The COVID-19 pandemic still rampant worldwide, so maybe this could be another excuse for you to stay indoors with your headphones and stereo systems. iFi Audio has just unveiled the NEO iDSD, a versatile desktop DAC/amp that works as either a pure DAC, pre-amp, or headphone amplifier.
The monolithic chassis can either be placed flat on your desk or upright in its provided stand. No matter how you place it, the LCD screen rotates, depending on orientation. The NEO iDSD comes with four digital inputs – optical, coaxial, USB and Bluetooth 5.0 to cover all your sources.
You can either use it single-ended or balanced via the RCA and XLR outputs. The headphone output also comes in a single-ended 6.3mm and a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn connector.
Virtually all formats are supported, and to top it all off, the NEO iDSD is also a full-fledged MQA decoder. Bluetooth 5.0 connection supports all modern codecs with Qualcomm’s new QCC5100 chipset.
Inside, the NEO iDSD sports an all-new PureWave topology. According to iFi, the name refers to the “sonic purity it achieves thanks to exceptional linearity and infinitesimally low levels of noise and distortion.”
The 1,000mW output at 32 ohms means the the NEO iDSD will drive most power-hungry headphones with ease
“To retain maximum resolution, the volume is adjusted in the analogue domain via a resistor ladder, under precise microprocessor control.”
Targeted at home listeners and people looking for an all-in-one device, the iFi NEO iDSD is a step above the budget-conscious ZEN line.
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