IFI UNO, A DAC AND HEADPHONE AMP AT A BUDGET PRICE

The Uno, by iFi, is a first-rung audio upgrade, a DAC/headphone amp designed for people who may not know what a DAC is.

Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the iFi Uno has a curved case is made from tough, mineral-filled polymer and contains DAC and headphone amp circuitry to upgrade the basic audio tech in all sorts of digital devices.

Its USB-C input connects to Windows PCs, Apple Macs, and all manner of smartphones and tablets. It doesn’t require its own power source, receiving both power and audio data from the device to which it’s connected. It delivers a processed, optimally amplified analogue audio signal to headphones, powered speakers, or an amp and separate speakers.

The IFi Uno DAC Headphone Amp

IFI UNO DAC

At its heart lies a power-efficient DAC chip from ESS Technology’s Sabre HiFi series, the ES9219MQ/Q, benefiting from 32-bit HyperStream III architecture. This combines with Quad DAC+ and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technologies, plus iFi’s dedicated clock circuitry utilising a specialised crystal oscillator.

iFi Uno front

The Uno has features such as adjustable analogue gain with DRE (Dynamic Range Enhancement), plus technologies to minimise THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and crosstalk. A choice of digital filters is accessible via the front-panel buttons, enabling users to fine-tune the DAC’s sound according to taste.

iFi Uno back

PCM audio data is supported to 32-bit/384kHz, alongside DSD up to 11.2MHz (DSD256). An illuminated ring behind the volume control changes colour to indicate the format and sample rate of the incoming digital signal.

HEADPHONE AMP

The headphone amp feeds a 3.5mm socket at the front, incorporating iFi’s S-Balanced configuration to reduce noise and crosstalk. This delivers 211mW into 32 ohms, and 3.5V into 600 ohms, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of headphone and earphone types. All the analogue outputs are gold plated to resist corrosion and maintain conductivity over time.

A volume knob sits front and centre, next to this is the PowerMatch button, which adjusts gain by 6dB to match the connected headphones. Another proprietary circuit provides three specially tuned EQ modes, one for music, another for movies, and the third for games. These are analogue processing modes rather than DSP (Digital Signal Processing).

IFI UNO DAC HEADPHONE AMP PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

RRP £79, available from the end of November.

HiFi Pig Says: The new iFi Uno is pocket-friendly in every sense of the word!