[brjoon1021]

Kinsei and Q15 are interesting me. I can't wait to hear what other people say in comparison between the two. The Q15 seems to have dethrowned the DC-elite according to all the comparisons I've read

 

[KaiFi]

For some reason, the User Manual is not viewable with macOS's built in PDF viewer. Instead it looks like this:

The only way to view it is to use a third-party program like Chrome or Adobe Acrobat. Weird.

 

[Polky74]

I noticed that there are comparisons between the Kensei and the gold version of the ifi GO bar... but has anyone compared it to the standard GO bar? Thank you.

 

[LFC_SL]

Sorry guys, but that K2HD stuff reads like the next MQA.

As implemented here it appears simply to be upsampling or resampling. That loads of companies offer ; software or hardware but iFi's house style of marketing is perhaps more noticeable

K2 is also a system that applies higher standards in the disc production / mastering chain. A couple of them about in Japan (of course); see also XRCD and SHM

I thought MQA went into bankruptcy protection so in that sense these systems that came before have outlasted MQA And iFi say the K2HD can be turned off/on

 

[iFi audio]

Hey folks,

For those looking for more information on the K2 HD tech here are some links...

Here is a link to our tech note, explaining K2 tech and how it came to be. We also uploaded a Tech Lowdown to our website, packed full of information about K2HD and our own tech too, such as our digital and analogue filters.

Hope this helps in the understanding of it.

Cheers!!

 

[KaiFi]

So I just received my Go Bar Kensei today from Bloom Audio. Has anyone else ordered from Bloom before? They included in the package a handwritten thank you note and a KitKat bar. Is that normal?

I never heard the original Go Bar or the Gold version, so I can't compare it to those (though I have heard other Burr Brown iFi devices, like the Nano BL and the Gryphon), but my initial impressions are that I love the sound of this, and that the difference between it and the KA17 is subtle (which is saying a lot for the KA17 given how affordable it is), but overall I do prefer the sound of the Kensei. Vocals sound amazing on this thing; I'm just hearing a bit more resolution in the mids, and a little more warmth from the Kensei vs. the KA17. They are both great options though. This thing is quite dense for its size and has a very "premium" feel to it. The 4.4mm port also made a nice click when I plugged in the headphones, unlike the KA17 which is "mushier". I also really appreciate that I can update the firmware on a Mac, which Fiio still does not offer! The Kensei also doesn't seem to get as warm as the KA17.

As for the K2HD setting, I'm a little torn on to what extent I can hear it. I do notice a difference when I switch it on and off while a song is playing, I'm just not entirely sure how to describe what that difference is. It was described as "richness" by a few others, and maybe that's it? It's certainly less noticeable with some genres, but I think I do prefer the K2HD setting on and I've been leaving it on so far. I'll have to do more testing; this has only been an hour or so of listening and it's not really enough time to really evaluate this feature. But turning the K2HD on is definitely a much subtler effect than turning on XBass or XSpace. In a blind test I'm not sure I could pick out the K2 sound, where XBass and XSpace would be obvious.

As someone who's new to dongle-fi, I'm really impressed by the options out there and this one is my favorite yet.

 

[iFi audio]

So I just received my Go Bar Kensei today from Bloom Audio. Has anyone else ordered from Bloom before? They included in the package a handwritten thank you note and a KitKat bar. Is that normal?

I never heard the original Go Bar or the Gold version, so I can't compare it to those (though I have heard other Burr Brown iFi devices, like the Nano BL and the Gryphon), but my initial impressions are that I love the sound of this, and that the difference between it and the KA17 is subtle (which is saying a lot for the KA17 given how affordable it is), but overall I do prefer the sound of the Kensei. Vocals sound amazing on this thing; I'm just hearing a bit more resolution in the mids, and a little more warmth from the Kensei vs. the KA17. They are both great options though. This thing is quite dense for its size and has a very "premium" feel to it. The 4.4mm port also made a nice click when I plugged in the headphones, unlike the KA17 which is "mushier". I also really appreciate that I can update the firmware on a Mac, which Fiio still does not offer! The Kensei also doesn't seem to get as warm as the KA17.

As for the K2HD setting, I'm a little torn on to what extent I can hear it. I do notice a difference when I switch it on and off while a song is playing, I'm just not entirely sure how to describe what that difference is. It was described as "richness" by a few others, and maybe that's it? It's certainly less noticeable with some genres, but I think I do prefer the K2HD setting on and I've been leaving it on so far. I'll have to do more testing; this has only been an hour or so of listening and it's not really enough time to really evaluate this feature. But turning the K2HD on is definitely a much subtler effect than turning on XBass or XSpace. In a blind test I'm not sure I could pick out the K2 sound, where XBass and XSpace would be obvious.

As someone who's new to dongle-fi, I'm really impressed by the options out there and this one is my favorite yet.

Thanks so much for your initial thoughts, we appreciate it.

Also looking forward to more observations as you move along with it. We are at the beginning stages of folks getting it in hand and giving thoughts which is always the best way to get an idea if a product will be to your liking!

Oh, and yes the Candy is standard, gotta love those guys!

Cheers!!

 

[jsmiller58]

Thanks so much for your initial thought, we appreciate it.

Also looking forward to more observations as you move along with it. We are at the beginning stages of folks getting it in hand and giving thoughts which is always the best way to get an idea if a product will be to your liking!

