Thanks again to iFi for sending me another product to review! After checking out their nano iDSD Black Label last year, I was very impressed with the build quality, feature set, sound, and just overall value for the money! Highly recommended, and if you don’t believe me, then check out the million other favorable reviews out there. After checking that out, I asked to take a look at one of their newest products, the xCAN, which they promptly sent out.
Unlike the nano Black Label, which is primarily a DAC with a good headphone amp included, this new product is primarily a powerful headphone amp, with a DAC thrown in for enhancement of the Bluetooth signal. With so many smartphones dropping the headphone jack and depending on either a dongle or Bluetooth for music playback, I like the idea of having a headphone amp that can power full sized cans and receive a stream from your phone.
My First Impressions of the xCAN after unboxing are very positive. The packaging and accessory package are both top-notch. The shiny ridged design, which echoes the other device in iFi’s x-series the xDSD DAC, looks very sleek and classy. I’ll be putting the xCAN through the paces over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for the review.
xCAN Specs Below:
| Inputs | Wireless | ESS Sabre 44.1/48k 16-Bit (AAC, aptX, aptX LL and SBC) |
| Wired | 3.5mm (TRS or TRRS S-Balanced*) and 2.5mm (TRRS) *ONLY found in iFi components such as nDSD BL. Do NOT feed using normal TRRS Balanced output sources. No USB audio input |
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| Max Output | S-Balanced | > 3.8V / 45 mW (@ 300 Ohm)> 3.5V / 380 mW (@ 32 Ohm)> 3.1V / 600 mW (@ 16 Ohm |
| Balanced | > 7.6V / 90 mW (@ 600 Ohm)> 7.2V / 800 mW (@ 64 Ohm)> 5.7V / 1,000 mW (@ 32 Ohm) | |
| THD & N | S-Balanced | < 0.005% (@ 100 mW/1.26V 16 Ohm) |
| Balanced | < 0.006% (@ 360 mW/2.4V 16 Ohm) | |
| SNR | S-Balanced | > 121dBA (@ 3.8V) |
| Balanced | >120dBA (@ 7.6V) | |
| Recommended HP Impedance | 16~600 Ohm | |
| Output impedance | S-Balanced | <1 Ohm |
| Balanced | <2 Ohm | |
| Max. Input | S-Balanced | 3V RMS |
| Balanced | 6V RMS | |
| Gain | -95dB to +18dB adjustable in 114 1dB steps (using volume control) | |
| Frequency Response | < 2Hz – > 200kHz (-3dB) | |
| Playback Time | 18 hours (analogue) or 12 hours (Bluetooth) (charging via USB port) |
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| Dimensions | 95 (l) x67 (w) x19 (h) mm | |
| Weight | 127g (0.28 Ibs) | |
| Warranty period | 12 months | |
I’m an audio writer who started as a young audio salesman/consumer electronics professional back in the late 90s. That’s where I discovered the magic of 2-Channel sound. My thirst for great sound has led me on a delightful music quest that continues today.
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