*Another possible downside of the ICAN Pro is that the headphone and speaker pre is on all the time. Meaning, if you plug in your headphones, it still plays sound through the speakers. I find it more desirable for the PRE to go off when I plug in a headphone. It just makes more sense* iFi Audio Pro iCAN Signature: howl.me/cjCno5mTJOb Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: th-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM 0:00 What is the iFi iCan Pro Signature? 1:07 Best iFi Audio SETTINGS 5:22 iFi iCan Pro Signature CONNECTIONS 5:48 Build Quality & Design 8:09 Original iFi iCan Pro VS Signature 10:47 Best Headphones For iFi 14:30 Audiophile Pre-Amplifier? 17:38 Desktop Audio VS Home Audio (Stereo) 20:13 Why it is great value 21:30 HiFi Remote Control?
Hey Jay, great review! I have the original iCan Pro and use it as a pre-amp, but I am also considering the Schitt Freya+. In your opinion, is Freya+ an upgrade in terms of sound in ss mode or tube mode with tube rolling?
great review! ifi products are amazing i have many (itube idac iusb silencers purifiers etc...) they don't get much love on youtube compared to the generic stuff even though they obviously think about the end user more than the others. the itube, ican and all their tube products comes stock with a GE nos tube that will last forever. every amp designer on earth dreams about using vintage glass on his amps but it's too expensive and rare .choosing nos bare wire tubes and designing a line of products around them is a brilliant move that allows many people to experience the real magic of tube sound- n o s.
I pair this amp with Gustard R26 and it sounds great with everyone of my headphones. SS, Tube, Tube+, XBass, 3D are all very nice to have. Actually, it works well with every DAC I have. All my gears are black and although the Pro iCAN Signature is silver/brushed stainless steel in color, it still sits nicely on my Mothership and provides a differentiation on my rack. Finally. Pressing the volume button on the remote and the knob turns around accordingly, fun to look at. I wish it has the feature of auto-turning the volume to zero when I off the amp, like it’s stack brother - the Pro iDSD DAC. It’s quite interesting to listen to Dolby Amos on Apple Music streaming and crank up the 3D/Holographic knob.
@@ydid687 Burson Mothershipis an audio equipment rack, available in 4 or 2 racks options. Jay uses it in this video where his Pro iCAN Signature is placed on. Check it out, it’s a very cool, nice, solid, stable and well-built rack and it only uses 4 screws to assemble it. Quite a marvel, you can also place the cables at the back where the trunk is, except that the height is not adjustable . Goggle
Amazing desk set up. Seriously. Adams are so great! I can bet that you are one of the only people listening to your videos that can actually hear the work you have put in. IFI - Some really good options in their catalog for all kinds of people.
I wonder if the new ican phantom sounds better, because the old ifi head designer has left and isnt too happy with ifi's new products, the ican phantom seems to just be a simple ican sig + ican estate. The new phantom may even sound worse with all the things theyve mushed together.
Excellent review!! You present a very clear picture of the capabilities of this preamp. Along with your speakers (yes!!!!), I cannot help but wonder what this preamp might do with a power amp such as the Kinky Studio M7 or even the Kinky monos. Fascinating!!! Again, excellent review!!!!!!!
Great review, Jay! I didn’t even know this existed. I love that you have the HS8’s and find them to be a good pairing with the iFi ICAN Signature, AND that you love and use the HD600s! This tells me that we are on the same page with what we like the sound of. I’m dying to know what camera and lenses you shoot on? You have the best looking videos of any Audiophile channel on the planet! It looks like an Arri but curious as to if it could be a Blackmagic camera, as the colours are so accurate and beautiful. Love your work, mate!
Disappointed about the feature when use as a pre-amp for speakers that both headphones and speakers play at the same time. Perhaps iFi can provide a for,ware update to prioritize it for headphones and auto off the pre-amp feature.
Susvara owners, would like to hear your impressions when use with this amp. My Susvara is on the way after a friend brought his Susvara to my place last month and I had a listen to it although he said it didn’t fully unleash the Susvara’s capabilities.
Looks like a direct hit to burson conductor. Got the impression that the ifi is a better amp, while the burson might be a better preamp. Let's say one is thinking about building a 2.1 system stating with one of these two. Any thoughs?
I like Burson because it is crystal clear sounding with a touch of warmth, which is not an easy job. I also like it because it is dynamic, effortless/confident sounding with plenty of power in most cases, but what it is not is ifi. Ifi has tubes' warmth and full bloom sound that may not be the end game in detail but sound layered. It also has way more useful features and a more classy chassis that burson does not have.
