iFi audio GO bar -The Official Thread

[AMR / iFi audio]

We are pleased to show you our newest product, our pocket rocket: the GO bar!

The GO bar is currently the most powerful dongle on the market. It features up to 475mW @ 32 Ohm and 7,2V @ 600Ohm. Even current hungry planar headphones will be satisfied with that amount of power. But GO bar is not just a plain brute. It features playback of PCM 384kHz, DSD256 and full MQA decoding. We believe that everybody should be able to tailor the sound to their liking. XSpace and XBass+ are making a return. You can listen to you music the way you like it. Additionally, you can select one of the 4 digital filters for DAC. Together it gives lots of possible sounds in an extremely small form factor. Speaking of a DAC, we have decided to use a chip from Cirrus Logic for its amazing sound and functionality. We aren't using any integrated chipsets, GO bar uses solutions known from our other products like GMT jitter reduction, 16 core XMOS MCU, S-Balanced 3,5mm output jack, and premium quality parts ensuring long life and excellent sound.

 

[dienson]

Hello all
I just get IFI go bar, and have one problem
I use iPhone13 pro max, IOS 15.5,play music with music app ( iTunes), problem is play oen or two song then it stop play on next song, need click play icon again ( it's not automatic play like on iMac), when it finish the song all LED light turn off one second and back on again then don't play next,
I try follow instruction but not work
Any of you know how to fix it
Thank in advance

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Hello all
I just get IFI go bar, and have one problem
I use iPhone13 pro max, IOS 15.5,play music with music app ( iTunes), problem is play oen or two song then it stop play on next song, need click play icon again ( it's not automatic play like on iMac), when it finish the song all LED light turn off one second and back on again then don't play next,
I try follow instruction but not work
Any of you know how to fix it
Thank in advance

Hi, I believe I answered your question on AVF, but I'll do it again here, maybe somebody will look for it here anyway.
Please try to upgrade the firmware of your device through our website: https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/
That should do it, if not DM me and we will work through it.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

When bling meets the substance. GO bar is the most powerful dongle on the market and its 10th Anniversary edition is housed in copper chassis, which gets gold plated later. The best dongle on the market? Guess you have to try it!

 

[igorski]

Dear iFi team,
I have just received my new iFi Go Bar.

The device can not play DSDx48 rates, that is 6,1/12,3MHz

Details:
- updated ASIO drivers from iFi on Win10
- updated iFi Go firmware to latests from iFi site
- in all test cases tried DoP and Native variants
- tested Win10 with Foobar2000, ROON, HQPlayer Desktop
- tested Linux Ubuntu 22.04 Server with ROON HQPlayer Embedded
- tested HQPlayer OS

Verdict:
IFi Go Bar can play all announced PCM rates and 2,8/5,6/11,3 DSD rates
iFi Go Bar does not play 3,1/6,1/12,3 DSD rates, DSD x48 that is

Additional Comment for above test:
- through HQPlayer and ASIO driver panel on windows you can see device is trying to lock on x48 rate, but produce no sound
- on Linux, on HQPlayer screen youncan see device is locked on x48 rate but playback is with no sound.

Question:
1 - what are conditions for x48 DSD playback?
2 - how did you test and reproduce x48 DSD on iFi side, can I try the same, please?

Thanks,
i.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Dear iFi team,
I have just received my new iFi Go Bar.

The device can not play DSDx48 rates, that is 6,1/12,3MHz

Details:
- updated ASIO drivers from iFi on Win10
- updated iFi Go firmware to latests from iFi site
- in all test cases tried DoP and Native variants
- tested Win10 with Foobar2000, ROON, HQPlayer Desktop
- tested Linux Ubuntu 22.04 Server with ROON HQPlayer Embedded
- tested HQPlayer OS

Verdict:
IFi Go Bar can play all announced PCM rates and 2,8/5,6/11,3 DSD rates
iFi Go Bar does not play 3,1/6,1/12,3 DSD rates, DSD x48 that is

Additional Comment for above test:
- through HQPlayer and ASIO driver panel on windows you can see device is trying to lock on x48 rate, but produce no sound
- on Linux, on HQPlayer screen youncan see device is locked on x48 rate but playback is with no sound.

Question:
1 - what are conditions for x48 DSD playback?
2 - how did you test and reproduce x48 DSD on iFi side, can I try the same, please?

Thanks,
i.

Dear @igorski,
DSD x48 is not a standard DSD rate. Multiples of 64 are. Our claim of playing DSD up to DSD256 is based on this assumption. I believe it's impossible to play x48 DSD files on GO bar (and most DACs on the market for that matter) since it's a different base clock frequency. Just as you couldn't play PCM 59 kHz files, it's a different time base.

