# iFi Hip-DAC Impressions Thread



## inexactscience

A new $149 portable DAC from iFi!

It comes in every colour you like, so long as it's blue!

Tech Specs:


Formats supportedDSD256/128/64, Octa/Quad/Double/Single-Speed DSD
DXD(384/352.8kHz),
PCM(384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2/48/44.1kHz)
MQADigital InputsUSB 3.0 type ’A’
High-Speed Asynchronous USB 2.0, (32bit/384kHz)Headphone OutputsBalanced 4.4mm
Single-Ended S-Balanced 3.5mmPower Output2.0V/400 mW @ 16 OhmBatteryLithium-polymer 2200mAhPower SystemCharging via USB-C, BC V1.2 compliant up to 1000mA charging currentPower (max)<2W idle, 4W maxDimensions102(l) x 70(w) x 14(h) mmWeight125g (0.28 lbs)

Photos (Copyright iFi Audio 2020):


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## inexactscience

iFi has released their Hip-DAC, a $149/£149 portable DAC with S-Balanced 3.5mm single ended and a 4.4mm balanced output.

The DAC, a Burr-Brown DSD1793, is capable of supporting native playback up to DSD 256/DXD 384/PCM 384kHz and MQA.

It utilizes quad J-Fet OV4627A OPamps and can output 2.0V/400mW @16 Ohm. It's powered by a li-po 2200mAh battery, and weighs 125g. Charging is via a separate USB-C input, and battery is stated to last up to 12 hours. 

It's got the iFi treatment, with a male USB-A inset input, connecting to the V.4 AMR XMOS chipset for a stable, quality connection. It's got an XBass bass boost, as well as switchable gain in their Power Match toggle.

Oh, and this little thing is able to plug into a PC and work as a USB DAC from your Window or Mac computer.

I'm currently using it as a portable DAC for an iPod and Pixel 4. With UAPP on the Pixel 4, I can get MQA, but otherwise Tidal will suffer the Android SRC and output 16-bit 44.1kHz. Honestly, I can't tell the difference on the go, so I'm a happy camper!

One thing I will note: on the iPod, volume is maxed out, and on low volumes, the Hip-DAC has a noticeable channel imbalance, which can be corrected in the iPod accessibility settings. However, out of the P4 (with or without UAPP) I can control the volume output on the phone. Reducing volume on the phone and raising it on the Hip-DAC will eliminate the imbalance and allow for a very enjoyable experience.

What do the rest of you think about this little offering from iFi?


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## artpiggo

It is the most valuable usb dac I've ever experienced.


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## inexactscience

artpiggo said:


> It is the most valuable usb dac I've ever experienced.


I can't tell if that's a compliment or a curse. If that was the intent, then well done!


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## zikarus

One of the first reviews:
https://majorhifi.com/ifi-hip-dac-review/


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## BebopMcJiggy

I could never tolerate a portable with a type A plug, C or bust thx. I understand it's for iphone users to use the camera kit or whatever... still, that's a deal breaker for me on a portable, though I suppose iphone users are a bigger market than me.


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## inexactscience

BebopMcJiggy said:


> I could never tolerate a portable with a type A plug, C or bust thx. I understand it's for iphone users to use the camera kit or whatever... still, that's a deal breaker for me on a portable, though I suppose iphone users are a bigger market than me.


I understand where you're coming from. The Hip-DAC does come with a female USB-A to make USB-C cable and I've gotten a better experience pairing it with a Pixel than with an iPod Touch through the CCK. But you don't have to take my word for it.

One point for thought: there's more Android phones than iPhones, and now Samsung has dropped the jack...


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## Jsingh4

Hip Dac or Centrance DACport HD?


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## inexactscience

Jsingh4 said:


> Hip Dac or Centrance DACport HD?


Do you want to have the DAC have a battery (Hip-DAC) or draw power from your source (DACport HD)?
Do you want a 4.4mm balanced jack (Hip-DAC) or are you ok with only a 3.5mm jack (Both)?
Do you want a small form factor (DACport HD) or can it be bigger, but smaller than a typical smartphone (Both)?


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## Jsingh4

So you mean soundwise they are same?


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## inexactscience

Jsingh4 said:


> So you mean soundwise they are same?


Meaning I have no idea about sound differences; I haven't listened to the DACport HD. They're also different products targeting different use cases. The Centrance DACport HD is filling a role where one needs something small, but can accept larger batter drain from the source device, and would be more comparable to the HIdizs S8/Tempotec Sonata HD than the iFi Hip-Dac. The Hip-DAC is competing with other larger, but still portable balanced options, where it supplies its own power and would be more comparable to the FiiO Q1 Mark II.

It really comes down to use case. For what I intend to use the Hip-DAC for, it's great; I get better volume control on the go, plus a more pocketable portable device.


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## captblaze

i have a Hip DAC incoming and am curious to see how it pairs (4.4mm) with Tin P1. As of now the only thing i have that drives the P1 with authority is an E1DA PDv2 and as much as enjoy how it makes the P1 open up, i am not a fan of having to carry around a power bank and extra cables to make it all work. Hip DAC looks like it may (if it has the umph) be an acceptable alternative

being a fan of Burr Brown sound signature i have my fingers crossed


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## technobear

captblaze said:


> Hip DAC looks like it may (if it has the umph) be an acceptable alternative


I think you need to take another look at the published specifications of the P1.

Rated Power: 5mW

Max Power: 10 mW

Sensitivity: 96dB/mW (+/-3dB)

Even the feeblest of DAPs can far exceed 10mW. If you are expecting a mobile disco in your head from the P1, sorry you have bought the wrong earphone. With a rating of 96dB/mW and a max power of 10mW (musical peaks only), you are going to hit no more than about 106dB peaks. Now that is loud but if you are expecting more then you need a different earphone.


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## cadgers

Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.


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## captblaze

technobear said:


> I think you need to take another look at the published specifications of the P1.
> 
> Rated Power: 5mW
> 
> ...



numbers are fun to talk about, but I will let my ears be the judge


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## inexactscience

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.



Yeah, that sounds about right. No issues with the Audeze iSine 10, though it's not particularly sensitive. But maybe someone can loan me the Andromeda, Solaris, and UE 18+ just to make sure. 



captblaze said:


> numbers are fun to talk about, but I will let my ears be the judge



Numbers can help determine whether it'll meet your raw volume requirements. I listen well below 106dB, and if I can get somewhere close to my max tolerance (probably in the mid 90dB, I expect) for peak power, I'm golden. That number won't tell me whether I _like_ the product, but that it can properly drive the gear I'll use with it.

And I hope you like the Hip-DAC!


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## captblaze

inexactscience said:


> Yeah, that sounds about right. No issues with the Audeze iSine 10, though it's not particularly sensitive. But maybe someone can loan me the Andromeda, Solaris, and UE 18+ just to make sure.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



i have it charging right now and later today I will run it with a few different sets I own. P1, S8, and if I can dig them out a 2nd gen 18+ pro.

like I stated earlier that numbers are a good topic of discussion, but 35 years in the game taught me the ears rule my wallet


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## captblaze (Feb 21, 2020)

Pleasant surprise today... spent yesterday with IEMs and today i went for some full sized cans. right now DT1990 Pro is responding nicely to a bit of Power Match although Xbass is a bit too much. with Power Match off i have to max out the volume, but with it on there is a bit of headroom to play with. First 24 hours shows promise. Fingers crossed that the battery run time is close to advertised and not what a few reviewers mentioned. i did get a bit concerned when the light went from white to green in an hour, but i have another 4.5 hours and still green


Battery Life Update - Just hit red between 10-25% at the 5.5 hour mark. 12 hours is not gonna happen on this run, i would guess lucky to hit 7.5

Also MQA and high res PCM activate the proper audio format LED color, but DSD64 shows up as green instead of Cyan (.dsf file)


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## captblaze

another day and its time for an unscientific battery test... i have a hypothesis on how the 12 hour battery life estimate was achieved. i am currently running my test and will report back with my findings. if my hypothesis is confirmed it wont be a good look for the folks who made the claim


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## inexactscience

captblaze said:


> i have a hypothesis on how the 12 hour battery life estimate was achieved.


You mean they turned it on after a full charge and just waited until the light went out?


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## captblaze

inexactscience said:


> You mean they turned it on after a full charge and just waited until the light went out?



i am attempting to run as long as possible with as little load as possible, then i do it your way


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## TooPoorForHiFi

So I'm seeing people report around 7 Hours of battery life on SE!? Thats pretty bad IMO.


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## captblaze

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> So I'm seeing people report around 7 Hours of battery life on SE!? Thats pretty bad IMO.



it wouldn't be an issue if the high estimate was 8 hours instead of 12. i doubt there is a way to get to 12 hours and have music playing at the same time


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## Ynot1

Maybe the battery life varies greatly with the type of input.


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## captblaze

Ynot1 said:


> Maybe the battery life varies greatly with the type of input.



UERR ran 6.5 hours from 100% to shut down on SE today 35 ohm 100 dB. Not much of a load and couldn’t get 7 hours


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## Ynot1 (Feb 23, 2020)

I was going to compare Hip Dac to my Nx4 Dsd if I was fortunate enough to get chosen. It sounds like Nx4 will win the battery show down by a lot.

But something tells me the Bur Brown maybe doing like a class A kind of thing to make the sound better. And class A is bad for battery life.

I realize class A is amp talk and Bur Brown is a signal converter. But you know what I mean.


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## captblaze

Ynot1 said:


> I was going to compare Hip Dac to my Nx4 Dsd if I was fortunate enough to get chosen. It sounds like Nx4 will win the battery show down by a lot.



the battery life is the only thing that doesn't match what is being advertised. plenty of power for most anything you connect to it. my guess is that at 2200 mah the battery is under sized. i dont know if a firmware tweak will help. it has a universal firmware that was developed in March of 2018. i am planning on giving 1 more battery run (that will be #5 since purchase) before it goes back.

i purchased it based on the claimed run time and have spent too much time without even getting much past 50% of the advertised battery life


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## Ynot1 (Feb 24, 2020)

I just realized in the dac mode on the Nx4, the battery life is not as great as the amp only mode. The Hip dac does not do analog input. So for some reason usb dac mode uses up too much power in everything.

Maybe someone should develop a sleep mode or power conserve mode on the USB. I just bought a battery checker/tester, and it does not use any batteries. So the device turns on immediately when sensing the battery plugged-in off of the test battery's remaining power. The usb should be able to do something similar. Turn off until there is a data signal and then quickly use the data as needed.


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## Ynot1 (Feb 26, 2020)

There is some spilling of the secret sauce of iFi Bur Brown DAC over on the other Hip Dac thread. And my guesstimate is the low frequency is handled by multibit and high frequency is handled by sigma delta beta phi yadi yada delta modulation. AKM and Sabre both use delta method, and they sound very detailed supposedly; and the Audio GD setup uses multi-bit R-R DAC which supposedly sounds smooth. Smooth probably means slow like tubes, just a guess, but sounds good if you're into that kind of thing.

But sonic-ally how does this translate to good sound? I suspect DAC adds delay in the signal chain, even though small. And the multi-bit would be fast enough for low frequency and the sigma-delta is fast enough for high frequency. But I suspect there is adding involved and that could take a long time depending on who is doing it. So I wonder if the XMOS uses the Sigma-Delta to adjust for correction using prediction. Just guessing out loud. I guess who cares if it sounds good.

And I think I know why bluetooth and analog inputs are not supported. It's because the Hip Dac was designed by smart system engineers who otimized the dac-amp for the input PCM and DSD, I think. And the other two inputs would mess up the system design.


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## BebopMcJiggy

It is my impression that advanced segment doesn't split it into "bass/hifreq" it shows the upper 6 bits (MSB/positive or negative + 5 bits of a 24 bit signal) determine the segment so the largest chunk of voltage is generated by the ladder, in "big" steps, then delta sigma adds in the other 18 bits (+ MSB for postive or negative) worth of voltage/current for that sample.

It's not split up into high vs low frequency data, it's just data points on the wave form. Low frequency wave form just rises and falls slower, it's not breaking it up by frequency and there's no reason your high frequency signal couldn't be just as much V in any given instant than the low freq hence the R2R part isn't working on a specific section of the wave form it's more like the ladder section is providing a rough estimate of the waveform and the delta sigma adds in the finer resolution between those large steps...


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## gavinfabl

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.



I’ve tested (and also reviewed on YT) the hip dac with my Fiio FA7. These IEMs work really well but I have got the power match switched off.


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## Kevintj604

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.


Listened to the Hip Dac at a local shop in Vancouver with the CA Solaris using an iPhone X as a source and encountered no noticeable hiss. 

I also A/B Tested the Hip Dac vs the AudioQuest Cobalt and there's a huge difference in signature. The Burr Brown adds a lot of warmth to the Solaris.

I haven't tried the Hip Dac plugged into another source so i'm not sure what it sounds like. The Cobalt plugged into my Mac Mini sounds glorious and is dead quiet.


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## cadgers

Kevintj604 said:


> Listened to the Hip Dac at a local shop in Vancouver with the CA Solaris using an iPhone X as a source and encountered no noticeable hiss.
> 
> I also A/B Tested the Hip Dac vs the AudioQuest Cobalt and there's a huge difference in signature. The Burr Brown adds a lot of warmth to the Solaris.
> 
> I haven't tried the Hip Dac plugged into another source so i'm not sure what it sounds like. The Cobalt plugged into my Mac Mini sounds glorious and is dead quiet.



Used the iPhone 11 Max as the source for two different iFi Hip DACs and each had hiss. The Solaris was noticeable and the Andromeda/Solstice was unusable IMO.


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## Kevintj604

cadgers said:


> Used the iPhone 11 Max as the source for two different iFi Hip DACs and each had hiss. The Solaris was noticeable and the Andromeda/Solstice was unusable IMO.


Thanks. Good to know as I haven't purchased it yet. They didn't have any in stock. I'll bring in my Solaris, 6XX and i'll test out the Atlas as that's the next IEM i'm looking to buy to make sure the Hip Dac is good before I purchase.


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## TS0711

Mine has to go back.  The USB connector is faulty.  Not a fan of the design, but the sound quality was amazing with balanced cables to my HD600 and HD6XX. 

Also the USB cable is too short. Another inch would be better.


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## Kevintj604

Anyone who owns the Hip Dac already find a good case for it?
I’d love to use it as an on the go option hooked to an iPhone X. I’m currently using a Cobalt but want something warmer and balanced.


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## acbarn

It’s a very attractive, well designed piece of hardware that worked well with IEMs and various headphones (Focal Elex, DT1990, 58x). I found the sound signature too warm for my tastes though, and ended up returning it (YMMV). I find the BTR5 easier to use with a sound sig more to my liking.


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## Kevintj604

acbarn said:


> It’s a very attractive, well designed piece of hardware that worked well with IEMs and various headphones (Focal Elex, DT1990, 58x). I found the sound signature too warm for my tastes though, and ended up returning it (YMMV). I find the BTR5 easier to use with a sound sig more to my liking.


I've already got a Cobalt which I find perfect (balanced/neutral) but not warm at all. I'm looking for a different signature so I have both options. Just not sure how i'm going to stack it.


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## acbarn

Kevintj604 said:


> I've already got a Cobalt which I find perfect (balanced/neutral) but not warm at all. I'm looking for a different signature so I have both options. Just not sure how i'm going to stack it.



If you’re looking for a warmer signature, the Hip Dac will certainly provide that.


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## rsusid

inexactscience said:


> iFi has released their Hip-DAC, a $149/£149 portable DAC with S-Balanced 3.5mm single ended and a 4.4mm balanced output.
> 
> The DAC, a Burr-Brown DSD1793, is capable of supporting native playback up to DSD 256/DXD 384/PCM 384kHz and MQA.
> 
> ...


 
How's the extra bass feature?


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## acbarn

rsusid said:


> How's the extra bass feature?



I found it to be overbearing, but I have an aversion to heavy bass. This was with Elex, DT1990, HD58X, and FiiO FH5.


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## Kevintj604

acbarn said:


> I found it to be overbearing, but I have an aversion to heavy bass. This was with Elex, DT1990, HD58X, and FiiO FH5.


It is a bit overbearing. For most of my gear I’d never really use it. On the 6XX’s I think it brings some fun. I listen to a lot of EDM, Hip-Hop & R&B so I’m a bit of a bass head and it’s a fun feature to have. On the Solaris it changes the signature quite a bit.


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## rsusid

Kevintj604 said:


> It is a bit overbearing. For most of my gear I’d never really use it. On the 6XX’s I think it brings some fun. I listen to a lot of EDM, Hip-Hop & R&B so I’m a bit of a bass head and it’s a fun feature to have. On the Solaris it changes the signature quite a bit.



Does the bass lean boomy or tight?


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## Kevintj604

rsusid said:


> Does the bass lean boomy or tight?


On the Solaris it leans boomy with more body but still controlled. There must be a vast array of unit variance. The two I listened to at Headphone Bar in Vancouver had no noticeable hiss on any of my test tracks. Was it dead silent like the Cobalt or the M11 Pro? No, but definitely not un-useable. Maybe I need more time with it. I have noticed a lot of bad units. Headphone Bar had two returns with 10 units so QC may be an issue.


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## Luke Skywalker

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.


Do you think I’d have this problem with JH Lola’s connected with JH’s balanced cable + 2.5/4.4mm adapter?

this device would give me a lot of what I want.My Dragonfly Red sounds good with my iPhone but no balanced...

my ES100 has balanced, but doesn’t sound very good in DAC mode -> iPhone playing tidal masters because it doesn’t have MQA

I could also listen to Tidal and Qobuz from my iPhone on my Audeze LCD-2’s with the balanced 4.4 cable.  Right now I really can only listen to stuff from my HiBy R6 Pro with the Audeze’s unless I want to switch cables

would love some expert advice!


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## briant4pres

I got arrested today for pulling out my blue "flask" on the train.

Thanks iFi.


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## Ynot1

I wonder if the price point of Hip Dac and Andromeda alone can suggest that certain things are not meant to go together.


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## pretzel06

I received my hip dac yesterday. I don’t have much gear to compare to. It is really a warm dac. I used my Hyla Sarda it sounded good without xbass and I prefer that way.
I notice has some ch imbalance at low volume on my unit and pass that threshold was all gone. Battery life wasn’t really great imo. Not scientific but I got around 6-7hrs using tidal and lossless on my iphonex.


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## Luke Skywalker

pretzel06 said:


> I received my hip dac yesterday. I don’t have much gear to compare to. It is really a warm dac. I used my Hyla Sarda it sounded good without xbass and I prefer that way.
> I notice has some ch imbalance at low volume on my unit and pass that threshold was all gone. Battery life wasn’t really great imo. Not scientific but I got around 6-7hrs using tidal and lossless on my iphonex.


Nice!   I just learned that my HiBy R6 Pro doesn’t support MQA so I’m not getting full quality listening to Tidal masters 

I have a Dragonfly Red that i use to play Tidal from my iPhone but that’s limited to 24/96. It also doesn’t have balanced out for my IEMs

hip DAC sounds like just what I need!  Too bad they’re sold out everywhere.  Almost as hard to get as toilet paper


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## SubieGC8

Looks to have a lot of value.  Get a lot for the money


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## blackdragon87 (Mar 25, 2020)

Has anyone tried this with a Focal Clear?

interested in using in trying it

Thx


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## blackdragon87 (Mar 25, 2020)

.


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## lior777

hello,

it will can be run with ziku x9 player?


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## balleklorin

Do you guys think it will drive my Sony MDR-Z1R (64 Ω/100 dB/mW) over 4,4 mm balanced?


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## hseldon

I want to buy this to use with Hifiman 400i and Sennheiser 650hd . Does anyone have an experience with these? Does it provide enough power ? Combined with Senn 650 ,will it sound a bit too much warm?


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## Luke Skywalker

Ok, I'll jump in as well   Any thoughts on if it will drive Audeze LCD-2's?  They kick a$s with my HiBy R6 Pro


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## balleklorin

Found this iFi headphone calculator:
https://ifi-audio.com/home/headphon...JxVM4RtccrIuwXyidC8_p7MbSXbMhAbIp94kMtFDdkJB8


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## Kevintj604

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.



I've replied to Cadgers post a few times now but my Hip Dac arrived today and I've ran it through a bunch of combo's. Here's my initial impression:

Cadgers is correct. The Solaris are unusable. I've swapped to balanced and they're even worse. Noise floor is VERY audible. Huge difference from the Cobalt but for the wrong reasons. Haven't tried the Atlas yet but i'm assuming they'll be the same. I've tried it with Powermatch on and off both both balanced and un-balanced and the Solaris are a no go. So if you're looking for a good balanced combo look elsewhere. All of the Campfire products i've tried sound amazing through the Cobalt so that's my rec if you want something portable for cheaper and don't need to go balanced.

HD6XX's balanced sound incredible. Immediate difference in body, resolution and dynamic's. Huge difference between the Hip Dac and the Cobalt. 
BLON-03 - I've got a Null Audio Arete 4.4mm cable for these and this combo is unbelievable. I'd be hard pressed to find another combo that sounds this good for so little.


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## robin1990

cadgers said:


> Just an FYI for those looking to use sensitive IEMs with this to look elsewhere. Both the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Solaris are unusable due to the noise floor of the unit. Also encountered hiss on a pair of UE 18+ too.



Same happens with my Noble K10U. Noise floor is unacceptable and ifi suggest me their product call IEMatch


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## robin1990

balleklorin said:


> Do you guys think it will drive my Sony MDR-Z1R (64 Ω/100 dB/mW) over 4,4 mm balanced?



I have a z1r, they work well together.


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## Kevintj604

I just bought an IeMatch. I'll have an update on the Campfire Solaris & Atlas in about a week. 

I'm loving the Hip Dac so far though. With the 6XX balanced it's unbelievable


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## Davidtech

I have a rather interesting question. Should I purchase this or the Hidizs AP80 in DAC mode ? They're both the same price


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## Poganin

A question to those that have this little flask: is the 3.5 mm port on your units also missing the usual final click when putting the jack in? In mine when I connect the IEMs to the 3.5 mm the jack pretty much just slides in all the way in one go with the only resistance provided by friction.


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## Luke Skywalker

I’m envious... the hip-DAC is sold out everywhere I check.  Can’t wait to get one and also the new Nvidia shield. $199 MSRP but going for $360+ on eBay


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## Arghavan

Kevintj604 said:


> I just bought an IeMatch. I'll have an update on the Campfire Solaris & Atlas in about a week.
> 
> I'm loving the Hip Dac so far though. With the 6XX balanced it's unbelievable


Let me know how it goes with Solaris+HipDAC. I've heard Hip DAC might be just too warm.


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## Johnny Golden

How would you rate the quality of the Hip DAC and power of the amp in the hip in comparison to the soundblaster e5?


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## Ynot1

SB E5 is several years older than the Hip DAC. And the technology involved is also very different. I would say Hip is better than E5 based on people's feedback. But I am not allow to say things about things that I don't own. I hope though that I can compare my G5 to the Hip DAC in the future.


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## pretzel06

Luke Skywalker said:


> I’m envious... the hip-DAC is sold out everywhere I check.  Can’t wait to get one and also the new Nvidia shield. $199 MSRP but going for $360+ on eBay


You're in US but can you order 1 to amazon.ca? Well I got mine there.


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## Kevintj604

Just got the Atlas yesterday. HUGE Bass on these. Very noticeable compared to the Solaris. Also the sensitivity and hiss is not an issue with the Atlas and Hip Dac. Still a bit of noise floor compared to the Cobalt but very usable. However, for those looking to go 4.4 balanced with this and the Atlas look elsewhere. Hiss is very present balanced. Still not a good combo so I think it's safe to say that the Campfire product line is not a good pairing with the Hip Dac.


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## balleklorin

Poganin said:


> A question to those that have this little flask: is the 3.5 mm port on your units also missing the usual final click when putting the jack in? In mine when I connect the IEMs to the 3.5 mm the jack pretty much just slides in all the way in one go with the only resistance provided by friction.



Have no issue with the 3.5 mm port but it seems like there is poor contact in the 4.4 mm balanced port. It's a Sony 4.4 mm balanced cable. Don't have this problem with this cable on Sony TA-ZH1ES.


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## Kevintj604

Mine has good contact in the 4.4mm port. I get the usual click.


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## balleklorin

Kevintj604 said:


> Mine has good contact in the 4.4mm port. I get the usual click.



It clicks but I can still move it a little bit. Enough so one channel cuts or I hear some noise. Have you tried to move or turn the plug around? The cable that came with MDR-Z1R is better than the Sony/Kimber MUC-B20SB1, but no contact problems with any of them on my TA-ZH1ES.


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## artpiggo

Will there be ifimatch 4.4 version soon?


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## balleklorin

Happy Easter!


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## Luke Skywalker

Man, the Hip-Dac is still sold out and on backorder everywhere I check in the USA


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## Gioacchino (Apr 15, 2020)

Hi, I wanted to know if anyone can tell me if the IFI HIP or FiiO BTR5 is better.. I have sony XBA-N3, Thanks


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## tmb821

Gioacchino said:


> Hi, I wanted to know if anyone can tell me if the IFI HIP or FiiO BTR5 is better.. I have sony XBA-N3, Thanks



Different devices. Hip dac is wired only, btr5 is bluetooth dongle. Better depends on your wants and application. I have btr3 and Fiio k3, one is for portable use (btr3) the other is for laptop use (k3). Of course you can also use btr5 in usb dac mode.


----------



## Ynot1 (Apr 15, 2020)

Zeos reviewed FiiO BTR5 and the Hip Dac. You can ask him which sounds better. I think Hip Dac is better if you use it with wired, because I don't think there is anything like it on the market. But if you must have wireless then BTR5 is a good option. But again I'm not allowed to say things about things that I don't own yet.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Hey guys, hoping to get some expert advice.  I'm trying to decide between buying the HIP versus the xDSD ... The specs for the xDSD look superior to the HIP in every way (More power for headphones, better internals, DSD512) and Bluetooth would definitely be pimp

Do you think that the xDSD would be as easy as the HIP to carry around with an iPhone?  The dimensions on the xDSD look pretty similar to those of the hip-dac.  The HIP is a little thinner but the overall weight is the same. 

I'd be using the xDSD in 2 ways:  
1) Lola IEM -> JH Audio 2.5mm balanced cable -> 2.5 female / 3.5 balanced male adapter -> xDSD and 
2) Audeze LCD-2 -> custom balanced cable with 4.4mm male end -> 4.4 balanced female / 3.5 balanced male adapter -> xDSD

I do kind of wish that the xDSD had a 4.4mm balanced output like the HIP (instead of the 3.5mm) but that doesn't seem like a very good reason to choose one DAC over another.  For that matter, the HIP might not kick out enough juice to drive my LCD-2's and then I'd feel like a real bozo for not getting the xDSD

Can anybody think of any reason why I'd go HIP instead of xDSD?  The cost is not a major consideration for me 

One other huge advantage is that the HIP is sold out everywhere and I am not a patient man 

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate the advice


----------



## Kevintj604

Arghavan said:


> Let me know how it goes with Solaris+HipDAC. I've heard Hip DAC might be just too warm.



iEMatch just arrived. Spent about 30mins with it on a bunch of test tracks. It's a legitimate answer to the hiss/noise floor issues with Solaris and Atlas. I imagine Andromeda would be the same. There's absolutely no hiss whatsoever. It's perfect black. The settings were High Gain -12db. I experienced no loss in detail retrieval or dynamics. I did however need to bump the volume up considerably on the Hip Dac so that's the only downfall, but I had plenty of headroom still. The iEMatch comes with a "velvet" bag that fits the Hip Dac perfectly as well so that's a bonus. 

You're correct with the warmth of the Hip Dac. I still vastly prefer the DragonFly Cobalt with Solaris as a portable option. I wouldn't say the Hip Dac and Solaris are a bad pairing though and it's nice to have both options to change the signature up a little. The Bass boost on Hip Dac with Solaris is nice for modern genres.


----------



## foto16

Luke Skywalker said:


> Hey guys, hoping to get some expert advice.  I'm trying to decide between buying the HIP versus the xDSD ... The specs for the xDSD look superior to the HIP in every way (More power for headphones, better internals, DSD512) and Bluetooth would definitely be pimp
> 
> Do you think that the xDSD would be as easy as the HIP to carry around with an iPhone?  The dimensions on the xDSD look pretty similar to those of the hip-dac.  The HIP is a little thinner but the overall weight is the same.
> 
> ...


I don't see any reason not getting the xdsd if money is not a concern. It has better specs and is virtually the same size. If anything it's more mobile if you use bluetooth and cut the cable with the iphone.


----------



## Kevintj604

Luke Skywalker said:


> Hey guys, hoping to get some expert advice.  I'm trying to decide between buying the HIP versus the xDSD ... The specs for the xDSD look superior to the HIP in every way (More power for headphones, better internals, DSD512) and Bluetooth would definitely be pimp
> 
> Do you think that the xDSD would be as easy as the HIP to carry around with an iPhone?  The dimensions on the xDSD look pretty similar to those of the hip-dac.  The HIP is a little thinner but the overall weight is the same.
> 
> ...



Personally I hated the UI of the xDSD. The hold button and turn knob to switch inputs never worked for me and I returned it to the headphone shop within a week of frustration. Having said that I loved the sound. Had a ton of power and could drive everything that I threw at it with a descent amount of headroom. I’m using the 4.4mm on the Hip Dac and most of my library is MQA so for me it’s a near perfect device. If you don’t need 4.4mm, have DSD music and want Bluetooth the xDSD is a better choice. xDSD build quality is exceptional for the price especially if you can get used to the UI switching from Bluetooth to standard input. The size is a little bit wider in depth compared to the Hip Dac but they’re very comparable.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Thanks a lot guys, I just ordered the xDSD. Super pumped!  I too do mostly MQA Tidal tracks and although I have the DragonFly Red, I think this will be better in a lot of ways.  Planning to pair the Bluetooth with my Nvidia Shield and watch the original Star Wars trilogy in 4K listening with my Audeze's  

I also ordered two of the Penon HiFi Balanced Adapter Cables.


----------



## Gioacchino

What are the differences between the ifi hip dac and zen dac?


----------



## foto16 (Apr 16, 2020)

Gioacchino said:


> What are the differences between the ifi hip dac and zen dac?




I haven't seen a comparison but it seems safe to assume they have comparable sound quality.
The Zen is a small desktop DAC while the Hip is a portable DAC. You can move the Zen around the house, but it's too big to be taked outside walking, commuting, etc. So I would say let the mobility requirement dictate your choice.
Zen doesn't have a battery and can run directly off the USB port of a device. No battery to worry about. One can plug in an optional DC power supply.
Hip has to be run with the internal battery. If you forget to charge it, you are out of luck as it can't run off USB. If you use Zen with a mobile device, it will drain the battery of that device.
Zen has line out options in the back to connect to active speakers and amps if you want to integrate it into a hifi system.
They have the same power output. I'm a bit disappointed that the bigger one doesn't have higher power to differentiate from the small one, but I guess it's due to the need to run from USB power only.


----------



## KowalskiFUT

I would appreciate advice whether to buy Hip Dac or BTR5 for usage with Senn IE800.  I am mostly going to use one of them with my Macbook (Audirvana), and seldom with iPhone.


----------



## Ynot1

Mac and iPhone both support bluetooth. But if I can forgo bluetooth requirement and sound was the most important thing, I think Hip Dac is really tough to beat. It is the latest and greatest technology. It is not quite like CPU getting outdated. But Hip Dac in my opinion is a big jump in price to performance. I think it is best to try before rejecting it. Also if you listen only to soft and boring music, then dynamic performance is prolly not what you're looking for. I consider elevator music boring.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Hey, so I picked up an iFi xDSD this weekend. One of the reasons was that I'm very impatient and I simply couldn't wait for the HIP-dac to be back in stock. 

I absolutely love this device.  I’m listening to Tidal Masters and DSD’s on my JH Lola IEM’s and the sound is unbelievable.  I’m using a 2.5mm balanced male -> 3.5 balanced female adapter, which made a pretty dramatic difference versus an unbalanced.

I had hesitated a little because the xDSD looks much bigger in pictures.  It’s actually quite tiny in my hand - the hand model must be a munchkin.  Beautiful construction and intuitive controls. Love when the purple light tells me I’m listening to an MQA

Plenty of power on the IEM’s.  Will test with my Audeze LCD-2’s as soon as my 4.4mm balanced female -> 3.5 balanced male adapter arrives

Haven’t tested the Bluetooth yet...


----------



## Ynot1

HM5 clone Spadger is bright so I added foam and eqed down the upper mids. And the Hip Dac brings out the bass like really full spacious bass. Spadger is open back and it's like a closed back bass canons with the Hip Dac. Really wild.


----------



## pail

Hi, can it drive headphones with 300 Ohms impedance ?


----------



## Johnny Golden

pail said:


> Hi, can it drive headphones with 300 Ohms impedance ?



I've used it with my Beyerdynamic T90's and my Sennheiser HD58x's with decent result so... Yes!


----------



## McCol

I've got the hip dac as part of the review tour.  

I've been using with my Samsung S20 Ultra phone, for most of the time I've been using with UAPP and then accessing Qobus through UAPP.  
Today when comparing to other bits of kit I decided not use the UAPP app.  Now when I play any music through Qobus or Spotify I get constant interference on the tracks, little crackles like a badly played vinyl lp.  Now I had this with the Audioquest Cobalt when using hi-res tracks and was told by them that its to do with the limits on Android drivers, they advised using UAPP to bypass the android drivers.  This makes sense however I'm getting this now with the hip dac playing anything when not using the UAPP app and it's drivers.

Is this normal?


----------



## McCol

Ok it appears after a little further research that this issue may confined to Samsung handsets.  

Discussion on Samsung community where others are having the same issues.  Crazy really considering the price and spec of the phone.  

Be interested to hear from other Samsung owners and if they have found a workround for this.  It's not the end of the world as UAPP takes the issue away but limits all DACS to UAPP on Samsung handsets.


----------



## Poganin (Apr 26, 2020)

I've decided to some battery life testing on my Hip-Dac. Today I did a continuous 100% to full discharge run on my Tin HiFi P1 connected via the 4.4 mm socket with Xbass on.
I got just under 6 hours (5 hours and 57 minutes exactly) of uninterrupted playtime. Less than half of the claimed 12 hours.

