Audio
iFi hip-dac3 Portable Hi-Res DAC & Headphone Amplifier
Product description
Built and styled: The hip-dac3 arrives in a Titanium Shadow finish housed in an aluminium chassis. Internally the design benefits from upgraded metal-film capacitors and refreshed GMT circuitry intended to reduce noise and improve transient response.
Connectivity and controls: The unit provides two USB-C sockets to separate data and power duties—one for source connection and the other for charging or cable tidiness. On the control surface you’ll find a tactile volume wheel, a switch to engage iFi’s iEMatch for sensitive earphones, gain and XBass controls, plus LEDs that display incoming format and sample rate.
Circuit and power: A true balanced audio circuit is used to minimize distortion and maximise channel separation. The amp stage can deliver up to 400mW into a 32-ohm load, allowing it to drive many headphones effectively while maintaining clarity.
Formats and decoding: The hip-dac3 handles high-resolution PCM up to 384kHz, DXD-capable rates, DSD playback from 2.8MHz through 12.4MHz and complete MQA unfolding and rendering for compatible streams and files.
Battery and accessories: A 2200mAh internal battery provides roughly 7–10 hours of listening depending on volume and headphone load. The package includes a USB-C OTG cable for mobile devices and a USB-A to USB-C cable to cover common connection needs.
Pros
- Solid aluminium build with upgraded internal parts
- Wide file-format support including DSD and full MQA
- True balanced output and substantial 400mW drive
Cons
- No built-in phone attachment or mounting solution
- Battery life varies with demanding headphones
- Some may prefer a separate charging/data cable setup
VerdictThe hip-dac3 refines iFi’s portable amp formula: a robust aluminium shell, improved internal components and a true balanced circuit give clean, powerful output for a wide range of headphones. Dual USB-C ports simplify connections and allow pass-through charging while format LEDs and an iEMatch switch make daily use straightforward. Audio support is comprehensive—high-res PCM, DSD and full MQA deco
Reader reviews
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Milton Nieves Nieves 1/5
Llegó con defecto
El producto llegó dañado: el conector USB-C del cable está roto.
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David C. 5/5
Simple, powerful DAC that just works
Plenty of power and an uncluttered interface. Sound quality exceeded my expectations for a portable amp. The volume knob feels great; XBass and gain are handy but often unnecessary with my cans. Battery easily handled a six-hour flight and more. Plug-and-play with my Pixel 7 and PlexAmp—no tweaks required. I only wish there were an easy way to mount it to my phone.
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Massimo 5/5
Fantastico per un audiofilo
Da appassionato con impianti costosi, cercavo qualcosa di compatto per la notte. Questo piccolo dispositivo sorprende per costruzione e resa sonora, specialmente con TIDAL MQA: trasforma il suono in modo notevole.
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Dale Yuzuki 5/5
Sturdy, portable and great sounding
Chose this after moving away from bluetooth earbuds and discovering lossless mobile playback. The metal shell and solid build sold me, and the unit comes with useful cables for mobile use. It drives my ATH-M50x with authority and feels well made.
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AGUSTIN 5/5
Atención al cliente impecable
Tuve un problema y el vendedor respondió de inmediato: recogieron el equipo, confirmaron el fallo y me enviaron una unidad nueva en días. Gran servicio y el dispositivo funciona de maravilla.
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3athlt 5/5
Significant upgrade — a powered unit makes a difference
Bought after waiting for a sale and wasn’t disappointed. Being a powered DAC/amp made the biggest difference for phone listening. Tracks I know well revealed extra detail and the PowerMatch feature helps tailor output to different headphones.
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JEDI 5/5
Found the right DAC after a long search
After trying several units and returning most, this one finally stuck. Other gear had Bluetooth or usability issues; this hip-dac3 delivered reliable wired performance with my iPod Touch and IEMs. Happy I ended the hunt here.
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Bernard Hebbelynck 4/5
Qualité irréprochable...
Si le budget le permet, c'est un excellent appareil.
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R. Hing 5/5
Perfect match for Sony MDR-MV1 and iPhone 14
Wanted something compact for high-res streaming on iPhone 14 and avoided other options due to iOS quirks. This worked flawlessly with iOS, has a neat industrial design, and offers both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm unbalanced outputs. My Sony 24Ω monitors performed very well.
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Movie Fan 5/5
Very useful — mobile and desktop capable
Owned the original and upgraded to the follow-up without hesitation. It’s powerful enough to serve in a desktop chain when needed. I run it into tube preamps and EQs and it handled the job admirably, despite only offering a small headphone jack for some desktop setups.
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Voyageur44 5/5
Pas idéal pour usage nomade avec FIIO 5II
Pas de câble adapté pour utilisation asymétrique/symétrique avec mon FIIO 5II. Peu d'infos sur les branchements dans le manuel. En revanche, la fabrication est soignée et le rendu est excellent sur PC/Mac avec les pilotes.
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Tkdfriend 4/5
Excellent sound, construction could be cleaner
Big step up from entry-level USB DACs—clearer presentation and better frequency detail. XBass adds enjoyable low-end for EDM and pop; switching it off gives a neutral sound. It even managed to add weight to my HD600s in a way I didn't expect.
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Ricardo Zavala 5/5
Excelente DAC, gran construcción
Muy buen acabado y color atractivo. Botones sólidos y rueda de volumen de calidad. Calidez en graves y claridad en medios; no necesito XBass con mis Sennheiser IE300. Funciona muy bien con iPad, iPhone y MacBook.
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