Easiest way to describe this is - for audiophiles who are beginning their journey, this is the perfect product.
A- it's not very expensive. Because there are dacs which cost north of 50k as well. And this does the job perfectly which makes it bang for buck.

B- it's drives pretty much anything in the beginner audiophile sections. I personally use a hifiman he400se and this has blown it out of the roof.
C- this provides a very satisfying sound signature which is very tastefully neutral. It also has a xbass option which amps the lower end. Comes in handy for a few headphones which lack the low end thump.
D- it has a power match option which basically matches its power output to the circuit requirements of the headphone attached. Very very cool.
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If you want to drive a pair of cans under 200Ohm impedance and want to be able to play almost every format audio you will practically listen to on a daily basis then this hip dac is a perfect choice. It was a simple plug and play, they add a bit of warmth to your songs but with eq you can easily tone it down completely. The x-bass is smooth, controlled and can be safely switched on and enjoyed on certain tracks where you really want to enjoy that extra oomph with a goosebump like on Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (don't judge me, I used to hate her but its one of my go to for an energy boost on a Monday morning Enroute to work tracks). Otherwise the amp has plenty juice to drive even power hungry cans although you ideally wouldn't be using these in those setups with a push of the power match button.

All in all, portable - yes, decodes pretty much everything while not mucking about too much - yes, drives my IEMs and cans on the go - yes, source no bar - yes, looks great and solid build - hell yeah!

Runs out of battery soon? sadly yes and that's why the 4 stars. Wish it had better batter backup but then now that hip dac v2 is out maybe it has slightly better battery backup. Verdict, just go for it if you tick all the above boxes.

New to Audiophile. Lots of research. Decided on this coz of rave reviews of Xbass. Though notta bass head but that XBASS when switched on, you need to experience it, can't xplain over text, such is the happiness. Paired with DT990 pro (requires power match to be on, a def battery drainer). No complaints, been using it for 2weeks and an absolute necessity for Apple Music Lossless!

Thanks Varun of headphone zone for clearing up the queries- Well I had to wait for the original apple otg cable & now we're rockin - this is just fantastic - i have sennheiser 599 - i will definitely upgrade to another open back with a larger soundstage - will definitely do some research unless @someheadphone guru is willing to help - 🎶🥂

it looks great and works even better.
I have used it with Meze 99 classics. They are pretty easy to drive and do not require any AMP/DAC. but if you pair it with something like IFI HIP it will enhance the sound.

Design: pretty solid metallic build. looks stylish as well. the volume control/power on knob gets switched on with a satisfying click, and I love the experience of controlling volume manually.

Sound: It has warm sound signature. So if you are looking for neutral sound there are other options available. Its Xbass feature works amazingly well.

Con: the cables provided are pathetic. The one that gets attached to mobile phone is so thick and hard that it becomes really difficult to carry or keep it in pocket. At this price I was expecting better cables.

I have another issue, it's not really IFI's fault. But I am colour blind, so I can't tell the battery percentage. I can understand when it's above 75% as at that time it's white, and then when it starts flashing and under 10. I wish there was an app to control it or something or a better way of checking battery percentage.

First, Thanks to your team for suggesting iFi HipDAC. I connected with my iPhone12 for Lossless Audio and V-Moda Crosfade Codex 2 edition Headphone. HipDAC pumping Crystal Clear Hi-Res Lossless music indeed. I am enjoying this sound system energetically with zeal.
Once again thanks to your team.
Regards.
MURUGESAN B

The dac is really awesome. I have kz zsn pro with me some times i feel lite stress in my ears but after connecting zsn pros to this dac I felt the warm sound signature and i dont feel my ears are being stressed any more. The xbass and power match options are really good. I have sennheiser 450 bt headset i like the sound of this headset but sometimes i felt little bit bass will do better, thanks to xbass option i never felt the bass like this before in bt450.

