Latest news with #iFiAudio
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 of the most exciting hi-fi teasers we've seen for the High End Munich 2025 show
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The High End Munich 2025 show kicks off soon on May 15 Chord Electronics and iFi Audio have teased mysterious new products Luxury cartridges, headphones and Qobuz Connect will star too High End Munich is where the audio world shows off some of the latest and greatest audio equipment for audiophiles, often with price tags of the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" variety. And while it's true that some of the equipment you'll see at the show costs more than a helicopter made of diamonds, it's a fascinating insight into the world of ultra-high-end hi-fi. This final event from Munich – it's moving to Vienna next year – is genuinely exciting, and some manufacturers are already teasing what they'll be showing next week. Here are five teasers of hi-fi heaven worth looking out for. British high-end pro audio brand Chord Electronics describes its Ultima Reference range of pre-amps and power amps as "our absolute pinnacle of audio engineering", and it's teasing a "groundbreaking" new product that will be a "showstopper" at High End Munich. So what is it? It's definitely analogue, it's going to be a flagship product, and it's apparently state-of-the-art, too. That's all we know so far, but it'll be unveiled by company founder John Franks, and we'll see it on the first day of the event, May 15. Meze Audio make some beautiful and unusual headphones, and the new 105 SILVA promise "exquisite design" and "the next major step forward for audio innovation". The new headphones have 50mm dynamic drivers with cellulose composite domes and titanium-covered surrounds, and Meze says the sound signature "is a new take on Meze Audio's iconic characteristics, including the technicalities of 109 PRO combined with the warmth and genre versatility of 105 AER." They're likely to be somewhat pricier than the more consumer-focused, open-backed and wired 105 AER cans ($399 / £369 / AU$799 a pair) we saw recently, but we're intrigued all the same. Nagaoka makes the highly regarded MP-200 cartridge as well as the MP-110 that came pre-fitted in the Fluance RT85N turntable. For the High End Munich 2025 show it'll be unveiling its new flagship, the MP-700, which will apparently deliver "ever more refined and accurate sound reproduction, bringing listeners closer to the original performance." Naturally, it won't exactly be a bargain, with the price expected to be $1,399 / £1,149 (around AU$2,400) when it becomes available later this month. But it certainly looks a fitting way for the company to celebrate its 85th birthday. iFi Audio promises to launch "two new travel audio essentials – both for in-flight and in-car sound". We're excited about that, because we really rate iFi's DACs: our most recent iFi review, of its flagship Valkyrie DAC, raved about its "staggeringly complete sound". It's not exactly portable, though, so we're all ears when it comes to these new products. Qobuz, which is arguably the best music streaming platform for hi-res audio, is having a press conference on Thursday 15 May. Could this finally be the official launch of the long-awaited Qobuz Connect? The feature is similar to Spotify Connect in that it lets you control your Qobuz playback remotely on compatible hardware. It's been in beta for a while and started appearing for non-beta app users earlier this week, which would make the High End Munich 2025 show a good place for a bigger reveal. An official launch would likely coincide with more manufacturers announcing support and releasing the appropriate firmware updates. Stretch goals – the 8 best money-no-object hi-fi gadgets we tested in 2024 These heavyweight luxury speakers look like Doctor Who villains The American gods of valve-based audio have released a huge monoblock power amp
Forbes
15-05-2025
- Forbes
IFi Audio Unveils Bluetooth Travel DAC And Go Pod Air For Turning IEMs Wireless
The iFi UP Travel is a tiny Bluetooth transmitter and receiver with support for most Hi-Res ... More Bluetooth audio codecs. This little gadget can boost the audio quality of in-flight entertainment, car stereos or laptops. iFi Audio is an innovative and high-performance brand and has launched two innovative new products today. The first is the iFi UP Travel Bluetooth DAC and the second is the Go Pod Air wireless adapter for converting in-ear monitors into high-end wireless earphones. iFi UP Travel is a transmitter and receiver unit for headphones that brings Hi-Res Bluetooth connectivity to cars, in-flight entertainment systems or just about any other audio system. Travel-minded from the ground up, the UP Travel is small enough to fit into a pocket and weighs a mere 25g, even though it has a battery a 10-hour life to keep working across the Atlantic Ocean. Two pairs of headphones can share the UP-Travel's output for watching movies, listening to playlists or catching up on Podcasts, all without the hassle of syncing screens or settling for lower sound quality. At the heart of the UP Travel is Hi-Fi-grade architecture; instead of a System-on-Chip, iFi uses finely tuned and independent audio stages to extract better sound quality. A flip out 3.5mm connector turns the UP Travel on and it can be used as a Bluetooth transmitter or ... More receiver