i Fi's new portable headphone DAC looks even more like a hip flask, and it'll serve a swift a dram of hi-res audio — but take a shot before you see the price | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
i Fi's new portable headphone DAC looks even more like a hip flask, and it'll serve a swift a dram of hi-res audio — but take a shot before you see the price
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Improvements in some departments, including amplification
We're seeing swathes of aspirational new hi-fi kit at High End Vienna 2026, and one such item comes from i Fi with the follow-up to its five-star x DSD Gryphon portable DAC. No, that's not a hip flask, but a newer portable DAC.
Meet the i Fi i DSD GR2, a name possibly the result of someone having a tot and trying to type something else (struggling to spell 'Gryphon' in full, maybe?). It's a new piece offering that's set to sell for £529 (about
We listed the i Fi x DSD Gryphon in our best portable DACs round-up, but as the "best premium portable DAC" (italics my own). So you'll have to forgive the price: this isn't for the faint of heart or light of funds.
Appearance-wise, this is pretty similar to the Gryphon, with a big OLED screen and undulating body. But under the hood, it's seen some upgrades.
i Fi's Gryphon will snatch you up in its talons (sonically speaking)
The i DSD GR 2 offers some of the same connection options as its predecessor, including Bluetooth, USB-C, S/PDIF and line, but with new tools.
i Fi GO Link 2 review: this little DAC delivers an enormous audio upgrade at a great price
This innovative DAC offers super-clean sound using a unique processing tech
Burson's Stellar headphone amps promise head-fi heaven in spacecraft-inspired Star Wars style
For example, its power output is up 50%, up to 1.5W at 32 ohms, and the DAC is improved to PCM1795 for more balanced audio. There's also K2HD tech built in, designed for rich harmonics (and beloved of i Fi's audio engineers for some time now, just see the flagship i Fi i DSD Phantom, built on i Fi's ongoing love affair with K2 and K2HD technology — and priced at an eye-watering
Some i Fi fan-fave modes are back too, such as XSpace and XBass+, which respectively boost the breadth of the soundstage and low-end frequencies, so you get some versatility in your sound. There's also a "hybrid power mode" to extent the device's battery life. Extend it by how much — from how much? I can't tell you, as i Fi didn't specify the stamina ahead of time.
The touchscreen is back, and in our largely glowing review of the original Gryphon, we did knock the DAC/amp for how unintuitive it was last time. Images make it seem like it's improved, however, and you're getting color now at least, so hopefully i Fi has fixed that gripe.
Another upgrade for those wireless audiophiles out there concerns Bluetooth; the GR2 supports Bluetooth 5.4, which allows for apt X Lossless and LDAC. There's also a phone app called the i Fi Nexis for controlling your unit.
When the i Fi i DSD GR2 officially hits shelves — whenever that is, this is purely the official unveiling — we'll bring you a full review, to see how it stacks up against its premium bretheren. We do like how it looks though. We like it a lot.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs
- Best budget USB-C portable DAC: i Fi GO Link Max
- Best budget desktop DAC: i Fi Uno
- Best premium portable DAC: i Fi x DSD Gryphon
- Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor covering tech, entertainment and gaming. Beyond Tech Radar, he has bylines on sites including Games Radar, Digital Trends, Android Police, Tech Advisor, Whatto Watch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022 he was on the Tech Radar team as the staff writer and then deputy editor for the mobile team.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1i Fi's new portable headphone DAC looks even more like a hip flask, and it'll serve a swift a dram of hi-res audio — but take a shot before you see the price
2I took over 1,000 photos and videos with the gorgeous Panasonic Lumix L10 — these are my favorites, and they really show off what the premium compact can do (and yes, there are cute kittens)
3 The Android handhelds to beat in 2026 are now discounted by $40
4 The World Cup is about to kick off — here's my dream watch party setup, including the perfect projector to scale up every goal
5 Masters of the Universe director Travis Knight doesn't think AI is a 'technology we should fear' — but says it'll never replace the people who give movies their 'spirit and soul'
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