However, I did notice something weird about the battery charge indicator LED.
The manual says that the LED stays white between 100% and 75%. In my test today the light turned from white to green after 1 hour, which would indicate that the battery should last only 4 hours. Then, the light turned from green (75% to 25%) to red (25% to 10%) after the next 2 hours and 45 minutes. Following that the red light started blinking (which indicates 10% or less charge) after 2 more hours of playtime, and the unit shut off after another 12 minutes.
Those indications are completely inaccurate vis-a-vis what the manual states, the 12 hours' claim notwithstanding.

Tomorrow I am going to do another run with Moondrop Starfield, which is the most sensitive set I have and see how long the battery lasts.

EDIT: Quick update. Subsequent charging to full took 2 hours and 50 minutes with my mobile phone adapter so at least that bit about charging time being ~3 hours is correct.


----------



## Poganin (Apr 30, 2020)

*Day 2*: battery life test on high-sensitivity IEMs.

Right from the start I have to say that I will need to repeat the previous test. This morning I decided to connect the Hip-Dac to the charger again before commencing the test just to make sure the battery is full and for some reason the device accepted 40 minutes of charge after 15 hours from disconnecting the charger on the previous day. This suggests the battery may not have been completely full during the P1 test. It also suggests that the battery in the Hip-Dac self-discharges pretty badly, because 40 minutes is 25% of the total charging time from the previous afternoon.

Another bit of information that is probably required is that I am testing battery life by having the unit connected to my PC and playing music from Spotify.

In today's test I got *6 hours and 41 minutes* (20 minutes more in white LED stage and 25 minutes more in green LED stage; surprisingly the red stage in this case also lasted 2 hours and the final, blinking red stage lasted 11 minutes) until the Hip-Dac shut off due to depleted battery, which is only roughly 45 minutes more than on the previous day. Next, I will redo the P1 test in identical conditions: 3.5 mm jack and no XBass this time to get the most comparable results and see how IEM sensitivity affects battery life.

*Day 3*: battery life test with Tin HiFi P1 connected over 3.5 mm with Power Match and XBass features off.

The result I obtained was nearly identical to the Moondrop Starlight. The Hip-Dac ran out of juice after *6 hours and 37 minutes*.

*Day 4*: With my Tin HiFi P1 over 4.4 mm cable the Hip-Dac lasted *6 hours and 39 minutes*.

*Day 5*: Tin HiFi P1 over 4.4 mm with XBass on. This time I got *5 hours and 42 minutes*, which interestingly is *15* minutes less than during the very first test in these conditions in which the Hip-Dac had been left alone for a few days after charging and wasn't topped up before the test.

Tin HiFi P1 over 4.4 mm with Power Match on yielded *6 hours and 40 minutes*. This was very surprising because with the significant increase in volume I expected the battery life to be shorter, but it looks like in the case of the P1 it didn't make a shred of difference. But I expect full-sized headphones to have a bigger drain on the battery.

Also, from these tests I can now better estimate (roughly) what each of the battery charge LED's colours represent:

White: 100-80%
Green: 80-30%
Red: 30-3%
Blinking red: 3-0%


----------



## balleklorin

balleklorin said:


> It clicks but I can still move it a little bit. Enough so one channel cuts or I hear some noise. Have you tried to move or turn the plug around? The cable that came with MDR-Z1R is better than the Sony/Kimber MUC-B20SB1, but no contact problems with any of them on my TA-ZH1ES.



The sent me a new. No problems with the 4,4 mm balanced connection on the new one.


----------



## xkoo (May 11, 2020)

I received my IFi HiP DAC and I love it,with HD650 so much headroom, such a nice full sound and even xBass is nice time to time use for some music. I have to say amazing for the price! I am very happy for now. Able to use it with iPhone,Android and Pc makes it so versatile device. Find only small problem that is it can't charge and run same time,but I can live with it.


----------



## pail

xkoo said:


> Find only small problem that is it can't charge and run same time


Wow, not cool at all.


----------



## Ynot1

I think it charges while listening to music. But rather or not when someone can be running is a personal choice.


----------



## xkoo

Yes it charge but when it reaches 100% charge stop and hipdac will use battery that's what I mean sorry I wrote it badly


----------



## Poganin

I think it may be bad for battery life if you use the hip-dac while it is charging. And I believe the noise from the USB C may bleed into the headphone outs.


----------



## xkoo

Poganin said:


> I think it may be bad for battery life if you use the hip-dac while it is charging. And I believe the noise from the USB C may bleed into the headphone outs.


I think this is why IFi did it this way so battery life will be longer.


----------



## Moumin

Hi everyone,

I received the Hip-Dac a little ago, and am wondering whether mine has a power issue: I understand one can plug it in one's computer before turning the Hip-Dac on to avoid draining on the Hip-Dac's battery, yet mine uses its battery despite being put on after being plugged to the computer?


----------



## xkoo

Moumin said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I received the Hip-Dac a little ago, and am wondering whether mine has a power issue: I understand one can plug it in one's computer before turning the Hip-Dac on to avoid draining on the Hip-Dac's battery, yet mine uses its battery despite being put on after being plugged to the computer?


I think this is normal! It is not made to keep charge when used on PC.


----------



## Moumin

xkoo said:


> I think this is normal! It is not made to keep charge when used on PC.



Hi, thanks for your answer!
Well from what I read on the manual part 4. (https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hip-dac_manual_Ver1.1.pdf) is that you should be able to power it from USB, no?

This reviewer also posts about it (https://www.techhive.com/article/3534718/ifi-hip-dac-review.html) "_In addition to the battery, *the hip-dac can be powered directly from the USB port on a computer*.  [...]  *To use USB power, connect the hip-dac to the source first, then turn on its power*; to use battery power, turn it on before connecting it to the source device._"

And to be fair this was one of my main reasons of purchase lol, being able to use it on my desk powered by the computer, or on the go for my phone.


----------



## xkoo

Moumin said:


> Hi, thanks for your answer!
> Well from what I read on the manual part 4. (https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hip-dac_manual_Ver1.1.pdf) is that you should be able to power it from USB, no?
> 
> This reviewer also posts about it (https://www.techhive.com/article/3534718/ifi-hip-dac-review.html) "_In addition to the battery, *the hip-dac can be powered directly from the USB port on a computer*.  [...]  *To use USB power, connect the hip-dac to the source first, then turn on its power*; to use battery power, turn it on before connecting it to the source device._"
> ...


let me try but if I remember I wrote to Ifi and they replied that is not possible to do it like that. I will test now to see.


----------



## Moumin

xkoo said:


> let me try but if I remember I wrote to Ifi and they replied that is not possible to do it like that. I will test now to see.



I wrote to them as well, we'll see their answer! But if it's written in the manual it should somehow work...
Thanks for testing it!


----------



## Moumin

Moumin said:


> I wrote to them as well, we'll see their answer! But if it's written in the manual it should somehow work...
> Thanks for testing it!


Wait that's funny, when you look at the manual URL I shared in my previous comment, it was version 1.1. of the manual.
I just went on their website and they give the manual 1.3. there (https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hip-dac-User-Manual_Ver1.3.pdf)
"_Tip: hip-dac will continue to use battery power even if the USB cable is connected afterwards_"


----------



## Poganin

Yeah, the hip-dac always works off the battery. The manual that comes in the box is completely wrong.


----------



## xkoo

Poganin said:


> Yeah, the hip-dac always works off the battery. The manual that comes in the box is completely wrong.


mystery solwed


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

The question I have here is will it charge fast enough in Balanced Mode to be used on a desk? This was a problem I have with the BTR5 where it did not charge fast enough for my use.


----------



## Poganin

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> The question I have here is will it charge fast enough in Balanced Mode to be used on a desk? This was a problem I have with the BTR5 where it did not charge fast enough for my use.


That probably depends on what headphones you are going to connect to it. But in any case, iFi does not encourage charging the hip-dac while it is in use.


----------



## Gamerlingual

So the ifi Hip DAC serves my purpose perfectly for a DAC or head amp on the go. What would be the best ifi amp where I can use the headphone as a 4.4mm while charging the battery? Would the Zen be same? My source is my Windows PC


----------



## zolom

Got the iFi Hip DAC. Connected to my windows PC.
On PC Tidal playing MQA tracks, iFi indicator light is *green*, rather than *magenta*. 
I did install the PC MQA driver (from the iFi site).
With my android phone's Tidal via UAPP (same track) it shows magenta color (the sound is much better)

Please advice
Thanks


----------



## qsk78 (May 25, 2020)

By the way, does the Hip DAC sound close to Zen DAC, bearing in mind that they might share one DNA? Any owners of both? Interested in 4.4 mm output only.
I know how Zen DAC sounds.


----------



## ishmaelk

Moumin said:


> Hi, thanks for your answer!
> Well from what I read on the manual part 4. (https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hip-dac_manual_Ver1.1.pdf) is that you should be able to power it from USB, no?
> 
> This reviewer also posts about it (https://www.techhive.com/article/3534718/ifi-hip-dac-review.html) "_In addition to the battery, *the hip-dac can be powered directly from the USB port on a computer*.  [...]  *To use USB power, connect the hip-dac to the source first, then turn on its power*; to use battery power, turn it on before connecting it to the source device._"
> ...


The user manual only states that it will go on using battery power even if you connect the usb cable after turning it on. So I assume it still works the same way the nano idsd does, that is, if you turn it on after plugging to usb, it will run on usb power, not the battery.


----------



## mark5hs

Anyone find a good 2.5f to 4.4m adapter to use with this?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can anyone recommend a DAC like the hip that has a battery AND can be used while charging that has a 4.4mm connection? I own the Hip and love it for on the go listening. But would like a home DAP to also use around the house or PC


----------



## qsk78 (May 28, 2020)

qsk78 said:


> By the way, does the Hip DAC sound close to Zen DAC, bearing in mind that they might share one DNA? Any owners of both? Interested in 4.4 mm output only.
> I know how Zen DAC sounds.


I can answer myself now - yes, sounds close to Zen Dac.

And yes, *hissing* is the main problem here. My IEM were dead silent with xDSD and micro idsd bl (IEMatch off). I heard some hissing on the xCAN (2.5 mm output). I tried 4.4 mm output only.


----------



## balleklorin (May 28, 2020)

qsk78 said:


> And yes, *hissing* is the main problem here. My IEM were dead silent with xDSD and micro idsd bl (IEMatch off). I heard some hissing on the xCAN (2.5 mm output). I tried 4.4 mm output only.



From ifi-audio.com:
"For those ‘hissy’ IEMs, use the 3.5mm _*S-Balanced*_. Enjoy all the benefits of balanced from your single-ended connection."
You should also turn off power match.


----------



## qsk78

balleklorin said:


> From ifi-audio.com:
> "For those ‘hissy’ IEMs, use the 3.5mm _*S-Balanced*_. Enjoy all the benefits of balanced from your single-ended connection."


Thanks. I have one  3.5 mm 4 pole TRRS jack somewhere...will put it on


----------



## qsk78

Yes, that helped. 3.5 mm TRRS is almost 0 hissing at low gain. Nice!


----------



## Ynot1 (May 28, 2020)

Interesting as I made a couple of single ended earphones with mics to 3.5mm balance by tweaking the mic wiring on the right side. If the mic is on the left side then this is not possible; and if the mic enclosure is glued in then it's more work than reward in my opinion.

So the Hip Dac has single ended, 3.5mm balanced, and 4.4mm pentacon supported. I think it's the only one that does that.

Edit: I confirmed the 3.5mm in single ended and balance is supported.
Correction: on left side mic, if you use a ctia converter then it may be possible.


----------



## qsk78 (May 31, 2020)

Do you guys know if you can keep Hip DAC connected to the power supply for a long period of time? Will it go into "desktop" mode like his elder brothers?
For the next two weeks I will be far from my desktop system, so Hip Dac will be the only DAC with me. Don't want to kill the battery.

@iFi audio could you please clarify? Thanks.


----------



## Gamerlingual

qsk78 said:


> Do you guys know if you can keep Hip DAC connected to the power supply for a long period of time? Will it go into "desktop" mode like his elder brothers?
> For the next two weeks I will be far from my desktop system, so Hip Dac will be the only DAC with me. Don't want to kill the battery.
> 
> @iFi audio could you please clarify? Thanks.


Battery will be killed. But I’m sure you can use it for a long time for sure


----------



## qsk78

Well, we need ifi audio to clarify. 
Their other devices like micro idsd bl, xDSD have a desktop mode when they keep the battery charged around 80% (if I'm not mistaking) all the time when connected to Power supply.


----------



## Luke Skywalker (Jun 5, 2020)

mark5hs said:


> Anyone find a good 2.5f to 4.4m adapter to use with this?


Are you sure you don't mean 2.5f to 3.5m male?  I use one of those to connect my JH Lola's 2.5m balanced male cable to the 3.5m balanced on the xDSD https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0828KB38L/

*edit* whoops - I see that you're talking just about the Hip-Dac, not the xDSD.  Brain is on Friday mode already...


----------



## Ynot1

I used this one, and the connection is not the most secure but got the job done. It was the cheapest I could find. There are more expensive ones out there.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32991201529.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.48794c4dSjKvNh

I'm wondering if the cabled one would be better giving some forgiveness to the jack on the Hip Dac.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/330...8#3325#10_668#2846#8114#717_668#2717#7567#903


----------



## iFi audio

qsk78 said:


> Well, we need ifi audio to clarify.
> Their other devices like micro idsd bl, xDSD have a desktop mode when they keep the battery charged around 80% (if I'm not mistaking) all the time when connected to Power supply.



In case of hip-dac, it doesn't matter whether it's powered on before or after connecting to a PC. hip-dac was designed to run exclusively on its battery.


----------



## Gamerlingual

iFi audio said:


> In case of hip-dac, it doesn't matter whether it's powered on before or after connecting to a PC. hip-dac was designed to run exclusively on its battery.


Seems counterproductive to not be able to use it while charging when the battery is low, especially with the battery not working as advertised with half of it being eaten up. I just feel like I got screwed with false advertising and does nothing to rectify the LOW battery issues it outputs


----------



## iFi audio

Gamerlingual said:


> Seems counterproductive to not be able to use it while charging when the battery is low



Have you tried charging and using it at the same time?


----------



## Poganin

iFi audio said:


> Have you tried charging and using it at the same time?


Is it allowed? I've seen your posts here on multiple occasions saying that it's not something that should be done, but you have never explained the reason why you discourage such use of the hip-dac.


----------



## iFi audio

Poganin said:


> Is it allowed? I've seen your posts here on multiple occasions saying that it's not something that should be done, but you have never explained the reason why you discourage such use of the hip-dac.



During charging you might get some background noise, which is why it's best to charge and not listen at the same time, but this won't damage hip-dac.


----------



## Gamerlingual

iFi audio said:


> During charging you might get some background noise, which is why it's best to charge and not listen at the same time, but this won't damage hip-dac.


I'll have it on low gain if that's the case. Don't mind a couple of minor compromises as long as I can listen and charge. I'll check back later.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 16, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> During charging you might get some background noise, which is why it's best to charge and not listen at the same time, but this won't damage hip-dac.


Ok. I CAN confirm that the ifi HIP DAC is able to charge AND be played at the same time. I am using my Sony IER-Z1R earphones and detect no background noise using the 4.4mm balanced cable in both low and high Gain modes. So at least with these earphones I CAN confirm there is no problem and no detriment to the listening experience. That makes me glad that this can become my keeper and my mini desktop amp, period, if the Sony TA-ZH1ES one doesn't carry through. This puts a smile on my face and it sounds REAL good. Ok, so despite the short battery, I can enjoy this fully in any capacity. So I suggest others try and use whatever cans, IEM's you have. Cheers!


----------



## iFi audio

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. I CAN confirm that the ifi HIP DAC is able to charge AND be played at the same time. I am using my Sony IER-Z1R earphones and detect no background noise using the 4.4mm balanced cable in both low and high Gain modes. So at least with these earphones I CAN confirm there is no problem and no detriment to the listening experience. That makes me glad that this can become my keeper and my mini desktop amp, period, if the Sony TA-ZH1ES one doesn't carry through. This puts a smile on my face and it sounds REAL good. Ok, so despite the short battery, I can enjoy this fully in any capacity. So I suggest others try and use whatever cans, IEM's you have. Cheers!



Great, I'm glad that you're happy


----------



## floydfan33 (Jun 20, 2020)

Question for owners or @iFi audio
I just purchased a HIP DAC and am testing it in a number of different configurations.

Sources

OnePlus 7 Pro (both Android and UAPP BitPerfect)
Out of M11 Pro (Fiio Music)
Astell and Kern Kann Cube
Fiio Q5S (Oneplus via Bluetooth)

Headphones

CA Solaris (SE and Balanced Dunu Hulk Cable)
CA Cascade (Stock SE and ALO  SXC-8 4.4)

Resuts

CA Solaris All configurations - No issues other than some hiss

CA Cascades with SE Cable - No issues sounds great both with Power Match on and off
CA Cascades with 4.4 Balanced Cable -* severe distortion even on quiet tracks (power match on and off makes no difference)*

The impedance on the Cascades is 38 ohms and the ifi chart says it should be OK. I believe the ALO cable is wired correctly (ifi says that TRS through their balanced out can cause distortion) as it works great direct out of my M11 Pro direct, through the Kann with 2.5mm adapter and out of my Fiio Q5S.

I may try an exchange, but I'm pretty sure the unit is fine. Anyone else have any issues out of the balanced out or any thoughts of where my issue might be?

Thanks in Advance.


----------



## Gamerlingual

floydfan33 said:


> Question for owners or @iFi audio
> I just purchased a HIP DAC and am testing it in a number of different configurations.
> 
> Sources
> ...


I’ve used my IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2 on balances with no issues while charging the unit and not charging it. Sounds like you need a new cable


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I just published a first look of the Hip-Dac!

https://www.headfonia.com/first-look-sunday-ifi-hip-dac/


----------



## iFi audio

floydfan33 said:


> The impedance on the Cascades is 38 ohms and the ifi chart says it should be OK. I believe the ALO cable is wired correctly (ifi says that TRS through their balanced out can cause distortion) as it works great direct out of my M11 Pro direct, through the Kann with 2.5mm adapter and out of my Fiio Q5S.



If possible, I'd check cans/IEMs with another balanced cable just to exclude it. Also, always you can shoot us a message here: https://support.ifi-audio.com/


----------



## iFi audio

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I just published a first look of the Hip-Dac!
> 
> https://www.headfonia.com/first-look-sunday-ifi-hip-dac/



Thanks a lot for the link, great work! We look forward to the full read!


----------



## iFi audio

It's a hat-trick! We've only gone and got another What Hi-Fi? 5-Star review!

_"The hip-dac is a hugely capable performer with the typical easy-going iFi sound. It’s a balanced presentation that’s refined and free of harsh edges. You can listen to the hip-dac for hours and not feel fatigued."_

Thanks What Hi-Fi?!

The full review please see *HERE!*


----------



## floydfan33

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ve used my IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2 on balances with no issues while charging the unit and not charging it. Sounds like you need a new cable



Update. Turns out it was the ALO 4.4 cable.


----------



## iFi audio

floydfan33 said:


> Update. Turns out it was the ALO 4.4 cable.



Phew. Not the end of the world then


----------



## Liono

Has anyone been able to give a comparison with the Sony PHA-2A? The iFi seems to have double the power output of the Sony and also support MQA. Would be looking to power XBA-H3 and potentially Z5 in future and or HD660S. Source would be an NW-ZX1 and Samsung S10. I tried the xDSD in 2019 at the Bristol show and sounded very good, but doesn't have a 4.4mm Balanced port.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Liono said:


> Has anyone been able to give a comparison with the Sony PHA-2A? The iFi seems to have double the power output of the Sony and also support MQA. Would be looking to power XBA-H3 and potentially Z5 in future and or HD660S. Source would be an NW-ZX1 and Samsung S10. I tried the xDSD in 2019 at the Bristol show and sounded very good, but doesn't have a 4.4mm Balanced port.


I have both. Sony’s doesn’t blow out the volume so suddenly like the iFi. The iFi does output more and can shatter your ears high enough since the volume knob is so sensitive. Gotta be careful, although I haven’t had any loudness issues as I am very careful with the Hip Dac. The PHA-2A smooths out the sounds of headphones and offers a bit more solid bass without being overpowering. The Hip Dac doesn’t output as much bass and the bass booster simply adds WAY too much thump to the bass. I recommend both for being different. Sony also has a more stable volume knob as it offers more precision. Can’t go wrong with either.


----------



## Liono

Gamerlingual said:


> I have both. Sony’s doesn’t blow out the volume so suddenly like the iFi. The iFi does output more and can shatter your ears high enough since the volume knob is so sensitive. Gotta be careful, although I haven’t had any loudness issues as I am very careful with the Hip Dac. The PHA-2A smooths out the sounds of headphones and offers a bit more solid bass without being overpowering. The Hip Dac doesn’t output as much bass and the bass booster simply adds WAY too much thump to the bass. I recommend both for being different. Sony also has a more stable volume knob as it offers more precision. Can’t go wrong with either.



Many thanks Gamerlingual !


----------



## iFi audio

Gamerlingual said:


> I have both. Sony’s doesn’t blow out the volume so suddenly like the iFi. The iFi does output more and can shatter your ears high enough since the volume knob is so sensitive.



It packs a punch, yes. With sensitive loads one needs to be careful. If hip-dac's power output is too much, our iEMatch/EarBuddy would provide more usable volume range.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/iematch/


----------



## BubbaJay

The Hip Dac is finally back in stock at a few places, I've been waiting for over a month to get one.  Even though I have an M11 I wanted something with a different sound and the Hip Dac seems perfect, I've always liked the warmth of the Burr Brown chips.


----------



## califmike33

I just got mine today I'm deciding what any other monitors to run with it.  I haven't listened to it yet but I think it's a warm sound from what I'm gathering hopefully not too warm.  Looking for a good neutral i e m to run with it any suggestions?

Thinking fiio fh7 or fh5 don't know how neutral those are.


----------



## iFi audio

BubbaJay said:


> The Hip Dac is finally back in stock at a few places, I've been waiting for over a month to get one. Even though I have an M11 I wanted something with a different sound and the Hip Dac seems perfect, I've always liked the warmth of the Burr Brown chips.



Thanks, but I'd say that Burr-Brown DACs we use here and there aren't the only reason why our products sound the way they sound. It's a bit more complicated 



califmike33 said:


> it's a warm sound from what I'm gathering hopefully not too warm.



Warm enough to be pleasant to listent to, not warm enough to sound bloated


----------



## califmike33

Well if it's warm and sounds good I like that cuz I definitely like a warm Burr Brown chip. I just have to find the right in-ear monitor so I'm looking probably for something neutral and then it'll warm it up a bit.

I'm really dying to try those fiio fh5.  At some point I also want to put the hifiman sundara into my little hip DAC.


----------



## BubbaJay

I believe the FH5 is quite a warm sounding IEM to start with so they might sound to warm with the Hip Dac, then again they might sound great.

I'm looking forward to hearing how my Sundara and Ananda sound on the Hip Dac.  As long as there's enough power (which at 400mW I think there is) I feel like the warmth of the Dac will work quite nicely with the more neutral sound of the headphones.  I also think the Aiva will benefit from the warmer sound of the Hip Dac as they can sound quite hot at times on my M11.


----------



## califmike33

Yeah I didn't know the fh5 was warm that'll probably be too warm I got to find something neutral.

Several videos I've watched it seems like this amp is very capable of driving this and Dora I don't think you're going to have a problem as long as you got a balanced cable on it and you can plug into the 4.4 on the amp you should be okay I bet it's a great pairing.


----------



## BubbaJay

Yeah, I have a 4.4 adapter for my XLR cable I use with them.  I'm glad to see that 4.4 is becoming the standard jack for balanced on portable devices and it's also being used on a lot of desktop devices also.


----------



## iFi audio

BubbaJay said:


> Yeah, I have a 4.4 adapter for my XLR cable I use with them. I'm glad to see that 4.4 is becoming the standard jack for balanced on portable devices and it's also being used on a lot of desktop devices also.



It gains on popularity, that's clear!



BubbaJay said:


> I'm looking forward to hearing how my Sundara and Ananda sound on the Hip Dac. As long as there's enough power (which at 400mW I think there is)



hip-dac's balanced headphone out hase enoug power on tap, please see here: https://ifi-audio.com/home/headphone-calculator/


----------



## califmike33

Wondering if there are firmware updates for the hip DAC.  when I go on i-5 website it says there's one but I can't get it to come up I guess there's lots of different sounds you can download for this can somebody please explain to me how that works thank you.


----------



## utdeep

I'm shocked that these have enough power to make my Audeze LCD-3 sound fantastic in balanced mode.  This might be the best portable amp/dac I've heard yet.  Easily beats the Mojo for me, and I love the Mojo.


----------



## iFi audio

utdeep said:


> I'm shocked that these have enough power to make my Audeze LCD-3 sound fantastic in balanced mode. This might be the best portable amp/dac I've heard yet. Easily beats the Mojo for me, and I love the Mojo.



Thanks a lot! Yes, hip-dac is balanced and has a lot of power for what it is. Enjoy 



califmike33 said:


> Wondering if there are firmware updates for the hip DAC. when I go on i-5 website it says there's one but I can't get it to come up I guess there's lots of different sounds you can download for this can somebody please explain to me how that works thank you.



Please take a look here:

https://ifi-audio.com/firmware/unified-firmware-for-various-products/

...and under the "Newest firmware" tab. Everything you might need is on this page, and on its top there's the orange "Installation instructions" button. If you need any further assistance, please let us know, thanks!


----------



## elnero

utdeep said:


> I'm shocked that these have enough power to make my Audeze LCD-3 sound fantastic in balanced mode.  This might be the best portable amp/dac I've heard yet.  Easily beats the Mojo for me, and I love the Mojo.


Nice to hear the hip dac holds its own against the Mojo! 

A few years ago I realized life was so busy I wasn't listening much at home. It seemed crazy to have the amount of money I had invested in my headphone gear so I sold it all, then got a decent pair of noise cancelling headphones and reinvested the rest of the money into another hobby. Flash forward to the present. My kids are older and with the pandemic I'll be working from home for the foreseeable future so I thought it would be a good time to build a decent setup again. The setup I sold a few years back was a Mojo and Audioquest NightHawks. I happened upon a new pair of NightOwls from a dealer here in Canada so I snagged those.  I considered another Mojo but from a limited amount of reading it seemed like there were some battery issues that cropped so I was reluctant to buy used. I decided to look at what had come out in the meantime and when I came across the hip dac I was really intrigued. I've always had a soft spot for Burr Brown DAC's and from the description of the sound it seemed like it would be right up my alley. I have to say, I've been very pleased with the combo. Smooth, yet detailed would be the best way to describe it. I don't really have any desire to change from the hip dac but my experience with it has made me very curious about the xDSD and how two compare so I expect I'll be trying to get my hands on one of those in the near future.


----------



## equalspeace (Jul 14, 2020)

just started listening to the Hip DAC w my HD6XX and my goodness.. the eruption of fullness, superb bass, separation and clarity was shocking. this amp/DAC is an absolute beast in terms of ability to drive these headphones! i’ve owned all sorts of larger amps over the years and I’ve never quite heard my 6XX sound like this. this unit is superb. running it on low gain w no bass boost w the volume knob just shy of 3 o’clock and it’s not even warm. it’s barely breaking a sweat and just rocking the heck outta these headphones. excellent job iFi! you hit it out of the park w this unit!


----------



## letlive

Which adapter (2,5mm > 4,4mm) do you guys use? Are there any disadvantages to use those adapters?


----------



## Joe Bloggs

equalspeace said:


> just started listening to the Hip DAC w my HD6XX and my goodness.. the eruption of fullness, superb bass, separation and clarity was shocking. this amp/DAC is an absolute beast in terms of ability to drive these headphones! i’ve owned all sorts of larger amps over the years and I’ve never quite heard my 6XX sound like this. this unit is superb. running it on low gain w no bass boost w the volume knob just shy of 3 o’clock and it’s not even warm. it’s barely breaking a sweat and just rocking the heck outta these headphones. excellent job iFi! you hit it out of the park w this unit!



That's great to hear!


----------



## equalspeace

letlive said:


> Which adapter (2,5mm > 4,4mm) do you guys use? Are there any disadvantages to use those adapters?



I have a 4.4mm cable i use with the Hip DAC. When i need to i use this:

https://www.amazon.com/iBasso-2-5mm-Blalanced-Balanced-Adapter/dp/B07C1ZMWHT

Get's the job done


----------



## iFi audio

equalspeace said:


> Get's the job done



...and looks nice


----------



## chaotic_angel

Helo, on Hip Dac the power LED when charged, the LED blinking on GREEN to unplug, shall I wait for it to stop blinking?


----------



## Poganin

chaotic_angel said:


> Helo, on Hip Dac the power LED when charged, the LED blinking on GREEN to unplug, shall I wait for it to stop blinking?


Wait for it to stop blinking and go out completely.


----------



## chaotic_angel

Poganin said:


> Wait for it to stop blinking and go out completely.


ouch snap! I just unplugged it when it was on green blinking state, was worry about batt. over charge.
thanks for the info


----------



## iFi audio

chaotic_angel said:


> ouch snap! I just unplugged it when it was on green blinking state, was worry about batt. over charge.
> thanks for the info



It'll survive, no worries!


----------



## floydfan33

Does the Hip Dac drain quite quickly when powered off but unplugged? Full to drained in 4 days?


----------



## iFi audio

floydfan33 said:


> Does the Hip Dac drain quite quickly when powered off but unplugged? Full to drained in 4 days?



It shouldn't drain. Yours does at that four days pace?


----------



## floydfan33

iFi audio said:


> It shouldn't drain. Yours does at that four days pace?



Yes. Fully charged, powered off it drains in standby. I'm running another test now and will update you by PM. Thanks.


----------



## iFi audio

floydfan33 said:


> Yes. Fully charged, powered off it drains in standby. I'm running another test now and will update you by PM. Thanks.



Yes, please do and I'll ask internally about this as well.


----------



## fredster

Hi guys
Does the Hip Dac have a line out mode for use as a dac only in my home set up ? Or would you just run it at full volume ?
Many thanks


----------



## iFi audio

fredster said:


> Does the Hip Dac have a line out mode for use as a dac only in my home set up ? Or would you just run it at full volume ?



hip-dac was designed as a DAC/amp combo. It doesn't feature a line out, and turning its volume all the way up won't bypass its internal headphone amp. If you would like to get something in your home setup, ZEN DAC is essentially a desktop hip-dac, but powered from 5V instead of a battery.


----------



## fredster

Ok thanks, I was hoping to use it for both home and mobile, but seems I will need the xDSD for that. Or a Zen and Hip Dac. In terms of sound quality they seem very close. I dont need any of the extra features of the xDSD as I am Tidal based. So I guess getting both a Zen and HipDac would suit me best. Am I right in thinking for MQA Tidal playback I am not going to lose out on sound quality doing it that way ?


----------



## iFi audio

fredster said:


> Am I right in thinking for MQA Tidal playback I am not going to lose out on sound quality doing it that way ?



MQA is a choice. Some people like it a lot, some don't, but MQA is just another way of listening to music. To us it's just as relevant as DSD, Redbooks, hi-res PCM or anything else


----------



## fredster

A bit of HipDac help if you can please.

My HipDac has arrived fully charged and playing. I am using a Nokia 4.2 android ONE mobile and Tidal app. I have set up the app to play Master both wifi and mobile, the colour changes on the tidal app itself from blue to orange when a Master track is played, but the led on the HipDac remains green so it isn't rendering to MQA. I remember reading somewhere I may need some extra playback software on the phone to get this working. Is that likely to be my problem ? Are there any other things I should try before going that route ?


----------



## chaotic_angel (Jul 25, 2020)

fredster said:


> A bit of HipDac help if you can please.
> 
> My HipDac has arrived fully charged and playing. I am using a Nokia 4.2 android ONE mobile and Tidal app. I have set up the app to play Master both wifi and mobile, the colour changes on the tidal app itself from blue to orange when a Master track is played, but the led on the HipDac remains green so it isn't rendering to MQA. I remember reading somewhere I may need some extra playback software on the phone to get this working. Is that likely to be my problem ? Are there any other things I should try before going that route ?



Hi, mobile Tidal app in android is not supporting MQA, here is what I am doing, I am adding UAPP paid app and do log in Tidal via UAPP, play any master song and both my Hip Dac and Zen DAC lits purple indicating MQA is being played. Hope it help.

edit: only desk top Tidal app support MQA


----------



## iFi audio

chaotic_angel said:


> Hi, mobile Tidal app in android is not supporting MQA, here is what I am doing, I am adding UAPP paid app and do log in Tidal via UAPP, play any master song and both my Hip Dac and Zen DAC lits purple indicating MQA is being played. Hope it help.



Yup, UAPP is what many folks here use to get MQA from their smartphones.


----------



## fredster

So I have to spend 6.50 on a bit of software ! Thats a bit of a rip off. Sounds like MQA haven't finished the job.

I am having the same problem in Windows on my desktop, I just cant getb the HipDac to show Magenta. I have all the settings set right for MQA playback but its as if windows just ignores that and plays according to what the setting is in the advanced properties of the output device in playback device manager. I have had this in the past, its as if windows completely ignores the fact you have ticked "Állow applications to take exclusive control '" and just plays the file according to what you select on the dropdown list.


----------



## fredster

It seems to me that neither Windows nor Android do what they are supposed to.


----------



## qsk78

Anyway you need a software to bypass Android. And with UAPP the hip dac shows magneta on mqa files.


----------



## Gamerlingual

They will help. Give them a moment. IFi has really good service here


----------



## fredster

Yep I can see they very helpful here and appreciate it. Its a shame the big companies like Android and Windows don't follow their example ! I will buy UAPP and see how that goes. Will I need to do the same on my desktop to get Tidal to play MQA ? This Windows refusing to give control away has been a problem on both my music servers. I used to run JRiver and flac files but that was nothing but problems and was hoping to get away from all that hassle by using Tidal. I don't really want to have to go down the road of more layers of software if I don't have to.


----------



## TheoS53




----------



## Bazaar (Jul 27, 2020)

Good review, however he mentions the lack of a position marking on the volume dial.