with support for all the high-end Bluetooth audio codecs. Key features of the UP Travel include Bluetooth connectivity, Hi-Res Bluetooth streaming to AUX inputs, a Cirrus Logic DAC, dual Bluetooth headphone pairing, built-in microphones with cVc noise and echo suppression and a 10-hour battery life from a single charge. The UP Travel is compatible with a range of devices and has a 3.5mm connector that flips out when needed. It also has one-touch pairing for Bluetooth devices. The connector folds back into place and automatically switches off to save power. The device has easy one-flick switching between transmitting and receiving modes. With TX mode, users can upgrade their in-flight entertainment audio using high-quality Bluetooth codecs aptX or LDAC. The UP Travel can plug into the 3.5mm audio output of a laptop for high-end Bluetooth streaming, making it suitable for video calls or catching up on Podcasts. UP Travel can upgrade a car audio system by switching to RX mode and plugging into the car's AUX input. Offering Hi-Res Bluetooth streaming with codecs including SBC, AAC, aptX (Classic, Low-Latency, Adaptive), LDAC and LHDC/HWA, UP Travel can improve a car stereo's sound quality. The UP Travel can plug into the AUX input of a car stereo so it receives audio streamed over ... More Bluetooth from a smartphone or other device. Built around a Qualcomm QCC51xx series Bluetooth chipset, the UP Travel also has a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC, as found in some of iFi's award-winning portables. Completing the design is a bespoke clocking circuit to keep all the individual components working together in sync. The design of the UP Travel enables quick switching between various codec choices. A built-in microphone at the base works with Qualcomm's cVc noise and echo suppression technology to produce clearer phone calls. Compatible with the iFi Nexis app—available on both iOS and Android devices—the UP Travel can have additional features unlocked with the app, as well as personalizing settings and applying any future firmware updates. The iFi UP Travel is available from now and is priced at $99 / £99 / €99. The iFi GO Pod Air loops can turn high-end in-ear monitors into Hi-Res Bluetooth earphones with ... More support for codecs like aptX Adaptive and LDAC. iFi's second new product announced today is the GO Pod Air, a compact and affordable device that can turn wired earphones—such as IEMs—into Hi-Res Bluetooth wireless earphones thanks to audiophile-grade architecture. While Bluetooth True Wireless Stereo earbuds are the most popular way for people to listen to music on the go, many audiophiles prefer to listen to wired IEMs. To solve this conundrum, iFi has made a device that can turn a pair of IEMs into Hi-Res Bluetooth wireless earphones with touch controls and noise-free calls. Despite their small size, each GO Pod Air has balanced amplification and intelligent impedance matching to suit almost any pair of IEMs with support for digital music files up to 24-bit/96kHz. Cirrus Logic DAC chips power the sound and everything packs away into a small case for maximum portability. The GO Pod Pro from iFi Audio stow away in a storage case for charging. The system also includes ... More touch controls and microphones for making phone calls. Unlike most wireless earbuds, which rely on a single chip for connection, conversion and amplification, the iFi GO Pod Air uses true Hi-Fi architecture. Each Pod includes a Qualcomm QCC514x series chip just for Bluetooth reception. The digital signal is then sent to a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC before being boosted by a balanced amplification stage backed up by a dedicated clock for perfect sync between the components. Each Pod weighs just 10 grams and the storage case is 40% lighter than iFi's first-generation GO Pod and is nearly 20% smaller. iFi offers a selection of interchangeable ear loops to suit almost every type of IEM and includes 2-pin and MMCX loops as standard. T2, A2DP and Pentaconn loops are also available separately. The iFi GO Pod Air's intelligent impedance matching works at three different settings—16, 32 and 64Ω. Simply connect the IEMs, place the Pods in their charging case for a moment and the system automatically detects the impedance and adjusts everything to the best match. The iFi GO Pod Air can fit IEMs with two-pin and MMCX connectors and other connectors are available. With a comprehensive suite of Bluetooth audio codecs—including SBC, AAC, aptX (Classic, HD, Adaptive), LDAC and LHDC/HWA—the iFi Go Pod Air can work with any phone, tablet or transmitter. Each Pod has intuitive and responsive touch controls for controlling calls, music and volume levels. There is also support for voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. When making phone calls, the GO Pod Air can pick up the user's voice with dual microphones and Qualcomm's cVc echo and noise suppression technology cleans things up. The GO Pod Air is IPX5 rated, providing protection when out running in the rain, commuting during a downpour or sweating it out at the gym. The touch controls can be disabled to avoid unwanted commands. The iFi GO Pod Air has up to seven hours of playback from a single charge, plus the travel case extends this to a total of 15 hours. The iFi GO Pod Air is available from and priced at $249 / $249 / €249. Tech Specs:
