iFi GO blu Air

£129.00

When I’m listening to music on my commute, I need a set-up that is lightweight, easy to use and delivers high-quality audio, so I can zone out the world around me without any fuss. However, many Bluetooth earphones on the market leave a lot to be desired quality-wise, and wired headphones are a thing of the past now that most phones don’t even have a headphone jack anymore! Therefore, one of the best solutions is a Bluetooth Amp or DAC, which can optimise your audio’s sound. However, this can sometimes make listening to music feel more complicated than it needs to be, and honestly, a bit clunky – which is not what I want when trying to commute!

This is where iFi Audio comes in, as an award-winning British Hi-Fi audio tech company, who are committed to improving music enjoyment with each product they produce. Their newest release is the GO blu Air, a remarkably tiny mobile Bluetooth Headphone DAC and Amp, which is designed to make listening to music at home or on the go so much easier. The GO blu Air is designed for unparalleled sound quality, backed by top software for high-definition audio experiences, expanding on the original GO blu. Having swapped the original’s stainless-steel chassis for a lightweight plastic casing, the GO blu Air offers an even more lightweight option, which is backed by much of the same top-quality audio features as before, but now with a few new upgrades to enhance its operation a little bit more.

The iFi GO blu Air is not more than a couple of inches in height, and features both a single-ended 3.5mm and 4.4 balanced headphone ports, offering greater versatility in your listening. Once connected to the GO blu Air with your wired headphones or earphones, the small but mighty unit is designed with a three-stage system to optimise the sound delivery and give you recording-level quality no matter where you are. The first step in the GO blu Air design is the Qualcomm QCC5144 Chipset, which is used ensure top quality Bluetooth reception. This chip allows the device to offer Bluetooth version 5.2, which ensures a stable and high-quality connection, to ensure a high-resolution sound with low latency. The chipset supports LDAC, LHDC, aptX (Classic, HD, Adaptive), AAC and SBC, and so offers a comprehensive suite of high-resolution codecs to support the best possible sound for each listening experience.

From here, the GO blu Air then has a Hi-Res Cirrus Logic Master HiFi DAC, which is designed alongside the unit's twin-mono amplifier stage. Together, these deliver a detailed sound, where every note, bass and high note is captured. Plus, with Engage XBass and Active XSpace, the GO blu Air is designed to help you fully tailor your sound to your preference, whether for the type of headphones you’re using or the type of music you’re listening to. You can fully adjust the sound to enhance your music and optimise the sound delivery from your headphones. This customisability, along with the high-quality chipset, DAC and amp layer system, provides the kind of sound quality you expect from a high-end full-sized system, but thanks to the compact GO blu Air, you can now experience this enhanced tech in a tiny and lightweight option designed to optimise your listening experience on the go.

One of the best aspects of the GO blue Air design is that it comes with a detachable magnetic clip. The clip firmly attaches to the back of the unit and instantly transforms it into a nifty clip-on device that you can attach to your bag, jacket or jeans when you’re on the go. This clip-on magnetic design means that you don’t have to worry about wires getting in the way, unlike if the unit is in your pocket or bag. Instead, by clipping it directly onto your outfit in a convenient spot, you can connect your headphones and listen to music on the go, feeling less tethered down or restricted. Plus, with a ChronoDial, directly on the GO blu Air, you can have complete control over your audio, allowing you to pause, play, skips and adjust your volume without needing to touch your phone at all. Together, these features enhance the functionality of the GO blu Air and ensure that it is truly designed to make listening to music so much easier, without compromising on sound.

With such a complex three-layer system within the GO blu Air, it delivers a great sound, the likes of which you’d expect from a great quality pair of wired headphones, where every note is remarkably clear, and without distortion – even with the whole unit operating via Bluetooth. If you find Bluetooth headphones can sometimes sacrifice sound in place of the freedom and flexibility of a wire-free connection, the GO blu Air offers an excellent alternative where you can get the quality of wired headphones with the freedom of Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, with 10 hours of battery life, you can enjoy uninterrupted top-quality sound on the go – no matter where you go.

Pros:

• Super small, lightweight and compact unit that comes with a magnetic clip, ideal for use on the go
• Three layer system that optimises Bluetooth, Amp and DAC separately for enhanced sound delivery
• 10hour battery life for uninterrupted listening – even on long flights
• Useful ChronoDial for easy navigation and music control without needing to use your phone

Cons:

• Construction feels a little cheaper than the previous GO blu model as it's made largely of plastic rather than stainless steel. However, this is due to the GO blu Air being designed to be a more lightweight and affordable option that uses a plastic casing to reduce the overall weight and price of the unit whilst still delivering the same high quality sound.