I have just got the hip-dac🤔 And can quite categorically say it has revolutionised the way I listen to music!!! What a fantastic piece of kit, if you are on a budget just push the boat out and buy it! When listening to lossless or mastered files (mqa), it is on a different level to anything o have heard before. And a big thank you Steve to introducing me to the Chrissy Hynde album (which is amazing).I I have been a keen follower of your channel for a while now, but never acted on your recommendations? Mainly due to budget restraints 🙄 But on this occasion I am really really happy I did 😎 Many thanks Steve! and keep up the sterling work🤗
Hey Steve this was a great review. Good to know there's options for us who can't afford to spend a ton! I think I'll save up and try the tin HiFi+DAC combo you mentioned. Thanks!
They have just updated the Hipdac , I got the 1st one and I love it , I’m using Sennheiser 560s headphones, it feels like I got a £3000 set up in from of me
I tried to buy the IFI hip Dac v2 this week, returned it, only because I'd not realized it didn't come with any 3.5" plug input, only the USB -A input jack. I couldn't even test it with my iPhone14, and I couldn't use it as planned, with my basic simple wired rig, Fiio player and Fosi head amp (or Fiio amps I have too). This defeated the entire purpose I had in mind for the hip dac, which didn't involve a phone! I wasn't pleased. I'm sure it sounds great, though. I would have used it for my PC at home, but I already have a fabulous soundcard/amp for that. I ended up returning it, and buying a new pair of the Hifiman HE400SEs, a much better investment for my purposes. The only reason I use the phone for music is in the car. I don't like Bluetooth, either.
I saw many TH-camrs talking about this device but finally it was you who managed to convince me to buy this device (3:10 If you say it with this emotion, then I believe you ,, ). I hope I don't regret it. Thank you!
Thanks, been looking for a good portable DAC Amp and now tired of looking! Other reviews go way way too far discussing frequencies and show actual sound charts etc. Some say good, some say bad? You said it sounded good, you said it was OK connected one way and better another. You tried different headphones and all good to better. This is all I wanted to know so thank you. I currently have a Sound Blaster E5 and quiet frankly it is terrible. It can pump out some beautiful sound and it can produce terrible sound but always with a lot of line noise. Just about to order a Hip Dac. Thanks.
I have the soundblaster you have, as well as the G6. Pretty much all of the ifi products I've tried are amazingly built, and the sound quality is incredible. They just outright trounce the sound blaster products I've bought. The only one that still sounds equally as good is the soublaster zxr soundcard. I absolutely love that thing.
i also have the E5, can recommend either the Topping NX4 DSD or Fiio BTR5, if you need BT, get the Fiio, if you need tons of power without balanced cables, get the Topping.
iFi DACs are great. I have the older iFi micro iDSD and it is great. I use it with Audirvana+ to convert PCM to DSD and it definitely improves the PCM playback, probably due to gentler LP filters.
I had a Chord Qutest and the little iOne bettered it, especially taking in the price difference. The Qutest got sold. I'm currently saving for something quite a bit more hi end than the Qutest and the little iOne is doing a great stand in job!
@@philrushton6868 Similarly, I have been eyeing the 6x more expensive RME ADI-2 DAC FS (Audiophiliac please review?) for months. But I am in no rush to jump in because the nano iOne is so satisfying. It's paired with "budget" speakers PSB Alpha PS1 and PSB Subseries100 subwoofer. This combination plus an Intel NUC8i5BEH make a fine foobar2000 desktop system for me, with the NUC doing double duty as a Win 10 office PC.
I use a TOPPING NX4 and I'm really satisfied, It sounds very neutral-clean, bass boost affects only the very low bass frequency and I love that, I wonder how It sounds compared to this hip dac.. If the xduoo xd 5 plus had THX AAA Amp then definitely I would take It 100%, but It hasn't, so because I don't use power hungry headphones, I use ath m40x with zmf cowhide pads, that's why I got the NX4 and It damn well worthed!
Listen to it. I had ordered the Zen on Amazon and sent it back - I found it flatter and less engaging than the Audioquest Cobalt. However, that might be personal taste or choice of headphones.
@@TomReinerDE I found this too, until I played around with various settings. The high gain setting improved things immensely. I have been impressed ever since. I use the iPurifier into the Zen and directly into restored B&K St202 power amplifier, and finally to the Magnepans.
@@ActionMan153 totally agree. Amazon currently is selling the iBasso IT01 for $59! Fantastic buy. Any other IEMs you’ve used that could share? Someone told me about the 1More 3 driver, but I have not heard them.
I’m also entry level, after a long research period I settled on the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XXs and the Dragonfly Red USB DAC to rock out to Apple Music on my iPhone.
Wired is king! I still have 4 or 5 bluetooth headphones, both in, on, and over-ear. Great for podcasts, youtube, calls, et cetera, when you`re on the move, working out, good stuff :) Using wired NOW though, because I`m in bed hehe..