Oh, and yes the Candy is standard, gotta love those guys!

Cheers!!

Indeed, the Kit Kats and hand written thank you have come with everything I have ordered from them! And they are incredibly responsive - I posted a question to them on December 23, fully expecting to not get an answer until after Christmas or even New Years, and they responded in less than an hour…!

 

[rafaelo]

I noticed that there are comparisons between the Kensei and the gold version of the ifi GO bar... but has anyone compared it to the standard GO bar? Thank you.

I have reviewed the original go bar and now i am testing for a review the Kensei go bar. And although these are almost 2 years apart i can say that the kensei bar is on another planet.

Is not a giant killer because it is a giant itself and is not an end game dongle because it is a game changer dongle itself.

 

[rafaelo]

So I just received my Go Bar Kensei today from Bloom Audio. Has anyone else ordered from Bloom before? They included in the package a handwritten thank you note and a KitKat bar. Is that normal?

I never heard the original Go Bar or the Gold version, so I can't compare it to those (though I have heard other Burr Brown iFi devices, like the Nano BL and the Gryphon), but my initial impressions are that I love the sound of this, and that the difference between it and the KA17 is subtle (which is saying a lot for the KA17 given how affordable it is), but overall I do prefer the sound of the Kensei. Vocals sound amazing on this thing; I'm just hearing a bit more resolution in the mids, and a little more warmth from the Kensei vs. the KA17. They are both great options though. This thing is quite dense for its size and has a very "premium" feel to it. The 4.4mm port also made a nice click when I plugged in the headphones, unlike the KA17 which is "mushier". I also really appreciate that I can update the firmware on a Mac, which Fiio still does not offer! The Kensei also doesn't seem to get as warm as the KA17.

As for the K2HD setting, I'm a little torn on to what extent I can hear it. I do notice a difference when I switch it on and off while a song is playing, I'm just not entirely sure how to describe what that difference is. It was described as "richness" by a few others, and maybe that's it? It's certainly less noticeable with some genres, but I think I do prefer the K2HD setting on and I've been leaving it on so far. I'll have to do more testing; this has only been an hour or so of listening and it's not really enough time to really evaluate this feature. But turning the K2HD on is definitely a much subtler effect than turning on XBass or XSpace. In a blind test I'm not sure I could pick out the K2 sound, where XBass and XSpace would be obvious.

As someone who's new to dongle-fi, I'm really impressed by the options out there and this one is my favorite yet.

I like your comments a lot and although i adore the KA17 l really do, i am quite shocked with the kensei.

I did not really see this coming.

The ka17 or ka5 have more black clean background, more clinical and digital sound maybe there are better for iems i do not know i am guessing because i do not use them.

But when i am using my 6## series sennheiser, that really know how to scale well, with the kensei the sound is ballistic and glorious. It is something that i never expected by looking merely the specs and is something i have already said in my xcan review. Is not only the dac is all the other stuff...

There are few ifi products that impressed me so much... ione, ipurifier spdif, xcan and now this.

Is not a little bit there a bit more refined here or something like that ... is just an earth shuttering experience for me something I really did not feel with the original one.

 

[gstar3301]

If you know what you are doing like iFi seems to know; you’ll know to appreciate their hardware and software

 

[djdtm]

Hopefully, I will get to spend some time with the Kensei, after AXPONA next month, my brief experience with the K2 HD setting was very appealing to me, but I can't form a real opinion on it yet, but I knew as soon as I put it on it was something that interested me greatly (for my listening)

Cheers!!

See you guys at Axpona! This is tops on my list right now. Last year I walked into Axpona and found the Ear Gear ballroom which started my HP journey. Now here I am a year later after 4 CamJams, plus 2 HPs, Ferrum Orr, Mojo2 and 2 IEMs. Love it!

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

See you guys at Axpona! This is tops on my list right now. Last year I walked into Axpona and found the Ear Gear ballroom which started my HP journey. Now here I am a year later after 4 CamJams, plus 2 HPs, Ferrum Orr, Mojo2 and 2 IEMs. Love it!

Yes please stop but and say Yo!

I look forward to it!!

Cheers!!

 

[iullian]

I have the Zen Dac V2 for desktop use and Go Bar standard for mobility. As I am a dad waiting for hours in a week for my kid's footbal trainings and games... I am interrested in a step up. So, I am not really on the go, but just staying outside enjoying music. As the price of the Kensei is now close to discounted/second hand Mojo2/Gryphon, I wonder how the Kensei compare soundwise to the Mojo2 and/or Gryphon. I might be limited by my only pair of the IEM I own, the Meze Advar.

 

[rafaelo]

Also i want not to forget and say that before we start comparing with mojo, Gryphon or similar devices your phone (if you use it with a phone) needs to be able to provide the power.

I have 3 phones that i use : an iphone and 2 Samsungs. I use the iphone as a phone only and i can use my 2 samsungs at home alternatively with my dongles. So when my battery is depleting in one i can charge the other and vice versa and do not care about battery consumption too much.

Also my two samsungs have big batteries and do not have any restrictions on how much power can supply to my dongles and this is why i experience these results with Kensei and similar dongles.

The power supply of your phone can limit the experience and you need to have that in mind. But with ipads, macs or PCs i see no problems.