I looked more closely at my unit (purch. July 2020) and I do have a small marking on/in the face of my volume control that indicates level (see pic); when off, it is at approximately the '7 o'clock or 19:00' position when the unit is placed iFi logo up.

I do agree it's pretty minuscule, and because it's a cavity (vs. a raised bump) hard to see or more importantly, feel. I've put a small piece of gaffer tape on my volume dial at that spot which helps finding it without looking at the dial.


----------



## TheoS53

Bazaar said:


> Good review, however he mentions the lack of a position marking on the volume dial.
> 
> I looked more closely at my unit (purch. July 2020) and I do have a small marking on/in the face of my volume control that indicates level (see pic); it is at approximately the '7 o'clock or 19:00' position when the unit is placed iFi logo up.
> 
> I do agree it's pretty minuscule, and hard to see or more importantly, feel. I've put a small piece of gaffer tape on my volume dial at that spot which helps finding it without looking at the dial.




Interesting.......I checked again, mine definitely does NOT have any markings.


----------



## Bazaar

TheoS53 said:


> Interesting.......I checked again, mine definitely does NOT have any markings.


Interesting, do you know when yours was built?


----------



## elnero

TheoS53 said:


> Interesting.......I checked again, mine definitely does NOT have any markings.


Neither does mine.


----------



## TheoS53

Bazaar said:


> Interesting, do you know when yours was built?


 Nah, not sure on the manufacturing date. The best info I have is that it's from the batch that was sent to Samma3a in May


----------



## Bazaar

Interesting since mine was purchased in early July, so figure it was manufactured in May-June? 

Maybe @iFi audio could shed some light...


----------



## iFi audio

Bazaar said:


> Interesting since mine was purchased in early July, so figure it was manufactured in May-June?
> 
> Maybe @iFi audio could shed some light...



I'd say it depends on a stock available at your place of purchase. It seems that this shop/site got the recent batch. I'm not sure if this is of any help to anyone, but I made a dot in my hip-dac with a permanent marker  Although a bit sloppy, it does the job!



fredster said:


> So I have to spend 6.50 on a bit of software ! Thats a bit of a rip off. Sounds like MQA haven't finished the job.



I'm not sure if MQA is the one to blame. I believe it comes down to Android not capable of sending bit-perfect audio data out, as realistically that's what MQA needs to be MQA.


----------



## fredster

I'm not sure if MQA is the one to blame. I believe it comes down to Android not capable of sending bit-perfect audio data out, as realistically that's what MQA needs to be MQA.
[/QUOTE]


Yes its Android and Windows to blame, but I guess us people looking for quality audio are a small minority and fall under their radar. I am sorted now and have the magic Magenta led colour. If I like the sound of that then I will look into a ZenDac for my second home set up and will probably revive my old JRiver to run it.  I may well be on for some help there as I am sure Windows will fight with what I am trying to do !

Thanks for the help with the HipDac.


----------



## Bazaar

iFi audio said:


> I'd say it depends on a stock available at your place of purchase. It seems that this shop/site got the recent batch. I'm not sure if this is of any help to anyone, but I made a dot in my hip-dac with a permanent marker  Although a bit sloppy, it does the job!


Sounds like this is the way going forward...guess the early buyers will have a collector's edition


----------



## iFi audio

fredster said:


> Yes its Android and Windows to blame, but I guess us people looking for quality audio are a small minority and fall under their radar. I am sorted now and have the magic Magenta led colour. If I like the sound of that then I will look into a ZenDac for my second home set up and will probably revive my old JRiver to run it.



I'm glad to hear that you were able to get magenta LED. Enjoy!



fredster said:


> I may well be on for some help there as I am sure Windows will fight with what I am trying to do !



Sure thing. If you'll need anything, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help out. 



Bazaar said:


> Sounds like this is the way going forward...guess the early buyers will have a collector's edition



Maybe in time it'll gain value because of this small imperfection, who knows


----------



## fredster

Sadly it didn't take long for things to go wrong. I was happily enjoying Tidal Masters on the train yesterday then when I got off and walked across the car park it died.  So ... UAPP doesn't work in offline mode apparently !  That's a problem. Oddly it seemed to be playing fine from the downloaded Tidal tracks whilst connected to the wifi on the train, I am pretty sure it wasn't streaming through wifi because the train connection and speed is terrible so I would have had problems, its as if its a logging on issue so you have to have data turned on instead. The problem is that it doesn't then resume playing from downloaded content but streams via mobile data. That is going to burn MB at a very nasty rate. Does this sound right ? To make things more annoying, I cannot then just go back to Tidal and use offline mode, without MQA but at least something to listen to, because Tidal no longer recongnises the HipDac and will only play through the phone dac. Am I doing something wrong here ?


----------



## Bazaar (Jul 29, 2020)

The New York Tiimes Wirecutter likes the hip-dac...choosing it best for mobile devices. This is probably behind a paywall: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-headphone-amp-with-built-in-dac/

Guess they have an older unit as well 

"Another quibble is the lack of indicator dots on the volume knob. Though the knob does make a satisfying click when you power down the device, from there it’s guesswork as to what your current setting is. We appreciate sleek styling, but even small machined ridges would be helpful to avoid an uncomfortable blast of sound if the dial is accidentally set too high."


----------



## Bazaar

https://www.headfonia.com/ifi-audio-hip-dac-review/


----------



## Ultrainferno

Bazaar said:


> https://www.headfonia.com/ifi-audio-hip-dac-review/



Thanks for the share!


----------



## utdeep

IFi - any way to upgrade existing units with an indicator. I don’t think mine’s a collector’s edition with this silly defect.  I’d rather have one that makes it easy to know what I’m adjusting to.  Can we just purchase and replace the knob?


----------



## iFi audio

utdeep said:


> IFi - any way to upgrade existing units with an indicator. I don’t think mine’s a collector’s edition with this silly defect. I’d rather have one that makes it easy to know what I’m adjusting to. Can we just purchase and replace the knob?



If the knob was held by a screw, then it would be possible to replace at home without any damage and we'd gladly send you one, but it's not. At this point the best way would be to make a dot on your own.

And yes, I'm aware that this advice is not really helpful. But knowing how tightly that knob sits, any attempts to pull it out might not go well.


----------



## iFi audio

Bazaar said:


> Guess they have an older unit as well



It looks that way, yes


----------



## priyam

Anyone tried to connect an iBasso DX 200 with the Hip DAC? Not sure if I am doing anyting wrong but when I connect my DX 200 in Android mode playing Tidal using the USB C to the Hip DAC it doesn't seem to work but any other Android phones/iOS devices work fine. 
Am I missing anything with my DX 200?

Thanks in Advance.


----------



## iFi audio

priyam said:


> Anyone tried to connect an iBasso DX 200 with the Hip DAC? Not sure if I am doing anyting wrong but when I connect my DX 200 in Android mode playing Tidal using the USB C to the Hip DAC it doesn't seem to work but any other Android phones/iOS devices work fine.
> Am I missing anything with my DX 200?
> 
> Thanks in Advance.



You could open up a ticket here: https://support.ifi-audio.com/

...and let our tech staff know. Perhaps they'll know what to do to make it work.


----------



## priyam

iFi audio said:


> You could open up a ticket here: https://support.ifi-audio.com/
> 
> ...and let our tech staff know. Perhaps they'll know what to do to make it work.


Sure, thanks!


----------



## iFi audio

priyam said:


> Sure, thanks!



Anytime!


----------



## equalspeace

the Hip is an essential piece of gear. it’s just an excellent 
performer and checks so many boxes for different uses


----------



## iFi audio

equalspeace said:


> the Hip is an essential piece of gear. it’s just an excellent
> performer and checks so many boxes for different uses



Thanks a lot! For its price hip-dac does a lot and we're extremely happy each time it's labeled as essential


----------



## chickentender (Aug 12, 2020)

Been listening to mine which arrived 24 hours ago, pretty much non-stop except for 6 hours of sleep.
Late yesterday I flashed FW 3.5c and it got even better. This thing is a keeper.

Incidentally, all the MQA troubles I read here, there and everywhere (in various contexts) continually make me happy that I remain listening/loving with Qobuz and local FLAC.
Trouble-free aural wonderfulness, and the Hip Dac delivers it effortlessly thus far.

edit: and it's true what many have said... the "XBass" on this thing is truly like an illicit drug; I shy away from bass-boosts in general except for specific tracks and headphone combinations.... but this button is becoming a very guilty pleasure.


----------



## iFi audio

chickentender said:


> Been listening to mine which arrived 24 hours ago, pretty much non-stop except for 6 hours of sleep.
> Late yesterday I flashed FW 3.5c and it got even better. This thing is a keeper.
> 
> Incidentally, all the MQA troubles I read here, there and everywhere (in various contexts) continually make me happy that I remain listening/loving with Qobuz and local FLAC.
> ...



Thanks a lot and I'm happy to read that you like hip-dac this much! As for its bass booster button, that's what happens when only bass is subject to it (... which is easier said than done!) 

Enjoy!


----------



## crazywipe

Hi, I have one question: Can I use the hip dac with USB A on a laptop without using self internal battery? I mean self alimented with the USB A cable. 
Thanks


----------



## gazzington

I'm thinking of getting one of these. What dap makes a decent small portable transport?


----------



## utdeep

Hiby R3 Pro


----------



## chickentender

Well, I won't add much to this thread beyond the short bit I've mentioned other than to echo quite a bit of praise many have lobbed at this things sound delivery.
Unfortunately, the only other thing I will add, after using it *extensively *for near to a week now, is that the battery life is rather abysmal. Luckily for me I purchased it to be primarily home/desktop use with the added benefit of being portable. However, if I'd purchased this for portable use primarily with the claims of 12 hours, and even the augmented 8 hours, in mind I'd have been more than a little pissed, frankly. I've been getting 4-5 hours at most, and that's mixed use with several cans, some that need matching and some that do not, Xbass in use perhaps 50% of the time. I can simply leave it plugged in (as I intended to) but did want to mention this. 
In my humble opinion, this little thing is near to perfect and would be just that if it A) had better battery life, and B) had the ability to run in amp-only mode (with analog input). 
But be all as it may, I'm still quite happy with it.


----------



## iFi audio

crazywipe said:


> Hi, I have one question: Can I use the hip dac with USB A on a laptop without using self internal battery? I mean self alimented with the USB A cable.
> Thanks



Hi crazywipe,
If you wish to use hip-dac as a desktop DAC you would want to use the USB type C (for power) and USB type A female (for data).

All the best,
iFi team


----------



## BubbaJay

I gotta say that I'm liking using my Hip Dac more than my desktop setup which is the D50s and Mimby with the SMSL SP200 THX amp.  My desktop setup might be technically better but I like the musicality the Hip Dac gives my headphones like with my HP-3 and SR325e, even my Ananda and Sundara sound really good with it.  

I've always like the way the Burr Brown chips sound and it gives my hp's that little bit of add warmth that makes them sound creamy and fun.  I thought about getting the iDSD Black Label but I don't think it will sound much better than the Hip Dac and at $599 that's a steep price.


----------



## SubieGC8

so much value with the hip dac


----------



## rasmushorn

Any comparisons to the Mojo?


----------



## utdeep

With balanced, I think it might be better than the mojo.  USB-C and MQA are also a bonus.  Don't have one with me to compare though, but I've owned the Mojo on two separate stints.


----------



## shoaibexpert

Hi @iFi audio 

I am buying the Hip DAC and noticed that there was a 4.4 Pentaconn balanced port and a 3.5mm port. I have these 2 questions:

1. Is the 3.5mm port fully balanced when used with a 3.5mm TRRS balanced connector/cable or does it stay single ended?

2. Also, with 3.5 Single ended connectors/cables, does it improve the SQ to go from say a 3.5mm single ended connector/cable (which comes with most headphones) to a 4.4mm Pentacon (other than voltage increase in voltage) connector cable...as i read something about the S-balanced providing all the benefits of balanced to single ended cables?

I am asking if I need to change my supplied headphone 3.5 single ended cable to either a 3.5mm or a 4.4mm balanced cable...given the 3.5mm TRRS balanced cables are cheaper..but ill only do this if it improves the SQ over the normal 3.5 single ended operation with the hip DAC.

Thanks


----------



## TS0711

I figured I'd try my xDuoo X20 as a source... The amp section of the Hip Dac in high gain takes total control over my Beyer DT880 (250 ohm) and normalizes the overly heavy bass.  The cool thing is I can either control the x20 via an app or stream to it over BT.  Tital masters do not light up purple when streaming to the x20.


----------



## crazywipe

iFi audio said:


> Hi crazywipe,
> If you wish to use hip-dac as a desktop DAC you would want to use the USB type C (for power) and USB type A female (for data).
> 
> All the best,
> iFi team


Thanks! I have only one problem, I will use the Hip Dac with my Thinkpad that has only 1 usb type C that is used for charging, and it has two usb type A (one on the left side and one on the right) I was wondering if I can use one cable splitter with usb type a and type c connected to the hip dac and one type a connected to my thinkpad. Will It works? Sorry for the kinda weird question...


----------



## iFi audio

crazywipe said:


> Thanks! I have only one problem, I will use the Hip Dac with my Thinkpad that has only 1 usb type C that is used for charging, and it has two usb type A (one on the left side and one on the right) I was wondering if I can use one cable splitter with usb type a and type c connected to the hip dac and one type a connected to my thinkpad. Will It works? Sorry for the kinda weird question...



All good, it's not a wierd question at all. In theory it should work, but let me double-check. 



TS0711 said:


> Tital masters do not light up purple when streaming to the x20.



You mean magenta LED on hip-dac?



shoaibexpert said:


> 1. Is the 3.5mm port fully balanced when used with a 3.5mm TRRS balanced connector/cable or does it stay single ended?



hip-dac incorporates our very own S-Balanced circuit topology, please see here: https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iFi-audio-xCAN-S_BAL-Tech-Note.pdf



shoaibexpert said:


> 2. Also, with 3.5 Single ended connectors/cables, does it improve the SQ to go from say a 3.5mm single ended connector/cable (which comes with most headphones) to a 4.4mm Pentacon (other than voltage increase in voltage) connector cable...as i read something about the S-balanced providing all the benefits of balanced to single ended cables?



hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out is fully balanced and more powerful. If you intend to use IEMs, 3.5mm out is the way to go, and 4.4mm out if you intend to use regular cans fond of extra power. 



utdeep said:


> With balanced, I think it might be better than the mojo. USB-C and MQA are also a bonus. Don't have one with me to compare though, but I've owned the Mojo on two separate stints.



Thanks!



SubieGC8 said:


> so much value with the hip dac



I won't disagree


----------



## Poganin

iFi audio said:


> hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out is fully balanced and more powerful. If you intend to use IEMs, 3.5mm out is the way to go, and 4.4mm out if you intend to use regular cans fond of extra power.


I found that some power hungry IEMs, like the Tin Hifi P1 or the IMR EDP benefit from the balanced output too.


----------



## elnero

utdeep said:


> With balanced, I think it might be better than the mojo.  USB-C and MQA are also a bonus.  Don't have one with me to compare though, but I've owned the Mojo on two separate stints.


Can you expand on this? What are the differences using balanced that you feel brings it close to or better than the Mojo?


----------



## iFi audio

elnero said:


> Can you expand on this? What are the differences using balanced that you feel brings it close to or better than the Mojo?



I'm interested in knowing this as well 



Poganin said:


> I found that some power hungry IEMs, like the Tin Hifi P1 or the IMR EDP benefit from the balanced output too.



Agreed, but not many of them


----------



## utdeep

Well - it certainly powers my Audeze LCD-3 better than the Mojo.  It’s not great compared to the WA-7 but crushes everything else.  Just had a WA-11 which was overwhelmingly powerful but didn’t produce the same results.


----------



## utdeep

Great soundstage and deep sub bass are my two big focus areas


----------



## iFi audio

utdeep said:


> Great soundstage and deep sub bass are my two big focus areas





utdeep said:


> Well - it certainly powers my Audeze LCD-3 better than the Mojo. It’s not great compared to the WA-7 but crushes everything else. Just had a WA-11 which was overwhelmingly powerful but didn’t produce the same results.



Thanks a lot!


----------



## Dobrescu George

I made a video review about the iFi hip-dac!!

It is an interesting piece, good overall driving power, bits of hiss here and there, but a musical sound, also pretty ergonomic design!


----------



## iFi audio

Dobrescu George said:


> I made a video review about the iFi hip-dac!!
> 
> It is an interesting piece, good overall driving power, bits of hiss here and there, but a musical sound, also pretty ergonomic design!




Very cool and informative stuff George, thanks a lot!


----------



## rasmushorn

Thanks for haring the review Dobrescu George. I have the hip-dac on my wishlist now.


----------



## Poganin

rasmushorn said:


> Thanks for haring the review Dobrescu George. I have the hip-dac on my wishlist now.


I listed mine for sale here on head-fi if you're interested.


----------



## shoaibexpert

iFi audio said:


> All good, it's not a wierd question at all. In theory it should work, but let me double-check.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. Would you advise to use the iPurifier 3 with the hip DAC? I understand the Nano BL had the Purifier built in...i hope that has been carried over in the hip DAC. If not, would the Purifier improve performance with the hip DAC? Thanks


----------



## iFi audio

shoaibexpert said:


> Thanks. Would you advise to use the iPurifier 3 with the hip DAC? I understand the Nano BL had the Purifier built in...i hope that has been carried over in the hip DAC. If not, would the Purifier improve performance with the hip DAC? Thanks



Just as any other digital device, hip-dac also has some of our USB cleaning technology inside, but not as much as in our separate USB accessories. So yes, it might be beneficial to use iPurifier3.


----------



## wpeng1234

ifi always has a slick design


----------



## iFi audio

wpeng1234 said:


> ifi always has a slick design



Thanks, we do our best to have our products as appealing as they can be!


----------



## shoaibexpert

iFi audio said:


> Just as any other digital device, hip-dac also has some of our USB cleaning technology inside, but not as much as in our separate USB accessories. So yes, it might be beneficial to use iPurifier3.


Well your iPurifier3 definitely helped with my PC USB to DAC use case. Would consider buying another for 'on the go' but the use case for a portable DAC and AMP setup (as the hip DAC) may not be ideal to notice the improvements the iPurifier3 brings to the signal...


----------



## iFi audio

shoaibexpert said:


> but the use case for a portable DAC and AMP setup (as the hip DAC) may not be ideal to notice the improvements the iPurifier3 brings to the signal...



iPurifier surely would be yet another product to carry around. Perhaps one day we'll make it even smaller, who knows


----------



## rasmushorn

iFi audio said:


> Thanks, we do our best to have our products as appealing as they can be!



IT sure is!! I received mine yesterday and already love it. It is much smaller than I though it would be.


----------



## iFi audio

rasmushorn said:


> IT sure is!! I received mine yesterday and already love it. It is much smaller than I though it would be.



hip-dac's a small product, so it doesn't need a large box full of air or foam


----------



## rasmushorn

At first I was puzzled with that FEMALE USB-A plug iFi comes with. It works well as a companion to my MacBook using the cable supplied in the box. "Why did they choose a female USB-A and a normal USB-C?" I wondered...







Then I discovered my iPhone Camera Lightning to USB Connector - which I had not used for a long time.






Brilliant!! - now I can move around with a sleek set l like this in my pocket:












Instead of having to carry a mess like this:


----------



## shoaibexpert

How does it compare to the Mojo sound wise?


----------



## Bazaar

rasmushorn said:


> At first I was puzzled with that FEMALE USB-A plug iFi comes with. It works well as a companion to my MacBook using the cable supplied in the box. "Why did they choose a female USB-A and a normal USB-C?" I wondered...
> <snip>
> Instead of having to carry a mess like this:



That's a great example...several reviews have criticized iFi for using the USB male port, but I prefer it for perceived (actually, real) superior durability.


----------



## rasmushorn

shoaibexpert said:


> How does it compare to the Mojo sound wise?



Well, the Mojo's price is almost 3 times the price of the hip-dac. Already after 4 days with hip-dac, I am impressed with how much value for money there is in this little wonder. 

I never really liked the Mojo's design, shape or size as a portabel companion to my phone. And then those irritating buttons, not being able to see the volume - except if you know their colours. I have never learned that system and just think it is just irritating design. I know it has its advantages, for instance it is easier to accidentally turn the volume up by turning a volume knob in the pocket but still not a fan of the glowing mini-orbs. The hip-dac formfactor and operation is much more to my old-fashioned taste. 

Soundwise the Mojo has more clarity and is the more open sounding dac/amp. Mojo has better seperation between instruments. Mojo is a bit brighter sounding than hip-dac. When A/B-testing and going directly back and forth between the two (listening to MQA-files from Tidal and having purple LED's in both), there is a thin but present veil over the sound with the hip-dac and Mojo offer more air and space in the sound. I only hear that veil the first 30 seconds, coming directly from Mojo to hip-dac and it is probably because of better mids-treble presence and a bit less bass in the Mojo. After only a short time listening with the hip-dac I do not notice that veil. It is not that I miss any treble when listening to hip-dac. 

The hip-dac sound is more relaxed, more laid back and I tend to enjoy listening to music more with the hip-dac than the Mojo even though the Mojo sounds technically better. When listening to normal lossless music-files from my HD the hip-dac is just easier to listen to and the Mojo sometimes gets tiring to my ears. Some deeper male-voices are presented with weight and a naturalness in the hip-dac that I really like. 

I have yet to try the balanced-out from the hip-dac. I do not have a balanced cable for neither my DT-1770pro or my Etymotics ER-4XR. Also, I never use the Xbass button. It is simply too much bass for my ears on both the DT-1770 and ER-4XR. I listen to jazz and classic most of the time and I have never been bass hungry.


----------



## Cat Music

rasmushorn said:


> Well, the Mojo's price is almost 3 times the price of the hip-dac. Already after 4 days with hip-dac, I am impressed with how much value for money there is in this little wonder.
> 
> I never really liked the Mojo's design, shape or size as a portabel companion to my phone. And then those irritating buttons, not being able to see the volume - except if you know their colours. I have never learned that system and just think it is just irritating design. I know it has its advantages, for instance it is easier to accidentally turn the volume up by turning a volume knob in the pocket but still not a fan of the glowing mini-orbs. The hip-dac formfactor and operation is much more to my old-fashioned taste.
> 
> ...


I think using the balanced mode of the ifi Hip Dac should be closer to the Mojo in technicalities


----------



## rasmushorn

Cat Music said:


> I think using the balanced mode of the ifi Hip Dac should be closer to the Mojo in technicalities



I really want to try it out. I just can't find a suitable cable for it that I like. I wish there was a balanced Linum-cable with angled MMCX plugs for my ER-4XR.


----------



## utdeep

Personally, with the balanced out, I was more impressed with the Hip Dac than Mojo


----------



## rasmushorn

utdeep said:


> Personally, with the balanced out, I was more impressed with the Hip Dac than Mojo



I guess I have to try it then. My only option would be to get a balanced cable for my Etymotics. I am already searching for one.


----------



## iFi audio (Sep 7, 2020)

rasmushorn said:


>



Exactly  



utdeep said:


> Personally, with the balanced out, I was more impressed with the Hip Dac than Mojo



When we designed hip-dac, we knew it performed way higher than it's price would suggest, but having this confirmed by folks in here makes us at iFi very happy! Thanks!


----------



## addicted2music

Can it's amp be used with the desktop ?


----------



## rasmushorn

addicted2music said:


> Can it's amp be used with the desktop ?



Yes, absolutely. It lays perfectly flat on top of a desk. 
Or did you mean if it can be used with a desktop-computer? If the computer has a USB-A-port then it can be plugged in by using the included cable.


----------



## iFi audio

rasmushorn said:


> Or did you mean if it can be used with a desktop-computer? If the computer has a USB-A-port then it can be plugged in by using the included cable.



Yup, that's how it works. Thanks


----------



## MacedonianHero

In case anyone is interested, here is my hip dac review:

*https://headphone.guru/the-new-ifi-hip-dac-small-player-but-huge-value/*


----------



## fokta

been a while I tried this many time...
When I acquired this little beast (320 Ohm)... been looking for portable amp that can drive properly... and it was in front of my eyes...


----------



## iFi audio

MacedonianHero said:


> In case anyone is interested, here is my hip dac review:
> 
> *https://headphone.guru/the-new-ifi-hip-dac-small-player-but-huge-value/*



Wow, thanks a lot! It reads very nice!


----------



## iFi audio

fokta said:


> been looking for portable amp that can drive properly... and it was in front of my eyes...



Very cool stuff. And this DAC/amp wasn't crazy expensive, right  ?

How are those VE earbuds with hip-dac in general btw.? Any good?


----------



## fokta (Sep 22, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> Very cool stuff. And this DAC/amp wasn't crazy expensive, right  ?
> 
> How are those VE earbuds with hip-dac in general btw.? Any good?


Its best to price performance IMO.
with power match on, the VE ZEN 2.0 just suddenly easy to drive. not even at 10 o'clock Volume knob, alrd loud enough for me..

Direct to DAP, ZEN 2.0 already give the resolution u need. with additional ifi Hip DAC, it helps you to wide the soundstage and give you a bit better depth for imaging...
Overall Hip Dac can drive properly in a portable & mobile manner... I LIKE... so I can enjoy ZEN 2.0 outside & unplug from Desk Amp...


BTW, just reliaze, the more metalic color at newer version one... NOICE...
and also the USB C to Female USB A...


----------



## MacedonianHero

iFi audio said:


> Wow, thanks a lot! It reads very nice!



Thanks...very impressive DAC!


----------



## rasmushorn

MacedonianHero said:


> In case anyone is interested, here is my hip dac review:
> 
> *https://headphone.guru/the-new-ifi-hip-dac-small-player-but-huge-value/*



Very good review. I have also really been enjoying the hip-dac more and more. I do not have a balanced cable (yet) but the normal single ended output sounds great too.


----------



## MacedonianHero

rasmushorn said:


> Very good review. I have also really been enjoying the hip-dac more and more. I do not have a balanced cable (yet) but the normal single ended output sounds great too.



Thank you....it really is a little wonder!


----------



## iFi audio

fokta said:


> Its best to price performance IMO.
> with power match on, the VE ZEN 2.0 just suddenly easy to drive. not even at 10 o'clock Volume knob, alrd loud enough for me..
> 
> Direct to DAP, ZEN 2.0 already give the resolution u need. with additional ifi Hip DAC, it helps you to wide the soundstage and give you a bit better depth for imaging...
> Overall Hip Dac can drive properly in a portable & mobile manner... I LIKE... so I can enjoy ZEN 2.0 outside & unplug from Desk Amp...



Thanks a lot, that's very useful feedback. I'll make sure to pass it on internally. It's rare to see our-hip dac with earphones such as yours.



MacedonianHero said:


> Thanks...very impressive DAC!


----------



## fokta

iFi audio said:


> Thanks a lot, that's very useful feedback. I'll make sure to pass it on internally. It's rare to see our-hip dac with earphones such as yours.


Glad to help... since I see in ifi calculator, VE ZEN 2.0 is not there. 




Thank you for the great product to help me ease the day... tbh it was not my first choice, but I will regret if I didn't tried it... 
with this pairing, I still can listen good music, still comfy with mask, and slow my addiction to crave more... 

Cheers￼
Stay Healthy


----------



## jonmbarlow

I have one for sale if anybodys interested


----------



## Narayan23

MacedonianHero said:


> Thank you....it really is a little wonder!



Very good review, if you don´t mind I´d like to make a suggestion, the headphoneguru web page seems to be optimized for smartphone use, when using a laptop the headbanner is a bit too big which makes navigation less comfortable, a reduction in size would be great.


----------



## Strifeff7

Hello everyone,
Comparison please, Hip dac vs NX4dsd,
thank you,


----------



## Strifeff7

Does the Hip dac's Tidal MQA compatible with Asus phone?


----------



## iFi audio

fokta said:


> Glad to help... since I see in ifi calculator, VE ZEN 2.0 is not there.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks   

As for your VE earbuds, please let us know (support@ifi-audio.com) that you'd like to have them added in our online calculator and we will!


----------



## RyanM

Just wanted to pop in and say that I love the hip-dac. I got one recently to fill a couple of use cases. 1) I wanted a portable solution that I could move to different places in the house, ie, dining room, living room, when I’m not at my main rig but working on my laptop or just browsing on the iPad etc. 2) Sweet hardware bass boost and more power. I needed that bass boost for various phones that can be anemic on certain genres but have great technicalities. In particular - Austrian Audio X55, Smabat s10s Gold, Tin P1 and Monoprice 565c. All fantastic, technically. All potentially leaving you wanting more on any given day, in the low end. Of course power also means better driven, which can mean better sounding in some cases too. 
I have never tried a Burr Brown chip before, and I must say that I’m impressed. Generally, I prefer AKM over the sparkling ESS integrations, so, I suppose in that sense I prefer a slightly warmer sound. In direct comparison to the K5 Pro from Fiio (my main desktop rig currently) it fairs very well. While the pro has _slightly_ more depth and micro dynamics, it is not very noticeable. It’s ten times the size. It’s not portable and it does not have a tastefully implemented bass boost. It sounds dynamic, confident and better than the LG phone I have with the quad dac integration. As well as the various AKM daps I have. It sounds better than the ES100 as well.
The build is truly a thing of beauty. The volume knob is smooth and probably the best analog implementation I’ve ever auditioned. I haven’t audition everything, but I have auditioned a lot. It’s satisfying. The female usb input is rock solid. No movement, at all, with either the usb a or c cables. It’s much smaller, and more beautiful than any justice a pic is able to do. 
Impressive all around. Enough gushing, back to listening!


----------



## pail

Why Nano IDSD is more expensive than Hip Dac ?


----------



## pail

So the Hip Dac can be connected to a normal socket thru its 5v entry ?


----------



## iFi audio (Sep 28, 2020)

RyanM said:


> Just wanted to pop in and say that I love the hip-dac. I got one recently to fill a couple of use cases. 1) I wanted a portable solution that I could move to different places in the house, ie, dining room, living room, when I’m not at my main rig but working on my laptop or just browsing on the iPad etc. 2) Sweet hardware bass boost and more power. I needed that bass boost for various phones that can be anemic on certain genres but have great technicalities. In particular - Austrian Audio X55, Smabat s10s Gold, Tin P1 and Monoprice 565c. All fantastic, technically. All potentially leaving you wanting more on any given day, in the low end. Of course power also means better driven, which can mean better sounding in some cases too.
> I have never tried a Burr Brown chip before, and I must say that I’m impressed. Generally, I prefer AKM over the sparkling ESS integrations, so, I suppose in that sense I prefer a slightly warmer sound. In direct comparison to the K5 Pro from Fiio (my main desktop rig currently) it fairs very well. While the pro has _slightly_ more depth and micro dynamics, it is not very noticeable. It’s ten times the size. It’s not portable and it does not have a tastefully implemented bass boost. It sounds dynamic, confident and better than the LG phone I have with the quad dac integration. As well as the various AKM daps I have. It sounds better than the ES100 as well.
> The build is truly a thing of beauty. The volume knob is smooth and probably the best analog implementation I’ve ever auditioned. I haven’t audition everything, but I have auditioned a lot. It’s satisfying. The female usb input is rock solid. No movement, at all, with either the usb a or c cables. It’s much smaller, and more beautiful than any justice a pic is able to do.
> Impressive all around. Enough gushing, back to listening!



Thanks a lot and enjoy!



pail said:


> Why Nano IDSD is more expensive than Hip Dac ?



It's a product higher up in our offer, that's the reason.



pail said:


> So the Hip Dac can be connected to a normal socket thru its 5v entry ?



hip-dac's USB type A input is only for data, whereas USB C is for charging only.


----------



## pail

Thanks !


----------



## iFi audio

pail said:


> Thanks !



Sure, my pleasure


----------



## shoaibexpert

Hi, how can I and which SW should I upgrade the Hip DAC to? It's a bit confusing...

Also, how much play time are you guys getting on say 90 odd db SPL? I'm getting around 5.5 to 5 hours balanced on my Elegia...PS I don't listen on 90 but used that SPL for testing


----------



## iFi audio

shoaibexpert said:


> Hi, how can I and which SW should I upgrade the Hip DAC to? It's a bit confusing...



Re FW swap please see this page: https://ifi-audio.com/firmware/unified-firmware-for-various-products/



shoaibexpert said:


> Also, how much play time are you guys getting on say 90 odd db SPL? I'm getting around 5.5 to 5 hours balanced on my Elegia...PS I don't listen on 90 but used that SPL for testing



With these cans and at that SPL this battery time would check out.


----------



## utdeep

I’ve searched this thread for the differences between the firmwares but couldn’t find anything.  Does anyone have any info?


----------



## Bazaar (Oct 3, 2020)

The 'standard' pointer is just above your post.... https://ifi-audio.com/firmware/unified-firmware-for-various-products/

However, for more info on what each one provides, etc., differences seem pretty subjective - check out some of the other iFi threads where people have changed the firmware, such as the hip DAC thread to get some additional perspective(s).


----------



## sebek

Hi, I'd like to have some advice: better an ifi hip dac - 165 € - or a FiiO BTR5 - 119 € -? I don't care much about bluetooth, listening would be mainly in wired mode with my smartphone. Thank you


----------



## sebek

To use my current iems (KZ ZS10 Pro and Blon BL 03) with the ifi hip dac balanced output just take a simple 4.4 mm NICEHCK 8 Core copper cable?

No problem? Need anything else? thanks a lot


----------



## iFi audio

Bazaar said:


> The 'standard' pointer is just above your post.... https://ifi-audio.com/firmware/unified-firmware-for-various-products/



Yup, that's the one, thanks!



sebek said:


> To use my current iems (KZ ZS10 Pro and Blon BL 03) with the ifi hip dac balanced output just take a simple 4.4 mm NICEHCK 8 Core copper cable?



Your IEMs need to have a balanced cable. Other than that you're good!


----------



## Strifeff7

sebek said:


> Hi, I'd like to have some advice: better an ifi hip dac - 165 € - or a FiiO BTR5 - 119 € -? I don't care much about bluetooth, listening would be mainly in wired mode with my smartphone. Thank you


once you go bluetooth with the btr5,
you will never go back to wired to phone again,
so much freedom of not having anything connected to your phone,
about sound quality the hip dac is a bit warmer and fuller mid, it depend on your preference.


