The iFi hip-dac 3 is a brand new version from the ‘hip-dac’ series. The design has remained the same: a kind of whiskey bottle for on the go.
The new iFi hip-dac 3 features several improvements over its predecessor released in 2021. First, according to the manufacturer, film capacitors are now used. But the electronic design of the new portable has also been updated on several other fronts. For example, the D/A section features a new variant of iFi’s proprietary Global Master Timing circuit. This should result in less phase noise which in turn should be audible in the form of clearer sound. The amplifier stage is set up according to a differential principle, which should prevent signal distortion.
Drives a range of headphones
The power amplifier can deliver a maximum of 400 mW into a 32 Ohm load. At the same time, there is the balanced output, which can satisfy headphones up to 600 Ohms with an output voltage of 6.3 Volts. There is also provision for PowerMatch, which consists of a switchable gain control to adjust the gain to what the paired headphones need. As for figures, the iFi hip-dac 3 can handle PCM files up to and including 384 kHz, DXD, DSD up to and including DSD256. For those who love it, MQA is also built-in. When fully charged, the rechargeable battery is good for between 7 and 12 hours of playing time
The iFi hip-dac comes in “Titanium Shadow” color and costs $199.