Their Go pod and Go Blu have stood the test of time, and now it has a worthy successor to the latter that could be game-changing.
The GO blu Air Bluetooth headphone amplifier is designed to be lightweight at just 30 grams and portable enough, measuring just 5 cm tall. That makes it ultra pocketable without compromising on the audio performance, akin to a Hi-Fi audio accessory that can amplify a range of high-end wired headphones or IEMs, given its 256mW power. The size of the DAC is commendable even by their own standards achieved in the past. For $129, the Bluetooth DAC is well worth the money, given the features it offers. I totally agree with the brand’s claim of it being “small enough to forget you’re carrying it, yet powerful enough to remind you why you did.”
Designer: iFi
Go blu Air has both 3.5 mm (with anti-crosstalk for in-ear headphones) and balanced 4.4 mm output for versatile usage. The three-stage processing audio delivery means you have optimal sound quality, no matter what codec is being used. The integrated MEMS microphone (with noise cancelling) gives you the freedom to use it for taking calls or activating the supported voice assistant on the go. Acoustically, the DAC has an architecture with separate DAC and amplification stages to minimize distortion and reduce noise.
iFi has integrated the DAC with the Qualcomm QCC5144 Bluetooth 5.2 chipset, which performs well with the supported high-resolution codecs like LDAC, LHDC/HWA, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD. The other standard supported codecs include aptX, AAC and SBC. The heart of this portable amplifier is the Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC chip, which brings out the natural tonality and presents the high-resolution output in a way the artist intended during staging. The battery life on this ultra-compact DAC is impressive at 10 hours with the integrated 450mAh battery pack.
For those who like tweaking their sound signature, there is the ‘XBass’ mode to boost the low-end frequency response, whereas ‘XSpace’ is for an open, airy soundstage to recreate the feeling of a live performance. The usability aspect is sorted with a detachable magnetic clip that secures the Go blu Air to a belt, bag, jacket, or anything you desire. I’m confident this little beast can go hitch-free on a long transatlantic flight on a single charge, and the lightweight compact form factor is a huge plus.
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