Fi Audio – Hip-DAC 3 – Portable Hi-res DAC/headphone Amplifier

The Legacy Continues

The hip-DAC 3 is a portable hi-res DAC/headphone amp, now in Titanium Shadow and featuring more versatility.

Our battery-powered portable hi-res DAC/headphone amp is adorned in the Titanium Shadow hue, exuding timeless elegance with a touch of modern sophistication. The transformation extends beyond aesthetics. The hip-dac 3’s sleek Aluminium case houses new features, tailored to elevate your audio experience.

Two USB-C ports simplify your cable management: one for audio and the other for charging. A switch on the underside activates iFi’s iEMatch technology, which is optimized for high-sensitivity headphones and earphones, making it especially beneficial for your in-ear monitors (IEMs).

Inside, the device boasts circuit enhancements, including new metal film capacitors for better frequency response. Additionally, an updated version of iFi’s GMT circuitry, coupled with a new crystal oscillator, further reduces phase noise, delivering a purer sound to you.

With its sleek, robust aluminum, flask-sized enclosure, the portable hip-dac 3 discreetly fits in a pocket or bag. It replaces the subpar DAC and amplifier in smartphones, tablets, PCs, and Apple computers. Just connect via USB-C, plug in your favorite headphones, and enjoy rich, dynamic sound.

iFi’s expertise with the Burr-Brown chipset ensures optimal performance. However, a superior DAC stage involves more than just the DAC chip. A crucial element is the XMOS chip for processing digital audio inputs. The hip-dac 3 features a 16-core XMOS microcontroller, programmed by iFi’s in-house team to optimize sound quality and ensure a perfect hi-res partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC.

The hip-dac 3 features a truly balanced circuit design, rare for its price range. This design minimizes signal distortion, resulting in a purer, more captivating sound for your headphones. The circuitry incorporates high-quality components, including a custom iFi OV op-amp, a low-noise power supply IC from Texas Instruments, and a premium analog volume pot.

The amp stage can deliver up to 400mW into a 32-ohm headphone load, making it compatible with a wide range of headphones. Additionally, it efficiently drives high-impedance headphones with an output voltage of 6.3V into 600 ohms from the balanced output.

The amp stage has a switchable gain, called PowerMatch, to ensure optimal power for the headphones you are using.

An underside switch engages iFi’s iEMatch technology, optimizing output for high-sensitivity headphones, especially in-ear monitors (IEMs). It reduces hiss, enhances detail and dynamic range, and improves volume control range.

XBass is a user-selectable feature that boosts bass without muddying the midrange, ideal for your earphones and open-back headphones. It works in the analog domain, avoiding alterations via DSP.

Hi-res PCM and DXD audio data is supported at sample rates up to 384kHz, alongside DSD from 2.8MHz to 12.4MHz (DSD64, 128 and 256). Full decoding of MQA – the hi-res streaming technology, as used by Tidal’s ‘HiFi Plus’ tier – is also supported, performing the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process (as opposed to just the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’).

On either side of the rotary volume control resides a pair of LEDs that change color to indicate the format and sample rate of the incoming audio.

The hip-dac 3’s USB-C input supports up to 32-bit/384kHz audio, compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0. Its asynchronous design ensures jitter-free data transfer. A separate USB-C charging port allows use while charging, preserving a pure audio signal path. The hip-dac 3 provides two outputs: a 3.5mm socket for single-ended headphones and a 4.4mm balanced output for those with balanced connectivity, leveraging the device’s differential amp design. The 3.5mm output utilizes iFi’s S-Balanced circuitry, minimizing crosstalk and distortion for single-ended connections.

The hip-dac 3’s 2,200mAh battery offers up to 12 hours of playtime, varying by volume and headphone power needs. It includes a USB-C OTG cable and a USB-A to USB-C cable.