I am posting this review due to being part of the iFi nano iDSD Black Label tour, all the thoughts shared in this review are my own and reflect my honest opinion about this product.
I am new to the head-fi world, I only started to appreciate the intricacies of the high resolution audio last year so don’t expected this to be a technical review It will be a review that will address the major features of the product from the consumer point of view specifying it’s usefulness or not
Packaging and accessories
The product Is well package in a white box enclosed in a cardboard sheath, the device rests in a cut out and in front of it is a little white box containing the included accessories (iFi bag to carry the device, 2 silicone bracelets, a USB A Female to B Female Adapter, a USB3.0 A Male to A Female cable and a USB A Female to USB B Female Cable). Although the box contains all the necessary cables to connect it to the computer it lacks a OTG Cable to able to connect It to your android or an equivalent solution for an Apple device, which in my opinion is a bit of a major flaw, since one of it’s bigger selling points is it’s portability and the possibility to connect it to your smartphone.
Build quality
The device features an all metal chassis that feels premium and should be pretty durable, in the bottom it was four silicone feet that prevent it from sliding or scratching your smartphone when it's attached via the included silicone bands
Features
On one side you have the in my opinion excellent volume knob and the two 3.5mm headphone output, one labeled IEMatch that works better with sensitive IEM's by providing better volume control and no audible hiss with my Shure SE846, basically it works as advertised, the other one is labeled direct and works as an ordinary headphone output. On the otherwise you have the only input, one of the few weak points of this unit, and a 3.5 mm line out if you want to connect it to a pair of powered speakers.
Sound
The nano BL performs extremely well for it's price and small size I can't give you any detailed comparisons with any other dac's since the only other one that I have tried is the Chord Hugo 2 which is in a league of it's own in terms off general detail retrieval and micro detail but the nano BL is no slouch either it has good detail retrieval and doesn't color the sound in any way, providing definitely better sound than your standard smartphone
When using my Shure SE846 I found it performed as good as my Onkyo DP-X1 DAP which is three times it's price however when paired to my Mr. Speakers AEON I found the Onkyo to have better detail retrieval and a more laid back sound which suits better my preferences.
Conclusion
The iFi Nano iDSD BL is the perfect portable DAC for it’s price range, it definitely offers a lot for the price and for the budget conscious audiophile I definitely think it’s one of the best solutions on the market right now. The only downside I can think off is the lack of inputs otherwise this a pretty good and well rounded product that extends iFi excellent line of products.
I am new to the head-fi world, I only started to appreciate the intricacies of the high resolution audio last year so don’t expected this to be a technical review It will be a review that will address the major features of the product from the consumer point of view specifying it’s usefulness or not
Packaging and accessories
The product Is well package in a white box enclosed in a cardboard sheath, the device rests in a cut out and in front of it is a little white box containing the included accessories (iFi bag to carry the device, 2 silicone bracelets, a USB A Female to B Female Adapter, a USB3.0 A Male to A Female cable and a USB A Female to USB B Female Cable). Although the box contains all the necessary cables to connect it to the computer it lacks a OTG Cable to able to connect It to your android or an equivalent solution for an Apple device, which in my opinion is a bit of a major flaw, since one of it’s bigger selling points is it’s portability and the possibility to connect it to your smartphone.
Build quality
The device features an all metal chassis that feels premium and should be pretty durable, in the bottom it was four silicone feet that prevent it from sliding or scratching your smartphone when it's attached via the included silicone bands
Features
On one side you have the in my opinion excellent volume knob and the two 3.5mm headphone output, one labeled IEMatch that works better with sensitive IEM's by providing better volume control and no audible hiss with my Shure SE846, basically it works as advertised, the other one is labeled direct and works as an ordinary headphone output. On the otherwise you have the only input, one of the few weak points of this unit, and a 3.5 mm line out if you want to connect it to a pair of powered speakers.
Sound
The nano BL performs extremely well for it's price and small size I can't give you any detailed comparisons with any other dac's since the only other one that I have tried is the Chord Hugo 2 which is in a league of it's own in terms off general detail retrieval and micro detail but the nano BL is no slouch either it has good detail retrieval and doesn't color the sound in any way, providing definitely better sound than your standard smartphone
When using my Shure SE846 I found it performed as good as my Onkyo DP-X1 DAP which is three times it's price however when paired to my Mr. Speakers AEON I found the Onkyo to have better detail retrieval and a more laid back sound which suits better my preferences.
Conclusion
The iFi Nano iDSD BL is the perfect portable DAC for it’s price range, it definitely offers a lot for the price and for the budget conscious audiophile I definitely think it’s one of the best solutions on the market right now. The only downside I can think off is the lack of inputs otherwise this a pretty good and well rounded product that extends iFi excellent line of products.