I'll have to try this out with my Hifiman Sandura's that I just bought. They sound awesome through my PS Audio Stellar GS DAC, but if I can get great sound through my phone, then why not?
Great review Steve.... Could you please tell me how does hip dac combines with Sundara... I just bought sundara... Now i need to purchase an amp... Probably a portable one...
I have owned both the red and blue dragonfly models and was never really happy with either. I currently use the iDSD BL as I feel it is better than either dragonfly sound wise. The Hip Dac is arriving tomorrow from Crutchfield (the only place that has it in stock) and will be comparing it to the iDSD BL. I expect to switch over if it is the same or better sound wise. I am looking forward to the smaller form factor. I have heard it has qualities of the iDSD and xDSD combined so I am really excited to try it out.
from my experience, mojo > FiiO M11 > iFi micro iDSD BL. iDSD BL has a very mellow and veiled sound that probably matches Beyerdynamic headphones pretty well, but I haven't tried myself.
Interesting review, Steve - iFi seems to galvanize some in our hobby but I like the fact that they are willing compete with the Chinese on price at one end, and still release more expensive gear for those with the budget to play in that sphere.
Great review Steve. Question: I am currently using the Fiio A5 headphone amp with my Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphone and really enjoy the sound but am I correct to assume that this DAC amp combo will increase the sound quality over the Fiio A5?
Really interesting. Thoughts on the (related, I assume) iFi Zen DAC desktop unit? By the way, you have convinced me that DACs are actually worth looking into.
Its not so much about an audible increase in resolution because of the very high sampling rate, no. Its more about creating super smooth digital filtering pass within the DAC process which does benefit sound in the audible range.
That's easy for you to say! ;) Anyway, the question is if it's audible and that will always be debatable. You can fluff it up all you like, but that is what it comes down to - and I don't buy it...in more ways than one.
hi Steve just joined channel, really enjoying so thanks for this. When you.used the hip dac as a dac into your external amp, as it has no line out what volume did you set it at as I am unsure how to handle connecting a dac with no line out to a power amp?
Ifi makes excellent DACs. Just got the ifi Zen Dac for $129 with the iPower 5v adapter. Rocked my world with Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro streaming from my MacBook. And it has RCA outputs to connect my amplifier.
I said a hip hop Hippie to the hippie The hip, hip a hop, and you don't stop, a rock it out Bubba to the bang bang boogie, boobie to the boogie To the rhythm of the boogie the beat Sorry Steve I just had to.
Hey, sorry for the noob question, but do I even need a dac if I have a Raspberry Pi Streamer with HifiBerry OS and DAC2 HD Top Hat on it? Would it do any good to me?
Either would work great. The problem is, how are you going to know which sounds better to you if you can't demo both first? That's what I don't like about buying stuff sight unseen these days, online, since you can't even find a store locally in the real world that let's you demo stuff.
Hi, I have usb audio player Pro app and MQA plugin installed in OnePlus 7 and fiio x5lll. I can't see magenta colour, in my ifi hip DAC, when I play MQA files via OnePlus 7 and fiio x5lll. Is there any fix. Thanks
I have an custom iem with the sensitive is 102dB @ 1kHz / 1mW and the impedance is 16ohm. I wonder if I plug my iem into the hip-dac, will it get a lot of hiss? I really want to get a hand on hip-dac but haven't had an opportunity to try it.
Make sure to include Apple Music! This review would be strictly from a sound quality perspective, and not muddy up the review from a user features perspective.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac - sounds like a minimal difference in sound quality. What DAC would you recommend as a step up from Modi? up to around $500 Thanks
Hey I know this has nothing to do with ur video but I watch ur reviews and I have been trying to get someone's opinion for awhile and I cant find alot of info i bought a pair of kef xq threes and curious enat urnopinion is
i tried some wireless headphones like 7-8 models for gaming not listening to music of course couldn't find 1 that sounds even close as good as my DT770 Pro 80 ohm which is what i use for gaming plus they were All very quiet for my taste so i just never looked at wireless crap again
Help Please...! so I have a Dragonfly-Red and some Audeze LCD-X's with my iPhone. Being honest: I can not tell the difference between using the Dragonfly-Red and going directly into my iPhone. I tried a variety of bit-rates, including some HiRez files (LED on the Dragonfly was changing color correctly, so I know the bit-rates were correct). Am I being limited by my 51-year-old ears? Or is the Dragonfly-Red too subtle for me to notice with those headphones? Would love to upgrade the DAC, but I need to be able to tell it's worth it!
I use my DF Red with my iPhone and a pair of Hifiman planars. I can definitely tell the difference. I’m in your age group. I’m guessing if you can’t hear a difference with the Red, you won’t with this ifi dac Steve reviewer.
