Product Description
Enjoy lossless audio wirelessly with the iFi Audio NEO iDSD 2, a versatile 3-in-1 DAC/amp, designed specifically for CAS audiophiles. Effortlessly pair with your favorite headphones and use this Head-Fi DAC/Amp as a pure DAC with your integrated amplifier or serve as a DAC/Preamp for your active speakers and power amplifier.
The NEO iDSD 2 features the latest Bluetooth 5.4, supporting the new aptX Lossless, the only Bluetooth codec capable of streaming lossless CD-quality audio without sacrificing audio quality. Version 2 of the NEO iDSD has improved headphone and line outputs, providing ample juice for your power-hungry headphones, and power amplifiers.
At a Glance
- Versatile audio hub: DAC, preamp, and headphone amp
- Ultra-Res digital audio—32-bit / 784 kHz PCM, DSD512 and full MQA decoding
- Dual-core DAC design enables true-native DSD and PCM
- Advanced jitter reduction—GMT femto-precision clock and smart storage cache
- Four user-selectable digital filters—fine-tune sound to suit the source material
- State-of-the-art HD Bluetooth 5.4—fully optimized performance, whatever your source device
- Every Bluetooth format supported: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, LHDC/HWA and more
- Enhanced PureWave fully balanced dual-mono circuit design delivers ultra-low distortion
- Exceptional power drives the toughest headphone loads (5x the power of the first-gen NEO iDSD)
- XSpace and XBass II—adjust soundstage and frequency response to match your headphones
- iPower 2 included—audiophile AC/DC power supply with Active Noise Cancelation
- Position horizontally or vertically—2" color display rotates to suit orientation
Advanced Bluetooth Technology
- The NEO iDSD 2 features the latest Bluetooth 5.4 technology, supporting the new aptX Lossless codec, which provides a maximum bitrate of 1200 kb/s. In comparison, aptX Adaptive has a maximum bitrate of 420 kb/s, while LDAC offers a higher bitrate of 990 kb/s.
- 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 uses Qualcomm’s new QCC518x Bluetooth audio chip, which is qualified for Bluetooth 5.4 and supports all Bluetooth formats including aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC, and SBC.
More Powerful
- 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 5551 mW (at 32 ohms), it outperforms 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 -12 to +16 dB, making it suitable for all IEMs and headphone types, from supersensitive to power-hungry.
- The NEO iDSD 2 is not only a powerhouse, but it’s also tailored for your ears. The newly added analog processing modes, XSpace and XBass II, along with the four digital filters, allow you to fine-tune the sound. Both XSpace and XBass II have pure analog signal processing modes designed to adjust the soundstage and low-frequency response to match your headphones.
Flexible Placement
- 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" color 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 analog volume control 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 / 768 kHz to DSD512 and full MQA decoding. You can also connect it directly to your power amplifier as a preamplifier, utilizing its analog volume control.
GMT Femto-Precision Clock
- 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 10 MHz 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.
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 >120 dB(A), Dynamic Range (DNR) of -120 dB(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.
iFi Nexis App for iOS and Android
- Introducing the iFi Nexis App for your NEO iDSD 2. Simply search for NEO iDSD 2 in the app to access a suite of features and settings. Easily perform OTA upgrades, which automatically update your device over the network.
- The app offers a convenient way to control your NEO iDSD 2, allowing you to adjust functions and settings with ease. Download the iFi Nexis App now and experience the full potential of your NEO iDSD 2
Hi-Res Audio
- Hi-res audio support is state-of-the-art with True Native playback. It handles PCM data to 32-bit / 768 kHz, 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 native form right through to analog 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.
XMOS 16-Core Processor
- The XMOS 16-Core chip processes the audio data received via the USB digital input.
- This new low-latency XMOS microcontroller has greatly enhanced processing power. Compared to the current generation of eight-core chips, this new 16-core IC delivers double the clock speed (2000 MIPS) 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 optimize sound quality and ensure a perfect partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC.
Master Quality Authenticated (MQA)
- MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is supported through the USB with full decoding of MQA files up to 384 kHz thanks to the processing power of the new 16-core XMOS chip.
- 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.
Burr-Brown True Native
- 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.
- iFi Audio uses Burr Brown extensively in their products having selected it for its natural-sounding musicality and True Native architecture. Their experience with this IC means we know how to make the most of it.
Qualcomm QCC518x Bluetooth
- iFi Audio uses 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 96 kHz.
- iFi’s Bluetooth engine can also be updated over the air, so future codecs may be added.
