iFi hip-dac3 - Portable Hi-Res DAC/Headphone Amp - True Balanced Circuit, 400mW Output, Dual USB-C, PCM 384kHz/DSD256/MQA Decoding, XBass Analog Enhancement, PowerMatch, iEMatch & up to 12hrs Playtime

PIC: Under the phone is the HipDac 2. I bought the original HipDac and liked it so much getting the HipDac2 was a no brainer. The HipDac is the most powerful, portable and flexible DAC you can buy for under $200. Despite it being geared for headphone mobile us, after looking at the specs and the capabilities, I literally found it to be a quite capable desktop DAC. The only drawback in doing so is having to use a 3mm headphone jack for output to the rest of my stereo chain. I listen to Spotify or Tidal all day in my home office. I use the premium subscriptions for each Spotify for playlist listening, Tidal for reviewing artists and previewing for vinyl purchases. The HipDac goes into other low cost gear...from the HipDac it goes to a Fosi MM tube pre-amp that also doubles as a signal pre. From there it loops through a Bellari EQ570 and on to a Nobsound 6p1 tube amp. (Rolled to HQ tubes) from there out to the very excellent Wharfdale 80th Anniversary Dentons. I use the line matching button and extra bass, I run the level on the HipDac at about 1 o'clock and control the overall volume at the amp. Some caveats of using it as a HiFi system DAC. The major drawback is getting the streaming audio to it takes up some space on the rack. Yes, you can use a phone, PC, laptop or tablet but for phones and tablets, it is problematic to charge and play at the same time. I have had inconsistent success doing so with both Android and iOS devices. I ended up sticking with a Lenovo tablet and using USB Audio Player Pro's custom android audio driver for Tidal and native spotify use. USBAPP drive will take over chores and provide bit perfect streaming with their Tidal implementation. Using spotify native app is pretty much seamless. The Lenovo gives me 12-14 hours of playing time. Spotify premium allows 320 kbits steaming and frankly for all day listening I find Spotify audio quality very consistent and non-fatiguing. Plus they have excellent playlists for office/work music. Tidal MQA works well and is extremely high quality, so much so it will show you the true levels of the recordings complete with all the scratchy instrument hairballs and magnetic dust bunnies. This detail can be fatiguing to listen to. There is a learning curve to getting the highest audio quality possible for least amount of $$ possible. If you are into that quest the HipDac2 is a good place to start regardless how you use it, it is simply a really good device. If it is your first time using a DAC you discover things in your favorite music, in the recording and in the voices of singers and instruments that you never heard before because you were listening to a crappy DAC and low resolution stream. If you are already a long time audiophile and want to move beyond the limitations of wireless headphone listening or phone onboard DACS you will. be rewarded.

I own a pair of Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back headphones and the power and clarity from this little DAC flask is phenomenal. It has plenty of clean power to push these cans. Many people use this on their desktop, however the portability was what helped me make my purchase decision. The fact that it has a battery makes it perfect for me to use while walking on my treadmill, hanging out on the couch or relaxing outside on my deck. I easily get up to 8 hours on it at pretty high volume, then charge it. Full charge is takes only a few hours. I was reluctant to spend $200 but after stellar reviews on the internet I decided I needed this. It did not disappoint. Built extremely well, small compact and you have several options for volume control including Power Match & XBass, which works great with my headphones. Also has IEM capability, which I don't use. If you are on the fence, search the internet, plenty of great reviews. Great addition for any avid audiophile.