Great review!! I think you are the only one who review this Pro iCan series as pre amplifier for the loud speaker. one question, adding a sub when using as pre amp even with XBass turn on? or the the XBass won't work on pre amp?
it will still work but I never used it because the sub is doing that work and you don't really want to be using the XBass (when you have a subwoofer going) unless you have room node around 40hz.
I use the Z CAN with the Sundara with the third gain setting. Do you find the bass transients more satisfying at the higher gain settings than using a bass boost setting which no longer sounds flat? This alleviates the .complaint that the Sundara planar's are slightly weak in the bass.
This was a fantastic review! And foremost thank you for checking out the ifi pro ican sig. as a pre amp in a stereo setup. The other reviews are almost all carried out exclusively in the headphone realm, but there are people like me, who want to enjoy both talents of this amp. Your explenations of the ican and its sound attributes were top notch 🤓 Would have been cool to rate it as a stack with its sibbling pro idsd sig. as its DAC playmate. Will you get latter also in for a review Jay? Did you use your Denafrips as DAC for this review or also other DAC combos? And which power amps did you pair with the pro ican sig.? What model are these sexy monos at approximately 17:30? 🙃 You mentioned the ican lacks some body in the basement even it has the xbass function, that is fully analog by the way...no dsp there. How would you compare the pro ican sig. with the abilities of the Holo Audio Serene you had in for a review recently?
I am honestly a less fan of the pro idsd, to me it did not exhibit the similar synergy that the ifi pro ican did. I paired up the denafrips and audionote dace for stereo and cambridge magic and burson dacs for nearfield use. Those are one of many amps I have tried and it is monoblocks from a brand called “gato” Serenity and this is two very different products but if it pre-amp vs pre-amp and I can only choose one, I would choose the Serenity. But if I need versatility and features, there is no question I would pick the ifi in that case.
@@Jayiyagi Dear Jay, thank you for these valuable information! I think the thing with the pro idsd is only the DAC and Streamer ability. The amp section not when in combi with the pro ican. Gato is a danish brand. I didn't know Gato to date. I am looking forward to watching your review of the monoblocks. You will or? The specs of the monos seem to be interesting, paired with a unusual eye catching design. I guessed already, that the Serene or Bliss would be more capable as a pre amp than the pro ican, but ok, they are full size and more for a hifi setup than a desk setup. Thank you for confirming my assumption. Again a big thank you!
I tested this amp with its stack brother Pro iDSD but only purchased this amp because I wasn’t impressed with the DAC and feel that iFi’s special features like XBass and 3D/Holographic are in this amp and the amp already has the Tube and Tube+. A friend who uses the Pro iDSD just complained that the DAC suddenly produced a loud bang sound like a gun shot. He was shocked and kept pushing iFi for an answer when he sent his unit back to them.
My problem with this amp is the dust accumulation inside and the volume knob getting wobbly after long time of use. You will need to tighten it always with screw driver.
@@Jayiyagi my friend which has pro idsd signature also experiences the same. Still love the sound and feature set though so it is still my go to amplifier.
I use mine for over a year already and has no problem with the volume knob. But yes, I do wonder about the dust accumulation inside although my unit is on the Mothership, it’s covered when not in use after it cools down and my equipments are all in my work room, beside my desk. I do find my unit getting quite hot with 1.5 to 2 hours of use thereabouts, anyone has the same experience?
Great review as usual, OK I have to ask between this headphone amplifier and the Woo audio wa7 3rd gen ( Which you also did a review on )which 1 did you like the most for music? because I need a new headphone amplifier been trying to upgrade for the longest time but I've tried some and I didn't like them so I keep the old one that I have, and this sound interesting to me but I'm not sure what the differences between these 2 headphone amplifiers are, I also want to use them as preamplifiers sorry but I'm a poor man And since you said that they can both be used as preamplifiers that would just work great for me.
honestly, to me they sound very close but I prefer the ifi ican due to the features that can allow for some headphones to sound just incredible (takes it to the next level, Audeze LCD2 on the tube setting with maybe the 40hz boost is just mouth watering for me) and of course the xlr inputs and output options come in handy
Jay - I bought this based on your review for sweet sounding and staging for my Yamaha A-S1200. Compared to Willsenton R300 this is total trash! and very disappointed with purchase. The stock tube has conversion adapter to 6922 and 6922 is much better option over 5670 the sound very harsh esp on the tube plus mode which is opposite what you said sweet sounding here.
