The Ear Buddy is a simple plug-and-play device that attenuates the output of your device so that you can listen at reasonable volumes – without damaging your ears – while maintaining the true resolution of your source material.

How does it work? Ifi told us : “Any typical portable device like a smartphone or tablet uses a digital volume control. But did you know that lowering the volume on a digital volume control means that you lose ‘bits’, depriving you of digital information that represents real events in the music itself?”

“For example, let’s say you are streaming music via Tidal. You expect to be listening to music at 16-bit resolution – which means CD-like quality. But, most of us typically use just 60 per cent of the available volume on our devices; with most headphones, any volume louder than 60 per cent of full volume would exceed comfortable listening levels, damaging hearing and increasing hiss and hum. The problem is, by turning down the volume you lose two bits of resolution, so you are only listening at 14 bits – in other words, less-than-CD-quality. Using the Ear Buddy allows you to increase the digital volume level, as it attenuates the output of your device by -15dB, allowing you to set your device towards full volume without damaging your hearing. You immediately get the two bits back, and benefit from better resolution and an increased dynamic range. Voices and instruments sound clearer, against a quiet, noise-free background. Whether you’re using a streaming service or listening to music stored on your portable device, sound quality is improved when the Ear Buddy is connected between your smartphone or tablet and your headphones”.

Travel Accessories

• Gold-plated airplane adapter

• Soft-foam contoured earplug (-37dB)

• Fabric travel pouch

Specifications

• Sensitivity (-15dB) attenuation

• 6N Copper matrix signal cabling

• Gold-plated circuit board with premium components (eg MELF resistors)

• Gold-plated 3.5mm male/female connectors

• Input impedance > 16 Ohm

• Output impedance > 1.5 Ohms

Price and availability

The iFi Ear Buddy is available now. UK RRP is £20 inc. VAT