A NEW REFERENCE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER FROM IFI, THE IFI ICAN PHANTOM

iFi’s new flagship analogue headphone amplifier is designed to deliver reference-quality sound with everything from sensitive in-ear monitors to power-hungry electrostatic headphones, which is why they named it the iFi iCAN Phantom, a ‘Rolls-Royce of headphone amplifiers’.

IFI ICAN PHANTOM

iFi’s new reference-class analogue headphone amp takes the Pro iCAN, refines and enhances every element of its circuitry to further elevate its performance, incorporates technology from the Pro iESL for electrostatic headphones, and adds a new, advanced user interface and network-connected control system.

Another string to the iCAN Phantom’s bow is its ability to perform as a high-end hi-fi preamplifier, enabling headphones and speakers to be combined in a single high-performance audio system.

ROLLS ROYCE CONSTRUCTION

The iFi iCAN Phantom has a design that gives the appearance of two units, but it is in fact a single, dual-level device, the full height of which is fully utilised by its multi-layer circuit design. Its enclosure measures 256x120x185mm (WxHxD) and is sturdily constructed from aluminium, with the bottom layer sporting cable connections front and back, and the top layer offering tactile controls and a colourful OLED display.

Top of the iFi iCAN Phantom

The top of the iCAN Phantom incorporates a flush-fitting smoked glass panel, through which the amp’s circuitry – including its glowing audio valves – can be glimpsed. Circular aluminium vents protrude from the glass, ensuring the circuitry within does not overheat. Clever design touches are included, for example, when not in use the sockets at the front or back can be hidden by a neat aluminium panel that attaches magnetically. (This panel also holds the data cards for the electrostatic bias voltage settings.) The iCAN Phantom also comes with an attractive, easy to use aluminium remote control.

iFi iCAN Phantom side view

VALVE OR SOLID STATE

Like the Pro iCAN before it, the iCAN Phantom sports several unique. One such facility is the incorporation of two input stages, one valve/tubebased, the other solid state, enabling the user to switch between the two in real time. These input stages are entirely separate, which means they can be kept short and direct for optimal purity rather than complicating the signal path (for example, by switching tubes in and out of a single circuit).

iFi iCAN Phantom valves

The fully discrete Class A solid-state input stage uses J-FETs, while the all-valve Class A circuit features a hand-selected, computer-matched pair of General Electric 5670 tubes (a premium variant of the 6922).

This stage has two selectable modes, Tube and Tube+. The latter minimises overall loop-gain and thus negative feedback, giving a different trade-off between the tube’s natural harmonics and the transient performance. The effect is like three amplifiers in one, each with a different sonic presentation.

GE5670 TUBES

The supplied GE 5670 tubes have an expected lifespan of around 100,000 hours. When eventually the time comes to replace them, the iCAN Phantom’s glass top is easily removed to provide access. The amp is also compatible with 6922 tubes (an adapter for the 6922’s pinout is included).

IFI PUREWAVEPRO

iCAN Phantom’s balanced circuit design to the extreme is fully differential from input to output, minimising noise and crosstalk in the signal path. Essentially, ‘fully differential’ circuit design – or True Differential Balanced, as iFi calls it – means that each channel (left and right) is fully separated in the circuit design, and each of these channels has two separate signals of equal level but opposite polarity (positive and negative). This requires four separate amp circuits, two for the left channel and two for the right channel.

Inside the iFi iCAN Phantom

IFI ICAN PHANTOM TRUE DIFFERENTIAL BALANCED

The iCAN Phantom’s True Differential Balanced circuitry is coupled to a volume control with six decks, two decks for each channel (positive and negative) with the final two decks used for monitoring the volume control operation. The motorised volume control potentiometer is custom-made by ALPS in Japan and is of exceptional quality.

Rear of the iFi iCAN Phantom

iFi has championed balanced circuit design for years and many of its current amp devices at all manner of prices incorporate balanced circuit principles. Since 2020, iFi’s most advanced balanced circuit concepts have been collectively dubbed PureWave, The iCAN Phantom’s True Differential Balanced circuit design, utilising the highest quality circuit components, is the ultimate expression of these principles – that’s why iFi calls it PureWavePRO.

IESL TECHNOLOGY – FOR ELECTROSTATIC HEADPHONES AND MORE

At the high end of the headphone scene there are electrostatic headphones. These incorporate an electrically charged diaphragm placed between two conductive plates or electrodes. For many headphone users there is a significant drawback – electrostatic drivers have extremely high impedance, which means they need specialised amplifiers to boost the voltage of the audio signal far, far higher than that required by other headphone types whilst also dropping the current of the signal to safe levels. One way of doing this is to add a separate unit called an electrostatic ‘energiser’ to a regular amplifier; this is the approach iFi took with its previous-generation Pro Series, which gave the option of adding the Pro iESL energiser to the Pro iCAN headphone amp. iFi has chosen to incorporate its iESL energiser technology within the iCAN Phantom, thereby making a single amplifier that can handle every headphone type.