I’m confused as the Willsenton R300 is a tube integrated amplifier for speakers and the ifi ican pro signature is a pre-amplifier/headphone amplifier. Not sure how you are comparing the two as both serve very different functions. I don’t find the ifi harsh at all. I think the Yamaha may not be the best match with the ifi. Is your assessment with headphones or speakers? What was in your system when you found the ifi harsh?
@@Jayiyagi my assessment was both with KEF Q550 and DT770 PRO. You may be right the AS1200 might not be best match as the can derive the tube distortion too much and may not be good combination. However, I find Freya+ is good with AS1200 and closer to R300. I know this is headphone amp but I also wanted to use as tube buffer as it got XLR out but I don't hear any tube magic with my setup. You are doing good and thank you for the quality content as always!
"...that you see behind you" - *turns head around* 😅 This seems like a solid option for a no DAC setup. Love iFi and most everything they put out. I think they really do pack the value into their products without it feeling gimmicky. Pretty awesome that it lets you choose between using solid-state circuitry or vacuum tubes.
I’ve had the OG ican for 4 years and it had one service and they were cool as hell with me ahha , albeit I’m in UK so easier but they were super helpful for me. , I’ve heard about faulty stuff but galore
Bro this has either been out for a long time or the looks are based on what they have had out for a long time... consensus is not worth the price by a long shot, they do portable good and should have stuck to that or genuinely impressed us giant Amp loving audiophiles, this was a cash grab based on their brand recognition, no thanks
@@Jayiyagi The size complaint is only in relation to other units of the same size and price in the market. It's just not competitive, if you are an ultra fan of iFi, or maybe want an all-in-one AMP unit and are ok giving up a built in DAC... but the even $300-500 portable amps have the similar sound quality and comes with a DAC. Even Sennheiser HDV sounds better and comes with a DAC, and that does not do well... I am saying this as someone who can easily afford this amp, this is a 1 off for someone who wants an all in one gimmick amp, or a 5-7th amp buy from someone who has something better... If you have $3-5k for this and a good DAC you already bought a Chord or one of the many other choices. iFi used to be about getting a good deal, not sure what they were thinking about with this, and the proof is in the pudding these do not hold their value second-hand market despite their rarity, there is no other way to slice it.
*Another possible downside of the ICAN Pro is that the headphone and speaker pre is on all the time. Meaning, if you plug in your headphones, it still plays sound through the speakers. I find it more desirable for the PRE to go off when I plug in a headphone. It just makes more sense*
iFi Audio Pro iCAN Signature: howl.me/cjCno5mTJOb
Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi
follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/
follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial
Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: th-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html
Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3
Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/
acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/
acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM
BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ
amzn.to/3chBuFZ
other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1
amzn.to/30bsUCH
my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM
0:00 What is the iFi iCan Pro Signature?
1:07 Best iFi Audio SETTINGS
5:22 iFi iCan Pro Signature CONNECTIONS
5:48 Build Quality & Design
8:09 Original iFi iCan Pro VS Signature
10:47 Best Headphones For iFi
14:30 Audiophile Pre-Amplifier?
17:38 Desktop Audio VS Home Audio (Stereo)
20:13 Why it is great value
21:30 HiFi Remote Control?
Hey Jay, great review! I have the original iCan Pro and use it as a pre-amp, but I am also considering the Schitt Freya+. In your opinion, is Freya+ an upgrade in terms of sound in ss mode or tube mode with tube rolling?
Worked great with my HD800S..The bass boost function is done very well & really great pre amp
great review!
Ahhh yes! It adds useful bass to the HD800S.
great review! ifi products are amazing i have many (itube idac iusb silencers purifiers etc...) they don't get much love on youtube compared to the generic stuff even though they obviously think about the end user more than the others. the itube, ican and all their tube products comes stock with a GE nos tube that will last forever. every amp designer on earth dreams about using vintage glass on his amps but it's too expensive and rare .choosing nos bare wire tubes and designing a line of products around them is a brilliant move that allows many people to experience the real magic of tube sound- n o s.
I am intrigued especially by the low bass boost.
I pair this amp with Gustard R26 and it sounds great with everyone of my headphones. SS, Tube, Tube+, XBass, 3D are all very nice to have. Actually, it works well with every DAC I have. All my gears are black and although the Pro iCAN Signature is silver/brushed stainless steel in color, it still sits nicely on my Mothership and provides a differentiation on my rack. Finally. Pressing the volume button on the remote and the knob turns around accordingly, fun to look at. I wish it has the feature of auto-turning the volume to zero when I off the amp, like it’s stack brother - the Pro iDSD DAC.
