The author of this article has tried many components throughout his musical life. Believe it or not, I have taken something away from all of them. An anecdote, a memory, a curiosity. Something has stayed with me, in my memory box, which is my memory. Some are trivial, others not so much. This one, which has to do with its predecessor, and which I reviewed four years ago, is etched in my memory.

I'll explain it briefly. I received the first version of the Diablo, along with all the information about it, as well as the company's commercial promotion and marketing campaign. We were talking about a portable system for personal use and on the go. I started my tests, most of them within these parameters, but as my knowledge of it evolved, an idea crossed my mind: to connect it to the large system in the room. The result was spectacular, and I liked it even more than some of the higher-end models from the same brand. I didn't dare to publish a photo of the test, although I did mention it in my review. When it was published, it caused some confusion, I think it was misunderstood, even by those around me. I couldn't find any similar articles discussing this possibility at the time. After a while, in the United States, a store presented the Diablo as the main DAC for a high-end system. I wasn't wrong, I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

This entry provides a better understanding of the following sentence: "Never have stands given me so much joy. They are two different heights and can be easily attached to the Diablo 2 in different positions."

The Diablo 2 has jumped from your pocket to the center of your desk or dedicated rack. I say this not because it doesn't perfectly fulfill its function of powering headphones for hours on end, but because this product demands attention, attraction, and prominence. Its shape is no longer smooth and round, which was ideal for pockets, but has been changed to be more efficient in terms of heat dissipation.

In addition, we could say that this new version has been updated with two options that the first generation did not have or had differently. • We have moved from a USB 3.0 type A connection to the new type C. This may be a little confusing at first, but once we all have the right cables for this new standard imposed by the European Community on the rest of the world, everything will be easier. • Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.4.

Bluetooth is the main new feature of this device. And what's more, it's the latest version (at the time of writing).

According to the regulatory organization, a 38% growth in audio devices using this technology (Bluetooth) is expected over the next three years. Currently, growth is at 20% per year. We are talking about dizzying figures. And the Devil (second version) has jumped on the bandwagon. Has Bluetooth audio quality improved? Yes, undeniably. To what extent? There are so many distorting factors in wireless transmission that I will leave it to the engineers to discuss this issue. Another interesting point worth mentioning is that this product has been on the market for over a year and the version used (5.4) is still the most recent.

Another feature that sets its design apart is the use of a Qualcomm chip for wireless management, whose main advantages, according to the manufacturer, include low power consumption. This series of chips is designed for portable devices, so the amount of energy they consume and lose in the form of heat is kept to a minimum.

In a headphone amplifier like this, if we don't use a dedicated DAC, the difficulty is maximum and it's not always easy to get good results. Let's think about it for a moment. If we believe that there is a lot of variety in the world of speakers, then we haven't spent enough time thinking about headphones. And I'm not talking about simple things like the size of the transducers, which can range from tiny to enormous, but rather their location in the ear: inside the ear, resting on it, encapsulating it, or bone conduction. In terms of technology: electrostatic, magnetoplanar, dynamic, MEMS (microelectromechanical),... I'm sure I'm leaving some out. And, with the exception of the latter, they come in different sizes and shapes. A whole universe to control with a portable device, no big deal. For this reason, we cannot demand the same level of performance from such a versatile player as we would from one dedicated to a single technology.

The need to deliver and control intensity, correcting the curves to adapt the correct level to each final resistance (earphone), requires delicate signal manipulation. It is a complex world and for this reason, the designers of these devices have and will always have my utmost respect.

Most of the time, I consume music unattended. I'm working on my computer and music is playing, I'm reading the news and music is playing. I'm playing chess and music is playing. My wife says she knows if I'm home before she opens the door, just by listening for music. This is the reality of my life. And in these cases, when the sound I perceive is of minimal quality, I don't pay much attention to it. If the level is low, I simply can't stand it and have to stop listening, even if it complements my work. I am unconsciously demanding.

For all the situations described above, it is perfectly valid to have the Diablo 2 connected to the external power supply and let life go on harmoniously. However, when I have enough peace of mind and the necessary time, I want to savor the sweet taste of good sound. So, do I have time? Yes. Do I have peace? Yes. We forget about Bluetooth and go for the USB C connection.

With any high-sensitivity product on the market, if we remove a significant part of the source of problems, these are drastically reduced. Running such sensitive components as a DAC on battery power makes it possible to achieve high performance at a fraction of the price. I'm not discovering anything new, I'm just mentioning it because we often forget the obvious and complicate our lives.

The sound, using the internal battery, is modified in a nuanced way. These are not major changes, but I will detail some of them. Some of the dynamism in the music is lost and the music sounds more relaxed. Does this sound familiar to you? We have just introduced a virtual valve into the music system. Immediately, fans of pure valve sound notice how the music is more melodic, richer and gives a different colour to the voices, which they identify with more. Solid state purists don't really appreciate the virtues of unplugged and want to go back to the previous sound. They are all right. There is no single truth in sound. At a connected concert, no one, I repeat, no one hears the sound of a bass, a guitar or a drum kit. Not even the singer's voice. All you hear are the concert promoter's budget constraints and the magic that the sound engineer has been able to work with the system used from his FOH (Front Of House) position. The rest is the fantasy of live performance.

If the music is generated by a symphony orchestra, the venue can condition the sound to such an extent that the effort of the performers becomes insignificant. For the worse, almost always, and very occasionally, for the better. In any case, the background noise of the audience is so loud that it drowns out the hiss of the needle as it travels across the vinyl. The rest is the fantasy of live performance.

Being able to modify the sound of a component in this way (by choosing the battery or network connection) without having to apply filters that can impair the sound signal (I'm not saying they do) and adjust it more to your personal tastes or preferences is a pleasure.

The iFi Audio iDSD Diablo 2 is not a new or revolutionary product. It is an update to a product that already worked well, to which they have added Bluetooth functionality, which is no small thing. There is a change in nomenclature to define features that already existed, and therefore remain the same. I have detected a certain amount of anger about this among some enthusiasts, and honestly, I don't understand it. If you look at the technical specifications, you can see that it is just an update of the vocabulary to accommodate an extra option (I insist), and I honestly don't understand the rejection; it's absurd to me.

Only successful products evolve, failures are withdrawn from the market. This one has evolved; it is the natural product that would have been created now if this were its first version. For this reason, for its consistency, for its reliability over time, and for its ability to maintain its strengths over the years, it has my respect and admiration.

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