iFi Audio Neo iDSD 2, leading the way

As those of you who regularly read my reviews will know, I think I can say that I have been able to analyze enough products from this brand to have a fairly clear idea about them. And the main reason for the vast production of reviews on iFi Audio is none other than the simple fact of the facilities, as a brand, that they give to people, like me, who do this job. A shining example that other manufacturers should follow if they don't want their products to be relegated to the bottom of the pile. Giving a commercial brand presence and visibility should never be at the expense of extra work for those who make it.

But let's get to what really matters, the product. In the press release that was published a few months ago, which you can read here, great commercial importance was given to the fact that the Bluetooth 5.4 protocol was already being used. For the laziest among you, what this means in practice is that it is possible to transmit at CD quality with a slight loss of quality. In real life, this means that only those most fortunate enough to have high-performance systems will be able to notice the loss. The rest of us mere mortals will not be able to hear it. And all this with Bluetooth 5.4 protocol. Those of us who have a few years of experience, not old age, know how important this point is for the new generations, who are quite allergic to cables.

As the name suggests, this is the second version of this product. You can read the first version its analysis here. Therefore, the comparison between these two devices will be constant as a way of assessing the growth of this brand when it comes to making its products.

And we get straight to the point. In the previous version I complained about the lack of power of the headphone amplifier, since I could only enjoy its sound on my AKG-701s at their maximum power level, with all that this implies. I guess I wasn't the only one who "cried" about this issue and now it delivers more than enough quantity and quality to be able to enjoy music with headphones anywhere along the potentiometer's range. Good. No, if I may say so, very good, because I think it's very clever of iFi to correct and not hide its shortcomings. And moving on to what matters, the sound it emits is so transparent and detailed, without adding any body to the signal as others do, that it is necessary to take this into account when looking for a good dance partner in headphone mode. I would leave the open ones aside, to focus on the closed ones, where I think special magic could be produced.

And when it comes to choosing headphones, there is almost total variety, as it has two inputs, a 4.4 mm balanced input and a 6.3 mm "standard" input. Not only that, but to ensure that the vast majority of devices can work well with the Neo iDSD 2. The amplifier can supply 5,551 mW/13.3 V at 32 ohms and 650 mW/19.5 V at 600 ohms through its 4.4 mm balanced output, up to ten times the power of the original. In addition, the volume is regulated by a ladder of resistors, all within the strictest analog world, in an attempt to preserve the cleanest possible signal.

Another difference between the current version and its first release is the improvement made to the sound emitted from its amplification preamp (although to be correct I should say output signal attenuator). Neo iDSD 2, like many other current DACs with the PRE function, can modulate the audio output, which can be either direct, maximum power, or modulated, variable downwards. The audible differences are now very few, and non-existent in many of the tracks I tried, to try to realize the possible quality losses. I'm not going to say that they don't exist, although to be honest I didn't notice them. And it was while trying out this configuration that I connected the Neo iDSD 2 to the NuPrime STA 9 as a power amplifier and I think I found a winning combination. iFi Audio's obsession with extreme sound clarity and definition can make it seem a little cold for some fans, so linking it to a device that "colors" in its first harmonic like NuPrime (house brand) gives us more "popular" music in the sense that we have descended from the Olympus of neatness, to get a little dirty and enjoy ourselves at the top of our lungs with the common of mortals.

There are 4 digital filters that can be tested "on air" and that theoretically give a different point to the sound. These are: Standard, Bit Perfect, Minimum Phase and GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimised). I played around with them a bit until I got bored. They added so little in general that I lost interest in them. And at the same time I feel bad thinking that, since I think that in the future (maybe some firmware update) I'll get these digital filters or others to be really fun. I think that's where the most progress will be made in the future,

We didn't improve much with the three analog filters either, although I have to make a clear observation about them, they weren't made with me in mind, or people like me at all. They are for a young audience, who have grown up with video games, virtual explosions and exaggerated sound as a source of inspiration, for them, and only for them: XBass, XBass II and XSpace.

Forgive me if I'm not the quickest on the spot when it comes to realizing certain things, it took me a long time. In spite of everything, I think I have recognized the DNA of this product. Neo iDSD 2 could be the perfect DAC for father and son. With a shape similar to a games console, with video game filters and bass-heavy music on all sides, with advanced mobile connectivity, etc., to satisfy all the needs of the most active members of the household. At the same time, we find quality details, only detectable by the most laid-back members of the family. Smooth potentiometer, intelligent screen that rotates automatically, depending on the position of the iFi, and most importantly, it can be configured to stop during the playback of a track and not turn on again until it needs to display some significant data. In this way, aligning itself with the world's leading firms in the fight against electrical noise. And if the noise doesn't bother you, you can set it to maximum fixed intensity, that's up to you.

Like other manufacturers, and with the aim of creating an ecosystem that is easy for users and that makes switching from one device to another as simple as possible, they have started the journey with Nexis. This software aims to be the cornerstone of the management heart of all iFi devices in the future. The idea is to choose which product you want to control and do it from a single application. Currently, it only acts as a remote control, but it is planned to add more features later. And I'm joining the party and urgently proposing the first one. Those of us who use the DAC for the main system (and we are over twenty years old) do not see the screen or anything on it. Please, there should be a virtual screen in the application that would tell us the same thing as the physical one.

Equipment used in the tests

»Sound source:
» Roon Labs on dedicated PC
»Power amplification:
»NuPrime STA 9
»Bow Technologies WAZ00 XL
»Speakers:
»RadioTehnika Giant FS-100N
»Cables:
» Wires4Music in cabling:
    » Horus Hybrid RCA interconnection
    »Evolution in speakers and mains power
» Custom rack

I want to recommend this album from 2016. During my iFi trial period, as always, I tried countless songs and styles, but this one captivated me. With little instrumentation, Jeff's voice and guitar fill everything. What's more, the Hi-Res 24-bit, 44.1 kHz version on Qobuz makes you fly inside the silences, the friction of the fingers, the chords, etc. Try it, listen to it and thank me later.

iFi Audio Neo iDSD 2 is a highly specialized product. With a relentless search for the clarity and detail of sound frequencies, without over-representing any range of them, we find a product with a domestic appearance with characteristics typical of a recording studio. Where the easy identification of each of the signals is vital in order to be able to work with them properly. We could say that its lack of a sonic trademark in the final result is precisely its trademark.

Furthermore, the work carried out in the audio output section is noticeable. The tracks, even if they are really long, do not tire the ear. And I want to emphasize this fact, since it is very easy for DACs with the characteristics of the iFi Neo iDSD 2 to cause auditory fatigue and this is not the case.

It is not a basic, general-purpose DAC that aims to please everyone, although some of its features are a concession to other segments of the market that do exist, and simply by ignoring them we can continue to enjoy our music at a high quality.