Extensive Jitter Eradication Technology
Extensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital stage, including iFi's GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and intelligent memory buffer. This represents a total out of the box systematic digital solution that solves jitter once and for all.
PureWave
- Balanced, differential analog circuit design has long been championed for its ability to reduce noise and crosstalk 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.
Audiophile-Grade Components
OV Series Op-amp
- Custom OV Series operational-amplifier is a top-notch component that contributes to the extremely low noise, low distortion (0.0001%) and wide bandwidth.
¿MOSFET
- 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 COG
- 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.
¿muRata Capacitors
- muRata control-type low-ESR high-Q multilayer capacitors. The ESR control aspect of the Murata is something special. Their noise suppression abilities are impressive.
Texas Instruments
- 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.
Key Features
- NEO iDSD Compact DAC and Amp
- Bluetooth 5.4 for 96 kHz Hi-Res Audio
- Balanced XLR & Unbalanced RCA Outputs
- 1/4" and Balanced 4.4mm Headphone Jacks
- DSD, PCM, and MQA Decoding
- USB 3.0, Coaxial, and Optical Inputs
- GMT Femto-Precision Clock + Ext Clock In
- Rotating 2" Color LCD Display
- Balanced PureWave Circuitry
- Audiophile Components Used Throughout
Technical Specifications
- Specifications
- Number of Headphone Channels: 2-Channel
- Recommended Headphone Impedance: Not Specified by Manufacturer
- Headphone Output Power:
- 4.4 mm Balanced:
- 650 mW into 600 Ohms
- 5551 mW into 32 Ohms
- 1/4" Unbalanced:
- 184 mW into 600 Ohms
- 2832 mW into 32 Ohms
- 4.4 mm Balanced:
- Digital Chipset:
- DAC: 1 x Burr-Brown True Native
- Bluetooth: 1 x Qualcomm QCC518x
- EQ: No
- Display: 1 x Color LCD
- Connectivity
- Analog Audio I/O:
- 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Unbalanced Stereo Line Input (1 Stereo Pair, Rear Panel)
- 2 x XLR 3-Pin Balanced Mono Line Output (1 Stereo Pair, Rear Panel)
- 1 x Stereo RCA TS Unbalanced Stereo Line Output (1 Stereo Pair, Rear Panel)
- 1 x 1/4" TRS Unbalanced Stereo Headphone Output (Front Panel)
- 1 x 4.4 mm TRRRS Balanced Stereo Headphone Output (Front Panel)
- Digital Audio I/O:
- 1 x RCA Coaxial S/PDIF Input
- 1 x TOSLINK Optical S/PDIF Input
- USB: 1 x USB-B 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1 (Digital Input)
- Sync I/O: 1 x BNC Clock Input
- Wireless: Bluetooth 5.4
- Bluetooth: 5.4
- Supported Audio Codecs: AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, LHDC, SBC
- Analog Audio I/O:
- Performance
- Maximum Output Level
- 4.4 mm Balanced Headphone: 3.5 V (12- to 600-Ohm Load)
- 1/4" Headphone: 4.5 V (12- to 600-Ohm Load)
- XLR Line: 19.5 V
- RCA Line: 10.5 V
- Dynamic Range: 120 dBA
- Impedance:
- XLR Line Outputs: ≤ 100 Ohms (Balanced)
- RCA Line Outputs: ≤ 50 Ohms (Unbalanced)
- 1/4" Headphone Outputs: < 1 Ohm (Unbalanced)
- 4.4 mm Headphone Outputs: ≤ 1 Ohm (Balanced)
- THD+N: Analog Outputs: < 0.0015% (32-Ohm Load)
- SNR: -120 dBA (Balanced, Unbalanced)
- Maximum Output Level
- Digital Audio
- Sample Rates:
- Up to 768 kHz (PCM)
- 22.6 MHz (DSD)
- Sample Rates:
- Compatability
- Mobile App Compatible
- Yes: Android & iOS
- App Name: iFi Nexis
- Functionality: Adjust Settings, Firmware Update, Remote Control (*As of October, 2023: Check with manufacturer for the most up-to-date compatibility)
- Mobile Device Compatibility: No
- Mobile App Compatible
- Power
- Power Requirements: AC/DC Power Adapter (Included)
- Ground Lift: No
- DC Input Power: 12 to 15 VDC at 1.5A
- AC/DC Power Adapter: 100 to 240 VAC (Included)
- Power Consumption:
- 13.5 W (Maximum)
- 5 W (Standby)
