IFi IDSD Diablo 2 Portable DAC/Amp

Heavenly Sound. Devilish Power.

The Diablo 2, dressed in Devilish Red, succeeds the Diablo-X, boasting a slew of enhancements such as increased headphone output power, support for lossless Bluetooth codecs, xMEMS technology, iEMatch, a USB-C input, improved circuitry, and more.

As an audiophile, you likely use different systems for home and mobile setups. The Diablo 2 offers the best of both worlds with its powerful 5,180mW output and balanced dual-mono circuitry, making it the most powerful headphone amplifier of its size.

Features

• XMOS 16-Core chip 
• Extensive jitter-eradication technologies with GMT
• Burr-Brown True Native® chipset
• DirectDrive®
• MQA
• OptimaLoop
• Custom OV Series operational-amplifier
• Balanced, differential analog circuit design
• MOSFET is used as a muting switch
• TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors 
• Vishay MELF resistors
• Panasonic OS-CON caps totaling 5,410uF
• Texas Instruments low-noise ICs
• muRata control-type, low-ESR high-Q multi-layer capacitors

Diabolical Innovation. Shattering Boundaries.

The Diablo 2 is the world’s first portable DAC/Amp with Bluetooth 5.4, it supports aptX Lossless, the only Bluetooth codec for lossless CD-quality streaming without sacrificing audio quality.

The predecessor of Diablo 2 pioneered support for xMEMS solid-state micro-speaker technology, enhancing IEM and headphone performance with several unique benefits:

• A 15µsec mechanical response, 150 times faster than typical drivers.
• A 2° flat phase response for precise sound and precise +/- 1° phase matching for enhanced spatial sound accuracy.
• A speaker diaphragm made of silicon, 95 times stiffer than plastic, reducing speaker break-up and delivering clearer mid-high frequencies.

Due to the high voltage requirements of xMEMS, iFi has partnered with them to integrate this technology into the new Diablo 2. It utilises the piezoelectric effect to create paper-thin solid-state speakers by converting electrical energy into mechanical energy, exciting an integrated silicon membrane to generate powerful acoustic sound waves for enhanced audio output.

“It’s got a NOS fogger system and a T4 Turbo, Dominic.”

Struggling with your power-hungry headphones? Press the NOS button, and our Diablo goes into beast mode. The Diablo 2 offers three power modes: Normal for IEMs, Turbo for mid-sensitivity headphones, and Nitro for demanding headphones, boasting a 19.2V maximum output.

A switch underneath activates iFi’s iEMatch technology. This feature is tailored for high-sensitivity headphones and earphones, greatly benefiting your in-ear monitors (IEMs). It removes background noise and increases the usable volume range.

The Diablo 2 accommodates a wide range of headphones, from IEMs to power-hungry over-ears. It features a 6.3mm single-ended headphone socket and a 4.4mm balanced output. Additionally, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter is included for versatile connectivity.

Ruling all Bluetooth codec and music formats.

The Diablo 2 features the latest Bluetooth 5.4 technology, supporting the new aptX Lossless codec, which provides a maximum bitrate of 1,200kbps. In comparison, aptX Adaptive has a maximum bitrate of 420kbps, while LDAC offers a higher bitrate of 990kbps.

The Diablo 2 used Qualcomm’s new QCC518x Bluetooth audio chip, is qualified to Bluetooth 5.4, supported all* Bluetooth formats including: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC and SBC.

*As of 10 Nov 2023. Check your device for Bluetooth codec support.

Dual Core Burr Brown chipset provides Bit-Perfect DSD and PCM support at sample rates up to 768kHz, DSD512, and Full MQA decoding. Even as Spotify is moving towards Lossless, don’t get left behind.

Wings of Inferno.

The Diablo 2 comes with four wings that you can customise to position it horizontally, like a desktop DAC/amp, or vertically to save space.

Additionally, it features twenty-two rails for improved cooling performance, with eight of these rails being compatible with the Diablo wings, enabling desktop stand use.

Devil in the details.

When examining the Diablo 2’s front panel, you’ll find a new Volume Lock switch next to the volume control, preventing accidental adjustments during transport.

At the back panel’s left side, there’s a switch for mode selection and Bluetooth pairing. On the right side, two USB-C ports streamline cable management—one for audio and the other for charging.

Sound So Moving. Even the Devil May Cry.

Diablo 2 features PureWave, Servoless DirectDrive, OptimaLoop, and Advanced Jitter Reduction Technology, delivering exceptionally pure, detailed, and emotionally touching sound, these technologies elevate performance to unparalleled heights, even challenging desktop DAC/amps.

PureWave’s full balanced dual-mono circuitry elevates clarity by separating channels and reducing noise. DirectDrive removes the need for coupling capacitors, ensuring purer audio.

OptimaLoop employs tailored multiple feedback paths in amplifiers, refining gain control and reducing distortion. The enhanced GMT femto-precision clock with Smart storage cache minimises phase noise for cleaner sound.

Diablo 2 is the most formidable DAC/Amp on the planet. Your headphones should be scared.

Diablo’s Energy Sources

The Diablo 2 can be powered by battery or mains.

Battery power provides ultra-clean and stable DC current, avoiding mains electricity issues like dips, spikes, and noise-inducing RFI/EMI pollution. However, there are sonic downsides due to low output voltage and inconsistent output impedance as batteries discharge.

The bundled iPower2 power supply features Active Noise Cancellation II, effectively canceling out all incoming EMI and RFI noise and making it more than 10 times quieter than most audiophile power supplies.

To make less efficient headphones, like planar magnetics, sing, the voltage needs to be stepped up from 3.7V to +/- 15V. We use a step-up converter operating at 1.2MHz – a frequency far beyond audibility and easier to filter than a typical switch-mode supply, ensuring high linearity and ultra-low noise.

In The Box

• iPower 2 power supply (which is 10 times quieter than typical audiophile power supplies)
• USB-C cable
• USB-C-to-A adapter
• TOSLINK optical adapter
• 3.5mm to 6.3mm headphone adapter
• iTraveller carrying case