Great review as always, just a heads up, a Consumer Reports (March 2020) test of 55 headphones says Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT wireless headphones are a "Great Value". $80. No, I don't sell this stuff. I happen to be wearing my tattered JL headphones which are cutting out about half of the signal. LOL.
@@mrfrosty3 I think I originally read that the USB port would power it, but then saw an update that you actually need to power it through the USB-C even when listening on the PC. I just received mine yesterday and it seemed like it was working with just the blue USBA cable but then stopped. I guess maybe due to any remaining charge in the battery. I wasnt sure if there was something else going on.
@D R True and if so, such DAC will face the same problem when trying to connect to iPhone. There is simply no such thing like rubust camera cable connecting DAC to iPhone. I've tried several 3rd party cables and they are even worst than Apple's.
Unfortunately, I have been defeated in terms of going from wired to Bluetooth (kind of). My OnePlus 6T has no headphone jack so I bought a little OtterBox Bluetooth adapter for my 1more wired earbuds. I did recently aquire a Samsung note 8 which has a headphone jack! When I went back to the using the headphone jack, it was kinda of an inconvenience being tethered to the phone as I take my phone out of my pocket so frequently. Now I see the headphone jack as a NEEDED back up in case I need to charge my Bluetooth adapter or am to lazy to set it up. Since shooting is also one of my hobbies, for comparison, I see the headphone jack as backup iron sights, and Bluetooth as the red dot/holographic sight.
With the latest ipadOS and iPad Pro 2019, I am able to directly connect my Arcam rPac dac without the need for any camera connection cable. The rPac does not have internal battery and relies on iPad providing it power. i am using the apple usb-c to USB adapter(the $19 one) and then connect my rPac to USB adapter. I am hoping someone here can try with this hip DACs and confirm.
Scott Cleland What USB did you upgrade to? Are you using a Nano as a DAC? I want to eventually get a dedicated desktop set up but want to “train” my ear with lofi first.
J Pineda I ended up with a wireworld USB cable on my nano dac and really enjoyed the difference. I think the nano is under reviewed and I bet the purifier moved it up
Scott Cleland Thanks, I’m looking into a new USB cable. The Ipurifier3 made quiet a difference. Do you think headphone cable upgrade would be another noticeable upgrade?
Depends on your headphones you want to drive, i use the Audiotechnica MSR7 as my mobile cans and they are a brighter bass light headphone so the warmness the Hip DAC brings especially with xbass enabled is incredible and really makes my headphones sound so much more well rounded and beautiful. If you do get the Hip DAC i would personally recommend getting some small velcro circles to attach the DAC to the back of your phone for when you have it plugged in as it's much less clunky that way and easy to fit into your pocket if you do so then put the fabric side of the velcro on your phone so it doesnt interfere with your pocket or irritate your hand when you aren't using the DAC.
@@yaboitint.9944 Wow, thank you. I have the 1More Triple Driver over ear headphones and I love them. I have the FiiO BTR5, which I like but am considering upgrading. I like detail, neutrality and soundstage, not a bass head but I like when bass is done right.
@@davdidit6 I am also more of a fan of detail, neutrality, and soundstage. I do tend to like a warmer sound signature as well and my MSR7'S are a very bright detailed pair of headphones so the added bass from the Hip DAC is much appreciated and is at its best on headphones that are normally pretty neutral or lacking in lower frequency responses. It's done super well too the bass stays right where it should it doesn't bleed into other frequencies just enhances your headphones and adds a nice thump pretty comparable to when you have a really good set of speakers. The DAC also sounds REALLY good. I absolutely love mine and it's a must have whenever I and not at my desk now haha.
All of the Analogue Productions new reissues are coming out on vinyl and hybrid SACD exclusively (the hybrid SACD will play a redbook layer on regular CD players). These sound amazing and you can rip them to DSD files and play them on a DSD-capable DAC. Two examples that come to mind (which I own): Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" (2015) and John Coltrane's "Standard Coltrane" (2019). Fun stuffs.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Fair enough... Other than Blue Coast Records and a few (not all) of MA Recordings, most new(er) music is not done/available in DSD. This is surely because it is both an oddball format and also because editing in DSD (ie changing levels!) is not really possible unless you have a really fancy setup. I agree, there's very little interesting new music available in DSD that I am aware of.
Dan Shim Dragonfly is much better than Hip Dac (i can compare with my Dragonfly Cobalt). I didn’t like HipDac. Don’t know why all reviewers talk all good things about Ifi Hip Dac. Totally disappointed with this device.
Dian Nedelchev I was not happy with the cobalt. I am currently using the iDSD BL and will be comparing it to the Hip DAC once it arrives tomorrow. What did you dislike about the hip as compared to the cobalt?
@@DianSalsaSelection Yeah, I just got the Hip DAC and it is good, just not as good as the iFi Nano iDSD BL. The iDSD has better separation and makes the Hip Dac sound muddy in comparison.
