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DACs Deciphered: The 4 Major Types Explained | Moon Audio
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
Portable DAC/Amp sets a new standard for sheer power on the go... More details
DACs Deciphered: The 4 Major Types Explained | Moon Audio
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC Amplifier
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Unleash the sheer power and performance of the iFi Audio iDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC/Amp, the newest iteration in the Diablo series. Featuring a striking new futuristic design, the Diablo 2 II portable DAC/Amp sets a new standard for the amount of sheer power you can take with you. Engineered to sit at the top of iFi's range of mobile, portable devices, the Diablo 2 was built for purists—true headphone enthusiasts who crave pure, unadulterated sonic performance and exceptional playback.
The New Diablo 2 has an all-metal body, which is upgraded from previous generations, and returns to the diablo-red color scheme. You'll find a host of other hi-fi upgrades throughout the construction process and build quality, including a larger and more tactile volume control knob/wheel. The iFi iDSD Diablo 2 is a top-tier portable DAC/Amp that offers a compelling combination of performance, features, and sound quality, making it an excellent choice for discerning listeners who want incredible power on the move.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: We recommend pairing the iDSD Diablo 2 DAC/Amp with the Black Dragon USB Cable with USB-C connectors for the best possible digital audio transmission. The USB-C port on the bottom of the Diablo 2 makes it perfect for a high-quality cable designed for signal transmission. Our Black Dragon USB Cable utilizes a single-crystal UP-OCC copper construction to provide the best possible digital transmission. We have optimized our USB cables for audio transmission of large high-resolution audio files so you can easily transfer files from your digital library to the Diablo 2. We also recommend adding a high-amperage USB charger like the Tronsmart USB Charger to the Diablo 2. Why? The Tronsmart will provide sufficient amperage to charge the Diablo 2 quickly and efficiently, without any damage to the internal battery.
The iFi Diablo 2 DAC/Amp has been thoroughly redesigned inside and out, building on the performance-tuned design philosophy and power of its predecessors. Unlike the original Diablo which used cable connectivity from the source device, the Diablo 2 adds the latest generation of iFi's Bluetooth engine, complete with aptX Lossless support. The Diablo 2 is a similar size to the original and sports a fiery red chassis that's not only striking but also retro and futuristic-looking. One notably unique feature of the Diablo 2 is the grooved design with 22 grooves that aid thermal dissipation and double as fixing rails for the devilish "wings" supplied with the Diablo 2. These detachable rails act as a desk stand and can be positioned in different ways, allowing the Diablo 2 to be placed vertically or horizontally depending on your needs.
On the front panel of the Diablo 2 you'll find the volume control knob with a newly-added volume lock, balanced 4.4mm xMEMS output, unbalanced 6.35mm headphone output, power mode switch, xMEMS switch and audio format/Bluetooth format LED light. The back panel features a balanced 4.4mm line input/output, S/PDIF 3.5mm coaxial/optical input, battery status LED light, USB-C 5V charging port, USB-C input, and Bluetooth pairing/input mode selector button. Lastly, on the underside of the Diablo 2 is the iEMatch switch which reduces the output level and has two switch settings: 4.4mm headphones and 6.35mm headphones. The Diablo 2 comes with a generous amount of accessories like headphone adapters, a USB-C cable, and more that allow you to use the DAC/Amp in multiple configurations and store it all in the included iTraveller carrying case.
Able to drive notoriously power-hungry headphones and highly sensitive In-Ear Monitors (IEMs), the Diablo 2 DAC/Amp is built for high performance. The Diablo 2's headphone amplifier stage delivers incredible power, energy, and dynamics with a power output of 5,180mW/12.9V into 32 ohms and 611mW/19.2V into 600 ohms through its 4.4mm balanced output—that's more powerful than many desktop DAC/Amp setups! Three gain settings—Normal, Turbo, and Nitro—allow users to adjust the power mode to suit the drive requirements of the connected headphones or IEMs. Nitro for demanding headphones with 19.2V max output. Turbo for mid-sensitivity headphones. Normal for IEMs.
IEM users will be pleased with the added iEMatch attenuation mode that removes potential background noise and increases the usable volume range when listening with super-sensitive IEMs. Volume is controlled by a high-quality analog potentiometer, which delivers superior sonic transparency compared to chip-based volume controls and can be locked in place to avoid accidental adjustment. Switch settings for iEMatch include 4.4mm headphones, off, and 6.35mm headphones.
This level of performance requires a higher voltage solution to drive it, so iFi has partnered with XMEMs to produce the Diablo-X and the Diablo 2—among the first devices to support this latest technology in the audiophile market! The xMEMS microspeaker technology uses the piezoelectric effect to create a paper-thin solid-state speaker. These micro-speakers offer great potential to push the boundaries of IEM and headphone performance.