I had been researching portable DAC/amp solutions that would allow me to stream Tidal high resolution audio and Spotify audio from my iPhone 14 Plus. I seriously considered a Chord Mojo 2, but kept reading about intermittent white noise problems with iOS devices using Lightning connections. I wanted something compact and light to carry as I listen to music therapeutically when I am at home or on the road for work. I read about the iFi hip-dac3 and wondered how much I would give up in audio quality selecting this over the Chord Mojo 2. I decided to purchase this as I read on Web forums that this DAC/amp worked well with iOS devices. I also like the simple, yet elegant, industrial design with intuitive controls. Better, it has a 4mm TRRS balanced output along with a 3.5mm unbalanced TRS output. My Sony MDR-MV1 studio monitor headphones have a 24 ohm impedance and can be used in unbalanced or balanced modes, so they're not difficult to drive. I really love them because they are light and comfortable. I can literally wear them all day, they fit that well. They are Sony's first open back professional headphones with a neutral presentation for professional monitoring use, so I wanted something that was smooth and able to drive these headphones that have an exceptional bass response for open back headphones. For reference, I listen to a wide range of music from jazz to classic rock to large orchestral classical music. I also purchased a Miter case to protect the beautiful Shadow Titanium anodized Aluminum enclosure of the hip-dac3. When I opened the package for the hip-dac3, I was pleasantly surprised to find a 5-6 length Apple Lightning-to-USB-C OTG connection cable. iFi's product description does not state that this cable is included, so that was a bonus. It also came with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable and a USB-C-to-USB-C cable. I also discovered just how compact the hip-dac3 is relative to my iPhone 14 Plus. I can hold my iPhone and hip-dac3 in one hand while I carry it around with my Sony's on my head. It really is a nice portable combination that I can take with the Sony's when I am on extended business trips or tooling around the house. As for sound quality, I love this combination when playing high resolution tracks streaming from Tidal. The hip-dac3 also decodes MQA streams. This was not a requirement for me as I am not an MQA fan. I prefer the high resolution FLAC tracks, but it is kind of neat to see the LEDs around the volume knob change colors depending on the digital source. Prior to receiving the hip-dac3, I used a Sonic Unity mDSD USB dongle DAC that takes power and audio from my iPhone through the bulky Apple iOS Lightning Camera Connection Kit. Apple's CCK works reliably, but it looks like a Rube Goldberg apparatus when everything is connected. This was more cumbersome to handle, and not very rugged. The Encore mDSD is an ESS DAC-based device that can be a bit dry sometimes and even harsh when pushed. The hip-dac3 is smooth as silk with its Burr-Brown Multi-Bit DAC and iFi's custom op amps in a full-balanced circuit driving my Sony's. Since it runs on batteries, I definitely have more clean and smooth headroom. Listening to classical scores by Holst and Stravinsky, this amp can reproduce the symphonic fireworks. Playing Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Animals" at high resolution really fleshes out the engineer's mixes. The pace and rhythm really got my head to bobbing, feet to tapping and had me singing along. When music listening engages me in this way, I know I have a great thing going. I played Wayne Shorter's remastered "Speak No Evil" at high resolution, and the interplay and flow between Wayne Shorter and his ensemble really stirred me. This device faithfully reproduces tone and timbre. I am sure the Chord Mojo 2 is a fine DAC/amp, but I am really pleased that I purchased the iFi hip-dac3. I highly recommended this.

I want to preface this review with the fact that I was previously using the Fiio E10k, a 50-100 dollar usb powered dac/amp. The Hip-DAC pushes out some serious sound for its small build and modest price tag. I have been using two very different headphones with this dac/amp (Sennheiser HD600 (300 ohm) and Audio Technica ATH-M40x (35 ohm)). The Hip-DAC volume output is very similar to the E10K and is still more than bearable at the highest volume. The biggest difference between this dac/amp in the E10k is the clarity and spectrum that is now audible with this dac/amp. The XBass feature is GREAT for electronic, pop and dance music while turning it off delivers an optimal experience for listeners who prefer an unaltered and leveled experience. This dac/amp was able to do something I hadn’t thought was possible with my previous dac/amp. I was able to completely transform my HD600s into a bassy, FUN set of headphones with XBass. I can now comfortably listen to EDM, Pop, Rap and other bassy genres with my open backs. Sound quality and clarity is top notch with these headphones BUT I do have some things I’m not a huge fan of regarding build… 1. The volume control knob - This knob sticks out quite a bit from the front of the unit. I always worry that I’m going to break it off or ruin the chrome finish with it sticking out. It becomes the only non-flush part of this dac amp and gets caught on everything! 2. The USB-A extension cable - in order to use this dac/amp with anything you need to carry around this eyesore of a cable and pray you don’t lose it (it’s designed to fit your dac amp perfectly with its recessed USB-A male connector). The color reminds me of the bright blue Ethernet cables and difficult to hide if carrying out in public. Definitely out of place for such a well designed product. 3. Lack of an included case - the finish on this product is BEAUTIFUL. It’s a burnt orange and looks/works great if it’s home is going to be on your desk it’s whole life. IF you’re going to carry this device around however, the finish is VERY scratchable and I fear of putting it in my pocket due to this fact. A thin cloth case is a MUST if you’re going to be using this on the go. Overall the sound of this dac/amp is GREAT, the build quality is OK (looks great, practicality is meh), the indicator and number of protocols/bitrates this dac/amp supports is a HUGE bonus and I think if you’re looking for a dac/amp with great sound and lots of features this is the one for you.

