INTRODUCTION

    If you happen to be a demanding gamer, enthusiast, professional or an audiophile then in all likelihood at some point you've either thought about getting or already own at least one desktop audio DAC/Amplifier. Yes, they might not be as plug & play as some sound cards (also not really the best for gaming) and they most cost more but aside offering higher audio fidelity, increased amplification and better connectivity in some cases they can also be used as standalone music players (for example via online streaming & memory card slots). Back in 2020 iFi audio released one of their top DAC/amplifiers to date called the NEO iDSD which not only earned numerous awards all over the world but also became very popular among audiophiles. Fast forward to 2024 and iFi Audio has released its successor the NEO iDSD 2 which ended up in the lab just over a month ago.

    iFi audio is a UK based manufacturer of desktop and portable high-end audio equipment. Innovative high-end audio should be available to everyone, everywhere, so iFi uses the latest technology, materials and consumer feedback to provide an audiophile quality listening experience at an affordable price. You listen to music, we listen to you.

    Just like the Diablo 2 which I reviewed a while back the NEO iDSD 2 also makes use of an 16-core XMOS processor which iFi audio has paired with a quad-core True Native Burr-Brown DAC chipset, Qualcomm QCC518x Bluetooth v5.4 audio chip, custom OV series operational amplifiers (up to  5.5W via the 4.4mm balanced headphone port - 2530mW RMS per side rating), Texas Instruments low-noise ICs and numerous capacitors (C0G Class 1 Ceramic by TDK and multi-layer ESR ones by Murata). Due to the quad-core Burr Brown DAC and the Qualcomm QCC518x Bluetooth v5.4 chip the NEO iDSD 2 supports full MQA, DXD or Bit-Perfect DSD decoding up to 768kHz (DSD512 also supported) and virtually every wireless audio codec out there including aptX Lossless (1200kbps), aptX HD (576kbps), aptX Adaptive (420kbps), aptX (352kbps), LDAC (990kbps), LHDC/HWA (900kbps), AAC (264kbps) and SBC (345Kbps). Of course technologies like PureWave (elevates clarity by separating channels and reducing noise), XBass II (for deep, clear and solid bass), XSpace (delivers the same spacious sound field of speakers to headphones), 4 different digital filters (BP/GTO/MIN/STD), GMT femto-precision clock (combined with a smart storage cache, forms an advanced jitter reduction system) and even their iPower 2 power supply (utilizes active noise cancellation II technology to deliver ultra-clean power) are all included in/with the NEO iDSD 2. The NEO iDSD 2 also makes use of a multicolor TFT display (auto orientation), supports several streaming services (instruction video online by iFi audio for use with Tidal, Roon, and Audirvana) and as for available connectivity iFi audio has placed 4.4mm (balanced) and 6.3mm (single-ended) output ports at the front and stereo RCA and XLR (balanced) output and 3.5mm analogue, BNC clock, SPDIF optical, coaxial and USB input ports at the rear.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The NEO iDSD 2 arrived inside a white box the front of which has a large product picture and the company and Hi-Res logos.

Most of the features packed with the NEO iDSD 2 are printed at the base of the box.

Moving at the rear we find the features and specifications of the NEO iDSD 2.

Along with the NEO iDSD 2 and its iPower 2 power supply inside the box iFi audio has also packed a vertical base, 4 silicon round feet, remote control with battery, stereo RCA cable, USB host cable, 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter, 2 stickers, warranty information paper, MQA and Tidal usage instructions and a quick start guide.

THE NEO IDSD 2

I was positively surprised to see that the remote iFi audio bundles with the NEO iDSD 2 is made out of aluminum.

The body of the NEO iDSD 2 is mostly made out of aluminum, weighs just 916g and measures 214mm in length, 158mm in width and 41mm in height.

Here you can see how the NEO iDSD 2 compares to the FiiO R7 (which is a bit larger than the R9).

Thanks to the bundled base you can position the NEO iDSD 2 either horizontally or vertically.

