iFi Audio NEO iDSD 2 Hi-Res DAC/Headphone Amp

iFi Audio NEO iDSD 2 Hi-Res DAC/Headphone Amp

 

The NEO iDSD 2 boasts the latest Bluetooth 5.4 technology, supporting the new aptX Lossless codec. With a maximum bitrate of 1,200kbps, it outperforms other Bluetooth codecs such as aptX Adaptive and LDAC, which have a lower bitrate and employ lossy compression methods that degrade sound quality. With the NEO iDSD 2, you can stream lossless CD-quality audio without sacrificing sound quality.

One of the most impressive features of the NEO iDSD 2 is its powerful headphone and line outputs, providing a whopping 5 times more power than its predecessor. With a maximum output power of 5,551 mW, it surpasses even dedicated headphone amplifiers, making it the perfect choice for high-demanding headphones. The headphone section has also seen significant improvement, as it integrates a Diablo headphone circuit, resulting in an exceptional listening experience.

For those with high-sensitivity headphones, the NEO iDSD 2 comes with an Auto iEMatch feature that reduces hiss without losing dynamic range. It also offers four gain settings, making it suitable for all types of headphones, from super-sensitive to power-hungry. Additionally, the device features analogue processing modes, XSpace and XBass II, and four digital filters, allowing you to fine-tune the sound to match your headphones.

The NEO iDSD 2 is not only a powerhouse in terms of performance, but also in its design. It can be positioned horizontally or vertically, making it suitable for both Desk-Fi and Hi-Fi setups. With its powerful 19.5V maximum balanced output, it can also be used as a preamplifier for your active speakers. The volume control is analogue, which is superior to digital volume control, ensuring the best sound quality.

In conclusion, the NEO iDSD 2 is a must-have for any professional who values high-quality audio. Its versatile capabilities, powerful performance, and tailored design make it the ultimate choice for all your audio needs. Don't settle for less, invest in the NEO iDSD 2, and elevate your listening experience to new heights.

 

Features

• 3-in-1 DAC/Amp
• Bluetooth 5.4
• 5 times more powerful than the 1st Generation iDSD
• Auto iEMatch
• XSpace and XBass II
• GMT Femto-Precision Clock
• PureWave circuit design

 

My Blue isn’t your blue. It’s new and Lossless.

The NEO iDSD 2 features the latest Bluetooth 5.4 technology, supporting the new aptX Lossless codec, which provides a maximum bitrate of 1,200kbps. In comparison, aptX Adaptive has a maximum bitrate of 420kbps, while LDAC offers a higher bitrate of 990kbps.

However, aptX Lossless is the first and only Bluetooth codec capable of streaming CD-quality audio without using a compression method that degrades sound quality. While other Bluetooth codecs claim to support CD-quality and even hi-res audio, they employ lossy compression during transmission, which negatively affects sound quality.

The NEO iDSD 2 used Qualcomm’s new QCC518x Bluetooth audio chip, is qualified to Bluetooth 5.4, supported all* Bluetooth formats including: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC and SBC.

*As of 22 Sep 2023. Check your device for Bluetooth codec support.

 

5x more headphone output power than its predecessor.

You heard me correctly – the headphone output power of the NEO iDSD 2 is a whopping 5 times more powerful than that of the 1st-gen NEO iDSD. With a maximum headphone output power of 5,551 mW (@ 32Ω), it outperforms even some dedicated headphone amplifiers, making them sweat. The headphone section has seen significant improvement, as we’ve essentially integrated a Diablo headphone circuit into it.

It features Auto iEMatch to reduce annoying hiss from high-sensitivity headphones without losing any dynamic range and four gain settings ranging from -12dB to +16dB, making it suitable for all your IEMs and headphone types, from super-sensitive to power-hungry.

The NEO iDSD 2 is not only a powerhouse, but it’s also tailored for your ears. The newly added analogue processing modes, XSpace and XBass II, along with the four digital filters, allow you to finetune the sound. Both XSpace and XBass II are pure analogue signal processing modes designed to adjust the soundstage and low-frequency response to match your headphones.

 

Stand by you. No matter up or down.

Whether you’re using the NEO iDSD 2 as a Desk-Fi or Hi-Fi, you can position it horizontally or vertically. The new 2-inch colour display automatically rotates to suit the orientation.

When using it as a Desk-Fi, you can position it vertically on your desk to save space. Set it to variable output, and with its powerful 19.5V maximum balanced output, it works well with your active speakers with volume control. The volume control is analogue, which is superior to any digital volume control.