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Forbes
IFi Audio Unveils Its Most Powerful And Portable Headphone DAC
The new flagship iDSD Valkyrie DAC from iFi Audio is aimed at audiophiles who want the ultimate ... More sound on the go. It's a DAC and headphone amplifier with the latest digital conversion technology. Specialist audio brand iFi has launched its latest product in the form of the iDSD Valkyrie. This is iFi's flagship portable DAC and headphone amp aimed at anyone who wants the ultimate sound from digital music files on the move. The device gives users the option to shape and create their own sonic signature. The iDSD Valkyrie offers extensive customization with the latest technology in a compact size. It offers plenty of sonic control thanks to K2HD Technology, DSD Remastering, six digital filters and iFi's signature analog processing. With quad-DAC architecture, 5,700mW peak output, lossless Bluetooth and a battery life of 18 hours, it's unmatched by any other portable DAC on the market. The iDSD Valkyrie is designed for anyone who wants to wring the last drop of musicality and emotional depth from digital music files. The unit uses tools that were once the preserve of the world's top mastering houses and is inspired by the artistry of mastering engineers. The Valkyrie has iFi's bespoke DSD Remastering algorithm, powered by a custom-coded FPGA. The Valkyrie is built around four Burr-Brown DACs in a hybrid multi-bit configuration, based on ... More iFi's experience using the multi-bit Philips TDA1541A. Users can choose between the 'Normal' setting, in which DSD signals pass directly to the DAC and PCM signals go through a user-selected digital filter, or 'Remastering,' with options to remaster to DSD512 or DSD1024. Like the technology used in Sony's mastering studios, DSD Remastering is said to improve the audio quality of any file by increasing its resolution, reducing distortion and delivering a richer and more detailed sound, just like a professionally remastered recording. At the heart of the Valkyrie is JVCKENWOOD's renowned K2HD Technology, which restores the warmth and emotion of analog recordings, ensuring digital audio doesn't sound cold or clinical. iFi says it can restore music closer to the original master, infusing it with the rich and natural harmonics that are often lost during digitalization. The Valkyrie offers this K2HD technology in two flavors. The is the 'K2' mode and 'K2HD' mode, where the former preserves the original resolution of a file. There is no shortage of connectivity options on iFi Audio's new iDSD Valkyrie. Alongside these technologies, the Valkyrie also offers six digital filters, including Apodising, GTO, Bit Perfect, Standard, Minimum and Transient Aligned, giving the user more ways to experience their favorite music and discover what sounds best for their ears. Complementing the digital customization suite, the Valkyrie also has advanced analog processing features unique to iFi such as XBassII, XPresence and XSpace. Unlike other DACs, Valkyrie has switchable analog circuitry for its EQ modes, rather than Digital Signal Processing. iFi claims this preserves audio quality and allows for more natural frequency adjustment, with less phase shift and distortion. XBassII adds back lost bass frequencies, while XPresence adds mid-presence to the sound for a more upfront midrange. XSpace, also found across iFi products, enhances the audio by creating a spacious sound field, adding depth to the more two-dimensional two-channel experience. To power all its features, the Valkyrie needs plenty of battery. iFi has used four 5,000mAh ... More lithium-ion units, providing 20,000mAh. The Valkyrie is built around four Burr-Brown DACs in a hybrid multi-bit configuration, based on iFi's experience using the multi-bit Philips TDA1541A. iFi says the design captures the magic and impact of the iconic Philips multi-bit chipset, but with lower-level linearity for more detail. As pioneers of Lossless Bluetooth, iFi has equipped Valkyrie with the latest flagship Qualcomm chipset to provide CD-quality audio using the aptX Lossless codec as well as Hi-Res playback using LDAC. The Valkyrie provides around 44% more power than iFi's flagship, multi-award-winning iDSD Diablo 2 when driving 16Ω headphones. It can output up to 5,700mW peak output power or 2,258mW RMS. The Valkyrie can drive the most power-hungry headphones while still being portable enough to go anywhere. The Valkyrie provides around 44% more power than iFi's flagship, multi-award-winning iDSD Diablo 2 ... More when driving 16Ω headphones. The iDSD Valkyrie supports IEMs using xMEMS, an innovative speaker technology that combines both the actuation and diaphragm in a silicon chip producing some of the fastest and most precise drivers for IEMs. With these next-generation speakers, there's virtually no phase shift and they are up to 150 times faster than regular mechanical drivers. To power all its features, the Valkyrie needs plenty of battery. iFi has used four 5,000mAh lithium-ion units, providing 20,000mAh. Not only do batteries provide sound free from electrical interference and noise, but they do so with enough life to last up to 18 hours of playback from a single charge. Fast charging via USB-C means the Valkyrie takes from around 2.5 hours to fully recharge. The iDSD Valkyrie is available now from or through the brand's Elite dealers. The price is $1,699 / £1,699 / €1.699.