I normally don’t write reviews, but after tens of hours of exhausting research, buying and returning multiple DACs, I had to share my experience. I hope this saves others from the long, frustrating process I went through. I wanted a DAC to use with my Ipod Touch 7 (my beloved music source.) DACs I Tried (And Returned) FiiO BTR7 You're paying extra for Bluetooth, which I didn’t want—I will only use with wired for best sound quality. Quality is lost with bluetooth. The app wouldn't connect this DAC to phone/ipod, and the menu was impossible to understand. Chose English language and still every screen showed multiple languages- I had no idea what I was doing. Manual is useless. Email to the company for assistance- after a week no reply. Sound quality improvement with Etymotic ER-4P and other headphones IEM and over the head- meh. Returning it. Chord Mojo 2 Did tons of research, bought a special cord for my iPod—nowhere does it say this DAC is NOT compatible with Apple ipod/phone. Even with the battery charged, my iPod said: “Device not usable—more power needed”. Returning it—huge disappointment. Nothing worked well for my needs—until I found this one. The Game Changer: iFi Hip DAC 3 💥 WOW. This blew me away! Here’s why: ✅ Works perfectly with my iPod Touch 7 (and Apple devices) ✅ Massive sound quality improvement—I was shocked! ✅ Simple, intuitive design—no confusing menus ✅ Great build quality—not bulky for on-the-go use ✅ Fantastic volume knob—easy to adjust without accidental changes Unexpected Surprise I have a Marshall Stockwell II portable speaker. I didn’t expect any improvement using the DAC with it. (Wired to Ipod touch 7.) Plugged it in—sound level boosted & quality was night and day. Final Thoughts After all the frustration, this was the only DAC that truly impressed me (wish I could have at least heard the Mojo 2). Absolutely worth the price—I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it again. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great wired sound quality without the hassle! This does not have blue tooth- which I didn't want as the degrades the sound quality- but if that's what you're looking for this is not for you.

Why in the world would >anyone< pay $200 for a unit that replaces the $10 dongle for my iPhone? And why in the world would anyone choose this iFi hip-dac3 over other smaller, lighter and feature-rich options? (I myself was looking at the AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Cayin RU7 as similar size / featured DACs.) Well in brief, I upgraded my audio chain for the home (FLAC files on a Plex server) and then I discovered PlexAmp as an app for the phone that delivers FLAC files in a great interface. Which led me to ditch my bluetooth Airpods in favor of an Audio Technica ATH-M50x pair that I used for some prior podcast work, which led me to thinking about getting a portable DAC. Anyway, decided on the hip-dac3 due to its sturdy construction (solid metal), high amperage output, excellent reviews, and (believe it or not) an included lightning-to-USB-C cable. (Would have required the Apple "Lightning to USB C Camera adapter otherwise for an additional $40 to get the appropriate digital signal to the unit.) Am really, really pleased with this purchase, and this is with a pair of headphones that I'm going to upgrade in a month or two (as I save up for either a Shure SRH1540 or a Meze 99 Classic). Doing an A/B test with classical music and EDM you can easily tell the difference between a $10 dongle and this unit. My only comparison with other DACs is a desktop Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, and in A/B testing with that unit it is really hard to tell any difference. It's a lot of fun to take this on my early morning walks, wow I did not know what I was missing - I can be in a completely different world. I plan to take this to work with me (replacing the crummy Laptop DAC) and that will be great to take advantage of both Plex streaming and Spotify higher quality streaming @44.1 kHz.

