iFi GO Link 2 Portable DAC/Amp Review: What's New In V2?

Portable DACs are essential to bringing hi-fi audio on the go. iFi Audio is well known for making lots of different products that are perfect for traveling listeners, and at a decent cost. The iFi GO Link 2 is an upgraded version of the already popular GO Link, with a lot of the same features to make your tracks feel familiar while also keeping you entertained. What does the iFi GO Link 2 have to offer? What has changed in this new revision?

The first thing to look at with this portable DAC is the physical aspect. The iFi GO Link is designed to be super portable and ultra lightweight, so it stands to reason that this model would follow in the same fashion. The GO Link 2 is even lighter than its predecessor, weighing in a whole 4g lighter than the GO Link. The color is a dark blue and the body of the dongle is slightly thinner, curving inward to create a smoother design than just a solid block. 

While the box doesn't advertise it, the iFi GO Link 2 is actually equipped with much more than just USB-C connection. Inside the box, you get two adapters with USB-C female connections. You get a lightning adapter for older Apple phone and a USB-A adapter for bigger desktops. You're able to use the iFi GO Link 2 with ease with whatever device you have. It also helps if you have an older Apple phone and are looking to upgrade soon, as this adapter will transition with you from lightning to USB-C. 

• Dimensions: 137 x 12 x 7.6mm
• DNR: ≥125dBA @ 0dBFS
• Frequency Response: 10Hz - 80kHz (-0.5dB)
• Headphone Output: S-Balanced 3.5mm
• Hi-Res Support: PCM 384kHz; DSD256
• Net Weight: 7.8g
• Output Impedance: <0.4Ω
• Power Consumption: No Signal ~02W; Max signal ~1W
• RMS Output Power: ≥1.59V/79mW @ 32Ω; ≥2.0V/14mW @ 300Ω
• SNR: ≥125dBA (2.05V)
• THD+N: ≥0.0015% (1.27V @ 32Ω)

I listened to quite a few headphones and IEMs with the GO Link 2, and it proved to be a great companion for a lot of different models. I used the following headphones/earphones with the GO Link 2: 

• Kefine Arnar
• 64 Audio U12t
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
• Sennheiser HD 650

The iFi GO Link 2 was smooth in sound and kept headphones honest to their original sound signature. It struggled to drive some bigger, over-ear headphones, as it was limited in pushing out enough power from the mobile device or computer. You could really hear the difference and elevated sound quality in IEMs, where the sensitive response is easily influenced by outside gear. The Kefine Arnar got a step up in detail and presentation with the addition of the extra power from the GO Link 2, and you could hear more nuances in sound on the U12t than if you had used a regular USB-C dongle.

Headphones like the Audio-Technica M50x was a good testing headphone because of its neutrality. It really brought out the color of the GO Link 2: bright highs, punchy but warm lows, and a textured midrange for all your melodic elements. I could hear the GO Link 2 struggling to keep up with the demands of the HD 650 and the Dan Clark Noire X, but it drove headphones like the Meze 105 AER and the Sivga Luan quite well. Their sound signatures stayed honest, presenting widely and getting an added layer of color and detail to make things come more forward. This was helpful in the open-back headphones where the sound has a tendency to spread further outwards than expected. 

Many customers are already fans of the original iFi GO Link. It is clean, lightweight, and super handy for anyone looking for an easy-to-use DAC. What makes the second version a step above? Is it really worth replacing your original model for the newest revision? From one model to the next, you see some pretty subtle differences that can actual have quite an impact on your listening. On paper, you see that the distortion rate is lower in the GO Link 2, making the sound cleaner and smoother throughout your listening. The original GO Link had a clean sound that didn't add too much color to the overall sound, but the GO Link 2 does have a touch of character to make your listening device a little more entertaining. 

Listening to the two side by side, you can hear how the updated GO Link 2 chugs out more power than the original. The GO Link 2 gets louder faster, and has more space to push more power through your headphones or earphones. If you are a fan of listening at higher volumes, the GO Link 2 may be an easy decision based on power output alone.