- iFi Audio calls the now presented iFi Audio GO link MAX The missing Link and thus the big brother of the iFi Audio GO link Headphone Dongle.
The company iFi Audio has been known for years for its solutions in the field of personal audio devices and desktop audio devices; compact systems that are as compact as possible with impeccable sound quality are the company’s proven strengths. This is now underlined once again by presenting an alternative to the iFi Audio GO link headphone dongle, which has been available since March 2023, namely the new addition to the iFi Audio GO series, iFi Audio GO link MAX.
It’s called The Missing Link, a solution designed to raise the bar for quality on-the-go performance for users who don’t want to compromise.
The perfect solution for music on the go
As you would expect, the new iFi Audio GO link MAX also presents itself as a compact solution that resembles a USB dongle, but in this case has a short cable for connecting to a smartphone, tablet or even a notebook. This cable ends in a USB-C plug.
Balanced Dual Bit Perfect DAC with time domain jitter elimination
At the heart of the signal processing is a Balanced Dual Bit Perfect DAC, as described by the manufacturer itself, specifically two D/A converters from the specialist ESS Technology Inc. in the form of ESS ES9219 DACs. In addition, the so-called Time Domain Jitter Elimination is used to achieve a reproduction of the highest precision and free of distortion.
As a result, the new iFi Audio GO link MAX is able to process signals in Linear PCM with up to 32 bit and 384 kHz as well as DSD up to DSD256, as the data sheet reveals.
THD compensation and dynamic range enhancement
The output stage uses THD compensation, which guarantees a particularly clear, detailed performance, as well as dynamic range enhancement to expand the dynamic range and thus give the music more depth and expressiveness, according to the manufacturer.
Powerful output stage
It is particularly important that the output stage has sufficient power reserves to effortlessly drive even the most demanding headphones. This means that not only an unbalanced 3.5 mm stereo mini jack is available as a connection for headphones, but also a balanced 4,4 mm Pentaconn.
As a guide, iFi Audio specifies a power of up to 100 mW into 32 ohms for the unbalanced output, while the balanced output can deliver up to 241 mW into 32 ohms, as can be read in the iFi Audio GO link MAX data sheet.
Finally, it should also be mentioned that the new iFi Audio GO link MAX measures no more than 150 x 15 x 10 mm and thus weighs just 14,5 g. So you can easily carry this solution with you at all times.
Prices and availability
The new iFi Audio GO link MAX should be available from specialist retailers within the next few days. The price is listed by the manufacturer at € 79,-.
Getting to the point
It is The missing link, says iFi Audio about the latest USB dongle that functions as a D/A converter and headphone amplifier for smartphones, tablets and notebooks, namely the iFi Audio GO link MAX. This is a solution that is clearly superior in terms of performance to the previously available iFi Audio GO link headphone dongle, which should offer more performance, but also more quality, as iFi audio promises.
| PRODUCT | iFi Audio GO link MAX |
|---|---|
| Price | € 79,- |