TH-cam videos with a high quality recording..yes. If you are trying to make some 80’s straight-to-HBO movie transferred from some VHS tape sound good, then no.
![The Portable Headphone Amp that you NEED! [IFI Hip Dac 2 Review]](/img/n.gif)
I have just got the hip-dac🤔
And can quite categorically say it has revolutionised the way I listen to music!!!
What a fantastic piece of kit, if you are on a budget just push the boat out and buy it!
When listening to lossless or mastered files (mqa), it is on a different level to anything o have heard before.
And a big thank you Steve to introducing me to the Chrissy Hynde album (which is amazing).I
I have been a keen follower of your channel for a while now, but never acted on your recommendations?
Mainly due to budget restraints 🙄
But on this occasion I am really really happy I did 😎
Many thanks Steve! and keep up the sterling work🤗
MQA is not lossless
Hey Steve this was a great review. Good to know there's options for us who can't afford to spend a ton! I think I'll save up and try the tin HiFi+DAC combo you mentioned. Thanks!
Looks like my next dac.
How it performs?
They have just updated the Hipdac , I got the 1st one and I love it , I’m using Sennheiser 560s headphones, it feels like I got a £3000 set up in from of me
I tried to buy the IFI hip Dac v2 this week, returned it, only because I'd not realized it didn't come with any 3.5" plug input, only the USB -A input jack. I couldn't even test it
with my iPhone14, and I couldn't use it as planned, with my basic simple wired rig, Fiio player and Fosi head amp (or Fiio amps I have too). This defeated the entire purpose
I had in mind for the hip dac, which didn't involve a phone! I wasn't pleased. I'm sure it sounds great, though. I would have used it for my PC at home, but I already
have a fabulous soundcard/amp for that. I ended up returning it, and buying a new pair of the Hifiman HE400SEs, a much better investment for my purposes.
The only reason I use the phone for music is in the car. I don't like Bluetooth, either.
I saw many TH-camrs talking about this device but finally it was you who managed to convince me to buy this device (3:10 If you say it with this emotion, then I believe you ,, ). I hope I don't regret it. Thank you!
thank you steve for detail and comprehensive review. it really helps a lot. GBU
Bought it and loved it. Thank you! I love your channel.
This is a wonderful little Dac I own it and I love it great sounding for the price very happy with it and would recommend this Dac
Even if you're not British, how can you not like the term "Kit" & even cooler now with Steve saying it, you're the best my friend!!!
Thanks, been looking for a good portable DAC Amp and now tired of looking! Other reviews go way way too far discussing frequencies and show actual sound charts etc. Some say good, some say bad? You said it sounded good, you said it was OK connected one way and better another. You tried different headphones and all good to better. This is all I wanted to know so thank you. I currently have a Sound Blaster E5 and quiet frankly it is terrible. It can pump out some beautiful sound and it can produce terrible sound but always with a lot of line noise. Just about to order a Hip Dac. Thanks.
I have the soundblaster you have, as well as the G6. Pretty much all of the ifi products I've tried are amazingly built, and the sound quality is incredible. They just outright trounce the sound blaster products I've bought. The only one that still sounds equally as good is the soublaster zxr soundcard. I absolutely love that thing.
i also have the E5, can recommend either the Topping NX4 DSD or Fiio BTR5, if you need BT, get the Fiio, if you need tons of power without balanced cables, get the Topping.
Yes Steve we do say kit , in the uk I never thought about that , I’m a photographer I say my camera kit
👌 Welcome to my world. Glad you enjoyed the combination of digital and portable DAC 😉
iFi DACs are great. I have the older iFi micro iDSD and it is great. I use it with Audirvana+ to convert PCM to DSD and it definitely improves the PCM playback, probably due to gentler LP filters.
Audirvana really helps out? Isn't enough the combo Pc + Tidal MQA tracks + Ifi DAC + decent pair of headphones?
This review makes me wonder if ifi dacs are in general under-appreciated. I have an ifi nano iOne on my desktop and absolutely love it.
I had a Chord Qutest and the little iOne bettered it, especially taking in the price difference. The Qutest got sold. I'm currently saving for something quite a bit more hi end than the Qutest and the little iOne is doing a great stand in job!
@@philrushton6868 Similarly, I have been eyeing the 6x more expensive RME ADI-2 DAC FS (Audiophiliac please review?) for months. But I am in no rush to jump in because the nano iOne is so satisfying. It's paired with "budget" speakers PSB Alpha PS1 and PSB Subseries100 subwoofer. This combination plus an Intel NUC8i5BEH make a fine foobar2000 desktop system for me, with the NUC doing double duty as a Win 10 office PC.
very nicely done, Steve, as usual.
Change is good. Thanks for the review.
Can’t believe you actually uttered the word MQA more than once!!
I cantg believe he called MQA "super duper high res." while not caring about DSD >.
