Pocket USB-C DAC for hi-res listening from phones and computers
The iFi Audio GO link 2 is a DAC with headphone output in the form of a short cable: it plugs into the USB-C port of a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC and bypasses its internal audio section, turning the device into a high-resolution player. It is the smallest and lightest DAC iFi has ever made: 137 x 12 x 7.6 mm and 7.8 g, 8% smaller and 29% lighter than the first GO link.
The box also includes a USB-A to USB-C adapter, for computers without a USB-C port.
ESS Sabre chip, PCM 384 kHz and DSD256
Conversion is handled by an ESS Sabre chipset, compact and power-efficient, which supports PCM up to 384 kHz and DSD up to DSD256: more than is needed for lossless and hi-res streaming from the main services, and enough for a library of high-resolution files.
The stated measurements are remarkable for the size: signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range of at least 125 dB(A), THD+N no higher than 0.0015% (1.27 V into 32 Ω) and frequency response from 10 Hz to 80 kHz (-0.5 dB).
Extended dynamic range and reduced distortion
iFi has unlocked the chip's Dynamic Range Enhancement function, which increases the difference between the quietest and the most intense passages and makes listening more engaging. Further adjustments inside the chipset reduce harmonic distortion by up to 62% compared with the original GO link.
The GO link 2 is the first in the range compatible with the iFi Nexis app: it provides over-the-air firmware updates and a choice of two digital filters, hybrid and linear. The app functions are available on Android devices only.
3.5 mm S-Balanced headphone output
The 3.5 mm output uses iFi's S-Balanced circuit, which applies the principles of balanced circuitry to an ordinary single-ended socket and halves crosstalk between channels. Power is at least 79 mW into 32 Ω (1.59 V) and voltage reaches 2 V into 300 Ω.
Consumption is about 1 W at maximum signal, which helps the phone's battery life.