When using the NEO iDSD 2 as a Hi-Fi, you can place it horizontally. It can serve as a pure DAC, playing all Hi-Res music files from PCM 32-bit/768kHz to DSD512 and full MQA decoding. You can also connect it directly to your power amplifier as a preamplifier, utilising its analogue volume control.

 

GMT Femto-Precision Clock. Upgradable.

The internal GMT femto-precision clock, combined with a smart storage cache, forms an advanced jitter reduction system. It effectively reduces jitter in the digital signal, producing cleaner and more accurate sound.

If you possess a more accurate external clock, or if you wish to synchronize with other devices such as CD players or network streamers that have an external clock input, you can connect both the NEO iDSD 2 and the other devices to the external clock via the 10MHz External Sync Clock input for even greater clock signal accuracy.

It’s rare to find an External Sync Clock input in this price range. Even if you don’t have an external clock, the internal GMT femto-precision clock still offers excellent performance in its class.

 

More than new features. Enhanced circuitry.

The NEO iDSD 2’s enhanced PureWave circuit design, with its balanced dual-mono topology and short signal paths, is known for outstanding linearity and minimal noise and distortion, offering you exceptional sonic purity.

The results are an improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of >120dB(A), Dynamic Range (DNR) of -120dB(A), and Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N) of <0.0015%, bringing the NEO iDSD 2’s performance on par with DACs at a higher price point.

 

	The XMOS 16-Core chip processes the audio data received via the USB* digital input. This low-latency XMOS microcontroller has greatly enhanced processing power. Compared to the current generation of eight-core chips, this 16-core IC delivers double the clock speed (2000MIPS) and four times the memory (512KB), as well as the latest SuperSpeed USB standard. iFi’s in-house digital development team has programmed the XMOS firmware to optimise sound quality and ensure a perfect partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC. (* Also on S/PDIF on the Diablo-X)
	MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is supported through the USB with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of the new 16-core XMOS chip. Check out how to set up your MQA decoder via Tidal, Roon and Audirvana here. This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’. Globally, MQA has become an important consideration for any comprehensively equipped DAC. It is available through for Tidal Masters, Audirvana and Roon.
	The Burr-Brown True Native® chipset means file formats remain unchanged or ‘bit-perfect’. This means you are listening to music as the artist intended in the format in which it was recorded. At iFi we use Burr Brown extensively in our products having selected it for its natural-sounding ‘musicality’ and True Native architecture. Our experience with this IC means we know how to make the most of it. The fully discrete Class A solid-state input stage uses J-FETs, while the all-valve Class A circuit features a hand-selected, computer-matched pair of General Electric 5670 tubes, a premium variant of the 6922 tube. This stage has two user-selectable modes – Tube and Tube+. The latter minimises overall loop-gain and thus negative feedback, giving a different trade-off between the tube’s natural harmonics and the transient performance.
	Extensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital stage, including our GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and the intelligent memory buffer. The low-jitter crystal clock has been updated to provide >20dB better performance
	Balanced, differential analogue circuit design has long been championed for its ability to reduce noise and cross-talk within the signal path by fully separating the left and right channels. PureWave is a new, balanced, symmetrical dual-mono topology with short, direct signal paths. The name refers to the sonic purity it achieves thanks to exceptional linearity and infinitesimally low levels of noise and distortion.
	As with many other iFi audio products, we’ve incorporated a custom OV Series operational-amplifier. This top-notch component contributes to the extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth.
	Switching between settings has been engineered to ensure sonic transparency with advanced trench technology MOSFET is used as a muting switch. This FET-based switching is handled by a micro-controller, which only ‘wakes up’ when the user changes a setting, thus eradicating any sonically deleterious interference.
	TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability and low losses for resonant circuit applications. Getting ever closer to the theoretical ideal of pure, frequency-constant capacitance, these capacitors reduce capacitor-induced distortion to vanishingly low levels. They are pricey but are a perfect addition to our products.
	muRata control-type, low-ESR high-Q multi-layer capacitors. The ‘ESR control’ aspect of the Murata is something special. Their noise suppression abilities are impressive.
	Texas Instruments low-noise ICs offer great unity-gain bandwidth, very low noise and distortion, high output drive capability, Common-mode and Power Supply Rejection Ratios of over 100 dB, wide maximum-output-swing bandwidths and high slew rates.
	We use Qualcomm’s new QCC518x Bluetooth processing IC in combination with proprietary circuits to create an audibly superior ‘Bluetooth engine’. All the current high-definition Bluetooth audio formats are supported – Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive, Sony’s LDAC and HWA’s LHDC, regular aptX, AAC (Apple iOS devices) and SBC (the ‘plain vanilla’ Bluetooth codec). All of the 24-bit-capable codecs, including aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, and LHDC, support up to 96kHz. iFi’s ‘Bluetooth engine’ can also be updated over-the-air, so future codecs may be added.
	Hi-res audio support is state-of-the-art with True Native® playback. It handles PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and single and double speed DXD. Thanks to the Burr-Brown DAC chip’s four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways – this enables DSD, as well as PCM, to remain ‘bit-perfect’ in its native form right through to analogue conversion. This is not the case with all DAC devices from other brands – even if DSD compatibility is stated, many such DACs convert DSD signals to PCM.