It’s quite interesting to listen to Dolby Amos on Apple Music streaming and crank up the 3D/Holographic knob.
What is the sensitivity of your speakers?
@@michaelwright1602 I am a headphone user
"mothership" ?
@@ydid687 Burson Mothershipis an audio equipment rack, available in 4 or 2 racks options. Jay uses it in this video where his Pro iCAN Signature is placed on. Check it out, it’s a very cool, nice, solid, stable and well-built rack and it only uses 4 screws to assemble it. Quite a marvel, you can also place the cables at the back where the trunk is, except that the height is not adjustable . Goggle
Amazing desk set up. Seriously. Adams are so great! I can bet that you are one of the only people listening to your videos that can actually hear the work you have put in.
IFI - Some really good options in their catalog for all kinds of people.
8:03 .. hahaha typical city life happening outside =)
14:03 - Focus the sound .. Brilliant video effect to demonstrate.. LOVE that analogy to sound tuning.
Ifi ican pro is fine for me… I’d prefer to go Burson soloist 3gt, oor + hypsos , or holo bliss kte. I like ifi but not their high end stuff.
I wonder if the new ican phantom sounds better, because the old ifi head designer has left and isnt too happy with ifi's new products, the ican phantom seems to just be a simple ican sig + ican estate. The new phantom may even sound worse with all the things theyve mushed together.
Excellent review!! You present a very clear picture of the capabilities of this preamp. Along with your
speakers (yes!!!!), I cannot help but wonder what this preamp might do with a power amp such as
the Kinky Studio M7 or even the Kinky monos. Fascinating!!! Again, excellent review!!!!!!!
I personally think that Kinki amps may sound too thin with ifi pro ican but I may be wrong
Great review, Jay! I didn’t even know this existed. I love that you have the HS8’s and find them to be a good pairing with the iFi ICAN Signature, AND that you love and use the HD600s! This tells me that we are on the same page with what we like the sound of. I’m dying to know what camera and lenses you shoot on? You have the best looking videos of any Audiophile channel on the planet! It looks like an Arri but curious as to if it could be a Blackmagic camera, as the colours are so accurate and beautiful. Love your work, mate!
Sorry, not HS8’s 🤦🏻♂️ A8H’s!!
Haha Thank you! I use Sony cameras to create my videos. The Arri look is what I was going for so good eye!
@@Jayiyagi Incredible job if it, bro! Looks very convincing 🤩
Sounds like a great high-end headphone amp, but probably not my first choice as a system preamp.
Disappointed about the feature when use as a pre-amp for speakers that both headphones and speakers play at the same time. Perhaps iFi can provide a for,ware update to prioritize it for headphones and auto off the pre-amp feature.
Susvara owners, would like to hear your impressions when use with this amp. My Susvara is on the way after a friend brought his Susvara to my place last month and I had a listen to it although he said it didn’t fully unleash the Susvara’s capabilities.
I still have OG one l swapped its tubes out for GE396As haha little touch more of bliss , also got newer power supply for it
I love the added fullness & warmth that WE 396 bring. No going back.
Looks like a direct hit to burson conductor. Got the impression that the ifi is a better amp, while the burson might be a better preamp. Let's say one is thinking about building a 2.1 system stating with one of these two. Any thoughs?
I like Burson because it is crystal clear sounding with a touch of warmth, which is not an easy job. I also like it because it is dynamic, effortless/confident sounding with plenty of power in most cases, but what it is not is ifi. Ifi has tubes' warmth and full bloom sound that may not be the end game in detail but sound layered. It also has way more useful features and a more classy chassis that burson does not have.
@@Jayiyagi tks jay + opp amps and cheaper. BTW congrats on the speaker. Many success.
I am intrigued especially by the super low price.
There seems to be a disconnect here, I'm not saying it's not worth it, but 2.2k is not a low price.
Are you kidding! Do you consider this as a super low price!
Was it a sarcastic joke?
60 40 30 20 hz would make more sense for low end boost options, for me anyway
do people stack this with the Pro IDSD Signature?
Not interested in headphone gear, but this unit reminds me of the latest Billie Amp Mkii. Any chance you'll be doing a review of it soon?
that'll be a good one :)
Great review!!
