Great Gugamuga, this DAC/amp is impressive! It’s beautiful on the outside, packed with features on the inside, and has several EQ presets to liven up the party when you want. iFi Audio makes great audio kits, but they’ve outdone themselves with this one and will grow with you. You can update wirelessly as new Bluetooth codecs become available. This is almost a no-brainer.
iFi GO Blue: Pricing and Availability
You can purchase the iFi GO blu for $200 directly from ifi-audio.com or Amazon. I’d also consider purchasing the $29 GO blue case with clip included from ifi-audio.com. The case makes it easier to use the headphones by clipping them to your shirt, which puts the microphone closer to your mouth when taking calls.
iFi GO Blue: Build and Fit
Next to the Qudelix-5K, it is one of the smallest DAC/amplifiers on the market with this level of sophistication and features. This is the size of a 9V battery. The exterior of the device is wrapped in a soft-touch polymer with a copper-colored border. To the right of the GO Blu is a classy infinite scroll ChronoDial. This ChronoDial provides precise analog volume control and handles playback and phone functions with a variety of clicks. Below that are buttons to control EQ preset modes, Bluetooth pairing, voice notification function, digital filter mode, and factory reset.
There are LEDs at the top that indicate the EQ preset in use, Bluetooth connection, and digital filter status. Next to that are balanced 4.4mm and S-balanced 3.5mm headphone outputs. At the bottom is an LED that indicates battery status, a microphone, a factory reset pinhole, and a USB input that supports charging and audio playback up to 24bit/96kHz.
The power button is on the left. Double-tap to hear the Bluetooth format you are currently receiving. You can also use this button in conjunction with the button below the dial to turn voice guidance on or off.
This powerful device is incredibly small and light, but feels great in the hand thanks to its soft-touch plastic. The buttons all have a satisfying click, and the USB-C port doesn’t work when you plug and unplug the cable. A stylish touch is the back label next to every button, telling you what it does so you don’t have to remember everything. They do a lot!
iFi GO Blue: Features
Since we’ve also covered hardware features while talking about build quality and fit, let’s discuss in more detail what some of these features do. GO Blu comes with three presets: XBass, XSpace, and XBass + XSpace. The first two strengthen the bass and expand the soundstage, respectively. The third is a combination of the two. As a bass enthusiast, I’d like to have more control over how much the bass is boosted, but in most cases I’d rather have a decent bump that doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the mix.
The 3.5mm output features balanced circuitry instead of the single-ended circuit approach traditionally used in most products in this price range. This reduces noise and provides clearer sound.
GO Blu uses Qualcomm’s QCC5100 chip with Cirrus Logic 43131, supporting aptX Adaptive/HD/LL, LDAC, LHDC, AAC and SBC, and can add the latest codecs through over-the-air updates. The GO blu can take calls, and because it uses that QCC chip, it also offers active noise cancellation through that microphone, so you can use your existing IEMs or headphones on your commute or at the office and make and receive calls with minimal interference. Depending on your listening flow, you can pick up the GO Blue case with a clip and attach it to your shirt for easier hands-free calling.
I haven’t run out of battery yet, but I can use it all day and it lasts for 10 hours. You can charge GO blu in 40 minutes with a high-output charger (6.3v).
iFi GO Blue: Sound Quality
So what does it sound like to have all this technology packed into such a small space? I’ve listened through both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports using both Bluetooth and wired USB-C audio sources, and I must say that the output of this DAC/amp is a high-quality experience. We tested audio quality using 1MORE’s sensitive and hard-to-drive IEMs, the IE900 from Campfire Audio and Sennheiser. For headphones, I did the same with Sennheiser and HiFiMan planar magnetic over-ear headphones.
Since I knew that the iPhone only supports AAC, I was curious to hear what GO blu could do with one of the Hi-Res codecs. In this case, LDAC was paired with the Pixel 7 Pro and we were very pleased with both codecs. The LDAC stream offers more dynamism, but sonic imaging over AAC is still very good, so iPhone owners won’t feel left out.
The wired connection for accessing Apple Music lossless audio is excellent. Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” and Michael Abels’ captivating “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga,” the main title track from the “Get Out” movie soundtrack, are both ethereal experiences in wide, open soundstages. It was presented. With the right pairing, iFi GO blu’s imaging is highly analytical, allowing you to immerse yourself in the nuances of the music you’re listening to. When used with not-so-analytical headphones or IEMs, you’ll still get impressive clarity and nuance.
The overall sound signature is very balanced and neutral, so I appreciate the XBass feature. When I connected the 4.4mm cable from the very neutral-sounding Sennheiser IE900, hip-hop tracks popping in the low end became much more enjoyable. The Go blu actually delivers bright, sparkling midrange and high frequency reproduction without any sibilance or harshness. The overall listening experience was smooth, without compromising the attack or nuance of the instruments, and I never had to turn my phone’s volume above 75%. Most of the time I found it very satisfactory with the slider up to around 50%.
iFi GO Blue: Competition
Interestingly, iFi’s own Zen DAC 3 is in the same price range, but that DAC is larger and better suited to a desktop experience with an available 5V Dc input. If so, you might want to take a look at the FiiO BTR7. It has similar features, but lacks a microphone for calls and has slightly shorter battery life. However, there is a companion app that includes parametric EQ, which GO blu doesn’t have.
The Quedelix 5k is $100 cheaper and doesn’t have quite as wide a soundstage, but it’s a very good Bluetooth/USB-C DAC/amp and has a microphone for calls. Plus, it’s a very impressive companion app with powerful parametric EQ settings, making it a very tempting competitor. I purchased the Quedelix 5k for personal use, but will probably purchase the GO Blue at some point as well.
iFi GO Blue: Should you buy it?
You should buy iFi GO Blue if:
- You want a great multi-source DAC/amp
- Do you want great sound at an affordable price?
- You want to have enough battery life to last a full day.
Do not purchase iFi GO Blue in the following cases:
- Do you want PEQ?
- Money is tight.
Powerful and versatile DAC/amplifier
The iFi GO blu Bluetooth DAC/Amp has a soundstage and clarity that makes your music sound like it’s radiating from the sky. The best part? Enjoy audiophile quality at an affordable price!