----------



## unifutomaki

sebek said:


> Hi, I'd like to have some advice: better an ifi hip dac - 165 € - or a FiiO BTR5 - 119 € -? I don't care much about bluetooth, listening would be mainly in wired mode with my smartphone. Thank you



Even the highest quality Bluetooth codec available today is still a lossy one. Add in the potential issues for signal interference in the crowded 2.4GHz band and you are better off with good old reliable cables plugged into a quality DAC/amp. So I would take the Hipdac.


----------



## fokta

Pair Hip dac with Audirvana on laptop Win10... just WOW... best on the mobile pair... 

Miss the color changing notifications... now on FW 5.3c...


----------



## iFi audio

Strifeff7 said:


> about sound quality the hip dac is a bit warmer and fuller mid, it depend on your preference.



I agree.



unifutomaki said:


> Even the highest quality Bluetooth codec available today is still a lossy one. Add in the potential issues for signal interference in the crowded 2.4GHz band and you are better off with good old reliable cables plugged into a quality DAC/amp. So I would take the Hipdac.



That's a fair point, but wireless audio came a long way since its infancy days and now it can be very good. 



fokta said:


> Pair Hip dac with Audirvana on laptop Win10... just WOW... best on the mobile pair...



Thanks 



fokta said:


> Miss the color changing notifications... now on FW 5.3c...



Yup, our GTO is worth it though, at least if someone asks me


----------



## fokta (Oct 12, 2020)

Wow... New iDSD Micro with Balanced is alrd available...

Tempeting... but still stuck with this since found its Portable music pair...












Just a friendly tips for Sensitive IEM pair with HIP DAC... try to lower the volume on the portable Music player, for my case is V1... And it helps to reduce the HISS without ifi eBuddy...


----------



## iFi audio

fokta said:


> Wow... New iDSD Micro with Balanced is alrd available...
> 
> Tempeting... but still stuck with this since found its Portable music pair...
> 
> ...



Enjoy what you have 

And as for micro iDSD Signature, micro iDSD BL was available for several years and it was high time to make it more up to date


----------



## jmwant

MacedonianHero said:


> In case anyone is interested, here is my hip dac review:
> 
> *https://headphone.guru/the-new-ifi-hip-dac-small-player-but-huge-value/*


Nice review! Do you think just amp-wise FiiO A5 would be an better option?


----------



## iFi audio

jmwant said:


> Nice review! Do you think just amp-wise FiiO A5 would be an better option?



hip-dac can't work only as an amp. It's a DAC/amp package


----------



## keithmarsh

My new custom Oidio pentaconn cable arrived to use with my LCD-i3 and my Hip-DAC. Great little setup!


----------



## iFi audio

keithmarsh said:


> My new custom Oidio pentaconn cable arrived to use with my LCD-i3 and my Hip-DAC. Great little setup!



I have to admit that the overall color scheme on this photo is sick!


----------



## Rts1021

I just picked up an Elegia and Hip Dac and the Hip Dac seems to be powering it quite well out of the 3.5 but was wondering if there might be audible benefits of picking up a 4.4 balanced cable? I haven't found much info on how that hip dac balanced output performs.


----------



## fokta

Rts1021 said:


> I just picked up an Elegia and Hip Dac and the Hip Dac seems to be powering it quite well out of the 3.5 but was wondering if there might be audible benefits of picking up a 4.4 balanced cable? I haven't found much info on how that hip dac balanced output performs.


If based on pairing with earbud, yes, sound will be felt more powerfull, especially driving a 320 ohm impedance one... 

well its a fun exp...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Due to the off the charts value the hip-DAC presents, it was my Writer's Choice selection for Product of the Year:

https://headphone.guru/headphone-guru-2020-product-of-the-year-awards/


----------



## Rts1021

fokta said:


> If based on pairing with earbud, yes, sound will be felt more powerfull, especially driving a 320 ohm impedance one...
> 
> well its a fun exp...


That's what I was thinking. I'll probably give it a go.


----------



## iFi audio

Rts1021 said:


> I just picked up an Elegia and Hip Dac and the Hip Dac seems to be powering it quite well out of the 3.5 but was wondering if there might be audible benefits of picking up a 4.4 balanced cable? I haven't found much info on how that hip dac balanced output performs.



I'd say go for it! hip-dac is internally balanced, so to fully exploit its circuit you'd need to use 4.4mm.


----------



## iFi audio

MacedonianHero said:


> Due to the off the charts value the hip-DAC presents, it was my Writer's Choice selection for Product of the Year:
> 
> https://headphone.guru/headphone-guru-2020-product-of-the-year-awards/



😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

Thank you!


----------



## MacedonianHero

iFi audio said:


> 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
> 
> Thank you!



Well deserved!


----------



## afilen

Unfortunately could never get MQA to properly work with this, and using it with iOS devices involved too many cables. Otherwise, very decent product!


----------



## Arion128

Ifi Hip-Dac review


----------



## iFi audio

Arion128 said:


> Ifi Hip-Dac review




Thanks a lot!


----------



## rasmushorn

afilen said:


> Unfortunately could never get MQA to properly work with this, and using it with iOS devices involved too many cables. Otherwise, very decent product!



I cannot think of a product, that works better with iOS than the hip-dac and involves this few cables? How did you connect to it since you have many cables?


----------



## iFi audio

rasmushorn said:


> I cannot think of a product, that works better with iOS than the hip-dac and involves this few cables?



True, it doesn't get any simpler than this!



rasmushorn said:


> How did you connect to it since you have many cables?



Probably it's down to @afilen 's software settings.


----------



## senorpedro

Please let me know if I am missing something. I cannot get my hip-dac to play DSD128 or DSD256 files using HF Player on my iPhone 12 Pro Max. @iFi audio states it plays files up to DSD256. What I get is a downsampled PCM 176.4 kHz output.

When I replace the hip-dac with Chord Mojo then I get the correct output rate.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?
Thanks.


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> Please let me know if I am missing something. I cannot get my hip-dac to play DSD128 or DSD256 files using HF Player on my iPhone 12 Pro Max. @iFi audio states it plays files up to DSD256. What I get is a downsampled PCM 176.4 kHz output.
> 
> When I replace the hip-dac with Chord Mojo then I get the correct output rate.
> 
> ...



Can you please open up a ticket at our support platform here: https://support.ifi-audio.com


----------



## senorpedro

iFi audio said:


> Can you please open up a ticket at our support platform here: https://support.ifi-audio.com


Ticket created


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> Ticket created



Thanks! Our staff usually replies within 48 hours so someone should get back to you shortly


----------



## senorpedro (Dec 18, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> Thanks! Our staff usually replies within 48 hours so someone should get back to you shortly


Awesome DAC. Customer service response time needs improvement.


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> Awesome DAC.



Thanks!



senorpedro said:


> Customer service response time needs improvement.



I know that our support staff are no slackers, so can you please elaborate  ?


----------



## senorpedro

iFi audio said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> I know that our support staff are no slackers, so can you please elaborate  ?


Sure. Sent you a PM.


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> Sure. Sent you a PM.



Thanks, let's talk there


----------



## senorpedro (Dec 20, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> Thanks, let's talk there



OK. I updated hip-dac to the latest firmware. Still no joy when I play DSD files with iOS HF Player. The output is still PCM 176.4.


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> OK. I updated hip-dac to the latest firmware. Still no joy when I play DSD files with iOS HF Player. The output is still PCM 176.4.



If possible, can you please connect it to your PC/laptop and see whether from there it can play DSD?


----------



## senorpedro

iFi audio said:


> If possible, can you please connect it to your PC/laptop and see whether from there it can play DSD?



Negative. Audirvana displays 32/352.8kHz when I play a DSD256 file. My hip-dac has 5.3c firmware installed.

When I switch to Hugo TT2 Audirvana plays the correct DSD 256 file.


----------



## senorpedro

I just noticed in the firmware version notes that DSD256 can be played only on a PC. Only DSD128 can be played on a Mac. IOS probably maxes out at 176.4.

Only version 5.2 supports DSD256 on Mac but it does not support MQA  Bummer. It looks like you can't play DSD256 and MQA on a Mac without swapping firmware versions for one or the other.


----------



## iFi audio

senorpedro said:


> Only version 5.2 supports DSD256 on Mac but it does not support MQA  Bummer. It looks like you can't play DSD256 and MQA on a Mac without swapping firmware versions for one or the other.



Yes, that's how it works.


----------



## JoshG1217

Hey guys,

After extensive A/B WIRH HIPDAC, lotoo S1, btr5, m11 pro, dx160, and the 5k, hiprac paired with my G8 sounds the best and offers the best overall experience (once I used double sided tape to stick the h8pdac and phone together). Here's my question: has anyone found a 180 degree otg cable? I'd like something that doesn't stick out.

@iFi audio, do you guys make these? Also, why not a case for the dac to connect to your phone? Could be univeral with adjustable arms to connect. If the hipdac at $150 sound better than the m11 pro at 650, you could market the crap out of this thing.


----------



## iFi audio

JoshG1217 said:


> @iFi audio, do you guys make these? Also, why not a case for the dac to connect to your phone? Could be univeral with adjustable arms to connect.



Sadly we don't do angled OTGs and the same story is with cases. Too many smartphones out there for us 



JoshG1217 said:


> If the hipdac at $150 sound better than the m11 pro at 650, you could market the crap out of this thing.



And we're doing the best we can to market it as a tiny giant killer, but due to obvious reasons we can't list giants it's capable of slaying


----------



## haziz

Anybody using the iFi Hip DAC to drive the 250 Ohms version of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones? Does it have enough oomph? How is the sound of the combo?

Impressions?

Thanks.


----------



## iFi audio (Jan 5, 2021)

haziz said:


> Anybody using the iFi Hip DAC to drive the 250 Ohms version of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones? Does it have enough oomph? How is the sound of the combo?
> 
> Impressions?
> 
> Thanks.



That's an interesting question. I haven't yet seen any feedback about hip-dac with these cans. Although this doesn't say everything, our headphone calculator lists that these Beyers would produce 113dB SPL upon connecting them to hip-dac directly:  https://ifi-audio.com/home/headphone-calculator/


----------



## JoshG1217

I've used it to drive my Thieaudio Phantom  planars.... upon looking it up, they are only 50 ohm. I can tell you thr hipdac drives them better than my m11 pro.


----------



## sebek

JoshG1217 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> After extensive A/B WIRH HIPDAC, lotoo S1, btr5, m11 pro, dx160, and the 5k, hiprac paired with my G8 sounds the best and offers the best overall experience (once I used double sided tape to stick the h8pdac and phone together).


BTR5 have you tested BT or USB DAC and on balanced output or SE? In my opinion it changes a lot.


----------



## JoshG1217

Bt and dac. Balanced and SE. Hipdac wins, but btr5 beats qudelix


----------



## iFi audio

JoshG1217 said:


> Bt and dac. Balanced and SE. Hipdac wins, but btr5 beats qudelix



Thanks for your feedback  

If I may ask, is there anything in particular you liked about hip-dac?


----------



## sebek

Too bad the IFI Hip Dac (and Lotoo Paw S1 too) has a balanced 4.4mm output while I balanced all my IEMs with 2.5mm. I would have to rewire everything, otherwise I would try it with pleasure.


----------



## rasmushorn

haziz said:


> Anybody using the iFi Hip DAC to drive the 250 Ohms version of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones? Does it have enough oomph? How is the sound of the combo?
> 
> Impressions?
> 
> Thanks.



I use hip-dac with my 250 Ohm Beyerdynamic DT-1770, single ended 3,5, and it lacks no power to drive these. 
I do not even have to turn on the power match option (nor the bass boost) and hip-dac still has plenty of punch in everything. It is a great combo as a portable setup.


----------



## iFi audio

sebek said:


> Too bad the IFI Hip Dac (and Lotoo Paw S1 too) has a balanced 4.4mm output while I balanced all my IEMs with 2.5mm. I would have to rewire everything, otherwise I would try it with pleasure.



There are many adapters out there. These are quite popular on HF:

https://www.amazon.com/DD-Balanced-Earphone-Upgraded-Version/dp/B08B8LVCPF


----------



## ckvp

Love my Hip-Dac, what are you all doing to make it more portable? I'm thinking about a slightly longer cord and some fat rubber bands to band to back of phone.


----------



## JoshG1217

I used double sided 3m tape. I also got a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter. This one. I took it to the gym a couple times, but too bulky for that. Btr5 with my Thieaudio L9 works great for the gym. Hipdac with Clairvoyance for home.


----------



## Larrabeez

are Hipdac won't work when charge and play in the same time?


----------



## JoshG1217

It will. Here are some pics of my rigged set up. Not much bulkier than the m11 pro, plus better screen and better sound. I like having the Xtra bass option, and the soundstage is wide.


----------



## ckvp (Jan 8, 2021)

JoshG1217 said:


> I used double sided 3m tape. I also got a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter. This one. I took it to the gym a couple times, but too bulky for that. Btr5 with my Thieaudio L9 works great for the gym. Hipdac with Clairvoyance for home.



Like double-sided velcro tape? Or just double sided tape?

I see now in your pics, are those like the command strips, but with velcro?




Larrabeez said:


> are Hipdac won't work when charge and play in the same time?



Yes it can, I use it this way when on my computer. USB-A male to USB-C male (included) in charger and USB-A male to USB-A female (included).


----------



## JoshG1217

ckvp said:


> Like double-sided velcro tape? Or just double sided tape?
> 
> I see now in your pics, are those like the command strips, but with velcro?
> 
> ...



No velcro. I tried that. Too bulky. Just double sided straps. Works well. Adpaterets me transition between btr5 and hipdac without changing cables. I had an old G8 lying around but not everyone does.


----------



## Brava210

Just arrived and giving it a charge...


----------



## MSA1133

The Sendys love the Hip-Dac! Lovely, energetic pairing.


----------



## Brava210

So far this is sounding nicer than the Zen Dac


----------



## JoshG1217

I'd love to c a hipdac with bluetooth (ldac). I'd pay $225-250 for something like that.


----------



## Brava210

anyone found a case?
Apart from the Miter case on Amazon


----------



## chichaphile (Jan 10, 2021)

💃 hidizs ap80 pro ❌ ifi hipdac 💃
💃 tempotec v1a ❌ fiio Q3 💃


----------



## Bazaar (Jan 10, 2021)

I've been pleased w/ this case, a 'minimalist' approach with my iPhone Pro 11 Max:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074JZMDZ3/ (older one)

Note that I originally purchased this one, as it was the 'updated' one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081C7BVW6

The problem with the updated one was the location of the holes, they interfered with the cables when it was 'mounted'. So I went for the 'older' one above...and have been happy.


----------



## chichaphile (Jan 10, 2021)

Bazaar said:


> I've been pleased w/ this case, a 'minimalist' approach with my iPhone Pro 11 Max:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074JZMDZ3/ (older one)
> 
> ...



Used this oyaide pota pita 💃


----------



## JoshG1217

chichaphile said:


> 💃 hidizs ap80 pro ❌ ifi hipdac 💃
> 💃 tempotec v1a ❌ fiio Q3 💃



Can you link your cables? Just ordered hiby r3 pro to compare against btr5, and I was thinking about doing this with it and my hipdac. 

Thanks


----------



## chichaphile (Jan 10, 2021)

JoshG1217 said:


> Can you link your cables? Just ordered hiby r3 pro to compare against btr5, and I was thinking about doing this with it and my hipdac.
> 
> Thanks



Xduoo Cable
but it need some sand paper work to fit into hip dac usb port


----------



## ckvp (Jan 10, 2021)

Bazaar said:


> I've been pleased w/ this case, a 'minimalist' approach with my iPhone Pro 11 Max:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074JZMDZ3/ (older one)
> 
> ...



This is super nice, thank you! Very simple, yet effective solution.


----------



## Brava210

Well I went for the Miter case.
It's very well made....


----------



## chichaphile

Brava210 said:


> Well I went for the Miter case.
> It's very well made....


looks Gorgeous ❤


----------



## iFi audio

chichaphile said:


> 💃 hidizs ap80 pro ❌ ifi hipdac 💃
> 💃 tempotec v1a ❌ fiio Q3 💃



Whoa, those are some sleek portable setups


----------



## ckvp

iFi audio said:


> Whoa, those are some sleek portable setups



Hi iFi audio, I am wondering if leaving hip-dac plugged in to a smart IQ usb to power and use on desktop constantly will hurt the battery?


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> Hi iFi audio, I am wondering if leaving hip-dac plugged in to a smart IQ usb to power and use on desktop constantly will hurt the battery?



Although it shouldn't, it's a good practice to not have battery products constantly powered


----------



## Tano

Hi, I got the Ifi hip dac a few days ago and althought I really like the sound, Im quite disappointed overall. This is due to 2 things that are crucial flaws in my opinion.
First is battery life, with a full charge I got less than 5 hours of usage with the balanced output in low gain without xbass and at low volume levels. This is using UAPP with tidal mostly.
This is way worse than other portable devices that I've tried before.

Second and most important in my opinion is the volume knob. It's extremely sensible and when it's in my pocket It raised the volumen itself a few times to really dangerous levels. A device intended for portable use should have a click system in the kob or something else to avoid this. It also happens outside the pocket, just an accidental touch is enough to turn the volume up.

I hope that Ifi take this issues in consideration for a future revision, Id be more than happy to buy it again if they solve this.


----------



## JoshG1217

Did some more a/b tests with my fiio m11. Hipdac is just a tad better. Not by a ton but just enough where it's my go to at home and the m11 and Qudelix are for on the go. I do agree about thr know though. In my pocket, it has gone up and down a few times and can be dangerous.


----------



## iFi audio

JoshG1217 said:


> Did some more a/b tests with my fiio m11. Hipdac is just a tad better. Not by a ton but just enough where it's my go to at home and the m11 and Qudelix are for on the go. I do agree about thr know though. In my pocket, it has gone up and down a few times and can be dangerous.



Thanks and point taken, I'll pass on your feedback to our staff.



Tano said:


> Hi, I got the Ifi hip dac a few days ago and althought I really like the sound, Im quite disappointed overall. This is due to 2 things that are crucial flaws in my opinion.
> First is battery life, with a full charge I got less than 5 hours of usage with the balanced output in low gain without xbass and at low volume levels. This is using UAPP with tidal mostly.
> This is way worse than other portable devices that I've tried before.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your feedback. As above, your comments will be passed on as well


----------



## JoshG1217

iFi audio said:


> Thanks and point taken, I'll pass on your feedback to our staff.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for your feedback. As above, your comments will be passed on as well



And let's add some LDAC to it with a DSP.


----------



## iFi audio

JoshG1217 said:


> And let's add some LDAC to it with a DSP.



Although I like the idea, it's unlikely. hip-dac was designed as an affordable DAC/amp combo and as such it won't be wireless. Besides, we have some cool wireless stuff already


----------



## Leopold13

I'm stuck to use HIP DAC with Sony ZX-300 due to usb interface, even with the Sony OTG cable. Is there any chance we could mod the type C port as another line in? Thank you.


----------



## iFi audio

Leopold13 said:


> I'm stuck to use HIP DAC with Sony ZX-300 due to usb interface, even with the Sony OTG cable. Is there any chance we could mod the type C port as another line in? Thank you.



I don't think so, hip-dac features only one input and it's digital, and it can't work as an amp. Sorry!


----------



## Leopold13

iFi audio said:


> I don't think so, hip-dac features only one input and it's digital, and it can't work as an amp. Sorry!


Thank you very much for your kind information.


----------



## iFi audio

Leopold13 said:


> Thank you very much for your kind information.



Sure, anytime


----------



## chichaphile (Jan 21, 2021)

Leopold13 said:


> I'm stuck to use HIP DAC with Sony ZX-300 due to usb interface, even with the Sony OTG cable. Is there any chance we could mod the type C port as another line in? Thank you.



just buy cheap yet Versatile Tempotec V1A that can be used as Bluetooth LDAC 96 Quality Priority Reciever out to USB to hip dac + you get dedicated DAP 💃


----------



## iFi audio

chichaphile said:


> just buy cheap yet Versatile Tempotec V1A that can be used as Bluetooth LDAC 96 Quality Priority Reciever out to USB to hip dac + you get dedicated DAP 💃



Sounds like a solid plan to me


----------



## Dobrescu George

I made a review of the iFi Hip DAC! 

Absoluely loved this one, and looking forward to future iFi products like the newly released Diablo 

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2021/01/warm-forward-blue-ifi-hip-dac-amp.html


----------



## iFi audio

Dobrescu George said:


> I made a review of the iFi Hip DAC!
> 
> Absoluely loved this one, and looking forward to future iFi products like the newly released Diablo
> 
> https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2021/01/warm-forward-blue-ifi-hip-dac-amp.html



Thanks Gheorge


----------



## ckvp

My ER2XR begin to lose 1 channel as I turn the hip-dac down to a level I would consider normal.

I looked this up and found this link: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/volume-control-channel-imbalance-short-detailed/

It says to: 



> In case of a small channel imbalance at very low volume settings, please adjust the hip-dac so the volume control is at 12 o’clock for normal listening levels.



Does this mean to lower digital volume on the source until 12 o clock on the hip-dac is a normal, comfortable level? Or leave the digital volume on the device and adjust the volume on the hip-dac some other way? It is not clear to me (and powermatch just makes it louder).


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> Does this mean to lower digital volume on the source until 12 o clock on the hip-dac is a normal, comfortable level? Or leave the digital volume on the device and adjust the volume on the hip-dac some other way? It is not clear to me (and powermatch just makes it louder).



For that purpose we have iEMatch 

https://ifi-audio.com/products/iematch/


----------



## Gulatikirat0

Hi everyone! I am new to the community so please forgive my lack of knowledge.

I have Dm6, Blon 03 and recently purchased Thieaudio Clairvoyance. I was advice by someone to get AMP/DAC to get the most out of my CLAIR.
I dont own any headphones so will I be good with Qudelix-5k/BTR5 or does HIP DAC will actually make my gear sound better?
I have a XIAOMU MI9t phone and windows laptop. I am willing to invest in TIDAL if the differences are actually distinguishable. Currently I use Apple Music.

Any help would be appreciated!


----------



## iFi audio

Gulatikirat0 said:


> I dont own any headphones so will I be good with Qudelix-5k/BTR5 or does HIP DAC will actually make my gear sound better?



Although I don't know whether hip-dac will be better for you that the other device, my advice would be to contact your local iFi representative and give hip-dac a try if possible. Worst case scenario, you'll get a refund


----------



## Precogvision

Just wanted to post some quick impressions of the Hip-DAC that @Sebastien Chiu was kind enough to send out for demo!

Set-up: MacBook Air > Audirvana w/ FLAC > ifi Hip-DAC > Hidition Viento-B. I chose to use the Viento because it seems to be a fairly source-dependent IEM. 

As the name might imply, the Hip-DAC follows a slim form factor not dissimilar to that of a hip flask. I really like overall design, and the volume wheel - which mimics the aesthetic of a flask's cap - is immensely satisfying to actuate. It controls on/off. Along these lines, set-up was very simple, almost plug-and-play if I recall correctly, and the controls of the unit itself are well-thought out. 

Now, full-disclaimer, I'm not a big source guy, but I'll try my hand. The Hip-DAC is a warmer, more colored source to my ears. Upper-midrange notes are bolder, more grand relative to my DX160; while the sibilance on the Viento pervades, some of the transient edginess is taken off whilst maintaining good resolution. Bass on the DX160 sounds again, more incisive, more mid-bass emphasized whereas I'd say the Hip-DAC is a tad pillowy-er, loose down low. Oh right, there's also a bass switch and, man, does it slap on gobs of sub-bass. It easily pushes the Viento to bloat levels, so I think it's use is more situational albeit _very_ fun. Highs on the Hip-DAC are present, but somewhat smoother. Overall, the Hip-DAC has a warm, pleasing sort of presentation. I'd posit that it sacrifices some technical ability (certainly noticeable relative to something like ifi's iDSD Black Label), but it's a worthy trade-off in my eyes for on-the-go listening and if you're not looking for something too reference-y. 

If I may make a suggestion, though, I'd like to see the IEMatch implemented if there are future iterations of the Hip-DAC. I found that I wasn't able to listen off of a number of IEMs (for example, the Solaris 2020, U12t, and Fourte) because the Hip-DAC actually provided too much juice! At my desired volume, only one side of these IEMs would make noise; maybe I'm just a very quiet listener. Here, I didn't find the Power Match feature very useful for obvious reasons. 

Overall, the Hip-DAC's a pretty sweet package, even if I do feel that there are some limitations at play. Again, I want to thank iFi for their generosity in allowing me to take a demo unit for a spin for a short while


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

Precogvision said:


> Just wanted to post some quick impressions of the Hip-DAC that @Sebastien Chiu was kind enough to send out for demo!




Do you happen to have B2 Dusk or B2 on hand to test the Pairing? I'm interested.


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

Precogvision said:


> Just wanted to post some quick impressions of the Hip-DAC that @Sebastien Chiu was kind enough to send out for demo!
> 
> Set-up: MacBook Air > Audirvana w/ FLAC > ifi Hip-DAC > Hidition Viento-B. I chose to use the Viento because it seems to be a fairly source-dependent IEM.
> 
> ...




Thanks a ton, Theo! Appreciate you putting your time into this and having a go at sources even though it's not your strong suit! We appreciate all the feedback and suggestions!


----------



## iFi audio

Precogvision said:


> Just wanted to post some quick impressions of the Hip-DAC that @Sebastien Chiu was kind enough to send out for demo!
> 
> Set-up: MacBook Air > Audirvana w/ FLAC > ifi Hip-DAC > Hidition Viento-B. I chose to use the Viento because it seems to be a fairly source-dependent IEM.
> 
> ...



Wow, that's some great feedback and thanks a lot for all your effort


----------



## anadin (Feb 15, 2021)

Do you have any plans for making a fully fledged DAP.


----------



## iFi audio

anadin said:


> Do you have any plans for making a fully fledged DAP.



DAPs aren't our thing, but who knows, maybe in the future we will make one.


----------



## iFi audio (Feb 16, 2021)

Folks, it's been a whole year since we launched the hip-dac at CanJam NYC!

As a result, we're selling the hip-dac Gift Set, for a limited time only! Featuring a Vegan leather case and Final E3000 iems for £199!

Available now: https://ifi-audio.com/buy/hip-dac-final-e3000/

Join us for the journey this week as we'll be reminiscing on the hip-dac's achievements & highlights.

*Available for UK delivery only


----------



## anadin (Feb 16, 2021)

Shame you dont do a bundle with the E4000 or E5000's, that way you can unleash the full power of the hip dac's Balanced output.


----------



## iFi audio

anadin said:


> Shame you dont do a bundle with the E4000 or E5000's, that way you can unleash the full power of the hip dac's Balanced output.



Maybe next time


----------



## utdeep

Why UK only!  You don't want my money?


----------



## iFi audio

utdeep said:


> Why UK only! You don't want my money?



Sadly we couldn't make this promo outside of UK, but we'll do our best to expand it in the future!


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

Today, we're looking back and feeling proud of the awards our hip-dac has won since launching last year! Here is just a sample. Music on the go has never sounded so good.













Discover the hip-dac: https://ifi-audio.com/products/hip-dac/​


----------



## iFi audio

Whoa, it's been a year already! Time goes by so fast!


----------



## tonymcross

Hello!
Could anyone decribe me the sound difference (lows, mids, highs, soundtage and so on) between 3.5 single and 3.5 balance? 
I've got custom cable for my earphones (6-driver balance armature) with 3.5 single and had some thoughts aboout changing jack to 3.5 balance. If it really improves sound qualityt, I'll do it. 

P.S. Why not 4.4 balance? Because I read a lot about hiss with high sensitivity earphones from this balance end.


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> P.S. Why not 4.4 balance? Because I read a lot about hiss with high sensitivity earphones from this balance end.



If a socket/connector is OK, there's no difference in hissing between 3.5mm TRRS and 4.4mm


----------



## tonymcross

Really? I heard another opinion from owner. 
And what about difference between 3.5 TRRS and 4.4? Are they give the same sound quality?


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> And what about difference between 3.5 TRRS and 4.4? Are they give the same sound quality?



Both rely on the same balanced circuit so the only difference (marginal, if any) are sockets


----------



## ckvp (Feb 21, 2021)

Can anyone explain the GTO filter to me in layman's terms?

I've read the note at https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/iFi-audio-Tech-Note-GTO-filter-FINAL.pdf, but can't make sense of it.

Also, I primarily use my hip-dac through a Samsung device that has an option for in Sound quality and effects for "UHQ upscaler" do I want to leave this off or turn it on?


----------



## ckvp

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Do you happen to have B2 Dusk or B2 on hand to test the Pairing? I'm interested.


I'll be able to give you some notes on B2 Dusk in a few weeks! I'm by no means an expert, though.


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

"The iFi hip-dac, is simply put, the best-looking portable DAC we’ve ever seen... We were impressed by just how much of a difference the hip-dac made to the sound of our headphones; even when using some of the best headphones we’ve ever tested" - @techradar 

Read the full review here: https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/ifi-hip-dac


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> Can anyone explain the GTO filter to me in layman's terms?
> 
> I've read the note at https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/iFi-audio-Tech-Note-GTO-filter-FINAL.pdf, but can't make sense of it.
> 
> Also, I primarily use my hip-dac through a Samsung device that has an option for in Sound quality and effects for "UHQ upscaler" do I want to leave this off or turn it on?



In short, it's a low tap filter with very short post-ringing and its ultrasonic noise masked via our own hearing’s ringing envelope. Speaking audiophile terms, it makes music more 'organic' and less digital, which a lot of people actually enjoy


----------



## JES

ckvp said:


> ...
> 
> Also, I primarily use my hip-dac through a Samsung device that has an option for in Sound quality and effects for "UHQ upscaler" do I want to leave this off or turn it on?


On my Galaxy S10, I have UHQ upscaler to OFF. Atmos and Concert Hall are off as well. I use a flat (normal) EQ, and the third party-app Wavelet's custom profile for my Audeze LCD-2 Classics. Sounds nice.


----------



## dharmasteve (Mar 3, 2021)

Firstly kudos to iFi for the hip-dac, it is an excellent amp/dac and is one of the best upgrades possible for a mobile phone or even a DAP. I've tried the three latest firmware's now. There is 5.2b 'limoncello', 5.3 standard and 5.3c GTO.  Between 5.2b and 5.3 there isn't a lot of difference, perhaps 5.2b is a little cleaner and 5.3 a little more 80's, 90's retro....but it's a tiny difference and both sound fantastic. The 5.3c GTO has less ringing and delay so is 'cleaner' but to me sounds more digital and is not for me......it's too sharp. The 5.2b and 5.3 sound *organic*. Some though who want a crisper, cleaner sound, will like the 5.3c GTO a lot. The hip-dac is quite different to the FiiO sound and for someone like me who had 80's and 90's hi-fi, the hip-dac is a sound I am used to and like a lot. I've bought a lot of IEM's and headphones in my time, but the hip-dac is a real, and maybe better, upgrade for all my IEM's and can drive all with plenty of juice to spare.....plus it looks beautiful.


----------



## iFi audio

dharmasteve said:


> Firstly kudos to iFi for the hip-dac, it is an excellent amp/dac and is one of the best upgrades possible for a mobile phone or even a DAP. I've tried the three latest firmware's now. There is 5.2b 'limoncello, 5.3 standard and 5.3c GTO. Between 5.2b and 5.3 there isn't a lot of difference, perhaps 5.2b is a little cleaner and 5.3 a little more 80's, 90's retro....but it's a tiny difference and both sound fantastic. The 5.3c GTO has less ringing and delay so is 'cleaner' but to me sounds more digital and is not for me......it's too sharp. The 5.2b and 5.3 sound *organic*. Some though who want a crisper, cleaner sound, will like the 5.3c GTO a lot. The hip-dac is quite different to the FiiO sound and for someone like me who had 80's and 90's hi-fi, the hip-dac is a sound I am used to and like a lot. I've bought a lot of IEM's and headphones in my time, but the hip-dac is a real, and maybe better, upgrade for all my IEM's and can drive all with plenty of juice to spare.....plus it looks beautiful.



Thanks a lot for your feedback and I'm happy to read that you like our hip-dac!   

As for the GTO, it's up to one's individual taste. I personally like it a lot, but it's all OK if you don't


----------



## eykxas

It's sad... I have an earlier version of hip-dac, so I can't upgrade to the newer 7.0 firmware... (I have the old Xmos, 8U6C5 and not the newer XU216)...

You think that improvements of the 7.0 firmware can be backported to the 5.3 firmware ?


----------



## iFi audio

eykxas said:


> You think that improvements of the 7.0 firmware can be backported to the 5.3 firmware ?



7.0 firmware isn't an improvement over 5.3/5.3c. They're the same but meant for products with different serial numbers as specified at our site. If I were you I wouldn't worry


----------



## eykxas

Okay thanks.


----------



## iFi audio

eykxas said:


> Okay thanks.



Sure, anytime!


----------



## ckvp

JES said:


> On my Galaxy S10, I have UHQ upscaler to OFF. Atmos and Concert Hall are off as well. I use a flat (normal) EQ, and the third party-app Wavelet's custom profile for my Audeze LCD-2 Classics. Sounds nice.



I can't use Wavelet with my iFi hip-dac, the music becomes a jittery/stuttery mess. Even with UHQ upscaler off/UHQ upscale bit upscale only and Atmos off. Maybe my Samsung A50 isn't powerful enough?


----------



## JES

ckvp said:


> I can't use Wavelet with my iFi hip-dac, the music becomes a jittery/stuttery mess. Even with UHQ upscaler off/UHQ upscale bit upscale only and Atmos off. Maybe my Samsung A50 isn't powerful enough?


Not sure. You could email the developer maybe? thomasdewitt@outlook.com


----------



## JES

ckvp said:


> I can't use Wavelet with my iFi hip-dac, the music becomes a jittery/stuttery mess. Even with UHQ upscaler off/UHQ upscale bit upscale only and Atmos off. Maybe my Samsung A50 isn't powerful enough?


Also, did you try legacy mode?


----------



## ckvp

Yep, legacy mode, reduce clipping, etc. I will probably reach out to him!