I think you are the only one who review this Pro iCan series as pre amplifier for the loud speaker. one question, adding a sub when using as pre amp even with XBass turn on? or the the XBass won't work on pre amp?
it will still work but I never used it because the sub is doing that work and you don't really want to be using the XBass (when you have a subwoofer going) unless you have room node around 40hz.
@@Jayiyagi
thanks for your information.
I have the iFi Pro iCan original version and is considering the Schitt Freya+. Has anyone compared the iCan and Freya+?
Can you pair it with the diablo?
I use the Z CAN with the Sundara with the third gain setting. Do you find the bass transients more satisfying at the higher gain settings than using a bass boost setting which no longer sounds flat? This alleviates the .complaint that the Sundara planar's are slightly weak in the bass.
This was a fantastic review! And foremost thank you for checking out the ifi pro ican sig. as a pre amp in a stereo setup. The other reviews are almost all carried out exclusively in the headphone realm, but there are people like me, who want to enjoy both talents of this amp. Your explenations of the ican and its sound attributes were top notch 🤓
Would have been cool to rate it as a stack with its sibbling pro idsd sig. as its DAC playmate. Will you get latter also in for a review Jay?
Did you use your Denafrips as DAC for this review or also other DAC combos? And which power amps did you pair with the pro ican sig.? What model are these sexy monos at approximately 17:30? 🙃
You mentioned the ican lacks some body in the basement even it has the xbass function, that is fully analog by the way...no dsp there. How would you compare the pro ican sig. with the abilities of the Holo Audio Serene you had in for a review recently?
I am honestly a less fan of the pro idsd, to me it did not exhibit the similar synergy that the ifi pro ican did.
I paired up the denafrips and audionote dace for stereo and cambridge magic and burson dacs for nearfield use. Those are one of many amps I have tried and it is monoblocks from a brand called “gato”
Serenity and this is two very different products but if it pre-amp vs pre-amp and I can only choose one, I would choose the Serenity. But if I need versatility and features, there is no question I would pick the ifi in that case.
@@Jayiyagi Dear Jay, thank you for these valuable information!
I think the thing with the pro idsd is only the DAC and Streamer ability. The amp section not when in combi with the pro ican.
Gato is a danish brand. I didn't know Gato to date. I am looking forward to watching your review of the monoblocks. You will or?
The specs of the monos seem to be interesting, paired with a unusual eye catching design.
I guessed already, that the Serene or Bliss would be more capable as a pre amp than the pro ican, but ok, they are full size and more for a hifi setup than a desk setup. Thank you for confirming my assumption. Again a big thank you!
I tested this amp with its stack brother Pro iDSD but only purchased this amp because I wasn’t impressed with the DAC and feel that iFi’s special features like XBass and 3D/Holographic are in this amp and the amp already has the Tube and Tube+. A friend who uses the Pro iDSD just complained that the DAC suddenly produced a loud bang sound like a gun shot. He was shocked and kept pushing iFi for an answer when he sent his unit back to them.
My problem with this amp is the dust accumulation inside and the volume knob getting wobbly after long time of use. You will need to tighten it always with screw driver.
Interesting. I have used it close to a year now with no concerns like that. Maybe after continued use longer than I have had it
@@Jayiyagi my friend which has pro idsd signature also experiences the same. Still love the sound and feature set though so it is still my go to amplifier.
I use mine for over a year already and has no problem with the volume knob. But yes, I do wonder about the dust accumulation inside although my unit is on the Mothership, it’s covered when not in use after it cools down and my equipments are all in my work room, beside my desk. I do find my unit getting quite hot with 1.5 to 2 hours of use thereabouts, anyone has the same experience?
Hey Jay, could youplease let me know what the brand name of the 3 tier stand the IFI is sitting on, It looks like stainless steel. Thanks.
burson
How does it compare to the LTA MZ3?
Have the MZ2 by LTA. This amp is a bit less liquid, but oh, so much more bass energy & overall I listen to it more than the MZ2.
I love the iCan Pro with the 12 volt LTA power supply. This iFi amp accepts power supplies outputting between 9-18 volts.
Great review as usual, OK I have to ask between this headphone amplifier and the Woo audio wa7 3rd gen ( Which you also did a review on )which 1 did you like the most for music? because I need a new headphone amplifier been trying to upgrade for the longest time but I've tried some and I didn't like them so I keep the old one that I have, and this sound interesting to me but I'm not sure what the differences between these 2 headphone amplifiers are, I also want to use them as preamplifiers sorry but I'm a poor man And since you said that they can both be used as preamplifiers that would just work great for me.
honestly, to me they sound very close but I prefer the ifi ican due to the features that can allow for some headphones to sound just incredible (takes it to the next level, Audeze LCD2 on the tube setting with maybe the 40hz boost is just mouth watering for me) and of course the xlr inputs and output options come in handy
@@Jayiyagi nice thanks for the reply I tink I'm going to give it try.
hey, what pads are you using on your hd600`s? looked like a foam pad...
