iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review

I love DAC-AMPS, and I love Bluetooth. Hey! Let’s put them together and walk into the sunset, wire free with sound of gold. Man, this little thing is good. Let’s take a closer look in this iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review .

IN the BOX – iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review 

iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC

USB-A female to male

USB-B female to USB A female

USB-A male to USB B female

toslink optical adapter to 3.5 mm mini jack

velcro patches for attaching to phone or music player

carrying pouch

nonslip mat

DESIGN – iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review 

Holes and Buttons

Inputs: USB, Bluetooth, and SPIDF coax and optical.

Outputs: 3.5 mm headphone and line output

Switches: 3D+, Xbass +, and 2 filters

Aesthetics and Portability

It’s a little thing, and it looks like a piece of artillery. Shiny and boxy with a hint of je ne sais quoi. Using the Bluetooth function, you can easily keep it in your pocket. Just watch out for the volume knob; an unfortunate movement near your jean pocket can blast your ears into oblivion.

SOUND – iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review 

Thumbs up on this one. You’re not going to get much color out of the xDSD. Rather, it just enhances the sound you already have. Perhaps it widens the soundstage a bit. But in general, it’s just optimizing your existing mix. The bass boost is subtle, but definitely noticeable, especially listening to pop music with deep bass. The 3D function introduces a little refinement and spaciousness to the music. It crystallizes the sound nicely, taking a little bit of muddiness out of the mix. The differences between the 2 filters (“measure” and “listen”) are slight, but “measure” enhances the frequency a little. High cymbals, for example, come out a tad clearer and crisper.  The “listen” mode improves the transient response, giving your music that extra sense of snap. iFi did a fantastic job here.

And how does Bluetooth sound? To be honest, it’s hard to compare the wired and wireless connection because it takes too long to switch between the two. But the fact that I can’t tell is a good sign.

SUMMARY – iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review 

This xDSD gives me hope that there is a god. As soon as I pay off my new headphones, I’m getting this baby. Ah, Audiophilia. It will be the death of me.

SPECIFICATIONS – iFi xDSD Hi-Res Bluetooth Portable USB DAC Review 

USB input: up to PCM 768 kHz to DSD512

SPDIF Coaxial and optical inputs: up to 192 kHz/ 24 bit

Output power: >2.82 V/ 500 mW @ 16 ohms; >3.7 V/ 270 mW @ 50 ohms; >3.8 V/ 48 mW @ 300 ohms; >3.8 V/ 24 mW @ 600 ohms

Line out level: >2.1 V @ 0 dBFS

THD+N (1 V/ 16R): <.0005%

Output impedance: <1

Battery: 3.8 V/ 2299mAh (6-8 hours of playback time)

Bluetooth support: aptx and AAC; also supports MQA!