More often than not, its among the leaders in any given market.
Hence, the GO Bar Kensei.
On paper and in the palm, it makes a lot of sense.
The specification is extensive, the finish all tactile Japanese stainless steel that catches the light is unarguably upmarket.
And in practice, the GO Bar Kensei makes good on a lot of what it promises.
The world is not short of portable USB headphone amp/DACs, of course.
The DAC uses a 16-core XMOS microcontroller to process the audio data received at the USB-C input.
iFi has breathed on it to the point that JVCKenwood asserts that its the original ideal K2 sound.
Which is why, presumably, iFi has decided to refer to it as K2HD.
XBass+ intends to accentuate the lower frequencies, and XSpace wants to expand the sound field.
No doubt youll investigate all of these options at your leisure.
And everything Im about to say applies no matter which of the many filter and/or processing options you deploy.
Its possible to fiddle around the edges of the iFis sound, but its fundamental character is always apparent.
The iFi can be muscular when needs be, but its just as capable of being tender and delicate.
The second half concerns the way the GO Bar Kensei deals with the top of the frequency range.
If you pair the iFi with similarly treble-centric headphones then your teeth will constantly be on edge.
It doesnt happen every time, but it happens often enough.
This last has three positions: off, 3.5 and 4.4.
Audio equipment doesnt get any more straightforward.
You have eyes like a hawkThe user interface almost seems designed to induce squinting.
The likes of Apple and Spotify cannot.
I used it withAppleiPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones.
I used it while at home, on the street, and on the train.