As xMEMS themselves say, “The inverse piezoelectric effect is created by applying electrical voltage to make the piezoMEMS contract or expand, converting electrical energy to mechanical energy. This energy excites an integrated silicon membrane to move air and generate acoustic sound waves…. xMEMS’ piezoMEMs actuators offer an increased range of movement enabling rich, loud audio”.
NOTE: xMEMS technology and corresponding settings are only compatible with hi-fi devices that utilize this technology. Non-xMEMS headphones and IEMs are not meant to be used with this setting on the Diablo II and will have degraded sound quality if attempted. xMEMS has specific impedance requirements.
Unlike the previous Diablo models, the Diablo 2 DAC/Amplifier features Bluetooth connectivity, making it the world's first Lossless Bluetooth portable DAC/Amp. aptX Lossless is the first Bluetooth audio format capable of streaming CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) audio 'losslessly', meaning it preserves the original data. It achieves bitrates of up to 1.2Mbps at CD-quality—that’s more than twice the maximum bitrate of aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, and roughly 20 percent higher than LDAC’s maximum figure.
As well as being the first portable DAC to support aptX Lossless, the iDSD Diablo 2 is the first to include Bluetooth 5.4, the newest Bluetooth standard. This codec ensures the greatest wireless range and stability, the highest speed, and the lowest latency between your source device and the DAC. Users can connect up to eight paired Bluetooth devices in the Diablo 2's memory, making it easy to switch between your favorite wireless headphones, earbuds, smartphones, tablets, and much more.
For those craving a wired listening experience, the Diablo 2's 4.4mm output and 6.3mm headphone socket provide a stable connection for high-quality headphones and IEMs. Users can connect a source device to the Diablo 2 using the USB-C port, as well as the 4.4mm fixed-line output on the back for high-end amps and powered speakers.
Every hi-res audio format is supported at the highest quality, handling PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz and all levels of DSD to 22.579MHz (DSD512). 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 its native form right through to analog conversion. MQA—the hi-res streaming technology used by Tidal's HiFi plus tier—is comprehensively supported with full MQA decoding/upsampling.
The iDSD Diablo 2's digital stage incorporates a Burr-Brown DAC chipset that iFi uses exclusively, selected for its natural-sounding musicality and True Native architecture. Two of these chips are installed in a custom interleaved configuration enabling four pairs of differential stages to lower the noise floor, improve channel separation, and enhance the DAC's ability to resolve fine musical detail and micro-dynamics. The Diablo 2 also features a 32-bit, 16-core XMOS Cortex microcontroller that optimizes sound quality and unlocks the full potential of the Burr-Brown DAC chip. Extensive jitter eradication technologies are also applied, including the latest version of iFi’s GMT (Global Master Timing) femtosecond-precision clock and smart storage cache. This combination of technologies forms the basis of a proprietary ‘digital engine’ that is unique to iFi.
Behind every incredible audio device is impressive circuitry. The Diablo 2 uses iFi's PureWave fully-balanced circuit design from input to output. PureWave achieves an exceptional level of sonic purity with linearity and low levels of noise and distortion. PureWave circuits are highly sophisticated in design and implementation, incorporating premium-quality components to enhance the audio quality and headphone amp power of the Diablo 2. A high-capacity 4800mAh lithium-ion battery is built into the Diablo 2 to provide long life between charges. The Diablo 2 can also be used when connected to the mains via the bundled iPower 2 – much more than just a mains charger, this AC/DC adapter contains active noise cancellation circuitry that benefits the Diablo 2’s sonic performance when powered by mains electricity.
Manufacturer of the award-winning xDSD Gryphon DAC and iFi GO Bar DAC & Headphone Amp, iFi Audio creates hi-fi audio solutions for the passionate audiophile who never compromises sound quality. From streamers to USB DACs, Hip-DACs, adapters, headphone amplifiers, and more, iFi Audio produces home audio and portable audiophile-grade gear at affordable prices, ranging from entry-level to mid-tiered music lovers and discerning audiophiles. Check out our entire collection of iFi Audio products and dedicated reviews for more.
What audio formats does the iFi Diablo 2 support?
The iFi Audio iDSD Diablo 2 DAC/Amp supports the following Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX Lossless, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, aptX Adaptive, aptX, and aptX HD. It supports the following wired audio formats: PCM 44.1, PCM 88.2, DSD 64/128, DSD 256/512, MQA, MQA Studio, and original sample rate/MQB.
Can the Diablo 2 drive high-impedance headphones?
Yes, with a maximum output power of 5,180mW into 32 ohms, the iDSD Diablo 2 DAC/Amp can easily drive high-impedance and planar magnetic headphones.
What is the battery life of the Diablo?
The iDSD Diablo 2 DAC/Amp has a built-in 4800mAh battery that provides up to 12 hours of playback time on a single charge.
