iFi Nano iDSD Black Label Portable USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier - Upgrade Smartphones/Digital Audio Players/Tablets/Laptops

I would like to preface my overview by stating that this device is AMAZING! I am NOT an audiophile fanatic. The devices that I use to listen to music are not high end professional devices (thousands of dollars). However, I do spend my money on higher quality consumer audio products available to those who prefer a more detailed music listening experience. Keeping this in mind, I will now discuss how I use the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label.For my portable music set up, I use portable high-resolution audio devices (Fiio, Cayin, Shanling, Pioneer, Hidizs, Sony, etc), to take advantage of their enormous storage capabilities via Micro SD Cards. My music library consists of roughly 120GB of AAC quality music from Itunes, and roughly 10GB of High Resolution audio files, accounting for nearly 15,000 songs.Thus far, as I am reviewing the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label, I am listening through a pair of BANG and OLUFSEN H6 headphones. For those who are not familiar with these headphones, I would like to mention that these headphones require substantial power in order to enjoy them at lower volumes. They are very clean sounding, with little to no emphasis on the bass (the bass is tight, not booming), and most of the focus of its sound can be observed in the higher frequencies, though this emphasis is not harsh on the ears. Presently, I am listening on my SHANLING M1 high resolution audio device. Now, that you know my setup, I should probably detail you my impressions.The way that the device was put together by the production team is unique to other headphone amplifiers that I have. For instance, I was NOT able to connect the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label to my SHANLING M1 (or to Hidizs ap60, or Fiio X1) with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. However, other headphone amplifiers options such as the Fiio Q1 and the Fiio E12 allow for such compatibility. So, if you plan to use the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label the way that I do (Headphones> ifi nano > Shanling M1), then you WILL NEED TO BUY another cable. The cable you will need is a FEMALE USB to either USB C (which is what I am using right now for the Shanling M1) or USB Micro (I am assuming, for devices like Hidizs ap60, or Fiio X1, as they are Micro USB oriented). This cable (FEMALE USB to USB C, or whatever) does NOT come with the device. The device does come with a charging cable that also can connect to your computer to be used as a DAC. I suppose that this device was designed mainly for those looking to listen to music on their computer—from online streaming sources—as it does not come with any cables that would enable the user to listen to music on portable high-resolution audio devices. Bearing in mind my personal use, I CANNOT comment on this device’s function as a computer DAC.So, how loud is it? Like I mentioned before, I am not an audiophile fanatic (redundant?), so I cannot give an accurate statement as to the merit of this device compared to others, but please consider my thoughts. This device is LOUD! This was one of the main features that attracted to me to the device in the first place. Online reviews have been referencing the Sennheiser HD600 as headphones that require substantial power to drive, and though I do not own these headphones, I have no doubt that this device is loud enough to drive ANY pair of headphones available to casual listeners (<$1000). The ifi Nano IDSD Black Label has NO issue driving my B&O H6’s, in fact, I cannot imagine anyone needing to listen to more than 30% of the maximum volume, as maximum volume is painfully loud.So, how does it sound? While listening to Lady Antebellum’s “Heart Break,” I have been able to determine that the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label DOES ADD BASS to the sound. Like I mentioned before, the B&O H6 headphones are not bass heavy headphones, but the Nano does add bass the sound. The bass that it adds, however, is NOT muddy in any way. The bass sounds punchy and VERY controlled, and it does not interfere with the other voices of the sound. Also, I am able to discern MORE DETAIL in the sound. While listening to Clay Aiken’s performance of “Unchained Melody,” I am noticing that his voice sounds crystal clear. The string arrangement in the introduction of the song is FULL, and I can hear all the instruments cleanly and separately. I can hear details in the song that I did not even know were there. Please keep in mind, I am listening to AAC files. In theory, one might assume that a good headphone amplifier would enhance the listening experience of High Resolution files, right? To me, this device enables me to enjoy my AAC files even more, so I suspect that higher quality audio files would sound even better (if not louder) with an amplifier like this one.Is this device pocketable? The device is pocketable if you are wearing athletic shorts, but I imagine it would be challenging to fit the device (connected to another DAP) while wearing jeans. Rubber bands are included, and I have made use of them with my Shanling M1. The volume knob does protrude the body of the device, so if you were to put this device in your pocket, then it would be easy for the volume level to change accidently. I would not recommend