iFiGO Link - Portable DAC & Headphone Amplifier - USB-C to 3.5mm Adapter - Improve Sound from Any Device - Gold-Plated 3.5mm Headphone Socket – Supports Hi-Resolution 32-bit/384kHz/DSD256/MQA

I was skeptical about this - not only for what it claims it can do, but also because I have hearing issues that limit my hearing qualities. This tiny add on has made wired headphone listening much more enjoyable. I play lossless tracks through my iPhone and into wired B&W headphones and the sounds is more enjoyable to my ears. I read some of the audiophile magazines and I can't put the experience into words like they do, but the listening is much less strained and it is definitely richer and fuller - at least to my ears.

The iFi Go Link provides improved sound for very little money. The braided wire seems fragile so be careful. So far, I'm enjoying it.Update: I was listening to some lossless rips of CDs I own and found one just didn't sound good. It sounded like a noisy recording so I decided to to a head-to-head comparison. I'm playing Taylor Guitar's Wood & Steel collection of artists playing beautifully recorded music. I ripped the CD into lossless FLAC files played through my Chromebook. My headphones are Sennheiser HD599. I plug the headphone jack into the analog jack of the Chromebook. The iFi GO Link goes into the USB 3 port. The difference isn't big but the iFi Go Link provides a clearer sound, a cleaner background, better stereo separation, cleaner details, and a more open sound; less tiring. The analog connection just doesn't sound as open. Does it make enough of a difference? I say yes.. For this price, I'm happy.Should you purchase the iFi Go Link? There are more important elements in the chain that should attend to first.1. Make sure you have a good lossless recording or are listening to a CD directly. It can't get better than your source material.2. The best headphones you want to purchase. I don't feel the need to purchase $600 headphones but these Sennheiser's are working for me. You can enter the discussion about in-ear vs headphones, over the ear vs around the ear, open back vs closed back, wireless vs wired, noise cancelling vs not, balanced vs unbalanced cables, and planar magnetic vs dynamic technology. There are pros and cons to each. This is where you should spend the most money and research time aside from the cost of the music itself.3. The digital to analog converter (DAC)/amplifier hardware. You can spend a lot of money here but for my usage the iFi Go Link hit the right price point for my first foray into DACs. I think this matches what my headphones and ear send to my brain.4. What's fourth? I guess it's your ear and your environment. Right now, while I'm listening I can still hear my air conditioner. As far as my ear, I've lost some upper midrange but the high end is still pretty good (audiologist tested). I'm experienced musically so I know what to listen for. Of course, you mileage will vary.I think that my audio chain is pretty well matched. If I chose a more expensive DAC/amp I might need better headphones and a better listening room. I don't feel tempted by the $200 DAC/amps out there.

The iFi GO Link is a gem. I generally like iFi's products, and this ain't my first audio rodeo. As more devices go to the USB-C port, I found I wanted something inexpensive but solid, and a step above an Apple dongle. I give away a fair number of headphones and IEMs to friends and family and recently I've been including an iFi GO link with them, because wired still gives the best sound for the money. And the best sound period.I have used this DAC/AMP with my iPad, with a generic droid tablet, and with and adapter with iPhone 12. Friends have used it with various droid phones and computers. Nobody has had any problems. That alone is worth a few stars. I like that the parts are separated by a short length of quality wire. This reduces microphony and makes it easier to transport, even when on.Users should note that the fit of the female jack is quite firm and tight. You will need to push to properly plug in a TRS plug. This is desireable in a portable device. I've sourced this from ROON, QOBUZ, Apple Music, and local files. The indicator light DOES turn yellow when playing higher-res files, but is set to be green on flac at 44.1/16 and 24 and 96/24 files, so if you don't see it change color it's probably because it's performing as designed.As usual, the iFi sound signature is clean, no artifacts, and slightly warm, even though this is an ESS based device. I find that it provides adequate power for any of my IEMs, and most headphones. This is NOT the device to use for headphones that only sound their best with plenty of power. That said, I did not experience drop-outs or any power concerns from native USB-C devices, and I did not try to stress the system while using a lightning adapter (voltage limitations).I find myself going to this device ahead of more expensive devices such as the AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt, because the sound quality is similar, and because it has better connectivity (USB-C vs USB-A).It does NOT take the place of higher end desktop devices for those who are deeper in the rabbit hole - it's just a better choice for the times when you want ultra portable and simple to use. Amazon asks you to rate volume control, but that is entirely based on the device to which it is connected and the app you are using. It will mimic what you expect. Phone volume up and down buttons give coarser control, while in-app sliders allow fine adjustment.Just for the record, I've bought 4 of these so far, one for me, and have given away three. I wouldn't do that if I didn't think it was near bulletproof in its intended role.

I'd go so far as to say this is a dangerous product for Android users - upon connection to my Google Pixel 8, ear-shatteringly loud white noise from both channels. I was honestly stunned at the volume and feel fortunate that I did not appear to sustain hearing damage. I contacted IFI tech support who punted to the usual "Android doesn't play well with external DACs, you should just return the device," which is only true for manufacturers who can't be bothered to properly QA and support smaller phone/OS populations. So a return is what I ended up doing.That said, a company like IFI 100% should be addressing this issue as it's unquestionably a manufacturer choice at work. I get it, the Pixel is about 4% of total phone market share, and why prioritize such a small number of users unless there is a class action from hearing loss (accident attorneys take note). As a frequent IFI customer, I was sorely disappointed by the response. I'll be relying on Fiio moving forward.

Exelente rango dinámico del volumen, quedan mejor con mi laptop, y dan suficiente poder a los Sennheiser HD 599