iFi products are regularly featured in our guide to the best portable DACs. There are already several iFi models, but the new iFi GO Bar Kensei could perhaps join them. It is the first ultraportable DAC to feature K2HD technology, which promises to bring back the frequencies and resolution lost when compressing to CD-quality audio.
KD2H was developed by the Japanese electronics company JVCKENWOOD. It uses digital processing to identify the missing harmonics (above 22 kHz) and resolution lost when outputting to CD quality. These harmonics and data are then recreated and restored to deliver a sonic performance that is much closer to the original recording.
iFi is very excited about incorporating the technology into its new DAC, which it claims is a world first. The GO Bar Kensei is the successor to the 2022 GO Bar (we were shown the anniversary edition of this model that swapped the alloy exterior for copper) and promises to be a significant audio upgrade.
Groundbreaking technology inspired by advanced swords
Kensei blades are wielded by the most skilled warriors, and iFi has used them as inspiration, sourcing Japanese stainless steel to encase the DAC in a suitably stylish form. Inside are four digital filters (Bit-Perfect, GTO, Standard and Minimum Phase), two analog processing modes and both bass and soundstage enhancement to deliver a more exciting and spacious sound.
The GO Bar Kensei is designed to work with a wide selection of the best headphones and in-ear monitors (IEMs) that are among the best wired headphones. There are multiple headphone output modes, including IEM tuning and a turbo mode that adds 6 dB for hungry headphones, and there are 3.5mm S-Bal and 4.4mm balanced outputs.
The previous GO Bar was already a very impressive performer – our friends at that T3 gave it the full five stars, and we’ve tested a whole range of iFi DACs with similarly great results – and iFi promises the Kensei is even better, with a newly improved clock and 477mW power supply contributing to the sonic performance that ” “far surpasses” the original GO Bar in audio quality.
The new iFi GO Bar Kensei is available now with a suggested retail price of $449 / £449 / $AUD449.