At only $189, you’re unlikely to find a better portable DAC/amp on the market right now.
iFi triumphantly returns with the renewed variation of its novel Hip-DAC portable DAC/headphone amp, titled the Hip-DAC2.
Want to know why you should be packing this portable powerhouse?
At the top end of the unit, we have a selection of buttons, dials, and outputs.
For a start, iFi has incorporated a 16-core XMOS chip to process the audio over USB.
The previous iteration had an 8-core chip.
The Hip-DAC2 also packs a Burr Bown True Native DAC chipset.
This allows you to listen to bit-perfect music, i.e.
the sound remains unchanged following processing, meaning no fidelity is lost.
First up, I paired the Hip-DAC2 with a set of Moondrop Aria IEMs.
These are inexpensive IEMs, with a fairly narrow soundstage and imaging.
They sound good, but they sound great with the iFi Hip-DAC2 powering them.
Buffoonery out of the way, and I was soon nodding my head to perfectly recreated and represented sound.
The pairing sounds sublime, to say the least.
Where the Hip-DAC 2 came into play here was, again, adding some oomph to the bass.
Not with all songs, mind.
You’re unlikely to find a better-sounding portable DAC at this price point, on the current market.
I literally have nothing bad to say about this DAC/amp.
Recommending the iFi Hip-DAC2
I would recommend iFi’s funny-shaped little DAC without hesitation.
It is a beautiful machine, with excellent craftsmanship, sturdy build quality, and excellent features.
Sound-wise, at this price point, you are absolutely onto a winner.
In short, for $189, this definitely a DAC you want on your person at all times.
