Quick Summary
Audio brand iFi has updated its compact DAC to be smaller, lighter and better quality.
The iFi Go Link 2 Max will boost the audio processing for USB-C devices to get more out of digital music.
British audio brand iFi has announced its latest DAC for mobile devices, the iFi Go Link 2 Max. This compact device is designed to provide better audio than your smartphone can from its own hardware.
By improving the processing hardware, more depth and detail can be restored to music, avoiding the compression that's common on digital tracks, with access to Hi-Res Audio formats.
The iFi Go Link 2 Max connects to the USB-C port on your phone (or tablet or laptop), providing a connection for your wired headphones, with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm port.
It comes in to replace the iFi Go Link Max, with iFi saying that the new model is stronger, smaller and sharper. The new device weighs 11.5g and it measures 143 x 15 x 9.4mm, so can easily be slipped into a pocket alongside your phone.
The device offers lower distortion, has selectable digital filters and updates via the iFi Nexus app. iFi says that it reduces distortion by 50% compared to the original model and reduces channel crosstalk thanks to the S-Balanced Single Ended Output.
Just adding the DAC isn't the end of the story, however, because you'll need to plug in a pair of good quality wired headphones to get the best out of it. While some Bluetooth headphones offer a cable, it's worth checking that the headphones you're using can benefit from the advancements that it brings.
That doesn't mean spending a huge amount – there are plenty of good quality wired headphones available at reasonable prices from the likes of Grado and Beyerdynamic.
The onboard ESS Sabre DAC supports up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 audio. That will unlock Hi-Res Audio tracks from services like Tidal or Apple Music who offer higher quality tiers, but for other music sources you'd also be optimising the processing of that music for better performance.
The previous version of this dinky DAC was highly regarded and there's no reason to think that this latest model won't boost the experience.
It costs £85 / $85 / €85 and will be available immediately from iFi and other retailers.