I use a TOPPING NX4 and I'm really satisfied, It sounds very neutral-clean, bass boost affects only the very low bass frequency and I love that, I wonder how It sounds compared to this hip dac.. If the xduoo xd 5 plus had THX AAA Amp then definitely I would take It 100%, but It hasn't, so because I don't use power hungry headphones, I use ath m40x with zmf cowhide pads, that's why I got the NX4 and It damn well worthed!
keep your nx4, still want that thing for my high imperdance earbuds
@@goodnightmoon That's what I think but It's not as loud as I want when using EQ..
Everything sounds great my man, everything
IfI has been hitting it out of the park with their dacs lately. I own the Zen dac, which is wonderful, in fact better than the Chord Mojo.
seriously bro? this cute Little DAC really intrique me, im about to pull trigger, how do you compared to chord mojo?
Listen to it. I had ordered the Zen on Amazon and sent it back - I found it flatter and less engaging than the Audioquest Cobalt. However, that might be personal taste or choice of headphones.
@@TomReinerDE I found this too, until I played around with various settings. The high gain setting improved things immensely. I have been impressed ever since. I use the iPurifier into the Zen and directly into restored B&K St202 power amplifier, and finally to the Magnepans.
I just purchased one but I guess i have to buy headphones 🎧 😂 I don’t want to break the bank im entry level, baby steps.
I use the iBasso iT10 IEMs and they sound amazing with the Hip-Dac.
There are some amazing entry level headphones for under $150, so no need to fret about breaking the bank.
@@ActionMan153 totally agree. Amazon currently is selling the iBasso IT01 for $59! Fantastic buy. Any other IEMs you’ve used that could share? Someone told me about the 1More 3 driver, but I have not heard them.
I’m also entry level, after a long research period I settled on the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XXs and the Dragonfly Red USB DAC to rock out to Apple Music on my iPhone.
I had v-moda m100 and thoroughly enjoyed them, but soon I'm buying this hip DAC and the focal elegia
Wired headphones/IEMs forever!
Wired is king!
I still have 4 or 5 bluetooth headphones, both in, on, and over-ear.
Great for podcasts, youtube, calls, et cetera, when you`re on the move, working out, good stuff :)
Using wired NOW though, because I`m in bed hehe..
I'll have to try this out with my Hifiman Sandura's that I just bought. They sound awesome through my PS Audio Stellar GS DAC, but if I can get great sound through my phone, then why not?
thats exactly the setup im getting next week :D
Great review Steve.... Could you please tell me how does hip dac combines with Sundara... I just bought sundara... Now i need to purchase an amp... Probably a portable one...
You beat me to the review , but i got to listen for 100 hours before i can review
Thank you for sharing 🙏
Steve doesn’t know about Pandas yet...
Also: Comparison to Dragonflies seems vital.
I have owned both the red and blue dragonfly models and was never really happy with either. I currently use the iDSD BL as I feel it is better than either dragonfly sound wise. The Hip Dac is arriving tomorrow from Crutchfield (the only place that has it in stock) and will be comparing it to the iDSD BL. I expect to switch over if it is the same or better sound wise. I am looking forward to the smaller form factor. I have heard it has qualities of the iDSD and xDSD combined so I am really excited to try it out.
They are suppose to be pretty good but there are limitations for that form factor.
from my experience, mojo > FiiO M11 > iFi micro iDSD BL. iDSD BL has a very mellow and veiled sound that probably matches Beyerdynamic headphones pretty well, but I haven't tried myself.
Not You what do you think of the Hip Dac.
X-Men Addict So not as good to my ears as the iDSD BL. Not bad just a diff sound profile than I like. I really love the iDSD BL so I am very partial.
I'm going to go looking for that Chrissie Hynde record now.
Thanks Steve.
Sample rates above 44.1k and bit depths beyond 24bit are very useful for scientific equipment!
Be great to know how this compares to the Dragonfly Black or Red. Without the comparison, you’re buying blind.
But Steve said he rarely reviews DACs.
Interesting review, Steve - iFi seems to galvanize some in our hobby but I like the fact that they are willing compete with the Chinese on price at one end, and still release more expensive gear for those with the budget to play in that sphere.
i will definitely get one paired with my fiio m3 pro!
Great review Steve. Question: I am currently using the Fiio A5 headphone amp with my Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphone and really enjoy the sound but am I correct to assume that this DAC amp combo will increase the sound quality over the Fiio A5?
Guess It Was Fate I don’t know
Fiio A5 is not supposed to support MQA
Really interesting. Thoughts on the (related, I assume) iFi Zen DAC desktop unit? By the way, you have convinced me that DACs are actually worth looking into.
David Hicks Interested as well. I could perhaps skip the Zen DAC if the hip DAC is similar performing already and its portable!