I’ve looked in to many pocket DACs, and I’m glad I settled on this one. It checks all the boxes. Almost as thin as a phone, balanced output, driverless, and modularity. Setting aside audiophile pickiness, for me, convenience features are more important for a mobile solution. I wish everything had the recessed USB A connection. It feels more sturdy to be shoved in a pocket than any other option. My only wish is that when charging, it would also act as a power pass through to charge the device it’s on. Being driverless means it works with anything willing to offload audio processing. Even a Nintendo Switch Lite. As far as audio goes, it sounds great. I really can’t elaborate much more than that. There’s no hindrance to stereo separation and what they call sound stage and imaging. It just plays sound the way it was intended with no coloration, until you use the bass boost for fun. Paired with a HD650, 95% of the time, the bass boost tapers off right before the vocal range. Which is the perfect pair for movies, TV shows, and even most YouTube videos. The only real issue I’ve found is more or less a compatibility issue. Not the fault of the HipDAC, and more of Apple’s fault. Every dongle I’ve tried with it works flawlessly… except the official Apple Lightning to “camera” dongle. It gets some rhythmic digital noise, almost like a GSM signal. Sometimes it goes away. Other times the HipDAC stops working and you have to turn it off and on. Why it’s an Apple problem, is because Lightning is only capable of USB 2.0 standards and speed. I feel like the noise and crash is because it sometimes bottlenecks, or the timing gets too far out of sync. It never happens with any form of USB 3.0 cable.

Incredible sound but the battery only lasted 3 years. I apparently liked it thou because I just ordered the 3 version.

si le prix ne vous fait pas peur, c'est un bon appareil

Ottimo suono. Buone connessioni.

Genial atencion del vendedor Supersonido. Gracias Chema Nieto!!!. Creo que la buena atencion se demuestra cuando las cosas no salen como uno quiere. Compre el ifi dac 3 y tras varias pruebas no funcionaba. Me puse en contacto con supersonido (el vendedor) a traves del correo el jueves 27 de marzo y han atendido mi problema en seguida. El mismo dia me han contactado por correo y me han mandado un mensajero que lo ha recogido el mismo viernes 28. El lunes 31 marzo lo han recibido . Han contactado con el servicio tecnico y me han confirmado que estaba estropeado. El martes 1 me han mandado un nuevo aparato y hoy miercoles 2 abril estoy disfrutando de el. Asi que creo que mejor no se puede hacer!! . Impecable, Gracias!!!. Por cierto el ifi genial!!

Pas adapté du tout comme ampli casque nomade avec FIIO 5II pas de cable adapté en asymétrique ou symétrique, peux de détails ou options sur le manuel de branchement, je pense avoir mal choisi mon ampli casque à mettre notamment avec casque beyer dynamic DT990 pro 250 ohms, le produit est de parfaite fabrication et d'une écoute optimume branché sur un ordi pc ou mac les drivers à télécharger sont adaptés à tous systémes pc ou Mac

El hip DAC es un excelente DAC para poder utilizarlo con tu laptop, tablet o celular. En cuanto a materiales tiene excelente calidad de construcción y ese color naranja está increíble (eso depende de los gustos y es muy subjetivo). Los botones se sienten sólidos y la rueda de volumen de excelente calidad. Su tamaño es bastante compacto para lo que es (y su potencia de amplificación). Decidí comprar este DAC y hacerlo mi segundo (el primero fue iFi Zen DAC) ya que me gusta esta firma de sonido, bastante cálida y sabrosa, tiene muy buena extensión en graves (no necesito usar el Extra Bass, al menos no con mis audífonos Sennheiser IE300), y bastante claridad en medios; los agudos se sienten redondeados y poco o nada sibilantes. Utilizo el Hip DAC con Apple Music Lossless y Hi-Res Lossless, lo he utilizado con un iPad Pro, un iPhone y una MacBook y va increíblemente bien. En general, es una gran opción para llevar al trabajo, a la oficina, o andar por ahí y tener una buena calidad de audio. Pros: + Buen sonido, cálido y claro. + Buen bajo. + Excelentes materiales de construcción. + Bonito color (subjetivo). Contras: - Puede ser muy grande para algunas personas, sobre todo incómodo para llevártelo en tu pantalón. - Si eres usuario de iOS (iPhone) necesitarás un adaptador u OTG. Conclusión: Recomendado.