Disclaimer : I am no audiophile, just a discerning music lover on a budget. This is my first external DAC AMP combo which I bought after much thought and research. And I am not disappointed. This works way better than inbuilt DACs inside your average computer/laptop/smartphone. So if you love your music and are willing to spend a little to enjoy it even more do consider purchasing it. I will be honest that this wasn't my sole choice. I considered BTR-5, xd05-basic and nx4dsd too. Those have their share of pros and cons like this one. Finally bit the bullet and bought it. I have not regretted. There are a few things I would have loved like better indicator for various audio formats and MQA unfolding working out-of-the-box. Not able to get that to work so far. May be updated firmware is required. Overall a good buy.

Masterpiece sound processing device!

I am quite happy with this purchase from headphone zone as my eyes were stuck into this dac amp from long time, however was not available in any store. Thanks team for keeping the right stocks and taking care of audiophiles like me. ;)

Crispy sound processing with right amount of bass utilization. Treble is phenomenal with clear vocals. Really best for serious listener, having some excellent headphone to drive of high ohms.

The IFI Hip DAC,
Yes this DAC is beautiful, amazing and it is very powerful.
This burr brown USB DAC\AMP is phenomenal, I love it. I love the sound out of these paired with any of my IEMs and headphones . So thick and wide spread the sound is, such clarity, Astonishing.
The power gain switch really helps in detail retrieval and the XBASS is so badass. For the first time I felt that this enhanced bass didn't ruin the mids or any part of the song. Just listen any live stage performance especially Queens we will rock you, Oh man the bass is so good. But yes on some tracks I felt that vocals gave wobbling sound. And it is okay unless you push the volume far. I would also like to mention that every time I power on the DAC I hear a little white noise I think. Although I don't have any issue with it, I love this DAC. A whole lot.
Thank you Headphone zone for this fast delivery..
And always you guys acts as audiophile hero in our realm. Thank you for that.

Ifi hip dac is a very sleek looking device with enough power to run fairly efficient dynamic headphones and slightly demanding planars. I myself have tested the product out with a Hifiman He400i 2020 and Sennheiser HD598SR. The best features of this device are its portability, 4.4 mm balanced port and the Xbass feature which adds a sufficient quantity of sub bass to headphone and that surely helps in making the listening experience enjoyable. The sound signature of this is quite warm and bass emphasised as is well known to many. MQA support is another compelling feature to buy ths dac.

Cons
Not the most powerful Portable Dac/Amp. That distinction goes to something like an Earmen TR Amp. However that device costs 1.5 times the hip dac's price and also lacks any balanced output whatsoever.

Paired with Sennheiser HD560S. Listening mainly Spotify premium via both phones and laptop. Excellent and hassle free performance. Sonically impeccable at my level. Very satisfied :)

It's still in the burn-in period, so this review will be incomplete.
Coming from a 8yr long Hegel Super user, this has a nice rounded sound. Highs are a little dodgy though. The Extra bass and Power matching options are good features. The latter more than the former.
Apt for a mobile usage experience.. works well at the desktop level too. Playing around and getting used to the sound. A good buy in my book.
Thanks to HZ.

Got it delivered super fast by headphone zone and after just an hour of listening, I am impressed. The x-bass button adds a richness to the sound and is a welcome tonality change on most iem/headphones. It went really really well with Focal Elegia, AKG K712 and Tin T2. The only two devices, I didn't feel the need to turn on x-bass were Blon bl-03 and Mezze Neo. One thing to note is that it comes with USB-C to USB-A (female) so if you have an iPhone, you might need to get a lightning to USB-A cable.

Amazing sound quality, little forwarded to bass segment. However I am a bass lover so no issues. Wide stage, powerful, crisp clear highs and not overlapping frequencies are other best characters of this hip DAC.
Only disappointment is no aux in port.... Little bit worried regarding this.... Don't know wether it supports analog signals by its USB A data in port!! If it support analog signals in then it's an looting device at this price segment!! Happy thumping!!