The difference in 384 vs 192 has to be at least as audible as fancy cables vs 14G, which means not audible at all. 😘
Its not so much about an audible increase in resolution because of the very high sampling rate, no. Its more about creating super smooth digital filtering pass within the DAC process which does benefit sound in the audible range.
@@ProjectOverseer Absolutely. Snide li'l Billy boy has a lot to learn.
That's easy for you to say! ;)
Anyway, the question is if it's audible and that will always be debatable. You can fluff it up all you like, but that is what it comes down to - and I don't buy it...in more ways than one.
Agree
Yes! Wired Headphones, I always believed in wired headphones.
Damn.. I used my momentum with Bluetooth and thought they sound great. Now I only use them with cable and DAC AMP and I never go back to Bluetooth.
hi Steve just joined channel, really enjoying so thanks for this. When you.used the hip dac as a dac into your external amp, as it has no line out what volume did you set it at as I am unsure how to handle connecting a dac with no line out to a power amp?
Thanks Steve watched aa lot of your videos over the past few days. Wondering how this compares to the Zen Dac?
Ifi makes excellent DACs. Just got the ifi Zen Dac for $129 with the iPower 5v adapter. Rocked my world with Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro streaming from my MacBook. And it has RCA outputs to connect my amplifier.
Anyone know how it compares sonically to the audioquest cobalt, which is about a hundred bucks more expensive?
Good question
Looks like a flask do they have one to carry booze
Hip = hip flask
Thanks, Steve!
Thank you Steve
Anytime pal.
Can you advise a portable unit under $75 to use with my cell phone and Sony headphones ? TY
Disappointed that there were no comparison to other DACs.
+1
I can compare it to every other dac in its price range... They all sound the same. 😂
but can you power it with the USB-A plug in "desktop" mode and bypass the battery?
I said a hip hop
Hippie to the hippie
The hip, hip a hop, and you don't stop, a rock it out
Bubba to the bang bang boogie, boobie to the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie the beat
Sorry Steve I just had to.
Hey, sorry for the noob question, but do I even need a dac if I have a Raspberry Pi Streamer with HifiBerry OS and DAC2 HD Top Hat on it? Would it do any good to me?
Please review the Zen dac ,and the New Zen Phono.
Hello. For unbalanced easy to drive headphones ( oppo pm3) would you recommend ifi hip dac or dragonfly red/cobalt?
Either would work great. The problem is, how are you going to know which sounds better to you if you can't demo both first? That's what I don't like about
buying stuff sight unseen these days, online, since you can't even find a store locally in the real world that let's you demo stuff.
Hi, I have usb audio player Pro app and MQA plugin installed in OnePlus 7 and fiio x5lll. I can't see magenta colour, in my ifi hip DAC, when I play MQA files via OnePlus 7 and fiio x5lll. Is there any fix. Thanks
You can contact the uapp developer and also ifi hip dac team about this issue
@@hmm2928 Thanks, it was a firmware issue, I flashed hip DAC, with latest firmware, I got MQA plugin working, could see the magenta colour.
I have an custom iem with the sensitive is 102dB @ 1kHz / 1mW and the impedance is 16ohm. I wonder if I plug my iem into the hip-dac, will it get a lot of hiss? I really want to get a hand on hip-dac but haven't had an opportunity to try it.
I use my Samsung galaxy buds mainly for videos and calls, I have the tin T2s and the starfields for music and getting this in like 2 days
Did you play the HD6XX out of the 3.5mm non balanced output? How was volume?
Hey Steve this is an off the wall question. One of my favorite CD is chesky's McCoy Tyner's New York reunion. Will it ever be released to Tidal?
Jerome Whitmill unlikely
Ever do a review of Tidal vs. Spotify / Google (both 320K) without / with a DAC? Would be very interesting.....
Make sure to include Apple Music! This review would be strictly from a sound quality perspective, and not muddy up the review from a user features perspective.
Amen! Would love to see Steve do this....will he?????
Would also be interested in this
hi there, hows the hipdac compared to dragonfly cobalt?
It plays MQA. You didn't mention that and for Tidal users that would be important to know. EDIT: you did later on!
In terms of sound quality... is this a better option to the asgard 3 ?
Ifi zen blue dac is the one for me it's Bluetooth HD aptx circuit design by John curl make it sound better
How does this compare to the audioquest dragonfly cobalt?
Most definitely better
@@mckidar sorry which is better?
@@joshywoshy18 i doubt it sounds as good as the cobalt...
I haven't heard one or the other, so I can't say anything just by reading or hearing someone talk about them.
I'm pretty sure the cobalt is more than double the price.
Steve, I have a Denon PMA-800NE. Would a Schiit Modi (or something like this iFi) improve the sound over the Denon's built in DAC?