Jay - I bought this based on your review for sweet sounding and staging for my Yamaha A-S1200. Compared to Willsenton R300 this is total trash! and very disappointed with purchase. The stock tube has conversion adapter to 6922 and 6922 is much better option over 5670 the sound very harsh esp on the tube plus mode which is opposite what you said sweet sounding here.
I’m confused as the Willsenton R300 is a tube integrated amplifier for speakers and the ifi ican pro signature is a pre-amplifier/headphone amplifier. Not sure how you are comparing the two as both serve very different functions.
I don’t find the ifi harsh at all. I think the Yamaha may not be the best match with the ifi. Is your assessment with headphones or speakers? What was in your system when you found the ifi harsh?
@@Jayiyagi my assessment was both with KEF Q550 and DT770 PRO. You may be right the AS1200 might not be best match as the can derive the tube distortion too much and may not be good combination. However, I find Freya+ is good with AS1200 and closer to R300. I know this is headphone amp but I also wanted to use as tube buffer as it got XLR out but I don't hear any tube magic with my setup.
You are doing good and thank you for the quality content as always!
Can't afford it then consider the 600 singxer sa1 headphone and preamp, mass loved and class A.
Looking at its Price, I beg to disagree totally. They will be lucky, if they can sell a 100 across the World.
You will be surprised
Ease of use " cool machine 👍
It's a cool amp but not one of the top amps like Burson GT, Ferrum Oor+Hypsos, Holo Bliss or Violectric V550.
At this price, I am not sure they will sell load of these
you would be surprised
"...that you see behind you" - *turns head around* 😅 This seems like a solid option for a no DAC setup. Love iFi and most everything they put out. I think they really do pack the value into their products without it feeling gimmicky. Pretty awesome that it lets you choose between using solid-state circuitry or vacuum tubes.
it is by far my favourite unit for "usable functions"
Would you recommend this for someone who would only use it for speakers?
I think there are better options out there for pure pre-amplifiers at this price range
@@Jayiyagi do you have any recommendations for a true balanced tube preamplifier?
@@Jayiyagi do you have any recommendations for a true balanced tube preamplifier?
Is any of the Audio Note equipment up for review?
yes. stay tuned
On the shelf on the left over Jay’s right sholder
What’s the speaker power output like on this one? And chance it could sufficiently power magnepans?
it is not a speaker amplifier. it is a pre-amplifier for your stereo with a seperate stand alone amplifier OR a powered/active speakers
I’ve had 2 ifi products and both have been very glitchy. Also, their customer service is shit! Buyer Beware!
I’ve had the OG ican for 4 years and it had one service and they were cool as hell with me ahha , albeit I’m in UK so easier but they were super helpful for me. , I’ve heard about faulty stuff but galore
Bro this has either been out for a long time or the looks are based on what they have had out for a long time... consensus is not worth the price by a long shot, they do portable good and should have stuck to that or genuinely impressed us giant Amp loving audiophiles, this was a cash grab based on their brand recognition, no thanks
what do you exactly dislike about the unit other than size?
@@Jayiyagi The size complaint is only in relation to other units of the same size and price in the market. It's just not competitive, if you are an ultra fan of iFi, or maybe want an all-in-one AMP unit and are ok giving up a built in DAC... but the even $300-500 portable amps have the similar sound quality and comes with a DAC. Even Sennheiser HDV sounds better and comes with a DAC, and that does not do well... I am saying this as someone who can easily afford this amp, this is a 1 off for someone who wants an all in one gimmick amp, or a 5-7th amp buy from someone who has something better... If you have $3-5k for this and a good DAC you already bought a Chord or one of the many other choices. iFi used to be about getting a good deal, not sure what they were thinking about with this, and the proof is in the pudding these do not hold their value second-hand market despite their rarity, there is no other way to slice it.
wtf man, i think you are only reviewing expensive stuff lately.
I review very different ranges of gear that come in. Look for what fits in your budget and preferences.
It’s not for me as it’s silver
fair enough. black unit would look sexy
Silver always sounds the worst.