iFi has updated its Diablo into what it claims is its best-ever battery powered DAC/headphone amp.
Titled the iDSD Diablo 2, it replaces original model with a thorough redesign inside and out. Under its hood high-grade surface-mounted components rub shoulders with iFi’s latest generation Bluetooth engine offering aptX lossless support (making it the world’s first portable DAC/headphone amp capable of processing lossless Bluetooth audio).
Sized similar to the original at 166x85x28.5mm, table top or travelling duties are clearly its calling card while its metallic crimson aluminium grooved case makes it stand out from the crowd. And those grooves aren’t just to aid thermal dissipation, doubling as fixing rails for its devilish wing-style multi position stands.
Inside beat two Burr-Brown DAC chips in a custom ‘interleaved’ configuration, enabling four pairs of differential signals (two pairs per channel) to lower the noise floor, improve channel separation and enhances its musical abilities, powered by a 32-bit, 16-core XMOS Cortex microcontroller.
Data support is up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and all levels of DSD up to 22.5792MHz (DSD512).
Inputs include USB–C, coaxial and optical (S/PDIF) plus 4.4mm balanced analogue. On the output side you get 4.4mm balanced and 6.3mm headphone sockets alongside a 4.4mm line-level offering.
Priced at £1,299, find out more at iFi Audio.com.
