Building upon the success of the nano-iDSD and micro-iDSD, the iFi Audio micro-iDAC2 is a state-of-the-art DAC/headphone amplifier for use at home on your desktop, but is small enough for portable applications. The DAC utilizes a single Burr-Brown converter, which utilizes three filters for True Native playback, allowing you to hear your audio in its original format and resolution. The DirectDrive circuit is sonically transparent without the need for output capacitors. This means no output coupling, which provides the most direct signal path to retain the essence of the music.
The DAC features a USB 3.0 input and includes a digital S/PDIF coaxial output, allowing for a digital format conversion. The iFi iDAC2 works with a variety of formats and sampling rates including PCM up to 384 kHz, DSD up to 12.4 MHz, and DXD up to 384 kHz. The unit is USB bus powered allowing it to be powered by your computer. The metal enclosure offers two RCA outputs, an 1/8" headphone output, which are both controlled by an analog volume control.
- The Burr-Brown chipset is an integral part of the iDAC2
- Offers True Native playback on DSD and PCM, which keeps the integrity of the file format unchanged all the way through
- From beginning to end, DSD stays DSD and PCM stays PCM, allowing you to hear it as the artist intended
- DAC2 can handle all formats, from 16-bit/44 kHz through to Quad-Speed DSD256
- This evokes a sonic ‘rightness’ about listening to music on the iDAC2 as there is no format conversion or re-sampling
- AMR/iFi’s roots lie in single-ended valve amplification in a Class-A design
- The iDAC2’s analog stage has two special audiophile grade electrolytic capacitors (Elna Japan Silmic II)
- The analog stage also uses a discrete, Class-A buffer that combines an N-Channel J-Fet and a PNP bi-polar transistor that allows this buffer to handle loads of even 600 Ohms
- Drawing on the popularity of the nano iDSD and the micro iDSD, the iDAC2 also features an SPDIF output which means it is able to receive a USB signal and then convert it and output a digital SPDIF signal to another device such as Sonos streamer or an A/V amplifier (with an onboard DAC)
- As your system changes over time, the iDAC2 will simply follow suit
- AMR/iFi prides itself on the very best component quality: from Japan Elna Silmic II, TDK C0G capacitors to Vishay MELF resistors, the iDAC2 has them all.
- Take the DAC’s power supply including the latest "Super Regulator", a rather unique shunt noise filter which cleans the USB Power for the DAC
- The iDAC2 benefits from trickle-down technology from the Pro range, where high-grade Panasonic Japanese-made film capacitor for surface mounting. This combined with a smaller value C0G capacitor provides the cleanest reference pin voltage yet
- Behind its diminutive size beats the heart of digital and analog circuitry that is of an unrivalled design and execution