Not sure, but the Modi would probably be better.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac - sounds like a minimal difference in sound quality. What DAC would you recommend as a step up from Modi? up to around $500
Thanks
MAG “Chord Mojo” without any doubt
Hey I know this has nothing to do with ur video but I watch ur reviews and I have been trying to get someone's opinion for awhile and I cant find alot of info i bought a pair of kef xq threes and curious enat urnopinion is
i tried some wireless headphones like 7-8 models for gaming not listening to music of course couldn't find 1 that sounds even close as good as my DT770 Pro 80 ohm which is what i use for gaming plus they were All very quiet for my taste so i just never looked at wireless crap again
review the fiio btr5 steve!
No don't
Help Please...! so I have a Dragonfly-Red and some Audeze LCD-X's with my iPhone. Being honest: I can not tell the difference between using the Dragonfly-Red and going directly into my iPhone. I tried a variety of bit-rates, including some HiRez files (LED on the Dragonfly was changing color correctly, so I know the bit-rates were correct). Am I being limited by my 51-year-old ears? Or is the Dragonfly-Red too subtle for me to notice with those headphones? Would love to upgrade the DAC, but I need to be able to tell it's worth it!
I suspect your Audeze need more power than the Dragonfly can push out. Planars are power hungry.
I use my DF Red with my iPhone and a pair of Hifiman planars. I can definitely tell the difference. I’m in your age group. I’m guessing if you can’t hear a difference with the Red, you won’t with this ifi dac Steve reviewer.
Couldn't agree more. And mine are 73-year old ears. I tried the Colbalt. Nuttin'. No difference, IMO.
" BOOM Ya Mr Steve ! "
Steve, DXD is 356.8Khz/24bit PCM.
Stavros Avramidis thanks
Sorry I'm new to this, will it play tidal master audio in true hi res. ? I use grado sr 80 wired head phones. I just want to experience this sound
The video answers this very question
Great review as always, just a heads up, a Consumer Reports (March 2020) test of 55 headphones says Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT wireless headphones are a "Great Value". $80. No, I don't sell this stuff. I happen to be wearing my tattered JL headphones which are cutting out about half of the signal. LOL.
It’s not on their website, or amazon, is it a pre production model?
Kent Croy I believe it’s out now, I have a production model. I think it’s on the B & H photo site
Most of replying in comments says this DAC ($150) isn’t good as Cobalt ($300) 🙃
can you charge this dac while playing music from the computer through it?
Yes. It connects to your computer using one of the supplied cables and there is a separate port just for charging it.
@@mrfrosty3 I think I originally read that the USB port would power it, but then saw an update that you actually need to power it through the USB-C even when listening on the PC.
I just received mine yesterday and it seemed like it was working with just the blue USBA cable but then stopped. I guess maybe due to any remaining charge in the battery. I wasnt sure if there was something else going on.
Does it double as a flask? :)
hum... I don't see this model on their website.
ifi-audio.com/products/hip-dac/
The problem with this DAC for iPhone owners is that Apple camera cable needed to connect this DAC to your phone is very fragile.
@D R True and if so, such DAC will face the same problem when trying to connect to iPhone. There is simply no such thing like rubust camera cable connecting DAC to iPhone. I've tried several 3rd party cables and they are even worst than Apple's.
Can someone explain me the difference between this dac and the Q1 from the same brand ?
Have you tried with lcd i3?
More links in description please 😉
Unfortunately, I have been defeated in terms of going from wired to Bluetooth (kind of). My OnePlus 6T has no headphone jack so I bought a little OtterBox Bluetooth adapter for my 1more wired earbuds. I did recently aquire a Samsung note 8 which has a headphone jack! When I went back to the using the headphone jack, it was kinda of an inconvenience being tethered to the phone as I take my phone out of my pocket so frequently. Now I see the headphone jack as a NEEDED back up in case I need to charge my Bluetooth adapter or am to lazy to set it up. Since shooting is also one of my hobbies, for comparison, I see the headphone jack as backup iron sights, and Bluetooth as the red dot/holographic sight.
ok weirdo
With the latest ipadOS and iPad Pro 2019, I am able to directly connect my Arcam rPac dac without the need for any camera connection cable. The rPac does not have internal battery and relies on iPad providing it power. i am using the apple usb-c to USB adapter(the $19 one) and then connect my rPac to USB adapter. I am hoping someone here can try with this hip DACs and confirm.
The iFi Nano BL + ipurifier3 with my Senns 660s is my first audiophile setup.
It sounds good but I know it’s missing something...
i tried a usb upgrade and was happy with the results, using a burson amp and grado sr 325 - helped smooth out but kept dynamics
Scott Cleland What USB did you upgrade to? Are you using a Nano as a DAC?
I want to eventually get a dedicated desktop set up but want to “train” my ear with lofi first.
J Pineda I ended up with a wireworld USB cable on my nano dac and really enjoyed the difference. I think the nano is under reviewed and I bet the purifier moved it up
Scott Cleland Thanks, I’m looking into a new USB cable.
The Ipurifier3 made quiet a difference.