PPCT TRANSFORMER

Transformer quality is critical to sound quality, which is why the iCAN Phantom incorporates custom-made PPCTs (Pinstripe Permalloy Core Transformer). These incorporate a GOSS/Mu-Metal hybrid core and complicated multi-section winding with both vertical and horizontal sectioning, using extremely thin wire that is hand-wound with great precision.

POWERFUL AMPLIFICATION

The iCAN Phantom is a powerful headphone amplifier, capable of delivering more than 15,000mW from its balanced outputs and more than 5,760mW from its single-ended outputs into 16 ohms. In terms of voltage, it can supply more than 27V into a 600-ohm load; when it comes to electrostatic headphones, it delivers up to 640V.

IFI ICAN PHANTOM BATTERY POWER SUPPLY

The iCAN Phantom’s capacitive battery power supply, originally developed for the Pro iESL and further enhanced here, is intrinsic to its high level of performance. Rather than relying on a mains-powered switched-mode step-up circuit, a large battery of custom-made film capacitors rated at 1,000V DC is charged and occasionally topped up using mains power. This ‘virtual battery pack’ delivers pure DC, completely free of AC and switching noise – the ideal high-voltage supply for electrostatic headphones. Two independent circuits deliver the electrostatic bias voltage – one for 230V ‘normal’ bias and the other adjustable between 500V and 640V.

IFI SONIC TAILORING

The choice between solid-state and valve-based input stages isn’t the only way to ensure the iCAN Phantom’s performance matches your headphone selection and the music you play. A range of adjustable settings let you dial in the perfect performance – here’s a summary:

For dynamic and planar magnetic headphones and IEMs:

▪ Adjustable gain – Three settings – 0dB, 9dB and 18dB – enable the amp to precisely match the connected headphones.

▪ IEMatch – This proprietary iFi circuit attenuates the output to better suit high-sensitivity IEMs.

▪ XBass analogue processing – This proprietary circuit can be engaged to enhance low frequencies.

▪ XSpace analogue processing – Another proprietary analogue processing mode, XSpace is designed to enhance soundstage width and depth. The iCAN Phantom includes two XSpace matrices, one for headphones and the other for speakers,

Bias voltage cards

For electrostatic headphones:

▪ Custom bias voltage cards – The iCAN Phantom has two outputs for electrostatics – one set at the ‘normal’ bias voltage of 230V, the other offering variable bias voltage between 500V and 640V, iFi has

created a series of data cards that specify different bias voltages (these are supplied with the amp). Simply select the card that matches the headphone’s specification and pop it in the card slot – there are cards for 500V, 540V, 580V, 600V, 620V and 640V, each with a handy guide on the back showing which headphone brand is compatible with that voltage.

▪ Load impedance – The impedance response can be adjusted from 16 ohms to 96 ohms.

▪ AC termination – Low- and high-impedance setting for the shared node between the channels for bias control.

IFI NEXUS NETWORK-CONNECTED CONTROL

The iCAN Phantom is the first product to incorporate iFi’s Nexus module, which combines with an app to provide a comprehensive, scalable network-connected control system. The features that Nexus offers will grow over time; at launch, the Nexus app enables your Android or iOS device to act as a ‘super remote control’ for the iCAN Phantom, providing access to additional features not accessible via the amp’s fascia or standard remote control.

The app can display diagnostic information and allow the user to monitor the iCAN Phantom’s operational condition in real time – for example, voltages, the condition and projected life span of the vacuum tubes and so on. It can also be used to apply over-the-air updates to the iCAN Phantom’s firmware, downloading and installing update files via your home Wi-Fi network.

Nexus will be incorporated into more iFi devices over time – for example, several new mid- and top-tier DAC/amps set to arrive later this year will support it. As the number of Nexus-compatible iFi devices grows and the app’s functionality expands, a network-connected iFi ‘ecosystem’ will develop.  It will enable additional softwaredriven functionality to be delivered and shared across existing iFi devices, as well as providing a direct technical support service and even potentially an online store within the app.

IFI ICAN PHANTOM CONNECTIONS

The iCAN Phantom supplies an array of balanced and single-ended connection options. The headphone outputs are at the front, with the source inputs and preamp outputs at the rear. Here’s a summary:

Headphone outputs (dynamic/planar) Source inputs

1x 3-pin balanced XLR (L/R) 1x balanced XLR (L/R)

1x 4-pin balanced XLR 3x RCA (L/R)

1x 4.4mm balanced Preamp outputs

1x 6.3mm (positive phase) 1x balanced XLR (L/R)

1x 6.3mm (inverted phase) 1x RCA (L/R)

1x 3.5mm (S-Balanced)

Headphone outputs (electrostatic)

1x 5-pin normal bias

1x 5-pin custom bias

iFi iCAN Phantom

IFI ICAN PHANTOM PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The iCAN Phantom is available from selected retailers at an RRP of £3,749. Pre-orders are now open, with retail stock expected to arrive at the end of June.

HiFi PiG Says: A worthy flagship headphone amp from British HiFi brand iFi, stay tuned for the upcoming review from HiFi PiG.