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> Yep, legacy mode, reduce clipping, etc. I will probably reach out to him!



That's what I would do as well. hip-dac works with what is sent to it.


----------



## ckvp

JES said:


> Also, did you try legacy mode?


I'm pretty sure it was an issue with battery optimization! I've figured it out now. I thought I had followed the instructions on dontkillmyapp.com, but it must have reset itself to be optimized.


----------



## JES

ckvp said:


> I'm pretty sure it was an issue with battery optimization! I've figured it out now. I thought I had followed the instructions on dontkillmyapp.com, but it must have reset itself to be optimized.


Nice ... I'll keep that in mind for myself for the future


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> I'm pretty sure it was an issue with battery optimization! I've figured it out now. I thought I had followed the instructions on dontkillmyapp.com, but it must have reset itself to be optimized.



I'm glad to read that you've managed to sort this on your own


----------



## NinjaGirayaZ

Has anyone compared hip dac to mojo in terms of details, layers, image and sound stage?


----------



## iFi audio

NinjaGirayaZ said:


> Has anyone compared hip dac to mojo in terms of details, layers, image and sound stage?



Although I don't know the answer, IIRC I saw some comparisons in Mojo's thread, so it would be good to ask there too, I think.


----------



## davehutch

@iFi audio Apologies for asking as I know it has certainly been touched on a few times in this thread, but I wondered if you could confirm if I can use the HipDac in the following way please:

Mostly as a desktop unit to replace my current mains-powered amp/dac. Plugged into my Mac (USB-A) and at the same time, plugged into a USB-C charger to prevent me from using the battery whilst at my desk.
Secondly, I can take my laptop around the houseetc. and then use the unit just on battery, which should be fully charged as it's been plugged into the USB-C charger.
Using it this way, would it be detrimental to the battery health and is the battery replaceable in several years time?
Lastly, completely unconnected but is the HipDac case going to be available to buy separately at some point or is it just for the gift set here in the UK?

Thanks for you help.


----------



## iFi audio

davehutch said:


> @iFi audio Apologies for asking as I know it has certainly been touched on a few times in this thread, but I wondered if you could confirm if I can use the HipDac in the following way please:
> 
> Mostly as a desktop unit to replace my current mains-powered amp/dac. Plugged into my Mac (USB-A) and at the same time, plugged into a USB-C charger to prevent me from using the battery whilst at my desk.
> Secondly, I can take my laptop around the houseetc. and then use the unit just on battery, which should be fully charged as it's been plugged into the USB-C charger.
> ...



1. Although this is possible, your hip-dac might pick up some noise audible on sensitive cans/IEMs and for desktop use we strongly suggest our ZEN DAC, which is a hip-dac... but for dektop 
2. hip-dac was designed to constantly use its battery, so as long as your cans demand less than hip-dac receives from your charger, you should be OK.
3. Battery capacity drops in time and that's unavoidable. We do our best to keep spare parts in stock and replace batteries even in our long discontinued products, so the same will be with hip-dac.

At this time I have no info about hi-dac's case outside the gift set in UK.


----------



## davehutch

iFi audio said:


> 1. Although this is possible, your hip-dac might pick up some noise audible on sensitive cans/IEMs and for desktop use we strongly suggest our ZEN DAC, which is a hip-dac... but for dektop
> 2. hip-dac was designed to constantly use its battery, so as long as your cans demand less than hip-dac receives from your charger, you should be OK.
> 3. Battery capacity drops in time and that's unavoidable. We do our best to keep spare parts in stock and replace batteries even in our long discontinued products, so the same will be with hip-dac.
> 
> At this time I have no info about hi-dac's case outside the gift set in UK.


Thanks for all the answers. Much appreciated


----------



## iFi audio

davehutch said:


> Thanks for all the answers. Much appreciated



Sure, anytime!


----------



## Audioecstasy

Hi Guys, 

Just want to share my experience with the Hip Dac and an issue I’ve come across. I use an iPhone 12 Pro Max normally with the Hip Dac to power my Hifiman Sundara and Sony MDR 1AM2 both in balanced Which worked beautifully.  
I recently bought a Sony Xperia XA2 (2016) from Music Magpie for about £90 as a cheap android phone instead of my iPhone essentially creating kind of DAP set up instead of being tethered to my main phone. Bear in mind that this was a very high end phone in its day.

I was astonished to find that the volume level had more than halved and sounded very muffled by comparison! I was under the impression that the Hip Dac did all of the leg work when playing audio because going between my MacBook Air, IPad Pro and IPhone there was absolutely no difference in sound quality or volume. 

I’m wondering if I have a faulty unit or is this a known thing that the quality of your device has a big influence on the sound the Hip Dac can produce? 

Thanks in advance


----------



## Mr Vicarious

Audioecstasy said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Just want to share my experience with the Hip Dac and an issue I’ve come across. I use an iPhone 12 Pro Max normally with the Hip Dac to power my Hifiman Sundara and Sony MDR 1AM2 both in balanced Which worked beautifully.
> I recently bought a Sony Xperia XA2 (2016) from Music Magpie for about £90 as a cheap android phone instead of my iPhone essentially creating kind of DAP set up instead of being tethered to my main phone. Bear in mind that this was a very high end phone in its day.
> ...



1. It may be a software issue with the XA2 phone. I recommend getting the USB Audio Pro app which tends to sort out problems with native android audio drivers. Also, do you have the same volume problem when the Hip DAC is connected to a PC?

2. Have you engaged the power match button (on the far left hand side) of the Hip DAC? That changes the gain setting and once turned on, the power output significantly increases.


----------



## iFi audio

Audioecstasy said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Just want to share my experience with the Hip Dac and an issue I’ve come across. I use an iPhone 12 Pro Max normally with the Hip Dac to power my Hifiman Sundara and Sony MDR 1AM2 both in balanced Which worked beautifully.
> I recently bought a Sony Xperia XA2 (2016) from Music Magpie for about £90 as a cheap android phone instead of my iPhone essentially creating kind of DAP set up instead of being tethered to my main phone. Bear in mind that this was a very high end phone in its day.
> ...



I'd do what @Mr Vicarious suggested. hip-dac essentially works on what it gets from a transport, so if sound quality plunged after changing your smartphone, I'd take a closer look at what your new device sends out and how. Maybe there's some digital processing going on that impacts digital audio sent out to hip-dac.


----------



## Audioecstasy

Mr Vicarious said:


> 1. It may be a software issue with the XA2 phone. I recommend getting the USB Audio Pro app which tends to sort out problems with native android audio drivers. Also, do you have the same volume problem when the Hip DAC is connected to a PC?
> 
> 2. Have you engaged the power match button (on the far left hand side) of the Hip DAC? That changes the gain setting and once turned on, the power output significantly increases.





iFi audio said:


> I'd do what @Mr Vicarious suggested. hip-dac essentially works on what it gets from a transport, so if sound quality plunged after changing your smartphone, I'd take a closer look at what your new device sends out and how. Maybe there's some digital processing going on that impacts digital audio sent out to hip-dac.


Thanks for the help guys. It’s sorted now. I’ve messed around with the settings and it turns out there was some digital processing settings on that need to be set to off. Also there was a volume limiter set on the device. Setting changes and run like a dream now 👌🏻


----------



## iFi audio

Audioecstasy said:


> Thanks for the help guys. It’s sorted now. I’ve messed around with the settings and it turns out there was some digital processing settings on that need to be set to off. Also there was a volume limiter set on the device. Setting changes and run like a dream now 👌🏻



Fabulous, enjoy


----------



## ckvp

hip-dac (5.3c GTO filter) + Blessing 2: Dusk sound better than any sub-$500 mobile setup ought to.


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> hip-dac (5.3c GTO filter) + Blessing 2: Dusk sound better than any sub-$500 mobile setup ought to.


Thanks! Suffice to say, we're extremely happy how our hip-dac turned out given its price.


----------



## doctorstrobe

Question for iPhone users:

Have the hip dac for about a week now. Is anyone else getting a 1 or 2 second pause in music when doing various things on the phone; switching between apps, typing in this message it paused for a few seconds...

Im using an iPhone XR, lightning camera connect cable and the blue usb cable that cable with the hip dac. Playing music from Spotify or Music app does same thing.

If I put the phone down and just let the music play it’s fine. Have tried different cables, checked various iPhone settings; background refresh, etc. Closed all background apps. Rebooted...

Maybe the phone just doesn’t multitask well and its time for an upgrade.

Thanks


----------



## utdeep

Does the same pause happen when the phone is not connected to the Hip-Dac?


----------



## doctorstrobe

No, I’ve been using it on a laptop for a few hours without problems so it can’t be the hip dac...


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

doctorstrobe said:


> No, I’ve been using it on a laptop for a few hours without problems so it can’t be the hip dac...



That's very interesting.  Can you please keep us posted as you try different solutions if anything works?

It doesn't sound like a hip-dac problem!


----------



## doctorstrobe

I’ve done more testing and found a way to make it happen every time. Open Amazon app, then swipe up to get back to the home screen. Audio pauses for about a second.

It also does it when using the Apple lightning dongle. I can’t remember if I’ve noticed that before...

It seems to do it more in different circumstances using the hip dac, but its also the first time I’ve used the Apple camera connect kit adapter...

I was also wondering if anyone with a new iPhone has experienced this. If it does this with an iPhone 12 then it wouldn’t be worth upgrading...


----------



## iFi audio

doctorstrobe said:


> No, I’ve been using it on a laptop for a few hours without problems so it can’t be the hip dac...



It's most likely your smartphone, but please feel free to let us know about it here: https://support.ifi-audio.com

Perhaps our support staff has some workaround how to get rid of that issue. It's worth a try!


----------



## tonymcross (Apr 14, 2021)

Could anyone help me to find fullsize cans with neutral sound signature for hip-dac? I want to use it with 4.4 balace. Foldable option is important for me to take them to the office or for travelling.

I've got AKG K612Pro, but honestly amp section of hip-dac doesn't give enough power to drive them.

So I'm looking for another headphones under $300.


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> Could anyone help me to find foldable fullsize cans with neutral sound signature for hip-dac? I want to use it with 4.4 balace. Foldable option is important for me to take them to the office or for travelling.
> 
> I've got AKG K612Pro, but honestly amp section of hip-dac doesn't give enough power to drive them.
> 
> So I'm looking for another headphones under $300.



I wish I could help, but I don't know any that would be foldable 

Is this option mandatory for you? Or would you be willing to consider going after normal cans?


----------



## tonymcross (Apr 14, 2021)

Ok. Let's forget about foldable option. I deleted it.


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> Ok. Let's forget about foldable option. I deleted it.



What type of sound are you after? Do you need large full-sized cans? Or something closed and compact would do?


----------



## Audioecstasy

doctorstrobe said:


> Question for iPhone users:
> 
> Have the hip dac for about a week now. Is anyone else getting a 1 or 2 second pause in music when doing various things on the phone; switching between apps, typing in this message it paused for a few seconds...
> 
> ...


I have experienced this yes. I’m using iPhone 12 Pro Max and hip dac. The same also happens when using my helm audio bolt dac/amp. For me though it only happens for about a second and not every time either. Switching between apps I’d say it happens 1 time out of 40. So really not a big issue for me.
Does it happen more frequently for you?


----------



## doctorstrobe

Audioecstasy said:


> I have experienced this yes. I’m using iPhone 12 Pro Max and hip dac. The same also happens when using my helm audio bolt dac/amp. For me though it only happens for about a second and not every time either. Switching between apps I’d say it happens 1 time out of 40. So really not a big issue for me.
> Does it happen more frequently for you?



It happens more and in various apps on the hip dac than on others dac I’ve tried.

Tried my Fiio btr3k with the same camera adapter and I could only cause the pause when loading Amazon app for the first time then switching away from the app. It only does that once until I quit the app and restart it though. 

I think ios just doesn’t assign a high priority to audio stream?
Thanks.


----------



## iFi audio

doctorstrobe said:


> I think ios just doesn’t assign a high priority to audio stream?



What's your app of choice for music playback?


----------



## Metalingus

Hi everyone! Anybody paired this with Dan Clark Aeon headphones?

I’m looking for portable amp/dac after my Mojo died and value of hip dac caught my interest.

I’ll be using single ended. There’s a review about it noticed some clipping.

can hip dac single ended power aeons to 85db cleanly? Thanks.


----------



## doctorstrobe

iFi audio said:


> What's your app of choice for music playback?


Mostly Spotify (320kbps), but also tested with iPhone music app playing local files.

I am also using an Apple Watch, so I turned the watch off for a while and things got a lot better. Not perfect but tolerable.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this old iPhone XR just can’t keep up with all of these tasks. It feels really laggy when pushing music over the usb connection.


----------



## ckvp (Apr 15, 2021)

doctorstrobe said:


> Question for iPhone users:
> 
> Have the hip dac for about a week now. Is anyone else getting a 1 or 2 second pause in music when doing various things on the phone; switching between apps, typing in this message it paused for a few seconds...
> 
> ...


I doubt that it is too slow, it might be some aggressive sleeping algorithm to save battery though. I know on my Samsung device, I had to set a bunch of things, then download UAPP and tweak USB settings to get consistent playback without glitching or pausing.


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> then download UAPP and tweak USB settings



UAPP for Android devices seems mandatory. For iOS I'd try Neutron @doctorstrobe .


----------



## Yeezybop

Metalingus said:


> Hi everyone! Anybody paired this with Dan Clark Aeon headphones?
> 
> I’m looking for portable amp/dac after my Mojo died and value of hip dac caught my interest.
> 
> ...


I think you'll be fine, I run my Audeze LCD2's off my hip-dac and they are harder to drive. With the high gain switch on it's plenty loud with the vol at 12 o'clock.


----------



## pk4425 (Apr 17, 2021)

doctorstrobe said:


> It happens more and in various apps on the hip dac than on others dac I’ve tried.
> 
> Tried my Fiio btr3k with the same camera adapter and I could only cause the pause when loading Amazon app for the first time then switching away from the app. It only does that once until I quit the app and restart it though.
> 
> ...


Just curious: Why do you need blue USB cable when using hip dac and Apple Camera Connector? One of the cool things about the hip dac design is that the Camera Connector snaps right into the hip dac, eliminating the need for an adapter or second cable.

My connection path: iPhone 12-Camera Connector-hip dac-headphones. I'm not noticing any pauses using this setup. Maybe I'm not attentive enough, who knows?


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> My connection path: iPhone 12-Camera Connector-hip dac-headphones. I'm not noticing any pauses using this setup. Maybe I'm not attentive enough, who knows?



If there were any pauses, I reckon you'd easily hear them


----------



## doctorstrobe

pk4425 said:


> Just curious: Why do you need blue USB cable when using hip dac and Apple Camera Connector? One of the cool things about the hip dac design is that the Camera Connector snaps right into the hip dac, eliminating the need for an adapter or second cable.
> 
> My connection path: iPhone 12-Camera Connector-hip dac-headphones. I'm not noticing any pauses using this setup. Maybe I'm not attentive enough, who knows?


I like to use my phone while listening to music and the Apple camera connect kit adapter was too short so I used the extension cable.

I returned the Hip Dac and now have a Zen Dac connected to a laptop. Using Spotify connect to control it from my phone.

I was also having a problem with the 4.4mm connector where the left channel would not work unless I pulled the connector out slightly. Figured it was best to return it and get something that would be better for couch potato use...


----------



## iFi audio

doctorstrobe said:


> I returned the Hip Dac and now have a Zen Dac connected to a laptop.



How do you find ZEN DAC after hip-dac? There's a reason why I'm asking, but I'll wait for your reply first


----------



## doctorstrobe

I like it. Not quite as much of the jackhammer punch in the bass but just a bit more refined.


----------



## iFi audio

doctorstrobe said:


> I like it. Not quite as much of the jackhammer punch in the bass but just a bit more refined.



ZEN DAC was designed as a desktop version of hip-dac. Having this in mind, have you found them alike in general?


----------



## doctorstrobe

Yes, although its hard to compare since I don’t have the hip dac anymore.

Keep in mind that before I was just using the lightning adapter and small Bluetooth amps.

There’s a whole new dimension of detail down in the bass region that I just wasn’t hearing before. I’ve also found that Iems that I hated before sound much better. Moondrop Starfield for example sounded dull and lifeless on the Apple adapter but on these amps I actually enjoy them.


----------



## Samjam927

Has anyone found a right angle cable that works with the Hip-Dac so i can stack my DAP with it? I tried the Xduoo one but the USB A side is too big for the hip-dac's cutout.


----------



## iFi audio

doctorstrobe said:


> Yes, although its hard to compare since I don’t have the hip dac anymore.
> 
> Keep in mind that before I was just using the lightning adapter and small Bluetooth amps.
> 
> There’s a whole new dimension of detail down in the bass region that I just wasn’t hearing before. I’ve also found that Iems that I hated before sound much better. Moondrop Starfield for example sounded dull and lifeless on the Apple adapter but on these amps I actually enjoy them.



Thanks a lot for your feedback and enjoy!


----------



## JaquesGelee

Samjam927 said:


> Has anyone found a right angle cable that works with the Hip-Dac so i can stack my DAP with it? I tried the Xduoo one but the USB A side is too big for the hip-dac's cutout.


The ones with sleeve from ifi wouldn´t fit? 


@all:
How do you charge your hip-dac? 

I found this in the manual:
Charging via USB-C
BC V1.2 compliant up to 1000mA

Charging via Samsung Galaxy A5 OEM Adapter won´t work for me. I charged on PC in the past. 
Is the 18W Google Pixel 4a to powerful or not necessary to think about?

Thank you


----------



## Samjam927

JaquesGelee said:


> The ones with sleeve from ifi wouldn´t fit?
> 
> 
> @all:
> ...


Which one are you referring to?


----------



## JaquesGelee

Samjam927 said:


> Which one are you referring to?


This one. Also available with other connector.


----------



## Samjam927

JaquesGelee said:


> This one. Also available with other connector.


Yeah I'm more looking for a right angle one cause that one doesn't really bend that nicely with a dap stacked on top of the hip-dac


----------



## JaquesGelee

Samjam927 said:


> Yeah I'm more looking for a right angle one cause that one doesn't really bend that nicely with a dap stacked on top of the hip-dac


Oh, then i overread it. Then just have a look on Amazon, FiiO or maybe ask Matt from ForzaAudioWorks for a custom cable.


----------



## iFi audio

JaquesGelee said:


> Charging via USB-C
> BC V1.2 compliant up to 1000mA



If your PC/laptop's USB port outputs 5V/1A, a regular USB cable with a USB-C plug on one end is all you need.



JaquesGelee said:


> Matt from ForzaAudioWorks for a custom cable.



His stuff is great!


----------



## JaquesGelee

Samjam927 said:


> Yeah I'm more looking for a right angle one cause that one doesn't really bend that nicely with a dap stacked on top of the hip-dac


Or maybe you could buy the ifi OTG and go for a L-Shaped Adapter for a reasonable price. But like i wrote, maybe a custom cable can be the way to go.



iFi audio said:


> If your PC/laptop's USB port outputs 5V/1A, a regular USB cable with a USB-C plug on one end is all you need.


I used a regular USB Adaper from a Samsung Galaxy A5 and it doesn´t seem to charge. Result: permantly red blinking LED.
As i would like to save the battery for a long time, i asked for other options. So, i used the adapter of a Google Pixel 4a, charged in the manual mentioned three hrs.



iFi audio said:


> His stuff is great!


Absolutly!


----------



## iFi audio

JaquesGelee said:


> As i would like to save the battery for a long time, i asked for other options. So, i used the adapter of a Google Pixel 4a, charged in the manual mentioned three hrs.



I just took a look at chargers that come with Samsung A5. They're rated 5V/2A, which shouldn't be a problem. Does it work as intended with other devices?


----------



## corgifall

JaquesGelee said:


> The ones with sleeve from ifi wouldn´t fit?
> 
> 
> @all:
> ...


I just charge it off my 18W apple charger. It's not dead yet.


----------



## iFi audio

corgifall said:


> It's not dead yet.



I like that part


----------



## pk4425

I dig my hip-dac. A terrific, powerful unit. But one feature suggestion for the hip-dac 2: An audible beep or some other alert built into the circuitry to warn of low battery, perhaps below 10 percent. 

I know the hip-dac has a light that indicates power level, but it's tiny. It would be cool to get a head's up on when this little marvel is about to run out of juice instead of the music just going silent.

First-world problem, I know ...


----------



## Jimis 3 16

Anyone knows If there are sonic differences between the hip dac 3.5mm out and the Ifi Signature?(despite the power difference they have)


----------



## alterndog

When the Hip Dac is attached to my iphone 11 Pro, in Tidal sometimes songs will stop playing for a second within the first 30 seconds. It doesn't happen all the time, but about every few songs. Any idea what that is?


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> I dig my hip-dac. A terrific, powerful unit. But one feature suggestion for the hip-dac 2: An audible beep or some other alert built into the circuitry to warn of low battery, perhaps below 10 percent.
> 
> I know the hip-dac has a light that indicates power level, but it's tiny. It would be cool to get a head's up on when this little marvel is about to run out of juice instead of the music just going silent.
> 
> First-world problem, I know ...



I'll pass on this to our R&D, thanks!



Jimis 3 16 said:


> Anyone knows If there are sonic differences between the hip dac 3.5mm out and the Ifi Signature?(despite the power difference they have)



There are folks who have both, so someone should chime in here shortly and address your question.



alterndog said:


> When the Hip Dac is attached to my iphone 11 Pro, in Tidal sometimes songs will stop playing for a second within the first 30 seconds. It doesn't happen all the time, but about every few songs. Any idea what that is?



You might want to let our support team know about this: https://support.ifi-audio.com/


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> I'll pass on this to our R&D, thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I hope someone answers..


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I hope someone answers..



All I can say is that our iDSD Signature is noticeably better than hip-dac, but that's nothing unexpected considering their different prices


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> All I can say is that our iDSD Signature is noticeably better than hip-dac, but that's nothing unexpected considering their different prices


What DAC chip hip dac has and what DAC chip signature has?


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> What DAC chip hip dac has and what DAC chip signature has?



We use Burr-Browns and all our DACs sound natural, slightly warm and not harsh. It's fair to say that this is our house sound


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> We use Burr-Browns and all our DACs sound natural, slightly warm and not harsh. It's fair to say that this is our house sound


I know you use Burr-Browns. Can I know which Burr-Brown model is in hip dac and which in signature?


----------



## Audioecstasy

Hi guys,

Does anyone know of a way to get the hip dac to receive a Bluetooth signal? I’d like to use the hip dac to watch tv over Bluetooth sometimes but I wouldn’t use it enough to warrant buying an xDSD. 

I’m thinking it could work by buying a usb Bluetooth 5.0 receiver and a relevant cable to attach it to the hip dac such as a female usb to female usb cable? Has anyone tried this or know if it could work?


----------



## JaquesGelee (May 4, 2021)

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I know you use Burr-Browns. Can I know which Burr-Brown model is in hip dac and which in signature?


The Hip-Dac uses the Burr-Brown DSD1793
like the iDSD Black Label/ xDSD, maybe a "bit" custom/ different cause of FPGA.

The Zen DAC Signature uses the Burr-Brown Multi-Bit DSD1793 too, when the specs are right via the Internet.

But you also have to have an eye to the combined components in the PCB layout itself, not only the used DAC.

Here:
https://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/pdf/95253/BURR-BROWN/DSD1793.html

Or google for Texas Instruments aso..

Hope that helps and the info's are right.
Only ifi knows this for sure.


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I know you use Burr-Browns. Can I know which Burr-Brown model is in hip dac and which in signature?


It's DSD1793, but I wouldn't pay too much attention to a DAC chip itself


----------



## Jimis 3 16

I want to connect the balanced 4.4mm output to xduoo xd 5 plus's AUX IN, anyone knows some cable for that purpose? a 4.4 trrs to 3.5 trs would work?


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I want to connect the balanced 4.4mm output to xduoo xd 5 plus's AUX IN, anyone knows some cable for that purpose? a 4.4 trrs to 3.5 trs would work?



Let me ask about the goal of this combination? hip-dac was designed as a DAC/amp combo that doesn't feature a line output (it has only a digital USB type A input), so it's internal amplifier can't be bypassed.


----------



## Jimis 3 16

I'm doing this with the NX4's headphones output(not line out) and I get much more overall volume. Yes, It wouldn't bypass hip dac's amp portion..


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I'm doing this with the NX4's headphones output(not line out) and I get much more overall volume. Yes, It wouldn't bypass hip dac's amp portion..



Can you please tell me what is a NX4?


----------



## Jimis 3 16

Topping NX4 amp/dac.


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I want to connect the balanced 4.4mm output to xduoo xd 5 plus's AUX IN, anyone knows some cable for that purpose? a 4.4 trrs to 3.5 trs would work?



OK, now I think I understand what you want to do. Just to double-check, you want to go from hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out into your xDuoo XD-05 aux input? Did I get this correct?


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> OK, now I think I understand what you want to do. Just to double-check, you want to go from hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out into your xDuoo XD-05 aux input? Did I get this correct?


Yes, correct. Today I received the hip dac. I'm satisfied by the sound but I would like more power. The color 7 of this cable should do the connection I want? https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002021784544.html?spm=a2g0s.imconversation.0.0.304d3e5fZ8wcOA


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> OK, now I think I understand what you want to do. Just to double-check, you want to go from hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out into your xDuoo XD-05 aux input? Did I get this correct?


Hip Dac's 4.4mm is a 3-pole connection?


----------



## RyanM

Jimis 3 16 said:


> Hip Dac's 4.4mm is a 3-pole connection?



Double amping is not the greatest idea. However, if it is something you want to do, you may to avoid maxing out the HipDac as this could introduce some distortion. Going from either the 3.5mm or 4.4mm out to a standard 3.5mm TRS AUX in will work. 
If you are looking for a different sound flavor, this might provide an audible difference. What headphones or IEM’s are you looking to drive? I can drive the Sennheiser HD6XX comfortably from the 3.5 out on the HipDac, for example. 
4.4mm is a standard that may have 5 poles unless I’m mistaken. Sound profile wise you will likely achieve the same results going from 4.4 to 3.5 as you would 3.5 to 3.5mm


----------



## Jimis 3 16

RyanM said:


> Double amping is not the greatest idea. However, if it is something you want to do, you may to avoid maxing out the HipDac as this could introduce some distortion. Going from either the 3.5mm or 4.4mm out to a standard 3.5mm TRS AUX in will work.
> If you are looking for a different sound flavor, this might provide an audible difference. What headphones or IEM’s are you looking to drive? I can drive the Sennheiser HD6XX comfortably from the 3.5 out on the HipDac, for example.
> 4.4mm is a standard that may have 5 poles unless I’m mistaken. Sound profile wise you will likely achieve the same results going from 4.4 to 3.5 as you would 3.5 to 3.5mm


I'm using Austrian Audio hi-x55 but I heavily EQ them and the sound with EQ profile becomes way quieter than without It. Anyway, I ordered the mentioned cable and I'll see how It goes.. Theoretically, It should work fine. I'm willing to take the risk.


----------



## RyanM

Jimis 3 16 said:


> I'm using Austrian Audio hi-x55 but I heavily EQ them and the sound with EQ profile becomes way quieter than without It. Anyway, I ordered the mentioned cable and I'll see how It goes.. Theoretically, It should work fine. I'm willing to take the risk.


I also have the hi-x55. The best synergy I have found with it is directly from the HipDac (often with bass boost) and I suppose it would sound similar from the ZenDac. That said, good luck and YMMV of course.


----------



## Jimis 3 16

RyanM said:


> I also have the hi-x55. The best synergy I have found with it is directly from the HipDac (often with bass boost) and I suppose it would sound similar from the ZenDac. That said, good luck and YMMV of course.


Thanks! Indeed, with Hip Dac, the sound quality gets at Its best. I have also Topping NX4 but with hip dac they sound smoother and bassier, really enjoyable!


----------



## iFi audio

RyanM said:


> I suppose it would sound similar from the ZenDac.



hip-dac is essentially our ZEN DAC in a desktop suit 



Jimis 3 16 said:


> Hip Dac's 4.4mm is a 3-pole connection?



4.4mm Pentaconn standard includes five poles (L+\L-\R+\R-\G) and hip-dac's headphone out is the same.



Jimis 3 16 said:


> Yes, correct. Today I received the hip dac. I'm satisfied by the sound but I would like more power.



Then it seems that you'll have two amps and two volume controls in your chain, which isn't ideal. When I write this you're probably already using that setup. If so, how does it work for you versus using a hip-dac alone?


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> Then it seems that you'll have two amps and two volume controls in your chain, which isn't ideal. When I write this you're probably already using that setup. If so, how does it work for you versus using a hip-dac alone?


I'm using the two volume knob combo. I have hip dac knob max volume and high gain, then the xduoo high gain and knob as much as I need.
 Much more volume, no distortion. Without EQ, sound signature is just a little brighter but since I use heavy EQ, It's unnoticeable..
  When I don't need to use EQ (in classical music for example), I can use either dac/amp alone with saficient power.. But there is some music I need to use lots of EQ adjustments to make It delightful.. and in that case, signal gets very quiet.


----------



## Jimis 3 16

iFi audio said:


> hip-dac is essentially our ZEN DAC in a desktop suit
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You know what? No issue with double amping. Hip Dac sounds virtually the same, only jacked up cause of xduoo..


----------



## iFi audio

Jimis 3 16 said:


> You know what? No issue with double amping. Hip Dac sounds virtually the same, only jacked up cause of xduoo..



If it works, it works 

Enjoy!


----------



## Sajid Amit

Hello everyone,

I got the Hip DAC in recently for a review and really really liked its performance for its price.

Reviewed it as well:



Hope this helps someone!


----------



## Jimis 3 16

Sajid Amit said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I got the Hip DAC in recently for a review and really really liked its performance for its price.
> 
> ...



Man! Me too!!


----------



## Stevko

Is this powerful enough to drive DT 1770?
Or must I go for iDsd?


----------



## iFi audio

Sajid Amit said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I got the Hip DAC in recently for a review and really really liked its performance for its price.
> 
> ...



Really great stuff, many thanks!   



Stevko said:


> Is this powerful enough to drive DT 1770?
> Or must I go for iDsd?



You might want to see here:

https://ifi-audio.com/home/headphone-calculator/


----------



## SirThalas

iFi audio said:


> Really great stuff, many thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi, 

Any news about a hip dac or similar with bluetooth connectivity coming anytime soon?


----------



## iFi audio

SirThalas said:


> Hi,
> 
> Any news about a hip dac or similar with bluetooth connectivity coming anytime soon?



We have xCAN and xDSD for that


----------



## firesign

Is there any way for real MQA support with the Tidal app on Android?
Or do you have to use UAPP for that?


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> Or do you have to use UAPP for that?



Whatever app that's capable of sending unaltered digital audio data out would do fine, and UAPP works great.


----------



## firesign

iFi audio said:


> Whatever app that's capable of sending unaltered digital audio data out would do fine, and UAPP works great.


But does the official Tidal app work?


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> But does the official Tidal app work?



Personally I haven't used it, but please check this: https://www.audfree.com/tidal/uapp-tidal.html


----------



## dharmasteve

firesign said:


> But does the official Tidal app work?


My experience with the LG V30, the Samsung S9 plus and the Xperia 5ii is that they all need UAPP. The Tidal App is not enough. On Windows it is.


----------



## firesign

iFi audio said:


> Personally I haven't used it, but please check this: https://www.audfree.com/tidal/uapp-tidal.html


I already have Tidal integrated in UAPP, but I wanted to be able to directly use the official Tidal application since the MQA support in UAPP is limited to 96K while I have seen that with the Tidal app many DAPs are set to more than 300K.


----------



## firesign

dharmasteve said:


> My experience with the LG V30, the Samsung S9 plus and the Xperia 5ii is that they all need UAPP. The Tidal App is not enough. On Windows it is.


OK. I have tested the iBasso DX160, and the Tidal app worked correctly with MQA.


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> OK. I have tested the iBasso DX160, and the Tidal app worked correctly with MQA.



You're good then?


----------



## CharlyBrown (May 21, 2021)

New iFi Hip-DAC owner here and I love this beautiful device so far!

Using it with all my headphones. I need IEMatch for my ODINs to be able to adjust the volume to and above 12 o’clock and to remove hiss. With IEMatch it is perfect.

Quick question: which setting on the IEMatch 2.5 would be right for the ODIN? I guess Ultra but I ask if that’s the optimal setting regarding output impedance. I guess it is with < 1ohm but rather ask the experts if that is the case with my combination with the Hip-DAC 

EDIT: The ODINs are rated 3 Ohms at 1 kHz, if that helps.


----------



## CharlyBrown (May 21, 2021)

{Deleted, as I created an official support ticket with iFi audio}


----------



## iFi audio

CharlyBrown said:


> EDIT: I dug a little bit deeper and tried to debug. Connected the Hip-DAC with my iPad Pro 2020 through the provided black usb-c -> usb-a cable and that with the blue cable. Same skips/hiccups occur. Do I have a faulty device? @iFi audio I would like to keep the Hip-DAC but this is unfortunate…. Any advice what I could try? Thanks!



Hi there @CharlyBrown 

Could you please open up a support ticket at our support platform please? 

https://support.ifi-audio.com

I'm sure our support team will be able to help you out!


----------



## CharlyBrown

Thank you @iFi audio I just did that. Will keep you updated.  

Other than the little issue which will certainly get sorted I really like the hip-dac. I am normally not a strong believer of„amplifier sound“ but I really think it sounds just great. I like it even better than my A&K SE200 Do you colour the sound of your products in some way?


----------



## iFi audio

CharlyBrown said:


> Thank you @iFi audio I just did that. Will keep you updated.



Please do.



CharlyBrown said:


> Other than the little issue which will certainly get sorted I really like the hip-dac. I am normally not a strong believer of„amplifier sound“ but I really think it sounds just great. I like it even better than my A&K SE200



Thanks a lot and enjoy!



CharlyBrown said:


> Do you colour the sound of your products in some way?



Our house sound in general slightly leans towards fun, colors, a touch of warmth and substance more than detail etc.


----------



## CharlyBrown

iFi audio said:


> Our house sound in general slightly leans towards fun, colors, a touch of warmth and substance more than detail etc.