Do you think headphone cable upgrade would be another noticeable upgrade?
J Pineda I don’t think as much,
What the cable u used to Connect to the iPhone ?
it's the camera dongle. otg or otg camera dongle will work.
How suitable to use my sony wh1000xm4 with this dac?
Change headphones and go for wired Sennheiser
Ifi Hip Dac or Dragonfly Cobalt for best music experience?
Depends on your headphones you want to drive, i use the Audiotechnica MSR7 as my mobile cans and they are a brighter bass light headphone so the warmness the Hip DAC brings especially with xbass enabled is incredible and really makes my headphones sound so much more well rounded and beautiful. If you do get the Hip DAC i would personally recommend getting some small velcro circles to attach the DAC to the back of your phone for when you have it plugged in as it's much less clunky that way and easy to fit into your pocket if you do so then put the fabric side of the velcro on your phone so it doesnt interfere with your pocket or irritate your hand when you aren't using the DAC.
@@yaboitint.9944 Wow, thank you. I have the 1More Triple Driver over ear headphones and I love them. I have the FiiO BTR5, which I like but am considering upgrading. I like detail, neutrality and soundstage, not a bass head but I like when bass is done right.
@@davdidit6 I am also more of a fan of detail, neutrality, and soundstage. I do tend to like a warmer sound signature as well and my MSR7'S are a very bright detailed pair of headphones so the added bass from the Hip DAC is much appreciated and is at its best on headphones that are normally pretty neutral or lacking in lower frequency responses. It's done super well too the bass stays right where it should it doesn't bleed into other frequencies just enhances your headphones and adds a nice thump pretty comparable to when you have a really good set of speakers. The DAC also sounds REALLY good. I absolutely love mine and it's a must have whenever I and not at my desk now haha.
@@yaboitint.9944 again , thank you. Excellent tips. Bonus, cheaper than the Dragonfly Cobalt.
Does this ifi DAC/Amp have channel imbalance at low volume levels with high sensitivity headphones?
I drive t50rp mk3 mods on mine, no imbalance that I've found!
All of the Analogue Productions new reissues are coming out on vinyl and hybrid SACD exclusively (the hybrid SACD will play a redbook layer on regular CD players). These sound amazing and you can rip them to DSD files and play them on a DSD-capable DAC. Two examples that come to mind (which I own): Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" (2015) and John Coltrane's "Standard Coltrane" (2019). Fun stuffs.
Miguel Barrio yeah, OLD analog recordings transferred to DSD, sure. Ya think the lp might be better? Any new music recorded in DSD that I would like?
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Fair enough... Other than Blue Coast Records and a few (not all) of MA Recordings, most new(er) music is not done/available in DSD. This is surely because it is both an oddball format and also because editing in DSD (ie changing levels!) is not really possible unless you have a really fancy setup. I agree, there's very little interesting new music available in DSD that I am aware of.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Having said that, some people swear by high rate DSD upsampling (eg HQPlayer fans). I couldn't care less.
FiiO BTR5 ? :-)
Comparison to Dragonflys would've been great!
Dan Shim Dragonfly is much better than Hip Dac (i can compare with my Dragonfly Cobalt). I didn’t like HipDac. Don’t know why all reviewers talk all good things about Ifi Hip Dac. Totally disappointed with this device.
@@DianSalsaSelection Cobalt is incredible.
Dian Nedelchev I was not happy with the cobalt. I am currently using the iDSD BL and will be comparing it to the Hip DAC once it arrives tomorrow. What did you dislike about the hip as compared to the cobalt?
@@DianSalsaSelection Yeah, I just got the Hip DAC and it is good, just not as good as the iFi Nano iDSD BL. The iDSD has better separation and makes the Hip Dac sound muddy in comparison.
@@AmericaWhatsup ..exactly as you said "sound muddy" .. This is the exact feel that I have when I listen Hip DAC.
This or the Zen dac?
Please compare with dragonfly Red
Who's the hippest guy in hifi?
Thomas
DXD is PCM at 352.8KHz/24bit -
Is there a duller, but necessary, piece of hifi gear than DACs?
Thanks to Steve for wading fearlessly in the swamp of DACs, so we don’t have to.
Could this DAC be good also to improve the sound of youtube videos? Anyone can answer? Thank you in advance :-)
TH-cam videos with a high quality recording..yes. If you are trying to make some 80’s straight-to-HBO movie transferred from some VHS tape sound good, then no.
You have NOT experienced ASMR untill you listen to it on a high quality dac with open back headphones
Looks like a hip flask. I'll get my coat.
Very funny, I think I'll get my coat as well.
@@512bb See you outside then.
@@DenianArcoleo I'll bring the cigars for us!
What is a dac?
A dac is a digital to analog converter which basically makes your music sound better
💕👍 sounds interesting,
I hope its not such a bs as the filo q1. 👎
currently watching this video on a wired headset.