At the front of the enclosure, we find the TFT color screen, clickable control knob, activity LED, 5 buttons and the 4.4mm and 6.3mm outputs.

The rear left side of the enclosure features a frost plastic which not only allows light from the internal LED to be seen but also allows for better wireless signal from the internal antenna.

Turning the device around we see the stereo RCA and XLR (balanced) outputs and the 3.5mm analogue, BNC clock, SPDIF optical, coaxial and USB inputs.

At the base iFi audio has placed four small crosses where you should place the bundled silicon feet.

Here you can see an exposed view of the NEO iDSD 2 (marketing material).

TFT DISPLAY

The color TFT screen is very easy to read and by default it indicated the current volume level (mute icon also), input and the various technologies used (like XBass II and XSpace).

By pressing the control knob, you can access the settings tab which allow you to adjust the digital filter and gain levels and enable volume sync, Bluetooth voice prompts, sync the device with an external clock, control the line out volume (off by default, enable it if you plan on connecting speakers) and even reset the device to its factory settings.

There are 4 different digital filters, Bit-Perfect, Gibbs Transient Optimized (GTO), Minimum Phase (MIN) and STD (Standard). Unfortunately it seems I forgot to take a picture of the first (you can see it - BP - at the previous pictures however).

NEXIS APP

The NEXIS app by iFi Audio allows you to connect the NEO iDSD 2 with your smartphone and/or tablet to control some of its functions.

I don't know if this app is device specific (meaning it may show more functions with other smartphones - for example aptX Lossless is not available in the codecs tab) but in my case it just allowed for audio codec selection, device name change and firmware updates (locally or via the internet).

CONCLUSION

    Just like with past DAC & headphone amplifiers I ended up spending over a month with the NEO iDSD 2 and well, I was mostly satisfied with its performance. It’s a bit unfortunate that I never had the first iDSD in the lab so I can’t really compare the two, but I can compare it with many others. If I had to categorize the NEO iDSD 2 in terms of overall performance I’d put it, one step over the FiiO R7 and one step beneath the iDSD Diablo 2 and the FiiO R9. Simply put the NEO iDSD 2 produces just what you’d expect from an audiophile-grade DAC. Mids and highs are very clear, balanced and detailed (at times mids may feel a bit “neutral” but this depends a lot on music genre and of course recording quality), separation and background (lack of noise) are near-excellent (still, soundstage is not the widest) and as for bass even though I did find it a bit lacking it’s almost on par with that of the iDSD Diablo 2. Available connectors, power output (could easily drive every headphone I have in the lab) and wireless signal strength are also strong selling points of the NEO iDSD 2. On the other hand, the lack of a memory card slot is something I didn’t particularly like since it’s a very convenient feature on models like the FiiO R7/R9 and so I do hope iFi audio adds it in future models. The TFT screen although too small for my taste is something many audiophiles all over the world seem to like (probably because it keeps the device thin) so it is what it is. Finally, I have to admit that I didn’t use aptX Lossless in this review, I just couldn’t find a compatible device in time (and well, LDAC using the M23/M15 players by FiiO is still plenty for wireless testing).

    Audiophile grade devices never come cheap and well the same applies for the NEO iDSD 2 by iFi audio which currently retails for USD899 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 899Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). The question now is whether or not the NEO iDSD 2 is worth this amount and well, even though I do believe it’s a tad higher than expected (always compared to what is available out there) it’s actually within my expectations. At the end of the day if you can afford going higher there are many better solutions out in the market (from iFi audio too) but if not the NEO iDSD 2 is a great choice and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- Impressive Audio Performance
- Bluetooth v5.4(Lossless)
- Supported Bluetooth Codecs (aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC and SBC)
- 16 Core XMOS Processor
- Quad Core Burr Brown DAC
- TFT Color Display
- Available Inputs / Outputs (6.35mm/4.4mm Balanced/XLR balanced/Stereo RCA/BNC clock/3.5mm Optical/USB)
- Power Output
- Horizontal & Vertical Placement
- Product Support

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Small TFT Display (For Some)
- Lack Of Memory Card Slot (For Some)