Thanks for the explanation. I definitely like your house sound


----------



## tonymcross

iFi audio said:


> What type of sound are you after? Do you need large full-sized cans? Or something closed and compact would do?


I prefer natural and neutral type of sound with good sense of space. 
I don't like intimate soundstage, bloating mid-bass and sparky highs.
My favourite music genre is progressive rock/metal (not extreme).

I've got AKG K612 Pro. It's cheap and great sounding open cans with nearly my ideal sound. But Hip-Dac doesn't have enough power to drive them well from 3.5 SE.

So It would be great to find something similar with detachable cable to use 4,4 Bal , but less power demanding.


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> I've got AKG K612 Pro. It's cheap and great sounding open cans with nearly my ideal sound. But Hip-Dac doesn't have enough power to drive them well from 3.5 SE.



To exploit the very best out of hip-dac, its 4.4mm headphone out is the one to use, but I assume that your K612PRO cans aren't terminated like so?


----------



## Stevko

Most people use std jack/SE!
Why are all new amp balanced?


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> Most people use std jack/SE!



Yes, and that's why in our products you have both SE and balanced headphone outs 



Stevko said:


> Why are all new amp balanced?



As in, all in general, or just ours?


----------



## tonymcross

Yes, AKG 612 Pro doesn't have detachable cable. So I have to use them only with 3.5 SE.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Yes, and that's why in our products you have both SE and balanced headphone outs
> 
> 
> 
> As in, all in general, or just ours?


Ifi and topping and general
SE always has lowest output power(topping and schiit and some ifi)
Both are ok for me. But since I don’t have balanced HP. I will have same power on SE output.yes ifi have some idsd signature and black. But not diablo
If i buy ifi. I go for the signature or black


----------



## dharmasteve

I find the iFi hip-dac using 4.4mm high gain really improves most of my IEM collection, of which there are a lot. I love my HiBy R5 4.4mm, but the hip-dac is better. Many IEM's clearly improve when given the juice boost from the iFi hip-dac 4.4mm.


----------



## iFi audio

dharmasteve said:


> I find the iFi hip-dac using 4.4mm high gain really improves most of my IEM collection, of which there are a lot. I love my HiBy R5 4.4mm, but the hip-dac is better. Many IEM's clearly improve when given the juice boost from the iFi hip-dac 4.4mm.



Thanks and I agree, there's a corelation there for sure.



Stevko said:


> Ifi and topping and general
> SE always has lowest output power(topping and schiit and some ifi)
> Both are ok for me. But since I don’t have balanced HP. I will have same power on SE output.yes ifi have some idsd signature and black. But not diablo
> If i buy ifi. I go for the signature or black



Balanced versus SE is a very wide subject. But suffice it to say, fully balanced circuitry features several nice pros and is worth the effort


----------



## firesign

I have to use the 3.5mm output with my U12t, because the 4.4mm output has hiss with the U12t. I use this output with my headphones too (they have this kind of connection). 

With all my others IEMs, I use the 4.4mm output.


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> I have to use the 3.5mm output with my U12t, because the 4.4mm output has hiss with the U12t. I use this output with my headphones too (they have this kind of connection).



If I may ask, Power Match on/off didn't change anything with your U12t?


----------



## firesign

iFi audio said:


> If I may ask, Power Match on/off didn't change anything with your U12t?


I always use low gain with IEMs, and even with my Denon 7000. I only use high gain with my Beyer 770.
In high gain it will have the same or more hiss, right?


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> In high gain it will have the same or more hiss, right?



Engaging PowerMatch increases gain, so with sensitive IEMs more hiss is to be expected.


----------



## firesign

iFi audio said:


> Engaging PowerMatch increases gain, so with sensitive IEMs more hiss is to be expected.


I have no problem using the 3.5mm output with my U12t. I actually have all my IEMs with 2.5mm cables, so I have no choice but to use one or the other adapter.


----------



## iFi audio

firesign said:


> I have no problem using the 3.5mm output with my U12t. I actually have all my IEMs with 2.5mm cables, so I have no choice but to use one or the other adapter.



Understood. hip-dac's 4.4mm headphone out is a notch better than its 3.5mm output, but it's better to use the latter without hissing with your U12t.


----------



## ckvp

How close are the Zen Dac and hip dac in sound signature? Does the Zen Dac also have the GTO filter? Thinking of buying one since I've been using my hip dac on my desktop regularly since I've gotten it.


----------



## iFi audio

ckvp said:


> How close are the Zen Dac and hip dac in sound signature? Does the Zen Dac also have the GTO filter? Thinking of buying one since I've been using my hip dac on my desktop regularly since I've gotten it.



ZEN DAC is essentially our hip-dac built exclusively for desktop use, so if you like hip-dac, you'll enjoy the ZEN for sure


----------



## Strayngs

I have a Hip Dac on the way. I am very interested in comparing it vs the Fiio BTR5 I have. My Earsonics S-EM9 and Hifiman HE1000SE are what I will be comparing with.


----------



## iFi audio

Strayngs said:


> I have a Hip Dac on the way. I am very interested in comparing it vs the Fiio BTR5 I have. My Earsonics S-EM9 and Hifiman HE1000SE are what I will be comparing with.


Very good and thanks! Also if you feel like it, please share your impressions once you have the product and are familiar with it. I have my popcorn ready


----------



## MundoHiFiOz

Any Samsung S21 ultra owners here? 
I'm wondering if I can use the hip DAC with this Samsung phone.


----------



## pk4425

MundoHiFiOz said:


> Any Samsung S21 ultra owners here?
> I'm wondering if I can use the hip DAC with this Samsung phone.


The hip-dac works with any phone that has USB-C or Lightning connections.


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> The hip-dac works with any phone that has USB-C or Lightning connections.



That's affirmative, we haven't yet heard about a specific smartphone that wouldn't work


----------



## pk4425

Question about my hip-dac, which I love. I'm using it to drive the outstanding HiFiMan HE-400se headphones through the included cables with 3.5-mm unbalanced jack. A wonderful pairing.

I was curious about trying the balanced input, so I bought New Fantasia balanced cables for the HE-400se for $50 from Amazon. Worked great out of the box and sounded terrific, with a bit deeper bass and a bit more clarity.

So, last night, I plug the balanced cables into the hip-dac for the second time and only get sound out of one cup. I rotated and pulled the balanced jack in and out of the 4.4-mm Pentaconn balanced input, and I finally get sound out of both cups. But it varies in quality.

I then tested with my unbalanced 3.5-mm cables, and everything was fine. Sweet sound.

So ... do you think I have faulty cables from New Fantasia -- they are from China, but they worked a treat the first time -- or is the 4.4-mm Pentaconn balanced input jack on my hip-dac jacked up after just one use? God, I hope it's not the latter. Planning on returning the New Fantasia cables and looking for an alternative. I don't have another amp with balanced 4.4-mm input to do an A/B test on the cables.

Thanks.


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> So ... do you think I have faulty cables from New Fantasia -- they are from China, but they worked a treat the first time -- or is the 4.4-mm Pentaconn balanced input jack on my hip-dac jacked up after just one use? God, I hope it's not the latter. Planning on returning the New Fantasia cables and looking for an alternative. I don't have another amp with balanced 4.4-mm input to do an A/B test on the cables.



This might be related to 4.4mm tolerances somewhere, either in a 4.4mm socket of your hip-dac, or your cable's 4.4mm plug. It's quite difficult to determine which one it might be without having a different cable/amp with 4.4mm.


----------



## pk4425

iFi audio said:


> This might be related to 4.4mm tolerances somewhere, either in a 4.4mm socket of your hip-dac, or your cable's 4.4mm plug. It's quite difficult to determine which one it might be without having a different cable/amp with 4.4mm.


Thanks. I'll try a different cable.


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> Thanks. I'll try a different cable.



That would be the most convenient, I think. Please update me once you try this


----------



## artpiggo

Do I need to update FW? Which one is the best?


----------



## iFi audio

artpiggo said:


> Do I need to update FW? Which one is the best?



They're different and the choice between them depends on functionalities (MQA on/off, DSD512, GTO filtering on/off) you'd like to have in your product.


----------



## jsamuelson

Hello all, considering purchasing the Hip Dac as my first DAC/AMP and this has been a really useful thread.

Can someone please confirm that the Apple USB-C (male) to USB-A (female) adapter fits in the USB port of the amp and feeds data? No OTG type cables required?

Are there any adapters that people have found that don't work/fit? Thanks!


----------



## pk4425

iFi audio said:


> That would be the most convenient, I think. Please update me once you try this


Bought a 4.4-mm balanced cable from Audiophile Ninja. Works perfectly! 

Great amp (hip-dac), great cable, great cans (HE-400se) -- a heavenly combination!

Thanks again. I'm so pleased with the hip-dac. Wonderful product with great support from cats like you.


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

pk4425 said:


> Bought a 4.4-mm balanced cable from Audiophile Ninja. Works perfectly!
> 
> Great amp (hip-dac), great cable, great cans (HE-400se) -- a heavenly combination!
> 
> Thanks again. I'm so pleased with the hip-dac. Wonderful product with great support from cats like you.



Wicked, great to hear and so glad you are loving it!


----------



## pk4425

jsamuelson said:


> Hello all, considering purchasing the Hip Dac as my first DAC/AMP and this has been a really useful thread.
> 
> Can someone please confirm that the Apple USB-C (male) to USB-A (female) adapter fits in the USB port of the amp and feeds data? No OTG type cables required?
> 
> Are there any adapters that people have found that don't work/fit? Thanks!


I use the Apple Lightning (male) to USB-A camera connector (without charging port), and it works beautifully with the hip-dac. So, I reckon the other Apple cable will work fine, too.


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> a heavenly combination!



It is indeed, you're one of many good people on this forum who like it a lot, including us


----------



## DagsJT

Just received my Hip Dac and waiting for my Apple adapter to arrive tomorrow.

I have a pair of Sundara’s and would like to use them balanced. I assume the below in 4.4mm to 3.5mm is the correct cable to order?

￡9.68  50％ Off | OPENHEART 8 Core Cable for Headphone 1 to 2 jack 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Balance Upgrade Replacement Silver Cables 1.4m Personality
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mN9ZD4h


----------



## pk4425

DagsJT said:


> Just received my Hip Dac and waiting for my Apple adapter to arrive tomorrow.
> 
> I have a pair of Sundara’s and would like to use them balanced. I assume the below in 4.4mm to 3.5mm is the correct cable to order?
> 
> ...


Yes. But if you don't want to wait for Aliexpress or deal with the possible quality issues of its products, I can't recommend this cable from Audiophile Ninja enough:

https://www.audiophileninja.com/product/dual-3-5mm/

Got mine today with a 4.4-mm Pentaconn end for the hip-dac for my HiFiMan HE-400se. It's a fantastic cable, with high-quality construction and great sound. Yeah, it's $72 -- but it's worth it.


----------



## iFi audio

DagsJT said:


> Just received my Hip Dac and waiting for my Apple adapter to arrive tomorrow.
> 
> I have a pair of Sundara’s and would like to use them balanced. I assume the below in 4.4mm to 3.5mm is the correct cable to order?
> 
> ...



It looks OK (quite good even), but whether it works accordingly is hard to say without trying one.


----------



## optical10 (Jun 18, 2021)

Did anyone get MQA working (magenta LED) before firmware 5.2 or stock shipping firmware on Tidal/UAPP Android or any Windows App? Hadn't got it working myself, maybe my source MQA files not being true MQA, but even DSD128/DSD64 did turn Cyan or DSD256 or Blue, although I got the Yellow above 192kHz working.

So I thought I's try FW 5.3c GTO Filter to sort MQA, all PCM's are now Yellow but still no confirmation  (magenta LED) of MQA in Tidal app or Foobar2000 windows!

I really prefer Hip-Dac over the Topping Nx4's sound and features but DSD & MQA can be had on the Helm Bolt cheaper and with THX cert filtering so I'd like to sort this issue and keep it for the battery drain advantage over the Bolt.

P.S. Roon solved it, just mouse click on the two apposing left right arrows in the 1st picture.


----------



## iFi audio

optical10 said:


> P.S. Roon solved it, just mouse click on the two apposing left right arrows in the 1st picture.



That's good to hear. And in general, MQA has to be sent out from a transport to a DAC as a bit-perfect stream, so with no processing in-between. Magenta LED indicates whether your iFi device receives it. If this doesn't happen, usually some software settings need some adjustments


----------



## JiWeng

will ifi make a black hip dac?


----------



## iFi audio

JiWeng said:


> will ifi make a black hip dac?


If it ever gets upgraded to a Black Label version, then yes


----------



## iFi audio

Also, let me just leave this here:

https://fb.watch/6i4UtCzp5D/


----------



## 544592

Keep us posted! 👍


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Also, let me just leave this here:
> 
> https://fb.watch/6i4UtCzp5D/


A new usb powered dac/amp with only SE and retro design? Made perfect for Grado?


----------



## pk4425

Stevko said:


> A new usb powered dac/amp with only SE and retro design? Made perfect for Grado?


hip-dac V2, with even more power and better battery life? A fella can dream, can't he?


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> A new usb powered dac/amp with only SE and retro design? Made perfect for Grado?



Nope.



pk4425 said:


> hip-dac V2, with even more power and better battery life? A fella can dream, can't he?



He/she can, but that's not it


----------



## 544592

Small dongle DAC with independent volume control & audio format notification would be awesome!


----------



## Muddy Walter

Rubberised version of hip-dac with 100% more power, Bluetooth and no balanced or MQA or other gimmicks.


----------



## iFi audio

Muddy Walter said:


> Rubberised version of hip-dac with 100% more power, Bluetooth and no balanced or MQA or other gimmicks.



Noted 



Gm7dha said:


> Small dongle DAC with independent volume control & audio format notification would be awesome!



Although that's not it, I'll keep in mind your suggestion


----------



## Stevko

Muddy Walter said:


> Rubberised version of hip-dac with 100% more power, Bluetooth and no balanced or MQA or other gimmicks.


most people don`t use balanced and MQA
so that will be a good thing


----------



## tonymcross (Jun 24, 2021)

If Hip-Dac had no problems with low-volume channel disbalance, it would be better than any other uber-features.
MQA, huge power (totally unnecessary for small device), 4.4 balance... and channel disbalance.
I can't use my Oriveti OH-500 with the usb-dac because of this problem. It's a strange thing. You buy advanced, non-Chi-Fi device, and you face with unpredictable problem.


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> huge power (totally unnecessary for small device)



Actually, many people like it because it's powerful and very compact 



tonymcross said:


> I can't use my Oriveti OH-500 with the usb-dac because of this problem. It's a strange thing. You buy advanced, non-Chi-Fi device, and you face with unpredictable problem.



hip-dac's a powerful product, so with sensitive IEMs channel imbalance might happen, and in such cases our iEMatch helps in this situation.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Also, let me just leave this here:
> 
> https://fb.watch/6i4UtCzp5D/


a new streamer?  yes


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> a new streamer?  yes



Yes 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-zen-stream-streaming-elevated-to-a-higher-plane.958391/


----------



## Blackrao

After hearing the Hip Dac, I was very surprised how neutral it sounds compared to the Zen Dac which was warm. If I had to choose between the Hip Dac and the Zen Dac i definitely prefer the Hip Dac presentation more. The mids on the device seems to be the most enjoyable part to me. Its kind of interesting how the device ignores windows / iphone volume knob and takes full control of volume. The full video review below.


----------



## iFi audio

Blackrao said:


> After hearing the Hip Dac, I was very surprised how neutral it sounds compared to the Zen Dac which was warm. If I had to choose between the Hip Dac and the Zen Dac i definitely prefer the Hip Dac presentation more. The mids on the device seems to be the most enjoyable part to me. Its kind of interesting how the device ignores windows / iphone volume knob and takes full control of volume. The full video review below.




Thanks for your feedback and that vid, which I haven't yet seen.


----------



## letlive

Blackrao said:


> After hearing the Hip Dac, I was very surprised how neutral it sounds compared to the Zen Dac which was warm. If I had to choose between the Hip Dac and the Zen Dac i definitely prefer the Hip Dac presentation more. The mids on the device seems to be the most enjoyable part to me. Its kind of interesting how the device ignores windows / iphone volume knob and takes full control of volume. The full video review below.



Interesting. For me, they sound almost identical.


----------



## iFi audio (Jun 30, 2021)

letlive said:


> Interesting. For me, they sound almost identical.



Most people agree on this, at least that's the feedback we got thus far.


----------



## FatihEnes

Hey,
I'm getting mine delivered tomorrow and I’m so hyped. Have read most of the posts here but have not found anything. Will there be interference when it’s stacked with the iPhone? I know that it can cause interference with the GSM Network.


----------



## iFi audio (Jul 10, 2021)

FatihEnes said:


> Will there be interference when it’s stacked with the iPhone?



There shouldn't be such issues, but in the event of any please let us know


----------



## FatihEnes

iFi audio said:


> There shouldn't be such issues, but in the event of any please let us know


Hip Dac arrived, sounds amazing! Great build quality and I love the color! But there is interference with the iPhone . On airplane mode completely gone!


----------



## iFi audio

FatihEnes said:


> Hip Dac arrived, sounds amazing! Great build quality and I love the color! But there is interference with the iPhone . On airplane mode completely gone!



Understood. Can you let us know about this here please: https://support.ifi-audio.com ?

Thanks!


----------



## FatihEnes

iFi audio said:


> Understood. Can you let us know about this here please: https://support.ifi-audio.com ?
> 
> Thanks!


Will do! Thanks


----------



## iFi audio

FatihEnes said:


> Will do! Thanks


Sure, anytime!


----------



## Bimbleton

Hey all,

- is the Hip-DAC the most affordable option for XBASS?
- what’s the best way to physically hold together an iPhone + Hip-DAC? A rubber band? Blu-tac?


----------



## iFi audio

Bimbleton said:


> - is the Hip-DAC the most affordable option for XBASS?



As far as our own technology goes, yes, hip-dac is the most affordable we have   



Bimbleton said:


> - what’s the best way to physically hold together an iPhone + Hip-DAC? A rubber band? Blu-tac?



Personally I had a velcro strips glued to my hip-dac and iPhone and that was convenient to use and carry around.


----------



## tonymcross

Has anyone tried Hip-Dac (via 4.4 balance) with high-impedance earbuds VE Zen 2.0 or VE Zen Sun? Does IfI has enough power to drive these demanding earbuds?


----------



## iFi audio

tonymcross said:


> Has anyone tried Hip-Dac (via 4.4 balance) with high-impedance earbuds VE Zen 2.0 or VE Zen Sun? Does IfI has enough power to drive these demanding earbuds?



You could try our handy headphone calculator: https://ifi-audio.com/home/headphone-calculator/

...but from what I can tell VE Zen 2.0 is reasonably sensitive and hip-dac should drive it to deafening SPL


----------



## Ab10

I like to know the following :

(1) Is it possible without harming anything to take output Hip DAC's 4.4mm port to iFi Zen CAN's 4.4mm input port at the back ?
(2) What will be the ideal Volume Knob position of Hip DAC without fearing the Double Amping the Signal ?
(3) Any damages in the Headphone Circuit of Hip DAC for prolonging usage?


----------



## iFi audio

Ab10 said:


> I like to know the following :
> 
> (1) Is it possible without harming anything to take output Hip DAC's 4.4mm port to iFi Zen CAN's 4.4mm input port at the back ?
> (2) What will be the ideal Volume Knob position of Hip DAC without fearing the Double Amping the Signal ?
> (3) Any damages in the Headphone Circuit of Hip DAC for prolonging usage?


1. Although you won't break anything by doing so, this setup would effectively have two volume controls and that's one too many. hip-dac was designed to be used as a standalone product.
2. Can you clarify? But just to make it clear, hip-dac features one internal amp so won't double-amp the signal.
3. The product was designed to withstand years of usage, so I wouldn't worry


----------



## Ab10

iFi audio said:


> 2. Can you clarify? But just to make it clear, hip-dac features one internal amp so won't double-amp the signal.


My question is Hip DAC volume knob moves from 7'o clock (OFF Position) to 5'o clock (Max Out Position) - What is the ideal/recommended position when the 4.4mm Balanced Out (or 3.5mm Single-ended Out) to Zen Can's 4.4mm Balance IN (or 3.5mm Single-ended In) - Before added any distortion/clipping....etc etc

Double Amping I meant here - Output from the Zen Can's 4.4 port (3.5 port) to the headphone - Distorted Signal/clipping as a result of involvement two volume control..
Is there any formula to turn the Hip DAC's knob this much, So that it can deliver a sweet signal to the Zen CAN's Backport....which is finally amplified by ZEN Can and deliver to the user's ear?


----------



## iFi audio

Ab10 said:


> My question is Hip DAC volume knob moves from 7'o clock (OFF Position) to 5'o clock (Max Out Position) - What is the ideal/recommended position when the 4.4mm Balanced Out (or 3.5mm Single-ended Out) to Zen Can's 4.4mm Balance IN (or 3.5mm Single-ended In) - Before added any distortion/clipping....etc etc



There is no ideal position as headphones/IEMs vary in specs, so with each usable headroom might expand or shrink. Distortion/clipping is the sign of going too far.



Ab10 said:


> Double Amping I meant here - Output from the Zen Can's 4.4 port (3.5 port) to the headphone - Distorted Signal/clipping as a result of involvement two volume control..
> Is there any formula to turn the Hip DAC's knob this much, So that it can deliver a sweet signal to the Zen CAN's Backport....which is finally amplified by ZEN Can and deliver to the user's ear?



You would have to adjust this by ear by playing with both volume controls until getting desired volume level and no distortion/clipping. Having said that, I wouldn't max out the first volume control. Going all the way with it won't bypass it.


----------



## garysohn

iFi audio said:


> Most people agree on this, at least that's the feedback we got thus far.


Tidal is rolling out an update to its Android app that allows it to communicate bit-perfect with a connected USB DAC. 
It always asks me to allow the USB connection. I say yes. When I hit play the Tidal app shuts down. Just shuts down! Disconnect Hip and app does not shut down. Hip did play with Tidal before, but not in BP. 
I sometimes wonder how hardware and software people can make all this work as well as they do. 
I'm doing something wrong. Maybe it's all this smoke.


----------



## iFi audio

garysohn said:


> It always asks me to allow the USB connection. I say yes. When I hit play the Tidal app shuts down. Just shuts down! Disconnect Hip and app does not shut down. Hip did play with Tidal before, but not in BP.



If hip-dac worked before without issues, most likely it's a software thing.


----------



## kingjim1954

inexactscience said:


> iFi has released their Hip-DAC, a $149/£149 portable DAC with S-Balanced 3.5mm single ended and a 4.4mm balanced output.
> 
> The DAC, a Burr-Brown DSD1793, is capable of supporting native playback up to DSD 256/DXD 384/PCM 384kHz and MQA.
> 
> ...


----------



## kingjim1954

I liked mine, but it no longer works, I think it's that flimsy USB-C.


----------



## iFi audio

kingjim1954 said:


> I liked mine, but it no longer works, I think it's that flimsy USB-C.



I'm sorry to hear that. Was it under warranty?


----------



## kingjim1954

iFi audio said:


> I'm sorry to hear that. Was it under warranty?


Perhaps, but I took no action other than dust off my iDAC.


----------



## iFi audio

kingjim1954 said:


> Perhaps, but I took no action other than dust off my iDAC.



The first one?


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> The first one?


is all portable ifi DAC gone out of production?


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> is all portable ifi DAC gone out of production?



Can you please clarify which specific devices are we discussing?


----------



## Stevko

Ione. Only dac units


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> Ione. Only dac units



iOne is no longer available, but we have ZEN Blue V2 which does the same.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> iOne is no longer available, but we have ZEN Blue V2 which does the same.


will it fit in my pocket strapped to my xCAN?


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> will it fit in my pocket strapped to my xCAN?



xCAN already has a wireless input in-built, so am not quite sure why would you want to strap it to anything else than xDSD


----------



## kingjim1954

iFi audio said:


> The first one?


Perhaps, who can tell? It has the robust USB-A (I think) connector, and has the ESS DAC.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> xCAN already has a wireless input in-built, so am not quite sure why would you want to strap it to anything else than xDSD


xDSD is perfect. but too expensive.
I need a xDSD without amp and BT and half price.
it would be a perfect match to my xCAN


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> xDSD is perfect. but too expensive.
> I need a xDSD without amp and BT and half price.
> it would be a perfect match to my xCAN



I hear you. xCAN is the only product that features a wireless input and has batteries, so ZEN Blue V2 and iOne (both without batteries) would work only in desktop.


----------



## Stevko

iOne looks nice. will try to find a second hand for a good price


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> iOne looks nice. will try to find a second hand for a good price



Sure, you should be happy


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Sure, you should be happy


hi! looks like nano iDSD Black Label is a better options.   same DAC? and batteri power. easier to use it with my phone. and same price. think i skip iOne


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> hi! looks like nano iDSD Black Label is a better options. same DAC? and batteri power. easier to use it with my phone. and same price. think i skip iOne



micro iDSD Black Label is a different product than iOne. It features battery and a ton of other useful things, but doesn't feature a wireless input. If you're after a DAC/amp combo, micro iDSD BL is considered as very solid though, and way above hip-dac.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> micro iDSD Black Label is a different product than iOne. It features battery and a ton of other useful things, but doesn't feature a wireless input. If you're after a DAC/amp combo, micro iDSD BL is considered as very solid though, and way above hip-dac.


Not dac/amp
Only after a tiny dac. Already have a amp


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> Not dac/amp
> Only after a tiny dac. Already have a amp



Yuo've mentioned nano iDSD BL, but that also is a DAC/amp product. Of all we have right now, it seems that iOne is the colsest to just a dac with wireless input.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Yuo've mentioned nano iDSD BL, but that also is a DAC/amp product. Of all we have right now, it seems that iOne is the colsest to just a dac with wireless input.


Nano idsd has battery and dac,as i need
Don’t need bt. Same size and price.
Dont need amp either.
So maybe idsd nano is the best choice.
But a pure dac would be the best


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> But a pure dac would be the best



We don't have a battery-powered small DAC on a budget, so I agree that nano iDSD seems the best way to go I think.


----------



## susko

Has anyone A/B tested this against the xDSD?  Curious on impressions, though maybe it's not much of an upgrade, if any?


----------



## iFi audio

susko said:


> Has anyone A/B tested this against the xDSD?  Curious on impressions, though maybe it's not much of an upgrade, if any?



Do you mean xDSD against nano iDSD BL?


----------



## susko

iFi audio said:


> Do you mean xDSD against nano iDSD BL?


Actually xDSD vs. micro iDSD BL.  I'm finding I'm not using the wireless feature much on the xDSD and wouldn't mind paying a little more..


----------



## iFi audio

susko said:


> Actually xDSD vs. micro iDSD BL. I'm finding I'm not using the wireless feature much on the xDSD and wouldn't mind paying a little more..



micro iDSD BL would still be above xDSD, but not by much.


----------



## susko

Thank you sir


----------



## iFi audio

susko said:


> Thank you sir



Sure, my pleasure!


----------



## Stevko (Aug 31, 2021)

I Bought xCAN . Regret a bit.
Hard to find a cheap portable DAC to use between pc/mobil and xCAN


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> Regret a bit.


If I may ask, what is it exactly that you regret?


----------



## Stevko

Lack of USB in.
Thought it was easy to find a little dac with 2V out .But no.
Plan was to use iphone/BT on the go  or when I am lazy.
And PC-DAC- analog in on xCAN home.
So far Dragonfly red is probably best option. since it support phone too.(small, dont need powersupply)
another option is ifi nano bl( same price,bigger, need charging)


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> another option is ifi nano bl( same price,bigger, need charging)



Yup, it fits the profile.



Stevko said:


> Lack of USB in.



Yes, xCAN was designed as a fully wireless DAC/amp package.


----------



## pk4425 (Sep 1, 2021)

Stevko said:


> Lack of USB in.
> Thought it was easy to find a little dac with 2V out .But no.
> Plan was to use iphone/BT on the go  or when I am lazy.
> And PC-DAC- analog in on xCAN home.
> ...


The Dragonfly Red isn't that powerful. I get more volume -- and better fidelity -- out of my cans using the iFi hip-dac than when I tested the Dragonfly. The hip-dac is a super little unit for $150. More power, bass boost and high-gain switch -- all things the DragonFly Red doesn't have.

Plus you still need to use the Apple Camera Connector with the Dragonfly and iPhone, just like with the hip-dac. Sure, the Dragonfly doesn't have a battery or external power supply, so it draws power from your phone. I would rather have my DAC-amp go dead more quickly than my phone, as I use my phone for a hell of a lot more than music.

If you go the USB stick route, you can do better than the Dragonfly for the same or less money.

The THX Onyx measures better and has THX certification for about the same price, $200.

The Qudelix 5K is a FAR better DAC-amp than the Dragonfly Red, for $110. It has built-in parametric EQ, I believe more power, Bluetooth and all sorts of tunable parameters.

The TempoTec Sonata HD Pro is every bit as good as a Dragonfly Red and measures better, at $75.

Finally, the XtremePro X1-1 costs $33, measures as well or better than the Dragonfly Red and sounded better to my ears in testing.

Dragonfly makes good stuff. But since it was pretty much the first mass-market USB DAC-amp, everyone thinks it's the best. It's not. Not even close. More of a triumph of marketing than tech.


----------



## Stevko

pk4425 said:


> The Dragonfly Red isn't that powerful. I get more volume -- and better fidelity -- out of my cans using the iFi hip-dac than when I tested the Dragonfly. The hip-dac is a super little unit for $150. More power, bass boost and high-gain switch -- all things the DragonFly Red doesn't have.
> 
> Plus you still need to use the Apple Camera Connector with the Dragonfly and iPhone, just like with the hip-dac. Sure, the Dragonfly doesn't have a battery or external power supply, so it draws power from your phone. I would rather have my DAC-amp go dead more quickly than my phone, as I use my phone for a hell of a lot more than music.
> 
> ...


Gonna use it as a DAC. Not dac and amp.


----------



## Ab10 (Sep 2, 2021)

This Hip DAC need only 2 Essential things and iFi must provide this :

(1) Optical IN (This One goes for Zen DAC too)
(2) Line Out.

Non Essential / Cost Cutting Reason :

(1) Aux IN
(2) BT. (LDAC….else don’t bother)


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> out of my cans using the iFi hip-dac than when I tested the Dragonfly. The hip-dac is a super little unit for $150. More power, bass boost and high-gain switch


Thanks!   



Ab10 said:


> This Hip DAC need only 2 Essential things and iFi must provide this :
> 
> (1) Optical IN (This One goes for Zen DAC too)
> (2) Line Out.
> ...



Although I understand your needs, hip-dac was designed to be as powerful, as small and as affordable as we could make it, so some functionalities in case of this entry-level product had to be abandoned. Otherwise it would compete with goods higher up in our offer


----------



## pk4425 (Sep 2, 2021)

Stevko said:


> Gonna use it as a DAC. Not dac and amp.


Gotcha. You can still do better as a DAC than the DragonFly -- for less money. The Burr-Brown DAC chip in the hip-dac sounds WAY better with my cans than the ESS Sabre 9601 chip in the DragonFly Red. I'm treble-sensitive, so the ESS chips sound much harsher and more brittle to me than the richer, warmer sound of the Burr-Brown's.

Your mileage may vary.


----------



## Stevko

Thanks will check out BB


----------



## Stevko

Maybe line out on 
The nano iDSD Black Label​And line in on xCAN is a good combo


----------



## iFi audio

Stevko said:


> And line in on xCAN is a good combo



Let me just say that xCAN should receive a balanced signal (via its 2,5mm input) to sound best


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Let me just say that xCAN should receive a balanced signal (via its 2,5mm input) to sound best


I know. But hard to find a portable DAC with balanced out.
Topping have a d10 with balanced. Buth only work with pc. Not phone. A quite big


----------



## iFi audio (Sep 2, 2021)

Stevko said:


> I know. But hard to find a portable DAC with balanced out.
> Topping have a d10 with balanced. Buth only work with pc. Not phone. A quite big



In our own offer desktop ZEN DAC and portable xDSD are both capable of sending balanced out


----------



## Stevko (Sep 2, 2021)

XDSD too expensive. For use as dac only.
Then it is better to go for micro idsd.but already a xCAN owner. And yes i like my xCAN.
Zen can V1 is one sale now. So maybe a good choice


----------



## Ab10

I like to ask is there a ZEN CAN V2 around the corner ?

Please Reply…


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

Ab10 said:


> I like to ask is there a ZEN CAN V2 around the corner ?
> 
> Please Reply…



We can't confirm or deny any products before they are released! Hope you can understand


----------



## iFi audio

Ab10 said:


> Please Reply…



If only we could...


----------



## m3lover1

iFi audio said:


> All good, it's not a wierd question at all. In theory it should work, but let me double-check.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I just bought the hip dac and should arrive tomorrow! I have the Moondrop Variations, so you’re saying I should use 3.5 instead of 4.4? Pardon my ignorance but could you explain why? Would it be bad to use 4.4 with that IEM?


----------



## JaquesGelee (Sep 10, 2021)

m3lover1 said:


> I just bought the hip dac and should arrive tomorrow! I have the Moondrop Variations, so you’re saying I should use 3.5 instead of 4.4? Pardon my ignorance but could you explain why? Would it be bad to use 4.4 with that IEM?


Firstly congrats to be another owner of the delicate hip-dac!  

Just try it yourself and find your individual taste. As for me, i got a lot of distortion and side noise with low impedance iem´s like Blessing 2/Dusk, S8 aso, paired with the pentaconn.
In my modest opinion, there is no need to use 4.4 over 3.5 in this case. 

Cheers


----------



## m3lover1

JaquesGelee said:


> Firstly congrats to be another owner of the delicate hip-dac!
> 
> Just try it yourself and find your individual taste. As for me, i got a lot of distortion and side noise with low impedance iem´s like Blessing 2/Dusk, S8 aso, paired with the pentaconn.
> In my modest opinion, there is no need to use 4.4 over 3.5 in this case.
> ...



Thanks! You are right with the 4.4. With my variations even just plugging it in with the 4.4 with no music on I hear static even with the plug just halfway in the plug. I actually am wondering if it’s an issue with my unit. Also, when I have it actually plugged in and music on, sometimes the slightest turning of the plug would trigger channel imbalance, sometimes left side turning off, sometimes the right. Turning it eventually would have both sides back to normal, but then a slight move again would trigger it. This is with volume knob above 9 o’clock, so not the issue with low volume. Does yours do that too? On 3.5 no issues at all, just volume range limited as it gets pretty loud even 10 o’clock.