 

Specification

Inputs

• Digital:
  • USB3.0 B (USB2.0 compatible); S/PDIF (coaxial/optical)
  • Bluetooth 5.4 (aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptx, LDAC, HWA/LHDC, AAC and SBC)
• Analogue: UnBAL 3.5mm
• Clock: External Sync Clock 10MHz, 1Vpp nominal, 75Ω. Sinewave or Squarewave
• Format: PCM 768kHz; DSD 512 (22.6MHz); MQA Full Decoder

Line Section

Outputs

• Balanced XLR: 19.5V max. (variable) 4.4V­ fixed
• UnBAL RCA: 10.5V max. (variable) 2.2V ­fixed
• Output Impedance: XLR ≤100Ω; RCA ≤50Ω
• SNR: <-120dB(A) @ 0dBFS
• DNR: >120dB(A) @ -60dBFS
• THD+N: <0.0015% @ 0dBFS

Headphone Section

Output

• Balanced 4.4mm: 3.5V / 19.5V max. (12Ω - 600Ω Headphone)
• UnBAL 6.3mm: 4.5V / 9.50V max. (12Ω - 300Ω Headphone)

Output Power

• Balanced: >19.5V/650 mW (@ 600Ω); >13.3V/5,551 mW (@ 32Ω)
• UnBAL: >10.5V/184 mW (@ 600Ω); >9.5V/2,832 mW (@ 32Ω)
• Output Impedance: <1Ω
• SNR: >120dB(A) (3.3V 6.3mm/6.2V 4.4mm)
• DNR: -120dB(A)
• THD + N: <0.0015% (125mW @ 32Ω)
• Power supply requirement: DC 9V/1.5A - 15V/0.9A (centre +ve)*
• Power consumption: No Signal ~5W; Max Signal ~13.5W
• Dimensions: 214 x 158 x 41 mm (8.4" x 6.2" x 1.6")
• Net weight: 916g (2.0 Ibs)
• Limited Warranty: 12 months**
  *A power supply unit must be able to deliver minimum rated repetitive current
  **12 months typical or as permitted/required by local reseller laws.
  ***Specifications are subject to change without notice

 

About iFi Audio

iFi Audio is an award-winning audio tech company dedicated to enhancing your music enjoyment. With a mission to improve sound quality and eliminate noise, distortion, and hiss, iFi Audio offers a wide range of products that cater to headphones, speakers, portable audio devices, phones, and TVs. By doing so, they aim to deliver studio-quality audio that allows you to experience music as the artists intended.

Since its establishment in 2012, iFi Audio has been driven by the love of music and a commitment to making a difference in people's lives. With over 50 meticulously designed and manufactured products, they ensure every detail meets their high standards. Sourcing parts from around the world, including Germany, the USA, and Japan, they bring together global expertise to create exceptional audio devices.

At the heart of iFi Audio's business are its customers. They prioritise delivering the highest quality audio wherever you are, whether in the comfort of your home or on the go. Their distribution centre in the USA serves renowned retailers such as B&H and etailz, expanding their global network and reaching more music enthusiasts.

iFi Audio takes pride in its eco-friendly practices, using recyclable materials like aluminium, paper, and recycled plastics for its products and packaging. They strictly adhere to environmental standards, ensuring their components are hazardous toxins-free.

With a focus on Class A analogue circuitry and maintaining the audio signal's integrity, iFi Audio's products offer exceptional performance without compromising environmental sustainability. They believe that how a product looks, performs, and impacts the environment all matter, and they strive to deliver audio solutions that meet these criteria.

Experience the difference of high-quality audio with iFi Audio and immerse yourself in the joy of music.