pocketing this device, just because of the superior volume capabilities—if the volume rises accidentally, one might damage their hearing. Also, I am now noticing that the device has a tendency to run warm (slightly).Again (again, again, again), I am NOT an audiophile or trained music engineer, so I can not elaborate on details such as sound stage, separation, or black back ground. I CANNOT comment on this device’s battery capacity, as I listening to it while composing this review (At this point, it has held well at 3 hours, 7 hours to go hopefully). I can say that I am very pleased with this product, as it suits my portable music listening requirements. I will reiterate, you WILL need to purchase another cable to use this in collaboration with a portable DAP.At this point, I would like to offer a proposition. For those who use portable DAPS, and are looking for a powerful alternative to the Chord Mojo, I would suggest trying out this device. Now, I do not own a Chord Mojo, nor have I tried one. So then when would I be presumptuous enough to suggest this device over the Chord Mojo, especially if I have never tried it? Hear me out. The Chord Mojo has been seen in many reviews used in collaboration with other portable DAPs, and it has been praised as the “ultimate” solution to portable audio enthusiasts. So, allow me to offer the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label as an ALTERNATIVE. This device is tremendously loud, and many reviewers have cited the ifi Nano IDSD Black Label as a suitable companion to the Sennheiser HD600s, which are noteworthy for being power hungry (harder to drive). Also, the Sennheiser HD600s, to my understanding, are the most detailed sounding headphones in its price range, and therefore, the best option for an on-the-go high detailed listening experience. So! If the ifi Nano DSD Black Label can power such praiseworthy headphones for LESS THAN HALF of the cost of the Chord Mojo, why not consider it as an acceptable alternative? This is humble food for thought.Thank you for reading my review of this device. I hope it is helpful, coming from a lay audio enthusiast. Though this product does not come with a cable to listen to portable DAPs, I did not feel compelled to deduct a star or even half a star from this review. I rate this as a five-star product, as it more than fulfills my portable audio needs. Thank you, Amazon, for delivering this item to me a day early. You guys really are the leaders of the world. Happy shopping everyone!

This DAC/AMP is awesome! The build of it is high quality and looks well designed. All of the edges are well aligned, the print looks great, and the volume knob is smooth with just the right resistance. This unit is described as "portable" but it's pretty bulky to be used with a phone walking down the street. I use it with my phone at home and it's portable in the sense that you can move it from place to place easily but it doesn't fit in any pant pockets easily.When I first received the unit, I needed to update the firmware in order to get the LED light to change colors when playing MQA in Tidal. The process was very easy and took less then a couple minutes. In Tidal, make sure that you have passthrough for MQA turned off (unchecked). This unit renders MQA but decoding is done by the computer and it works perfectly. Whether you think MQA quality is worth it is up to your own ears to decide. That being said, any lossless quality file played through this unit sounds fantastic!The sound from the IFI is clean, smooth, well-rounded, and detailed. The best way I can describe the sound is as buttery while retaining complete separation of frequency and accuracy. Some people have described it as warm, but I personally don't think so. It's pretty neutral and accurate, in my opinion. I've used Schiit products in the past and I found those to be very cold and sharp sounding. Schiit products are ultra-detailed but unpleasant. On the other hand, I can use IFI all day and enjoy the blissful sound it produces. Also, this unit has plenty of power for the majority of application. I use it with my Sennheiser HD6XX and I keep it at 12 o'clock to 1 o'clock most of the time, while the unit has a max of around 5 o'clock. The iEMatch is also nice to have since I also use this unit with the Audiotechnica MSR7 and WS1100iS. If I plug either of those into the "Direct" output, I usually can't get above 9-10 o'clock on the dial, while the iEMatch allows me to have more precise volume control of those headphones.Overall, I use this unit on my desk probably 95% of the time connected to my computer without using the internal battery. When I use it with my phone or iPad, I never get down to low battery since it'll always get back to my desk before then, so to me, the battery life is more than sufficient. The only problem I'm had with the unit is it not connecting to my iPhone or iPad on the first try. I always have to unit powered on before I plug it in but it still occasionally take 2-3 try of unplugging and/or powering on/off to get it to be recognized by my portables. Once it's recognized, though, there are no problems. While it's annoying sometimes, I don't think it warrants a bad review or complaint simply because it still works with portables and produces amazing sound and power.If you're a music lover and don't have any headphones that need a massive desktop amp to power, this may be your first and last DAC/Amp. I really think it offers amazing performance for the price.