Other than that I quite like it. I also have the Fiio Q3 as well, so will decide which one I will keep. Too early to make decision as I have used the Q3 for quite a while and I just received the hip dac today, but so far I’m slightly leaning towards the flask. Q3 sounds great but seems a bit more hollow, and the bass definitely is stronger on the hip dac. But on the Q3 I have no issues with using the 4.4 connection at all.


----------



## iFi audio

JaquesGelee said:


> Firstly congrats to be another owner of the delicate hip-dac!



Nah, it can take a beating no probs   



JaquesGelee said:


> In my modest opinion, there is no need to use 4.4 over 3.5 in this case.



Yes, hip-dac's balanced output is powerful indeed, so 3.5mm for IEMs will do just fine.


----------



## YAK22

Hey all. I wanted to hop in here to thank you all for the info on the Hip DAC. I have owned a pair of Sundara for a while, I bought them based on reviews and my former experience with planar speakers. But to be honest I have been a bit underwhelmed. I read all 48 pages here and elected to pick up a Hip DAC in hopes of improving them.

WOW. Is the best word I can come up with. This awesome little guy completely changed the Sundara. Im in love now. 

And specifically, I wanted to point out that the Hip DAC itself is a great piece of equipment. I havent been able to use it with my iPhone yet, but from my computer, it works wonders. The buttons and the knob are solid, and the anodized textured finish is beautiful.  Soon, I'll splurge for a balanced cable as well, but even using the standard 3.5mm this rig has transformed my experience.

If you are on the fence, you should pick a Hip DAC up for yourself. 

Thanks again to all of you!


----------



## pk4425

YAK22 said:


> Hey all. I wanted to hop in here to thank you all for the info on the Hip DAC. I have owned a pair of Sundara for a while, I bought them based on reviews and my former experience with planar speakers. But to be honest I have been a bit underwhelmed. I read all 48 pages here and elected to pick up a Hip DAC in hopes of improving them.
> 
> WOW. Is the best word I can come up with. This awesome little guy completely changed the Sundara. Im in love now.
> 
> ...


Glad you like it, dude. I LOVE my hip-dac with the Sundara's little brother, the HE-400se.

When you're ready for 4.4 Pentaconn balanced cables, I heartily recommend these from Audiophile Ninja. I have them for my HE-400se, and they're terrific. Just make sure you pick the 4.4-mm balanced option when ordering! https://www.audiophileninja.com/product/dual-3-5mm/


----------



## iFi audio

YAK22 said:


> Hey all. I wanted to hop in here to thank you all for the info on the Hip DAC. I have owned a pair of Sundara for a while, I bought them based on reviews and my former experience with planar speakers. But to be honest I have been a bit underwhelmed. I read all 48 pages here and elected to pick up a Hip DAC in hopes of improving them.
> 
> WOW. Is the best word I can come up with. This awesome little guy completely changed the Sundara. Im in love now.
> 
> ...



Many thanks for your feedback. hip-dac used as a balanced device should easily make you even more happy, and please share with us your observations once you can use its 4.4mm headphone out.
Thanks again and enjoy


----------



## rmsanger (Sep 30, 2021)

https://ifi-audio.com/products/hip-dac2/


----------



## Stevko

rmsanger said:


> https://ifi-audio.com/products/hip-dac2/


looks nice.
but what is output power in SE/300ohm?


----------



## iFi audio

rmsanger said:


> https://ifi-audio.com/products/hip-dac2/



Yep, it's ours and it's here!



Stevko said:


> but what is output power in SE/300ohm?



Let me point you towards this handy tool: https://ifi-audio.com/home-2/headphone-calculator/

...where you can select specific headphones, our product (please use the original hip-dac) and desired settings.


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> Yep, it's ours and it's here!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


520mW? SE


----------



## Ynot1 (Oct 2, 2021)

hd2 came out yesterday, and I don't know what to think. Get the new case or jump up to hd2. But it looks like hd2 is shooting for the super hi rez audio support. 

I hope some one can compare the hd1 balance to hd2 single ended sound quality.


----------



## Muddy Walter

Ynot1 said:


> hd2 came out yesterday, and I don't know what to think. Get the new case or jump up to hd2. But it looks like hd2 is shooting for the super hi rez audio support.


Get the case - fits both versions - and wait for comparison reviews of the hip-dacs, take them with a pinch of salt and then flip a coin.


----------



## iFi audio (Oct 3, 2021)

Muddy Walter said:


> Get the case - fits both versions - and wait for comparison reviews of the hip-dacs, take them with a pinch of salt and then flip a coin.



Our case fits both hip-dacs as they're the same size, so one can't go wrong here. As for sound, hip-dac 2 is noticeably better, but I also look forward tor some comparative reviews. It shouldn't take long, though


----------



## rmsanger

iFi audio said:


> Our case fits both hip-dacs as they're the same size, so one can't go wrong here. As for sound, hip-dac 2 is noticeably better, but I also look forward tor some comparative reviews. It shouldn't take long, though


Is the sound signature close to the go blu ?  More on the warm almost tubey side or is it more neutral?


----------



## iFi audio

rmsanger said:


> Is the sound signature close to the go blu ? More on the warm almost tubey side or is it more neutral?



It's essentially hip-dac, but better


----------



## rmsanger

iFi audio said:


> It's essentially hip-dac, but better


Never heard a hip Dac nor am I familiar With the sound signature.  Was hoping to avoid reading through a coupes hundred posts.


----------



## pk4425

rmsanger said:


> Never heard a hip Dac nor am I familiar With the sound signature.  Was hoping to avoid reading through a coupes hundred posts.


The hip-dac uses a Burr-Brown chip, which is warm but not muddy. Very musical, balanced. Easy to listen to for a long time because of minimal sub-bass and slightly rolled-off highs.

My HiFiMan 400se pair BEAUTIFULLY with the hip-dac.


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> The hip-dac uses a Burr-Brown chip, which is warm but not muddy. Very musical, balanced. Easy to listen to for a long time because of minimal sub-bass and slightly rolled-off highs.



Yes, natural leaning towards warm but not muddy is our house sound. Your take on sub-bass and highs is quite accurate too!


----------



## Poganin

iFi audio said:


> It's essentially hip-dac, but better


So it has more? Or does it have less?


----------



## iFi audio

Poganin said:


> So it has more? Or does it have less?



Several hardware changes inside hip-dac 2 were in order not to alter its core sound characteristic, but rather noticeably improve some of its aspects. But getting back to the original question, many users see that profile as neutral that leans towards warm.


----------



## Ynot1

Sound is not only something that you can hear. I want to know how it feels. Hd1 feels phenominal. And you're saying you improved that feel?


----------



## iFi audio

Ynot1 said:


> Sound is not only something that you can hear. I want to know how it feels. Hd1 feels phenominal. And you're saying you improved that feel?




It's up to each person to determine how significant sound changes are between both hip-dacs, but most will agree that that feel you speak of got improved


----------



## fokta

looks refreshing...


----------



## iFi audio

fokta said:


> looks refreshing...



Maybe it's just me, but each time I look at hip-dac 2 I see a happy audio product


----------



## EIOIO

Did you improve the sound stage?


----------



## isevery

can anyone confirm that there is a perceptible difference between the hipdac 1 and 2? I HATE MQA, so the GTO filter is included in that. Is it possible to use the hip-dac 2 without it? Just trying to decide if there is any reason at all to buy the 2 over the 1 when I wont be using any MQA functionality at all, and its a near 30% price hike for the 2!


----------



## iFi audio

EIOIO said:


> Did you improve the sound stage?



Thanks for asking, I'll leave addressing this question to others if that's OK 



isevery said:


> can anyone confirm that there is a perceptible difference between the hipdac 1 and 2?



Soon we should see some comparative reviews, but going from hip-dac to hip-dac 2 should net audible improvements


----------



## isevery

iFi audio said:


> Thanks for asking, I'll leave addressing this question to others if that's OK
> 
> 
> 
> Soon we should see some comparative reviews, but going from hip-dac to hip-dac 2 should net audible improvements



Thanks for the reply - can you clarify whether the GTO filter is an always on feature of either of the Hipdacs, and which of the HipDAC1's firmwares dont use it?


----------



## iFi audio

isevery said:


> Thanks for the reply - can you clarify whether the GTO filter is an always on feature of either of the Hipdacs, and which of the HipDAC1's firmwares dont use it?



Sure, anytime!

As for our GTO filter, please visit our download hub: https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/

All firmware versions for specific products are listed there and marked which does/doesn't do MQA, thanks!


----------



## isevery

iFi audio said:


> Sure, anytime!
> 
> As for our GTO filter, please visit our download hub: https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/
> 
> All firmware versions for specific products are listed there and marked which does/doesn't do MQA, thanks!


I cant seem to see whether the GTO filter is always on in the hipDAC2?


----------



## iFi audio

isevery said:


> I cant seem to see whether the GTO filter is always on in the hipDAC2?



Now our download hub was updated and you can choose a firmware version either with or without GTO included


----------



## isevery

iFi audio said:


> Now our download hub was updated and you can choose a firmware version either with or without GTO included


thank you for doing that! I cant wait to hear the reviews come in


----------



## iFi audio

isevery said:


> thank you for doing that! I cant wait to hear the reviews come in


My pleasure and thanks for pointing out that our  firmware with GTO on/off wasn't there.


----------



## srkbear

zolom said:


> Got the iFi Hip DAC. Connected to my windows PC.
> On PC Tidal playing MQA tracks, iFi indicator light is *green*, rather than *magenta*.
> I did install the PC MQA driver (from the iFi site).
> With my android phone's Tidal via UAPP (same track) it shows magenta color (the sound is much better)
> ...


I recognize that this is a very old post, but on the desktop Tidal app you have to select “exclusive mode” in settings to get MQB (magenta) on the Hip Dac (or with any iFi product). This is not the case with the mobile app.


----------



## iFi audio

srkbear said:


> I recognize that this is a very old post, but on the desktop Tidal app you have to select “exclusive mode” in settings to get MQB (magenta) on the Hip Dac (or with any iFi product). This is not the case with the mobile app.



A rather old post to address indeed, but also a good occasion to mention one thing. If a bitrate of audio data sent to one of our DACs (including hipdac) doesn't match its LED color, it's due to data alteration somewhere along the road. If our DAC doesn't show magenta LED, it means that what it receives from a transport isn't MQA in its bitperfect form.


----------



## pk4425 (Oct 27, 2021)

I'm having a problem with my hip-dac, purchased in April 2021 from Amazon.com. My battery was dead this morning, so I recharged it for four hours, verified by the blinking red light.

Then I turned on my hip-dac, and there was no juice, even after four hours of charging. The hip-dac works when I connect it to the USB-C cable for power, but it won't run off its battery even after four hours of confirmed charging.

What the hell is going on?

EDIT: Never mind! It's working now after I connected it to USB-C for more charging. I removed the USB-C, and the hip-dac is running from battery just fine. Odd, as this never happened to me before.


----------



## srkbear

iFi audio said:


> A rather old post to address indeed, but also a good occasion to mention one thing. If a bitrate of audio data sent to one of our DACs (including hipdac) doesn't match its LED color, it's due to data alteration somewhere along the road. If our DAC doesn't show magenta LED, it means that what it receives from a transport isn't MQA in its bitperfect form.


Thanks! I listen to both Qobuz and Tidal through a Roon server, which allow for far more precise tweaking of the MQA processing path. And via its GUI, whether I listen to my Hip Dac v2 or Zen DAC v2 via a mobile or desktop app, I get that satisfying blue LED with Tidal every time. Super happy you guys upgraded the new Hip Dac to align with the LED parameters of its Zen cousin!


----------



## srkbear

isevery said:


> can anyone confirm that there is a perceptible difference between the hipdac 1 and 2? I HATE MQA, so the GTO filter is included in that. Is it possible to use the hip-dac 2 without it? Just trying to decide if there is any reason at all to buy the 2 over the 1 when I wont be using any MQA functionality at all, and its a near 30% price hike for the 2!


I think there is. The v2 has more prominent highs (I always found the first generation Hip Dac to sound a little muted in the high end). The bass is also perceptibly more precise and full. And despite your apparent bias against MQA, the MQA studio tracks (the blue LED tracks that can only be decoded with the V2) sound considerably better to me. 

Just out of curiosity, if you have such disdain for MQA, why would you get this DAC at all? The FiiO Q3 is in a similar price point, has a direct OTG cable for iPhones that obviates the the need for the camera kit, goes all the way to 768 kHz and DSD 512, has a very powerful THX amp, is lighter and a bit smaller than the Hip Dac and sounds incredible! I have both the Hip Dac v2 and the Q3, and if it weren’t for MQA I wouldn’t need the Hip Dac at all…


----------



## iFi audio

srkbear said:


> I think there is. The v2 has more prominent highs (I always found the first generation Hip Dac to sound a little muted in the high end). The bass is also perceptibly more precise and full. And despite your apparent bias against MQA, the MQA studio tracks (the blue LED tracks that can only be decoded with the V2) sound considerably better to me.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, if you have such disdain for MQA, why would you get this DAC at all? The FiiO Q3 is in a similar price point, has a direct OTG cable for iPhones that obviates the the need for the camera kit, goes all the way to 768 kHz and DSD 512, has a very powerful THX amp, is lighter and a bit smaller than the Hip Dac and sounds incredible! I have both the Hip Dac v2 and the Q3, and if it weren’t for MQA I wouldn’t need the Hip Dac at all…



MQA is a choice and one doesn't have to use it at all. If there's no MQA playback, firmware code needed for it is disengaged and MQA doesn't affect anything else.


----------



## isevery (Oct 28, 2021)

srkbear said:


> I think there is. The v2 has more prominent highs (I always found the first generation Hip Dac to sound a little muted in the high end). The bass is also perceptibly more precise and full. And despite your apparent bias against MQA, the MQA studio tracks (the blue LED tracks that can only be decoded with the V2) sound considerably better to me.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, if you have such disdain for MQA, why would you get this DAC at all? The FiiO Q3 is in a similar price point, has a direct OTG cable for iPhones that obviates the the need for the camera kit, goes all the way to 768 kHz and DSD 512, has a very powerful THX amp, is lighter and a bit smaller than the Hip Dac and sounds incredible! I have both the Hip Dac v2 and the Q3, and if it weren’t for MQA I wouldn’t need the Hip Dac at all…



Valid question, so I'll try to provide a good answer! I'm interested in the HipDAC because my current mobile dac (Fiio BTR5) is pretty restrictive in the custom EQ, and lacks a 4.4mm balanced out, only having 2.5mm. I've heard great things about the ifi XBASS function, and the 4.4mm and form factor appeal to me. My other 4.4mm balanced options are:
ifi goBLU (great option, just a little lacking in power. Could probably get away with it with my current headphones, I'm hopeful this could replace my Magni/Modi stack too though)
xDuoo XD05 BAL (great sounding, but poor volume knob config, no XBASS and holy smokes its twice the price)
ifi idsd Diablo (Awesome bit of kit, wholly outside my price bracket) 

If there are other alternatives with EQ options that extend into sub bass than I'd love to hear them! But I know this is the HipDAC impressions thread and I don't fancy derailing.



> *OPINION*
> Personally, I dislike MQA as a premise. a proprietary audio format that I don't believe adds anything of value apart from a filter that sounds pleasing. I'm not averse to filtering music to make it sound how you like, but their marketing has been proven to be untrue and I dont want to pay extra for products because the company has to pay MQA a licencing fee for their software. GoldenAudio has a great video series on youtube where he goes into detail about the technology, and the realities of what you hear at the far end after decoding. I'd rather listen to a high quality FLAC where I can!


----------



## pk4425

isevery said:


> Valid question, so I'll try to provide a good answer! I'm interested in the HipDAC because my current mobile dac (Fiio BTR5) is pretty restrictive in the custom EQ, and lacks a 4.4mm balanced out, only having 2.5mm. I've heard great things about the ifi XBASS function, and the 4.4mm and form factor appeal to me. My other 4.4mm balanced options are:
> ifi goBLU (great option, just a little lacking in power. Could probably get away with it with my current headphones, I'm hopeful this could replace my Magni/Modi stack too though)
> xDuoo XD05 BAL (great sounding, but poor volume knob config, no XBASS and holy smokes its twice the price)
> ifi idsd Diablo (Awesome bit of kit, wholly outside my price bracket)
> ...


The hip-dac and goBLU don't include an app with EQ options.

If you want something with a detailed parametric EQ, the Qudelix 5K is perhaps the best option as a Bluetooth DAC/amp. But it doesn't have the power of the hip-dac. It also has an ESS Sabre DAC chip, so the sound will be brighter than the Burr-Brown DAC chip used in the hip-dac or the Cirrus Logic chip used in the goBLU.


----------



## isevery

pk4425 said:


> The hip-dac and goBLU don't include an app with EQ options.
> 
> If you want something with a detailed parametric EQ, the Qudelix 5K is perhaps the best option as a Bluetooth DAC/amp. But it doesn't have the power of the hip-dac. It also has an ESS Sabre DAC chip, so the sound will be brighter than the Burr-Brown DAC chip used in the hip-dac or the Cirrus Logic chip used in the goBLU.


Thanks for the suggestion, I probably didnt explain myself properly - it's not a good EQ that I am after really, just the ability to flick on a bass boost for when I'm not feeling tasteful. The Fiio EQ doesnt sound good to me really, it doesnt feel like it goes low enough and the sliders in the app are too far apart to create anything other than a peaky feeling sound.


----------



## pk4425

isevery said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, I probably didnt explain myself properly - it's not a good EQ that I am after really, just the ability to flick on a bass boost for when I'm not feeling tasteful. The Fiio EQ doesnt sound good to me really, it doesnt feel like it goes low enough and the sliders in the app are too far apart to create anything other than a peaky feeling sound.


You will like the hip-dac, as the Burr-Brown DAC chip helps your cans' sound to be warmer and punchier than other portable DAC-amps. Plus the bass boost is better implemented than in any other DAC-amp I've tried -- it really does add to the low end without coloring the mids. Fantastic software engineering.

One downfall, though: The battery life in the hip-dac is pretty poor, especially when running balanced. I've gotten about six hours on unbalanced and about four hours, tops, on balanced. The advertised battery life of eight hours is BS.

Otherwise, the hip-dac is a fantastic portable DAC-amp that I use daily.

Good luck!


----------



## isevery

pk4425 said:


> You will like the hip-dac, as the Burr-Brown DAC chip helps your cans' sound to be warmer and punchier than other portable DAC-amps. Plus the bass boost is better implemented than in any other DAC-amp I've tried -- it really does add to the low end without coloring the mids. Fantastic software engineering.
> 
> One downfall, though: The battery life in the hip-dac is pretty poor, especially when running balanced. I've gotten about six hours on unbalanced and about four hours, tops, on balanced. The advertised battery life of eight hours is BS.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply mate! Shame to hear about the battery life - is it possible to use it while it is charging do you know?


----------



## iFi audio

isevery said:


> Valid question, so I'll try to provide a good answer! I'm interested in the HipDAC because my current mobile dac (Fiio BTR5) is pretty restrictive in the custom EQ, and lacks a 4.4mm balanced out, only having 2.5mm. I've heard great things about the ifi XBASS function, and the 4.4mm and form factor appeal to me. My other 4.4mm balanced options are:
> ifi goBLU (great option, just a little lacking in power. Could probably get away with it with my current headphones, I'm hopeful this could replace my Magni/Modi stack too though)



GO blu should be the one to get if you'd like to use a wireless DAC/amp product that's balanced and features 4.4mm output. If wired, then hip-dac 2 would be the one


----------



## pk4425

isevery said:


> Thanks for the reply mate! Shame to hear about the battery life - is it possible to use it while it is charging do you know?





isevery said:


> Thanks for the reply mate! Shame to hear about the battery life - is it possible to use it while it is charging do you know?


I believe you can. Clarification, @iFi audio or @Sebastien Chiu?


----------



## iFi audio

pk4425 said:


> I believe you can. Clarification, @iFi audio or @Sebastien Chiu?



Yes, it's possible, but sensitive IEMs might pick up some background noise during charging


----------



## cleg

My video about HipDAC v2


----------



## iFi audio

cleg said:


> My video about HipDAC v2




Thank you very much for this review! Your style is very informative and likable. Great work


----------



## Mr Trev

Any suggestions for a good micro usb otg cable?
I can't find the ifi ones anywhere (usb c only) and I needed to do surgery on the Sony NWH10 cable to get it to work (the usb plug was too large to connect to the hipdac and needed to be filed down) so it need a slim USB male plug.

@iFi audio what's the deal with the micro otg cables anyways? Discontinued?


----------



## deadmanssanctum

I really like the ifi HipDac. I've had it for about 3 months and enjoy the fact that it both maintains a competitive price range but also puts out a lot of power. The weight of the device is a good balance between heft and lightness so it can be used with pockets. Though I will say that having it next to whatever source you have means your pants might sag. The only complaint I have for the hipdac is that it has a channel imbalance for the first quarter of the pot and the port for the usb makes it impossible to find a usb female to lightning cable all in one solution. The necessity of multiple cables makes for random disconnects and discomfort pushing me away from the device to want an all in one DAP. Overall though the hipdac is good, puts out great power, can play all types of files, and is mobile enough for travel but it's best use case really is on a desk while you're away from your main system.


----------



## pk4425 (Jan 19, 2022)

deadmanssanctum said:


> I really like the ifi HipDac. I've had it for about 3 months and enjoy the fact that it both maintains a competitive price range but also puts out a lot of power. The weight of the device is a good balance between heft and lightness so it can be used with pockets. Though I will say that having it next to whatever source you have means your pants might sag. The only complaint I have for the hipdac is that it has a channel imbalance for the first quarter of the pot *and the port for the usb makes it impossible to find a usb female to lightning cable all in one solution.* *The necessity of multiple cables makes for random disconnects and discomfort pushing me away from the device to want an all in one DAP. *Overall though the hipdac is good, puts out great power, can play all types of files, and is mobile enough for travel but it's best use case really is on a desk while you're away from your main system.


I only need one cable to connect my hip-dac to my iPhone 12's Lightning port -- this official one from Apple:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter


----------



## deadmanssanctum

pk4425 said:


> I only need one cable to connect my hip-dac to my iPhone 12 -- this official one from Apple:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014VGHG0U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I'm using a less expensive near copy to that. Either way I just felt like the port should be a bit wider even if you're connecting something relatively the same as the market option. Besides buying a cable that is worth a third of the DAP didn't make sense at that price range.


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

deadmanssanctum said:


> I really like the ifi HipDac. I've had it for about 3 months and enjoy the fact that it both maintains a competitive price range but also puts out a lot of power. The weight of the device is a good balance between heft and lightness so it can be used with pockets. Though I will say that having it next to whatever source you have means your pants might sag. The only complaint I have for the hipdac is that it has a channel imbalance for the first quarter of the pot and the port for the usb makes it impossible to find a usb female to lightning cable all in one solution. The necessity of multiple cables makes for random disconnects and discomfort pushing me away from the device to want an all in one DAP. Overall though the hipdac is good, puts out great power, can play all types of files, and is mobile enough for travel but it's best use case really is on a desk while you're away from your main system.



Thanks so much for the impressions!


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> @iFi audio what's the deal with the micro otg cables anyways? Discontinued?



There should be micro USB and USB C options available. Can you please ask at your local iFi reseller whether they have any in stock? Thanks!

https://ifi-audio.com/stockists/


----------



## Mr Trev

iFi audio said:


> There should be micro USB and USB C options available. Can you please ask at your local iFi reseller whether they have any in stock? Thanks!
> 
> https://ifi-audio.com/stockists/


I know there are options, literally nobody has the micro in stock (at least here in Canada - which shouldn't be surprising)


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> I know there are options, literally nobody has the micro in stock (at least here in Canada - which shouldn't be surprising)



Understood, I'll ask internally about the sttus of these OTG cables, but from what I can tell they weren't discontinued, so should be available soon if they aren't now.


----------



## JoshG1217

Can you order from Amazon in Canada? UGREEN Micro USB to USB Micro USB 2.0 OTG Cable 2 Pack On The Go Adapter Micro USB Male to USB Female for Samsung S7 S6 Edge S4 S3 LG G4 DJI Spark Mavic Remote Controller Android Tablets Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9S9Z0...t_i_0G1RGYH3JEG4RDGRMAYV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## iFi audio

JoshG1217 said:


> Can you order from Amazon in Canada? UGREEN Micro USB to USB Micro USB 2.0 OTG Cable 2 Pack On The Go Adapter Micro USB Male to USB Female for Samsung S7 S6 Edge S4 S3 LG G4 DJI Spark Mavic Remote Controller Android Tablets Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9S9Z0...t_i_0G1RGYH3JEG4RDGRMAYV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1



Amazon has a separate stock, so there these OTGs might be available, yes.


----------



## Mr Trev

JoshG1217 said:


> Can you order from Amazon in Canada? UGREEN Micro USB to USB Micro USB 2.0 OTG Cable 2 Pack On The Go Adapter Micro USB Male to USB Female for Samsung S7 S6 Edge S4 S3 LG G4 DJI Spark Mavic Remote Controller Android Tablets Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9S9Z0...t_i_0G1RGYH3JEG4RDGRMAYV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


I have looked at some ugreen and other OTGs on Amazon.ca. I'm hoping that somebody can confirm the USB A will physically fit the hipdac without needing to break out the file again


----------



## iFi audio (Jan 20, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> I'm hoping that somebody can confirm the USB A will physically fit the hipdac without needing to break out the file again



Do you by any chance have any specific OTG you can show us?


----------



## Mr Trev

iFi audio said:


> Do you by any chance have any specific OTG you can show us?


In addition to the one joshg1217 posted, I was looking at:
https://www.amazon.ca/CableCreation-Braided-Adapter-Function-Aluminum/dp/B01M098EAG
https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Adapter-Samsung-MacBook-Microsoft/dp/B072V9CNTK

I got one of these https://www.amazon.ca/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE (thankfully way cheaper) to connect my a17, but I had to file the corners down to even get it to fit the hipdac. And even then it is still very tight.
I bought my hipdac as a demo and it included one of the ifi usb c OTG cables and the usb A end is way smaller than the Sony's. I'd much rather get the micro OTG than have to upgrade my potato phone for one that has USB C - for cost reasons of course

Since I brought it up… I tried using the ifi OTG with the usb c on my laptop and the audio was very static-y. Are those cables meant for desktop use too?


----------



## Aramaki (Jan 20, 2022)

iFi audio said:


> Do you by any chance have any specific OTG you can show us?


This is what I use (not sure if this was mentioned before) but I had to file it down.

https://xduoo.net/product/type-c-to-usb-a-audio-cable/


----------



## Gioacchino

Hi everyone, I need some big advice. I am quite happy with the smartophone (honor 10 has a good dac) and Sony XBA-N3 combination. My question is this, does it make sense to buy ifi hip dac if I use spotify and iem ?. I am looking for a substantial improvement.Thank you very much


----------



## iFi audio (Jan 23, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> Since I brought it up… I tried using the ifi OTG with the usb c on my laptop and the audio was very static-y. Are those cables meant for desktop use too?



It's a regular USB cable, so it should work well with laptops, so perhaps that OTG was damaged.



Mr Trev said:


> In addition to the one joshg1217 posted, I was looking at:
> https://www.amazon.ca/CableCreation-Braided-Adapter-Function-Aluminum/dp/B01M098EAG
> https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Adapter-Samsung-MacBook-Microsoft/dp/B072V9CNTK
> 
> ...



It would be cool if these cables had some extra dimensions of their USB enclosures, so I'm not sure whether they would fit. But in general, hip-dac's USB A input was designed to comfortably accommodate Apple's CCK as showcased on the photo below. Based on thaat, the OTG by CableCreation looks like it would fit, but not having it nearby I can't be 100% sure, sorry!







Gioacchino said:


> Hi everyone, I need some big advice. I am quite happy with the smartophone (honor 10 has a good dac) and Sony XBA-N3 combination. My question is this, does it make sense to buy ifi hip dac if I use spotify and iem ?. I am looking for a substantial improvement.Thank you very much



Most IEMs enjoy external DAC/amp combos, so the odds are that yours would sound better from our hip-dac 2.


----------



## droopdog7 (Jan 24, 2022)

Is it true that I can bypass the battery (and not overcharge) by plugging into power before turning on?  I’m wondering whether I can keep connected to my PC most of the time and not kill the battery way?  The link below suggest that you can in section 4, but looks like v1.1.  Not sure what version they are on now and whether it still works this way?

https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-cont...9BUWZARJyETKMIW1zOjcyMeMh1i3mOqy3A5VaX1c0cKjc


----------



## iFi audio

droopdog7 said:


> Is it true that I can bypass the battery (and not overcharge) by plugging into power before turning on?  I’m wondering whether I can keep connected to my PC most of the time and not kill the battery way?  The link below suggest that you can in section 4, but looks like v1.1.  Not sure what version they are on now and whether it still works this way?
> 
> https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-cont...9BUWZARJyETKMIW1zOjcyMeMh1i3mOqy3A5VaX1c0cKjc



This was a bug in our manual and hip-dac relies on its battery even if it's connected to a power source. As such it doesn't feature a desktop and battery mode just as our micro iDSD BL did. Still, you can use and charge hip-dac at the same time. As long as headphones/IEMs connected don't use more power than hip-dac gets from a power source, it will work constantly and its battery will always be topped up. Hope this helps!


----------



## droopdog7

iFi audio said:


> This was a bug in our manual and hip-dac relies on its battery even if it's connected to a power source. As such it doesn't feature a desktop and battery mode just as our micro iDSD BL did. Still, you can use and charge hip-dac at the same time. As long as headphones/IEMs connected don't use more power than hip-dac gets from a power source, it will work constantly and its battery will always be topped up. Hope this helps!


Thank you; super helpful.  I do have some follow up questions.  

I assume you mean micro idsd black label?  Is the feature I’m looking for not available on the micro idsd signature or the nano black label?  

In other words, will I find that on anything but the micro black label?


----------



## Stevko

iFi audio said:


> This was a bug in our manual and hip-dac relies on its battery even if it's connected to a power source. As such it doesn't feature a desktop and battery mode just as our micro iDSD BL did. Still, you can use and charge hip-dac at the same time. As long as headphones/IEMs connected don't use more power than hip-dac gets from a power source, it will work constantly and its battery will always be topped up. Hope this helps!


any new ifi product with this function?


----------



## iFi audio

droopdog7 said:


> Thank you; super helpful.  I do have some follow up questions.
> 
> I assume you mean micro idsd black label?  Is the feature I’m looking for not available on the micro idsd signature or the nano black label?
> 
> In other words, will I find that on anything but the micro black label?



Yes, I mean micro iDSD Black Label and our desktop mode that allowed our products to run off USB power is no more. nano iDSD Black Label however is our older product that features USB power mode as per this manual:

https://www.poulissen.nl/sites/default/files/product/bijlagen/nano iDSD-Manual.pdf



Stevko said:


> any new ifi product with this function?



That's very unlikely, our new power management system now relies on batteries but is optimized to keep them healthy for years to come.


----------



## iFi audio

Folks, we have one fantastic review we'd like to share with you! 

What Hi-Fi, hip-dac 2, FIVE stars: https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/ifi-hip-dac-2


----------



## Mr Trev (Jan 28, 2022)

iFi audio said:


> It's a regular USB cable, so it should work well with laptops, so perhaps that OTG was damaged.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you know what the dimension of the CCK connector are? I asked about the dimensions of CableCreation one I linked to and got a reply of "6x2mm", which doesn't seem remotely correct (IIRC the dimensions of the ifi otg are 15x7mm)

<edit - got a reply from CC: 28x17x9.5mm. I inquired about a uGreen OTG https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LN3LQKQ… 28x17mm, no mention of height>

Another question…
When using the hipdac with my Sony A17 and the sample rate switches from lo-res to HR the sound is very distorted. A pause/resume will fix it, and the problem doesn't happen going from HR to lo. Any ideas?


----------



## sidpost

How well does this work with 300ohm headphones?


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LN3LQKQ



It should fit!



Mr Trev said:


> When using the hipdac with my Sony A17 and the sample rate switches from lo-res to HR the sound is very distorted. A pause/resume will fix it, and the problem doesn't happen going from HR to lo. Any ideas?



hip-dac and hip-dac 2 generally work with what they get from a transport connected, so it's most likely related to what your Sony A17 sends out and how. If I were you I'd try hip-dac with say a laptop or PC, just to try the same tracks and see what happens then. Can you do that by any chance?


----------



## Mr Trev

iFi audio said:


> It should fit!
> 
> 
> 
> hip-dac and hip-dac 2 generally work with what they get from a transport connected, so it's most likely related to what your Sony A17 sends out and how. If I were you I'd try hip-dac with say a laptop or PC, just to try the same tracks and see what happens then. Can you do that by any chance?


Never had an issue with either my Win 10 or Daphile setup.
I'm really not gonna waste too many calories on the problem since it only happens when I shuffle tracks with different sample rates


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> I'm really not gonna waste too many calories on the problem since it only happens when I shuffle tracks with different sample rates



Understood, enjoy it as is then


----------



## Mr Trev (Feb 5, 2022)

@iFi audio
I understand that it's normal to have background noise using the balanced connector with high sensitivity IEMs. My Dunu SA6 have a background hiss - kinda brings back memories of listening to cassette tapes. Today I tried out my LZ A7mini and in addition to the hiss (much louder) there was a noticable electronic squealing type noise in the right channel. This noise would change in pitch as I sweep the volume knob. Is that considered normal? I don't hear the electronic noise on my SA6, but I _think_ the hiss is louder in the right channel. The SE connector seems unaffected
Just looking to get your thoughts on whether I should contact support or not


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> Today I tried out my LZ A7mini and in addition to the hiss (much louder) there was a noticable electronic squealing type noise in the right channel. This noise would change in pitch as I sweep the volume knob. Is that considered normal? I don't hear the electronic noise on my SA6, but I _think_ the hiss is louder in the right channel. The SE connector seems unaffected
> Just looking to get your thoughts on whether I should contact support or not



Just to clarify, this happens on hip-dac's balanced output only? And if so and hissing aside, are both channels as loud, or is one louder than the other? And what is your volume knob position? Thanks!