It's the first time I hear about DSD x48. Couldn't find anything about it on the internet. Why would you need that functionality?
Regards

 

[igorski]

Dear @igorski,
DSD x48 is not a standard DSD rate. Multiples of 64 are. Our claim of playing DSD up to DSD256 is based on this assumption. I believe it's impossible to play x48 DSD files on GO bar (and most DACs on the market for that matter) since it's a different base clock frequency. Just as you couldn't play PCM 59 kHz files, it's a different time base.

It's the first time I hear about DSD x48. Couldn't find anything about it on the internet. Why would you need that functionality?
Regards

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
thank you for your quick response. Let me try to be more precise in my question and definition of x48 DSD rates - these are 64 multiples of 48000KHz base rate. In iFi terminology these are 3,1MHZ for DSD64x48, 6,1Mhz for DSD128x48 and 12,3MHZ for DSD256x48

I kindly invite you to check an official iFi Audio site and look at iFi Go Bar product specifications with regards to precise iFi audio claims about this product. It looks very promising!



Coming back to my original question - these are 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz rates that do not work.

On your question as to why would such functionality be required, the answer is not complex at all. With high quality upsampling music player one can chose to play all sources via DSD output. This in a turn requires powerful CPU at times with heavy calculations. It makes much more sense to upsample 44,1 base rates to DSDx44,1 and 48 base rates to DSDx48 for highest quality of sound reproduction. Hope this answers your questions.

Could you kindly revert back to my questions above?

What is exact CL DAC chip empoyed in iFi Go Bar, I may as well simply check its specifications if above questions present difficulty.

Have a great weekend and looking forward for iFi clarifications.

I.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
thank you for your quick response. Let me try to be more precise in my question and definition of x48 DSD rates - these are 64 multiples of 48000KHz base rate. In iFi terminology these are 3,1MHZ for DSD64x48, 6,1Mhz for DSD128x48 and 12,3MHZ for DSD256x48

I kindly invite you to check an official iFi Audio site and look at iFi Go Bar product specifications with regards to precise iFi audio claims about this product. It looks very promising!

View attachment 94398

Coming back to my original question - these are 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz rates that do not work.

On your question as to why would such functionality be required, the answer is not complex at all. With high quality upsampling music player one can chose to play all sources via DSD output. This in a turn requires powerful CPU at times with heavy calculations. It makes much more sense to upsample 44,1 base rates to DSDx44,1 and 48 base rates to DSDx48 for highest quality of sound reproduction. Hope this answers your questions.

Could you kindly revert back to my questions above?

What is exact CL DAC chip empoyed in iFi Go Bar, I may as well simply check its specifications if above questions present difficulty.

Have a great weekend and looking forward for iFi clarifications.

I.

Dear igorski,
I know understand your issue completely. I have sent a request to RND to help you with your issue. I'll come back to you as soon as possible with a fix.

 

[igorski]

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
I would like to share with you that my newly received GOLD Bar experiences the same issue discussed above. It can not play/reproduce 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz DSD rates. Issue is absolutely the same as with GO bar. It really looks like a bug for all GO/GOLD bars.

Do you have any news from your RND team? May be they can share how they have tested (software and settings) playback for 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz DSD rates that one can easily reproduce?

At this point of time I don't understand shall I keep the GO and GOLD bar and wait for the fix or shall I just return them to the vendor.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
I would like to share with you that my newly received GOLD Bar experiences the same issue discussed above. It can not play/reproduce 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz DSD rates. Issue is absolutely the same as with GO bar. It really looks like a bug for all GO/GOLD bars.

Do you have any news from your RND team? May be they can share how they have tested (software and settings) playback for 3,1/6,1/12,3MHz DSD rates that one can easily reproduce?

At this point of time I don't understand shall I keep the GO and GOLD bar and wait for the fix or shall I just return them to the vendor.

Thanks for letting me know.

They are still working on it. I'm sure the solution will be available soon, but can't give you a solid date. If you decide to return them, I'll let you know here we fixed it anyway, so maybe you would give them another try when they have this important for you feature.

 

[igorski]

They are still working on it. I'm sure the solution will be available soon, but can't give you a solid date. If you decide to return them, I'll let you know here we fixed it anyway, so maybe you would give them another try when they have this important for you feature.

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
first of all thank you for taking your time to follow up.

I do however find overall situation to be absurd. In parallel to our discussion here, I had support ticket opened with iFi since 8th of June and there is no answer. All in all, including the customs fee and shipment, for GO and GOLD Bars together I have spent more than 800,- EUR. And yet no one on iFi side can give a coherent explanation as to how the announced DSD features can be working. You may imagine the degree of my disappointment taking into account the above investment and iFi's silence on the matter of the issue. I'm certainly proceeding with return of both GO and GOLD Bars.

It would however be very beneficial to other users if you can comment in this thread whenever iFi GO/GOLD products are brought up from it's current "beta" state to the full scale of the functionality that is announced in the specs.

