iFi hip-dac 3

£199.00

Designed as the perfect stepping stone between your device and headphones, the iFi hip-dac 3 provides a portable hi-res DAC/headphone amp which delivers powerful sounds for every listening experience.

I was super excited to see the hip-dac 3 come across my desk as I’ve been a big fan of the superior sound quality that iFi Audio delivers for a while. Straight from the box, I was met with a beautiful aluminium case in a lovely grey colour. The hip-dac 3 feels super high quality and being only the size of a hipflask, it is the perfect shape to fit into your pocket or your bag whilst on the go.

To use the hip-dac 3 you simply connect your device via the USB-C port at the base and connect your headphones, earphones, or in-ear monitors to the jack ports at the top. Therefore, the hip-dac 3 acts as a middleman between your device and headphones to enhance the quality of your audio and deliver rich and dynamic sound to your ears. To ensure that the hip-dac 3 is compatible with a variety of devices from phones, tablets and your PC, the box thankfully includes three different cables which allow for USB, USB-C and MFI lightning cable connection to the hip-dac 3. The inclusion of the three wires is super useful, as I could use the USB-C cable to connect my phone whilst out and about, and then plug it into my laptop when I was at the office for continued excellent sound quality whilst I got work done.

The main purpose of the hip-dac 3 is to transform the sound of audio in your headphones, with iFi Audio boasting that it is 10x more powerful than an iPhone 15 for sound quality. To achieve this high level of sound the hip-dac is fitted with the Burr-Brown chip you can expect from many of iFi Audio’s products, but they have gone one step further and feature a 16-core XMOS microcontroller which has been designed by iFi’s teams to optimise the sound quality – a perfect pairing for the Burr-Brown DAC. The hip-dac 3 has also been developed with a true balance circuit design, which reduces signal distortion to ensure a more stable and full sound. This is hard to get at this price point, so for iFi to have included such high-quality mechanics inside the hip-dac 3, highlights the company’s commitment to delivering top audio experiences with every device.  

To further ensure that the user gets the most out of the DAC/amp as possible, the hip-dac 3 also has a switch on the base to cater the output to the sensitivity of your headphones - this is especially great for those buying the device for use with in-ear monitors as it is designed to significantly cut down on hiss, whilst celebrating the dynamic range of the audio. Whilst, I personally have not tried the hip-dac 3 for in-ear monitors, I can say that using it with my regular wired headphones has significantly increased the sound quality from my device without compromising on the ease of use or functionality of my wired headphones.

Ultimately, the battery-powered headphone amp delivers tailored, high-resolution, and clear audio experiences, all of which are supported by up to 12 hours of playtime. Therefore, the hip-dac 3 is perfect for taking with you on the go to deliver exceptional sound no matter where you are. If you are looking for a powerful headphone amp which delivers a rich and dynamic sound in a compact and portable device, then the hip-dac 3 is a perfect choice for you. The hip-dac 3 has been expertly developed with convenience and powerful sound delivery in mind, all of which are packaged in an affordable amp perfect for all music lovers.

Pros:

• Portable design for great audio wherever you are
• Top quality sound specs for both professional to everyday use
• Compatible with a range of devices and comes with cables to make this possible

Cons:

• The included cables are great – but are a little short in length meaning your device and the hipdac 3 must be kept quite close which can be a little more cumbersome whilst on the go.