----------



## Mr Trev (Feb 6, 2022)

iFi audio said:


> Just to clarify, this happens on hip-dac's balanced output only? And if so and hissing aside, are both channels as loud, or is one louder than the other? And what is your volume knob position? Thanks!


Yup, seems like balanced only. Playing music sounds ok. The hissing and electronic noise are louder on the right side. Volume position doesn't matter, Actually as I turn the volume knob the electronic squealing does make some weird sci-fi type noises - poossibly savage RFI? I might try and see if I can get a recording of the sound on my phone and post it


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> Yup, seems like balanced only. Playing music sounds ok. The hissing and electronic noise are louder on the right side. Volume position doesn't matter, Actually as I turn the volume knob the electronic squealing does make some weird sci-fi type noises - poossibly save RFI? I might try and see if I can get a recording of the sound on my phone and post it



This would imply issues with mechanical connection somewhere or perhaps a faulty pot. If this squealing noise is troublesome, you might want to let our support staff know about it: https://support.ifi-audio.com

Perhaps your unit needs to be swapped, but let our support staff handle your case if that's OK. They will know what to do


----------



## Mr Trev

iFi audio said:


> This would imply issues with mechanical connection somewhere or perhaps a faulty pot. If this squealing noise is troublesome, you might want to let our support staff know about it: https://support.ifi-audio.com
> 
> Perhaps your unit needs to be swapped, but let our support staff handle your case if that's OK. They will know what to do


Thanks. I wanted to see if you felt this was something that needed to be elevated to support or just normal operation


----------



## iFi audio

Mr Trev said:


> Thanks. I wanted to see if you felt this was something that needed to be elevated to support or just normal operation



Sure! In short, hissing audible on sensitive IEMs is OK as hip-dac is a rather powerful little thing, but any odd noises aren't, especially those that impact playback at normal listening levels.


----------



## tensleep80

Hello, I purchased a pair of Shure ES535 new and a used ifi hip-dac. Unfortunately, I didn't fully audition the hip-dac and it seems to have significant distortion and lower output on the left channel. I like the form factor and portability, but will not be able to handle the distortion long term. I'm pretty handy with electronics repairs and have most of the tools I would need. Can anyone point me in the right direction for possible repairs I could make?

I've tried different power sources to be sure I wasn't hearing something from the power supply. It's pretty consistent. I also used a pair of Sennheiser HD280 Pro and I still hear the same distortion.

If repares aren't possible, I'll be scouring the forums for a good value, high fidelity portable deck amp. After all, isn't that what we all want? 😁


----------



## corgifall

tensleep80 said:


> Hello, I purchased a pair of Shure ES535 new and a used ifi hip-dac. Unfortunately, I didn't fully audition the hip-dac and it seems to have significant distortion and lower output on the left channel. I like the form factor and portability, but will not be able to handle the distortion long term. I'm pretty handy with electronics repairs and have most of the tools I would need. Can anyone point me in the right direction for possible repairs I could make?
> 
> I've tried different power sources to be sure I wasn't hearing something from the power supply. It's pretty consistent. I also used a pair of Sennheiser HD280 Pro and I still hear the same distortion.
> 
> If repares aren't possible, I'll be scouring the forums for a good value, high fidelity portable deck amp. After all, isn't that what we all want? 😁


I’m surprised the hip DAC is having issues. I don’t think I’ve heard of that problem. I wonder if @iFi audio might have a way for you to send it in to get fixed for a low cost.


----------



## tensleep80

corgifall said:


> I’m surprised the hip DAC is having issues. I don’t think I’ve heard of that problem. I wonder if @iFi audio might have a way for you to send it in to get fixed for a low cost.


I was surprised as well. The seller seemed straight up, all the packaging and cabling was there, the device was in good shape. Shape. I thought about sending it in and may still go that route. I know with home audio gear, one can often clean the volume pot to eliminate distortion and balance volume. I don't have an adapter to test the second headphone jack, 4.4 mm balanced I believe?


----------



## corgifall

tensleep80 said:


> I was surprised as well. The seller seemed straight up, all the packaging and cabling was there, the device was in good shape. Shape. I thought about sending it in and may still go that route. I know with home audio gear, one can often clean the volume pot to eliminate distortion and balance volume. I don't have an adapter to test the second headphone jack, 4.4 mm balanced I believe?


Yeah, the second jack is a 4.4mm pentaconn jack. That will have a slightly noticeable floor noise on sensitive IEMs but You can remove the two screws on the back I believe and then push the whole unit out from front to back if I remember correctly.


----------



## tensleep80

Yep, there's some really small hex head cap screws that fasten the front back panels. I'll try removing just the back screws and sliding forward first. I may have to get some wrenches that small and my new glasses should be here this week (these old eyes).


----------



## tensleep80

It's a T6, not a hex. There's really not much here for me to service. It looks like the volume pot is pretty well sealed.


----------



## iFi audio

tensleep80 said:


> It's a T6, not a hex. There's really not much here for me to service. It looks like the volume pot is pretty well sealed.



I'm sorry that your hip-dac developed an issue, these machines are resilient to any hardware faults. Please let us know about it here: https://support.ifi-audio.com

...and perhaps our support staff will be able to help you out, or at the very least suggest what to do. Thanks!


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Ya I’m listening to Tidal Masters with my JH Lola’s hooked up to my trusty old xDSD and it sounds amazing


----------



## iFi audio

Luke Skywalker said:


> Ya I’m listening to Tidal Masters with my JH Lola’s hooked up to my trusty old xDSD and it sounds amazing



Yep, xDSD is very capable especially for IEMs, enjoy!


----------



## tensleep80

iFi audio said:


> I'm sorry that your hip-dac developed an issue, these machines are resilient to any hardware faults. Please let us know about it here: https://support.ifi-audio.com
> 
> ...and perhaps our support staff will be able to help you out, or at the very least suggest what to do. Thanks!


 Thanks so much, I have downloaded the zip files and will try to install later today.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

iFi audio said:


> Yep, xDSD is very capable especially for IEMs, enjoy!


Ya the only hard part was finding a female 2.5 balanced -> male 3.5 balanced connector for my IEMs and a 4.4 mm female balanced -> 3.5 balanced male for my Audeze LCD-2s


----------



## iFi audio

Luke Skywalker said:


> Ya the only hard part was finding a female 2.5 balanced -> male 3.5 balanced connector for my IEMs and a 4.4 mm female balanced -> 3.5 balanced male for my Audeze LCD-2s



I hear you, balanced adapters aren't crazy popular, but luckily that changes. Thanks!


----------



## Luke Skywalker

iFi audio said:


> I hear you, balanced adapters aren't crazy popular, but luckily that changes. Thanks!


So worth it though to go balanced!


----------



## tensleep80

I have tried installing new drivers. I am not sure how to flash the xmos - the .pdf instructions are not in the zip file.  The problem still exists. I submitted a trouble ticket for some help from ifi.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Ya I’ve often wondered how you perform normal firmware updates on the xDSD


----------



## iFi audio

tensleep80 said:


> I have tried installing new drivers. I am not sure how to flash the xmos - the .pdf instructions are not in the zip file. The problem still exists. I submitted a trouble ticket for some help from ifi.



Our support will update your ticket shortly, but just to clarify, do you mean drivers or firmware? If the former, please see this page: 

https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/

There's an orange button there that downloads the archive with instructions inside, thanks!


----------



## tensleep80

iFi audio said:


> Our support will update your ticket shortly, but just to clarify, do you mean drivers or firmware? If the former, please see this page:
> 
> https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/
> 
> There's an orange button there that downloads the archive with instructions inside, thanks!


Yes, I downloaded the Zip file, but the BIN file is the only thing inside - no instructions. 





I have also used this Hip-DAC with my mobile phone with the same distortion/low volume level in the left channel. This eliminates the PC USB drivers as the culprit. Will the XMOS update actually modify the Hip-DAC?


----------



## Deleeh

Hello,

I ordered the Ifi Hip Dac 2 for the road.
I had been thinking about Dap, Hip 2 and Gryphon for a long time.
In the end I thought the Gryphon was actually too expensive as long as Apple castrate their Bluetooth to SBC I didn’t see any added value in it.
I still prefer to use Apple devices in my private life.
Since I still have the Nuprime Dac dongle in use, I didn’t think the changeover would be too big.
Even if Bluetooth would have been nice.

I still have a few questions that have not yet been fully clarified.

Charging: 5 V was clear, can I charge it with the normal smartphone charger?

Imatch:
Certainly a matter of taste but what about the Aeon R/T? With or without Imatch?

Apple:
I found the cable included cool for the money.
Thanks Ifi.
Still a bit irritated by the connection but logical for a better hold in the socket.
Why not another direct to Lightning?
If I saw it right I can use the Apple charging cable as an extension if I want to be lazy when connecting it to the Ifi cable?

Cable:
Would better cables make a difference sonically on the Hip2 or can I leave it alone?

Burn in: Does the Hip 2 need a burn in?
If so, how long?

Firmware: I looked on the website and it is only released with the serial number, how can I tell which one is installed? Should I upgrade if I still have an older one?

I’ll be surprised what I can expect in terms of sound, I’ve never heard Mqa before.
I’m looking forward to the Xbass and the rest.
And how it will do the small Hip Dac 2.
I also found it cool that all Ifi devices have no problems with Apple in terms of connectivity, I wanted to praise that.
I’ve been looking for a long time to find something that is compatible with Android and Apple.


----------



## Deleeh

My Hip 2 has arrived today.
I really appreciated the loss-free packaging, but the bigger frustration is that when you have Apple devices, there's nothing in them.

Unfortunately, my non-Apple camera adapter didn't fit in.
Then I wanted to buy one and was faced with an empty shelf.frustration number 2.

Now I have ordered one.
So either you buy the overpriced adapter or Ifi offers one for an extra charge.
I didn't find one on the German site where I ordered my Hip 2, otherwise I would have ordered one.
When I got home I found a cable from Usb A female and male.
What to do as an emergency over Easter.

The good piece drives the Aeon R/T relentlessly without further ado, I'm thrilled.
I won't say anything about the sound because I've only just switched it on.
But for now it's decent.
Without gain I like it best so far and Xbass.

There are still two things that irritate me.

Somehow I don't see a led display for the battery.
It doesn't show me if it's charging or not and what the status of the battery is.
After unpacking it went to the charger anyway.

The second thing is more cosmetic, on the side where the Ifi logo is, I assumed it was set up correctly, and when I hold it in my hand it seems to be correct.
What I don't understand is why they didn't label the Gain,Xbass,On/Off on the side where the Ifi logo is instead of on the back?
For me personally, I would have preferred it that way.

Apart from that, I don't have any questions except the ones from my previous post.


----------



## iFi audio

tensleep80 said:


> Yes, I downloaded the Zip file, but the BIN file is the only thing inside - no instructions.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Can you please see this handy vid we did a while ago? 



As for XMOS updates aka firmware changes, they're all described here: https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/

Please select youd iFi device from the list, type in its serial number and all features of a given firmware will be listed there. Thanks!


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> Somehow I don't see a led display for the battery.



Can you please take a look at hip-dac 2's user manual here: https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hip-dac2-User-Manual_Ver1.11_ok.pdf

The section .9 covers all the battery statuses, thanks!



Deleeh said:


> What I don't understand is why they didn't label the Gain,Xbass,On/Off on the side where the Ifi logo is instead of on the back?



I hear you, but all hip-dac 2's labels are on its underside to preserve its clean external look. Some folks would rather have that info visible, but most enjoy the product the way it is now. Thanks for your feedback!


----------



## Deleeh

iFi audio said:


> Can you please see this handy vid we did a while ago?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hello,
Thanks for the feedback.����

I did the firmware update yesterday after reading up on it.
I had installed version 7.3 on it and updated to 7.4C.

The 7.4 has in any case fixed the crackles and interruptions under Android.
But it still stutters occasionally as if the CD is jumping.Is it normal,oder Cabel issue?

Under Apple I have no problems with Tidal there it was similar to Android befor but not as extreme under 7.3.
With the update to 7.4C it's great no more glitches, full enjoyment.

And under Apple is also full Mqa with the purple display.
Android only shows green or blue.

I am now also familiar with the battery indicator.😉

If you can still fix the problem on Android I would be really happy when is a issue with the firmware.
I'm amazed at what the little one can do.
When there is no interference, it is a great pleasure to listen.


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> The 7.4 has in any case fixed the crackles and interruptions under Android.
> But it still stutters occasionally as if the CD is jumping.Is it normal,oder Cabel issue?



This might be related to your Android device and possibly your app of choice. How do you send music to your hip-dac 2 from there? And within that app are there any buffering settings you can change? Thanks!


----------



## Deleeh

iFi audio said:


> This might be related to your Android device and possibly your app of choice. How do you send music to your hip-dac 2 from there? And within that app are there any buffering settings you can change? Thanks!


Hello,
Thanks again for the feedback.

It is a work tablet which may be used in the private sector.
It is a Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3, where I have set Bit and deapth in the sound settings. Bit can still be set
I can't set anything else except the equaliser and listening test.
I connected it with the blue cable that came in the box, Usb A to Usb C. I don't think I can do anything with Tidal. 
I don't think I can set anything for Tidal. I would have to check again.
Otherwise, a little help on where to set the buffer would be very helpful.

Thank you for replying on Easter, much appreciated.


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> Thank you for replying on Easter, much appreciated.



Sure, no problem 



Deleeh said:


> It is a work tablet which may be used in the private sector.
> It is a Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3, where I have set Bit and deapth in the sound settings. Bit can still be set
> I can't set anything else except the equaliser and listening test.
> I connected it with the blue cable that came in the box, Usb A to Usb C. I don't think I can do anything with Tidal.
> ...



The best way to move forward would be to use a different Android device and possibly replicate the issue. Is there a chance you could try that?


----------



## Deleeh

I will try on my phone.👍😉
I listened to the Samsung tablet for an hour on the train today and it was only there briefly.
Then no more.
Is the question could it possibly be from the burn in?

My impression is that the 7.4C update has contributed well and the more the little one runs, the better it gets and the less often it occurs.

I will continue to observe it.

Thanks again for the feedback.🙏✌️🙏✌️
I'll try it out in the hotel with the smartphone and try it out with the tablet without internet and with.


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> I will try on my phone.👍😉
> I listened to the Samsung tablet for an hour on the train today and it was only there briefly.
> Then no more.
> Is the question could it possibly be from the burn in?
> ...



Thanks for your feedback. Any pop and crack noises aren't related to burning in a product, at least not in most cases, which is why I've asked to use a different transport with the same OS and track any changes. But if things are getting better, that's all that matters. Still, please keep us updated once you listen to your hip-dac 2 some more, thanks!


----------



## tensleep80

iFi audio said:


> Our support will update your ticket shortly, but just to clarify, do you mean drivers or firmware? If the former, please see this page:
> 
> https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/
> 
> There's an orange button there that downloads the archive with instructions inside, thanks!


I had some time to work with the HipDac and the SE535 IEM today. When I purchased the SE535, I purchased two pair, one intended to gift to my son. Since I haven't seen him recently, I decided to try the second pair as a further test to isolate the problem. Well, the ifi HipDac is performing flawlessly with the second pair of IEMs. So, the problem now shifts to Shure.  What my son doesn't know won't hurt him


----------



## iFi audio

tensleep80 said:


> What my son doesn't know won't hurt him


Exactly 



tensleep80 said:


> Well, the ifi HipDac is performing flawlessly with the second pair of IEMs.


Thanks for letting us know and I'm happy to read that the issue wasn't on our product's end


----------



## Deleeh

Hello,

Quick question, does the adapter here allow me to get power from the Pentacon port of the Hip 2 when I connect my Aeon R/T headphones to it or is it simply for headphone conversion purposes?
I am aware that I do not have a symmetrical connection.
But to be able to retrieve purely from the power should be feasible or do I have a thinking error?

https://ifi-audio.com/products/headphone-adapter-3-5mm-to-4-4mm/


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> Quick question, does the adapter here allow me to get power from the Pentacon port of the Hip 2 when I connect my Aeon R/T headphones to it or is it simply for headphone conversion purposes?
> I am aware that I do not have a symmetrical connection.
> But to be able to retrieve purely from the power should be feasible or do I have a thinking error?
> 
> https://ifi-audio.com/products/headphone-adapter-3-5mm-to-4-4mm/



As per that adapter's description, it will enable your 3.5mm single-ended headphones to work with a 4.4mm balanced output device, such as our hip-dac 2. Hope this helps, thanks!


----------



## Deleeh

iFi audio said:


> As per that adapter's description, it will enable your 3.5mm single-ended headphones to work with a 4.4mm balanced output device, such as our hip-dac 2. Hope this helps, thanks!


Hello,
Thanks for the feedback.👍

I am aware that it works because it comes from your company 😁.

I'll try to rephrase the question.
When I plug my Aeon into the 3.5 jack, I can reach the end with the potentiometer without imatch.
Would that be possible with the use of the adapter that it will not be the case?
So that I benefit from the power boost without having to activate the Imatch button using the adapter.

I am not interested in the symmetrical story but only in the power indication with the adapter under the Pentacon socket whether it is set free even though you have headphones with a 3.5 mm plug.


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> I am not interested in the symmetrical story but only in the power indication with the adapter under the Pentacon socket whether it is set free even though you have headphones with a 3.5 mm plug.



hip-dac 2's specs list 400mW@32Ω for its 4.4mm output and 280mW@32Ω for its single-ended output. I'm pretty sure that upon connecting your cans to the former socket you'll tap into its power regardless of an adapter, but I'll double-check that with our R&D if that's okay. Thanks!


----------



## Deleeh

iFi audio said:


> hip-dac 2's specs list 400mW@32Ω for its 4.4mm output and 280mW@32Ω for its single-ended output. I'm pretty sure that upon connecting your cans to the former socket you'll tap into its power regardless of an adapter, but I'll double-check that with our R&D if that's okay. Thanks!


Hello,
Sounds good, thank you.🙏👍


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> Hello,
> Sounds good, thank you.🙏👍



OK, time to clarify and fix my previous post. Single-ended headphones will rely on hip-dac 2's single-ended headphone amp portion regardless of its outputs. Your headphones' termination determines which hip-dac 2's circuit will be engaged, not its sockets. Hope this helps, thanks!


----------



## Deleeh

iFi audio said:


> OK, time to clarify and fix my previous post. Single-ended headphones will rely on hip-dac 2's single-ended headphone amp portion regardless of its outputs. Your headphones' termination determines which hip-dac 2's circuit will be engaged, not its sockets. Hope this helps, thanks!


Hello 
Thank you for the feedback.🙏👍

Okay that means it doesn't matter if I use your Ifi adapter Pentacon to 3.5.
I have understood that the hint was also made clear on your page that it is not possible to have a balanced circuit, so to speak, with the adapter.

The only question I had was whether the adapter would give me 400mW@32Ω power instead of 280mW@32Ω from the single ended Hip 2 (i.e. unbalanced operation) or would it remain throttled to 280mW@32Ω?

If I understood correctly, I would have to make a separate cable for the Aeon with a Pentacon connection in order to access the full power.


----------



## Sebastien Chiu

Deleeh said:


> If I understood correctly, I would have to make a separate cable for the Aeon with a Pentacon connection in order to access the full power.



This is correct!


----------



## Deleeh

Thank you


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> Thank you



Sure thing, anytime!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Do you recommend upgrading to the Hip Dac 2 if I already have this one? Also, do you offer a Bluetooth headphone amp/Dac combo that has a 4.4mm connector for my Sony MDR-Z1R?


----------



## iFi audio

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you recommend upgrading to the Hip Dac 2 if I already have this one?



Our hip-dac 2 is better than its predecessor, but if it serves you well, you're sorted then 



Gamerlingual said:


> Also, do you offer a Bluetooth headphone amp/Dac combo that has a 4.4mm connector for my Sony MDR-Z1R?



Yup, we have two:

- GO blu (affordable and tiny)
- xDSD Gryphon (less affordable and bigger  )


----------



## Deleeh

Hello,
I have given the Ifi Hip Dac 2 a little more time and also dealt with the problem more on Android.
As mentioned before I have installed the update 7.4 Gto where mostly fixed most of it.
Earlier I connected the Hip 2 to my work tablet and pressed play and saw that it didn't switch to Mqa on the tracks.
The light on the Hip 2 was white and I ran it.That's where I noticed this stumbling.

Now the question is, of course, did my tablet not understand or did the Hip 2 not understand that something was happening?
The other question now is that I suspect this stumbling is caused when it doesn't switch because most of the tracks on Tidal are on Mqa so I think there is a problem.
I don't think it's coming from the Hip 2 itself, it's trying to convert of course because it recognises the Mqa codec and there's a conflict somewhere in the transport.
It could be hardware related from the android device to the tidal app.
On my android phone it was similar mostly the problems with stumbling occur more when the lamp is white on the Hip 2.
I have to say I haven't set anything on the phone yet.
When I looked in the settings, I couldn't set anything on the Samsung A5 like bit perfect or something like that. The function is probably not supported or has been blocked.
I would like to see if it also occurs with YouTube videos or not, I lacked some time the last few days.
I almost suspect that it tends to have more to do with the Tidal app and not the Hip 2 itself.
Because I'm currently streaming my playlists with my phone and it's all fine, even if it doesn't convert to Mqa.
It's a bit strange, but most of the interference was on the Samsung work tablet.
What has helped so far is simply unplugging the Usb C plug, waiting a moment and plugging it back in.
And then it converted everything as it should.

Purple, blue, green and white without any problems in streaming and offline without any problems.
Nothing happens with the smartphone, but that's not tragic because it's already old and will be replaced at some point.
I haven't experienced any of these problems on the iPad since the update.
Everything runs wonderfully there and from a personal point of view I prefer to listen to music.

Let's take a quick look at the sound and operation.

I have let the Hip 2 run for well over 50 hours and am already close to the 100h burn in recommended by Ifi.
At the beginning, the sound was a bit harsh.
This subsided after 20 hours and became better after 50 hours.
It became softer and silkier and no longer hard.
Of course, this is subjective.

For just under $200, it's a really worthwhile dwarf in terms of sound.
It also makes the one or other amplifier for 500$ look old.
I am amazed at how good the little one sounds and have fallen in love with it.
I listened to it with the Aeon R/T via a 3.5 mm jack. All in all, the Ify Hip Dac 2 reminds me tonally of the Wolfson chip 8740 series, only better.
The resolution is really very good and superior to any dac dongel I've had so far.
The mids and highs are also above the dac dongle and overall well balanced, tending to be gentle and not aggressive where any flight, train journey or hotel stay will cause relaxation.
The bass is a bit of a weak point without Xbass for me personally.
It could be a bit more prominent without the Xbass, even if it could be fixed quickly at the touch of a button.
Sometimes it's too much even when it's on.
Xbass is a nice to have in that respect.
It would be nice if they would do something about it in version 3.
Or maybe via an update.
I would have liked a little more bass without Xbass and when Xbass is pressed it is extended so that it doesn't roll over or become exaggerated.
Similar to Loundness, roughly speaking.

Imatch:

Interesting button.
Without Imatch, it drives the Aeon R/T amazingly well.
With the Podi I can turn it all the way up to have it loud enough without Imatch.
If I press imatch after turning back the potentiometer and set the volume again as I want it, I end up at 12 o'clock to light up everything and that's quite enough and I have a bit more headroom.
And I still have enough reserves to go louder again, mind you under the 3.5 mm socket not Pentacon.
There, imatch would probably be almost unnecessary and possibly extend the battery life.
That too is somehow a nice to have.

Poti:
I find this a bit unfortunate.
You switch on the hip via the potentiometer and then nothing happens until 9 o'clock, probably on purpose to control the circuits.
It's irritating at first, but you get used to it and forget about it.
I don't know if a switch-on button in version 3 would be better.
Or to stick with the concept of protecting the earpiece and headphones from hearing damage when everything is connected.
In the end I have to say it is well thought out, admittedly.

Running time:
I honestly didn't pay much attention to it.
4 hours were in any case without having to recharge.
And later I listened to it for another 2 hours and had to plug it in at some point.
Of course it depends on how you listen and whether it has to unfold or not with the Mqa.
I think it's great that it's enough to plug in the charging plug and the fun continues and you can continue listening to music.
Unfortunately, the indicator for the charging status is behind the socket.
I would have liked it better if it was in the front where you can see everything.
A kind of beep that informs you when the battery is jammed would also be nice, just as an idea.
Another thing to mention is that the Hip 2 doesn't affect the battery of the player, even though it is connected via USB.
On my Ipad mini, it once ran for over 4 hours and used just 6% of the Ipad's power for playing.

Operation, cable, scope of delivery:

The operation is mainly self-explanatory.
The conversion colours are quickly learned by heart.
Two or three things have to be read in the manual, which is okay, because you should spend 10 minutes with it.
The cables are a bit annoying.
On the train, I need more space than I would like in the tightest of spaces.
I don't like to bend cables, eventually they break and you're left with nothing, usually at inopportune moments.
The cables are chosen so long that it fits with the smartphone but with a tablet they would have to be longer to be able to bend them sparingly.
It would be helpful to have a stretch band that you can always pull on and off.
Of course, you have to buy this separately, but it would be great to see it in the scope of delivery in the future.
Of course, it's a shame that nothing is included for Apple users.
You have to buy the expensive USB camera adapter because nothing else fits.
The noname products unfortunately don't have the right fit, otherwise a 10$ adapter would probably also work.
A proprietary Ifi adapter Usb male to Usb male would simplify matters.
Otherwise, the scope of delivery is sufficient for Android-based devices and there is nothing to complain about.



Finally, MQA:

For a long time I resisted it.
Nevertheless, I have to say that Tidal customers who also use mobile devices will get their money's worth with the Hip 2.
I have to say that, because you are the winner on the mobile level.
You don't sacrifice sound and you can enjoy it on the go with all the depth and goodness it offers.
Why I say that is simple,my phone stays limited to 16/48 and doesn't pass anything on and still hear certain differences.
The illumination of the stage and the depth of the stage is somewhat greater than Mqa, which seemed to me to be the most noticeable.
Also the seperation seems to be better separated among each other and appears more clearly.
It's not the ultimate difference, but it is noticeable, and I find myself saying that something is different between the tablet and the smartphone, but you quickly get used to it.
And the Hip 2 masters it with flying colours, I have to say.
So for mobile use it's good, also for the memory and data volume, which is supposed to be less.
For home use, MQA would not be for me, I'll be honest.
Ifi has also released an update for non MQA friends.
The update turns MQA off for those who don't want it.
And leaves it up to the customer to decide.
This is another thing that Ifi has to praise for its customers.
You are not forced to do anything.

Conclusion:

As already mentioned, I am genuinely amazed by the poison dwarf.
What Ifi has done has a showcase character that one would also wish for from other manufacturers.
Just being represented in forums and giving help can be more than just praised.
In the end, offering a mobile amplifier at this level with this price will also cause the Chinese market to stumble.
To switch off Mqa by update, to improve their products even after longer releases by update or to correct errors can only be praised.
The workmanship is also of the highest level, everything is nice to look at and conveys good control in operation.
The rattling when shaking is normal and comes from the buttons.
It takes only a short time to get used to it, and you quickly become familiar with everything.
The sound is really good and works very well.
The tuning of the Burr Brown chip is also excellent and even better than the old chip versions known from the Fostex Hp A4, for example.
You get good audio for the money and a solid mobile headphone amplifier that supports all current formats.
That it also drives a hungry Aeon R/T surprised me.
Even if the main focus is more on IEM's, it also drives over ear headphones.
It has to be said that it has its limits somewhere, even with the 3.5 mm jack.
It's a pity I don't have a cable with a 3.5 jack for my Lcd 2C to hear how it performs there.
In general, it can be used for a small budget and non-mobile home use.
Which you can't blame it for as it has a lot going for it.
By the way, it also supports the Playstation 4&5, which was not really mentioned, but it was important to mention.
Because all Playstation owners know exactly how bad the sound from the Playstation can be.
As I don't have one at the moment I couldn't test it.
I assume that it works.
I'm glad I bought it.
I've always been a fan of dongels but their performance is often limited so the sound can be too thin on the move.
With the Hip 2, such things are a thing of the past.
The small one will stay, also because the sockets are robust - even if it takes up a bit of space I can live with it.
I'm looking forward to the Hip 3 when it comes out.
It is also a solid base for beginners and women would also like it because it is so small and fits in almost every handbag.


Future and vision:
A Hip 3 with display would be a dream, or even something like a Hip Dap.
I would be a buyer of a Dap with a solid system.
What I have seen so far I don't like so much about Daps.
And I could imagine seeing something from Ifi. Sound-wise alone, the basis would be there.

To be honest, I see the Hip 2 as technically better with any connected modern smartphone and tablet than a Dap with an outdated operating system with security gaps.
In principle it's the same except that you don't have everything in one hand but it's connected with a cable.
And the Hip 2 is quite a bit ahead of that, as is probably the Gryphon.
It even offers Bluetooth convenience.


----------



## chickentender

I will never understand why so many choose to deal with MQA's complexity and headaches for any reason when a true open standard already exists with support nearly across the board and none of the headaches or vagaries.


----------



## Gamerlingual

iFi audio said:


> Our hip-dac 2 is better than its predecessor, but if it serves you well, you're sorted then
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Pardon, do they both output LDAC for my wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones?


----------



## Deleeh

Gamerlingual said:


> Pardon, do they both output LDAC for my wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones?


Hello,
I believe so, as both are bidirectional.
That means you connect your headphones to the Ify Gryphon/Blu and your smartphone/tablet and control it with that.

Otherwise, have a look on YouTube and see if you can find something about it if it's interesting for you.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Deleeh said:


> Hello,
> I believe so, as both are bidirectional.
> That means you connect your headphones to the Ify Gryphon/Blu and your smartphone/tablet and control it with that.
> 
> Otherwise, have a look on YouTube and see if you can find something about it if it's interesting for you.


The Ifi Gryphon would be more ideal since I can power it by battery. I would prefer to charge it from my PC by USB.


----------



## iFi audio

Gamerlingual said:


> Pardon, do they both output LDAC for my wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones?



Both these products feature BT receivers, not transmitters, thanks 



Deleeh said:


> Hello,
> I have given the Ifi Hip Dac 2 a little more time and also dealt with the problem more on Android.
> As mentioned before I have installed the update 7.4 Gto where mostly fixed most of it.
> Earlier I connected the Hip 2 to my work tablet and pressed play and saw that it didn't switch to Mqa on the tracks.
> ...


Awesome work and some interesting observations. Many thanks!


----------



## Luke Skywalker

I’m thinking of picking up the GO Bar.  I do like my xDSD but I’m not a huge fan of the socket USB connector and my HiBy FC5 doesn’t enough power to drive my Audeze LCD-2s


----------



## Gamerlingual

Get the hip dac. Less money and you still get solid performance for $200+ less


----------



## Death_Block

Had the ifi OG hip DAC for a month now. For music and gamesl from ROG laptop. With the HD700 it's turned games into a new level of immersion. Stepped up from just stock laptop sound. And now the Mrs can watch TV uninterrupted. 
The hip DAC is very very impressive down low, the grumble in games now ads alot. Music wise, it's quite a warm sound from it, pairs excellent with the senns. All for £130. I see no need for upgrade. It's velcro to the laptop lid. Perfect.


----------



## iFi audio

Death_Block said:


> Had the ifi OG hip DAC for a month now. For music and gamesl from ROG laptop. With the HD700 it's turned games into a new level of immersion. Stepped up from just stock laptop sound. And now the Mrs can watch TV uninterrupted.
> The hip DAC is very very impressive down low, the grumble in games now ads alot. Music wise, it's quite a warm sound from it, pairs excellent with the senns. All for £130. I see no need for upgrade. It's velcro to the laptop lid. Perfect.



Awesome, thank you and enjoy!



Luke Skywalker said:


> I’m thinking of picking up the GO Bar.  I do like my xDSD but I’m not a huge fan of the socket USB connector and my HiBy FC5 doesn’t enough power to drive my Audeze LCD-2s



In your case GO Bar is a nice detour if you can live with a portable yet powerful device that takes juice from your smartphone


----------



## KeyboardCowboy

Hi,

I am considering picking up a hip-dac 2 for mobile device/laptop usage, but have a question regarding the balanced output. I have a pair of V-MODA M-200 that came with a 3.5mm single sided balanced cable. I'm wondering how I can use it with the hip-dac 2 balanced output. I see ifi has an adapter that's 3.5mm to 4.4 but that looks like it's so you can use regular single ended headphones with the balanced output. Does that adapter also work with a 3.5mm single sided balanced connection? If not, does anyone know of an adapter that would actually be balanced and not convert to single ended?

Thanks


----------



## Death_Block (Aug 16, 2022)

If the cable isn't balanced, the adapter is  futile. Does that help? 
Ps, the hip DAC is fantastic to stick to the lid of a laptop. I do the same. I use small velcro stripe.


----------



## Deleeh

Hello,
Unfortunately not.
I asked Ify at the time and they said you still get the power from the 3.5 mm output.
The adapter is good if you have to convert, if the socket is defective or if you want to be a bit more flexible.

You need a cable for the VModa that connects to the headphones on top and the Pentacon plug to connect to the Hip Dac.
Only then do you have the full power from the symmetrical range.


----------



## iFi audio

Deleeh said:


> The adapter is good if you have to convert, if the socket is defective or if you want to be a bit more flexible.



That's a spot on, thanks!


----------



## Luke Skywalker

I just received my Gryphon and I am completely blown away.  It brings out sound in my Audeze LCD-2 that I've never heard even after owning them for years.  I recently picked up the Monarch Mk2 and felt like they were average.  "Child in Me" by Lisa Simone and "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce (Tidal Master) sound incredible.


----------



## iFi audio

Luke Skywalker said:


> I just received my Gryphon and I am completely blown away.  It brings out sound in my Audeze LCD-2 that I've never heard even after owning them for years.  I recently picked up the Monarch Mk2 and felt like they were average.  "Child in Me" by Lisa Simone and "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce (Tidal Master) sound incredible.



Thanks, xDSD Gryphon is something special indeed


----------