Once again, thank you for your support and kind attention.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Dear @AMR / iFi audio
first of all thank you for taking your time to follow up.

I do however find overall situation to be absurd. In parallel to our discussion here, I had support ticket opened with iFi since 8th of June and there is no answer. All in all, including the customs fee and shipment, for GO and GOLD Bars together I have spent more than 800,- EUR. And yet no one on iFi side can give a coherent explanation as to how the announced DSD features can be working. You may imagine the degree of my disappointment taking into account the above investment and iFi's silence on the matter of the issue. I'm certainly proceeding with return of both GO and GOLD Bars.

It would however be very beneficial to other users if you can comment in this thread whenever iFi GO/GOLD products are brought up from it's current "beta" state to the full scale of the functionality that is announced in the specs.

Once again, thank you for your support and kind attention.

I'm very sorry it ends up like this. I hope you will give us a chance at some other time. Would you be so kind to send me your support ticket number in a DM? I can't undo what happened to you, but I'll do my best to prevent it in the future.

All the best

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I'm happy to announce that there is a new update to the GO bar's firmware, v1.80. It fixes the issues with DSD48. It should arrive next Wednesday on our webpage, The Download Hub.
@igorski, the DSD48 has been tested at this setup: use 5.12 driver, HQPLAYER, select SDM output in settings, check 48KDSD, for SDM options, check 48kx64, 48kx128, 48kx256.
I'm sorry it took this long to deliver the answer to you.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

We are honored to see the GO Bar complimented in Ural Garrett's "Best music streaming services in 2022" article for CNN Underscored. Make sure to give it a read!

"Alongside formats like Dolby Atmos Music and Sony 360 Audio, the $19.99 HiFi Plus setting also grants users access to “Master” quality MQA tracks, which you can listen to without additional hardware at 24-bit/96kHz quality, or up to 24-bit/192kHz with a fully MQA-capable DAC/headphone amp like iFi’s affordable Go Bar."

https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/best-music-streaming-service

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

We are honored to see that our iDSD Diablo and GO bar have recently been mentioned in Headphonesty's "10 Best Portable DAC/Amps"! Click the link below to see why:

"With a maximum power (@32 Ohms) of 4.98W (balanced) and 2.5W (single-ended), the Diablo is in a class of its own as far as portable amplifiers. Think of Diablo as a battery-powered, high-end desktop DAC/amp you can take on the go."

"The iFi GO bar has a clean, crisp sound signature and, by default, does not emphasize the lower frequencies. This gives it a lively and resolving presentation that listeners can tune to their liking using the XBass and XSpace controls."

10 Best Portable DAC/Amps - Great for iPhone and Android [2024]

We compiled a list of the best portable DAC/amp combos for mobile devices (iPhone and Android), so you don’t have to!

www.headphonesty.com

 

[Gregadd]

As I pointed out the Diablo is not just portable it is mobile. Its' power makes almost any non-electrostatic handphone mobile.
Congratulations.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

We are happy to announce upgrade v2.40 introducing quality-of-life upgrades, such as filter settings being properly stored in the GO Bar after turning it off. Head on to our Download Hub and upgrade your GO Bar now!

Download Hub | Software and firmware for your iFi audio devices

The new, quick and easy searchable interface to find software and firmware downloads for your iFi audio devices.

ifi-audio.com

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

HiFiTrends has weighed in on the GO Bar!

“The iFi GO bar is an essential accessory for any audio lover who wants to take a desktop-quality DAC Amp combo with them on the go.”

https://hifitrends.com/2023/04/30/top-5-best-audiophile-dacs-for-budget-buyers-in-2023/

Cheers!!

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

GO Bar has won a T3 Platinum Award!

“As a basis for its overall performance, the Go Bar creates a much deeper, much wider, and much taller soundstage for the elements of a recording to exist on. Compared to even the best-sounding smartphones, the iFi creates a far better-defined stage – and it locks every strand of a recording on there with real certainty, meaning each element is secure in its own space and doesn’t impact on any other.”

Thanks to Simon Lucas for also giving us the T3 Platinum Award for the GO bar

Announcing the T3 Awards 2023 shortlist: who's in the running?

Any of these products could win a coveted T3 Award in June

www.t3.com

Cheers!!

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Folks, Just sharing some thoughts from another member on another forum, Thanks for looking!

5 stars from Colin Aikens for the GO bar on Head-Fi

“The musicality of this dongle is the element that impresses me the most, every other dongle I’ve tried or owned has had good aspects but none has matched the musicality of this, or the detail. The Go bar never gets fatiguing when listening for extended periods, I used to struggle with dongles like the cobalt which seemed to pierce my ears after a couple of hours, not so with the Go Bar. It’s like velvet over long periods of use.”

iFi audio GO bar - Reviews

www.head-fi.org

Cheers!!