iFi audio Pro iCAN

Introduction

I want to thank Karina at iFi and to @dadracer2 for suggesting I review the Pro iCan. My motivation for seeking out the iCan is to find an amp that would have excellent synergy with the Hugo 2, enriching its technical merits without detracting from its transparent sound signature. I should say, I already find the presentation of the Hugo 2 exceptional, and I would only pair it with an external amp if there was a notable upgrade in soundstage, dynamics, and resolution. To this extent, the specs and description of the iCan seem to fit the bill. Let’s see how it unfolds.

For this review, I won’t go over the specs in detail, which can be found on iFi’s website. The main selling points of the amp are its immense power, its balanced design, and its ability to switch between NOS General Electric 5670 tubes and solid-state JFET transistor output modes. It is likely this latter function that will attract potential buyers to the amp. In fact, the difference between these modes is subtle. While these modes are discrete, the subjective impression I have when shifting between solid-state and tube mode is a slightly smoother presentation, with a softer and almost rolled-off top end on tube mode. However, I would not describe the tube mode as “euphonic” in the way that is commonly associated with tube amps. It’s smoother, but detail retrieval and overall resolution feel to me diminished, which may be appealing to those seeking a relaxing presentation. For this review, I mainly used the solid-state mode both because I feel it plays to the amp’s strength but also because it reflects my own preference for a more neutral sound signature.

Listening Impressions

For my impressions of the iCan, I used a Hugo 2 as my primary source alongside my Lotoo Paw 6000. Headphones used included ZMF Vérité Closed, Audio-Technica ATH-AWKT/AWAS, WP900, MSR7B, and Empire Ears Bravado. I ran all of these in both balanced and single ended mode (though I didn’t use any of the 3.5mm outputs). Music used included classic metal, rock, progressive rock, soundtracks, and classical (all material was encoded in either 24/192 FLAC or DSD). I didn’t use any EQ or DSP functions for this review unless stated.

My impressions are primarily based on a series of comparative tests between the Hugo 2 on its own and the Hugo 2 accompanied by the iCan. The amp is dead silent. Even on my Empire Ears Bravado, there is no evident hiss. On headphones, the amp is no less silent. During this review, I mostly used my ZMF Vérité Closed as test headphones between the Hugo 2 and iCan. I volume matched them to the best of my ability and tried to identify the difference in presentation. The Vérité Closed on the Hugo 2 is already a very solid pairing in my estimation, especially in terms of combining the neutrality and precision of the Hugo 2 with the slight warmth of the ZMF.

On Fleetwood Mac’s “Straight Back” from their Mirage album, the presentation is dynamic, punchy, and detailed. I hear plucking of bass, articulate background harmonies, with good dynamics and outstanding resolution. Switching to the iCan, some of the Hugo 2’s transparency is slightly softened when accompanied to the iCan. But with this, you gain a little more body, especially in the lower mids. The attack of drums and percussion are precise and dynamic, though not exuding an atmosphere of effortless speed. I do not hear any notable difference in soundstage between the Hugo 2 on its own and with the iCan. Likewise, the addition of the iCan does not significantly enhance imaging, detail retrieval, or resolution of the Hugo 2; however, I feel this is a testament to the technical excellence of the Hugo 2 rather than a deficiency in the iCan.

On more aggressive and faster music, such as “Painkiller” by Judas Priest, the differences between these configurations becomes more notable. Despite not being excessively hard to drive, the ZMF Vérité Closed are nevertheless a “picky” pair of headphones in terms of the source. I found with the iCan, the pairing was not quite as dynamic as with the Hugo 2 on its own. The Hugo 2 on its own with the Vérité Closed offers a level of clarity that is slightly offset with iCan’s more “embodied” sound signature. There is ever so slightly a sense of distance with the iCan, which may be appealing for some listeners. But for me, while the iCan drives the 300ohm Vérité Closed without any issue, I personally find the pairing a tad diffused.

On brighter headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-AWKT, I found the pairing more agreeable. The ATH-AWKT are an extremely resolving pair of headphones with outstanding detail retrieval. They are, however, divisive and potentially fatiguing in terms of being bright and ruthless in terms of what they reveal. With the iCan, ATH-AWKT gain a sense of richness and lower-mid warmth that is beneficial. At the same time, the sparkly and airy top end is slightly tamed, rendering the presentation well-rounded without being overly smooth. I also tried the Tube and Tube + mode with the AWKT and was quite happy with the results. It adds some harmonic richness without introducing any graininess. This leads me to think that the iCan works better as an amp that colours one’s signal rather than preserving it. This is not to say the iCan is an overly dark amp; without any of the DSP functions, its basic signature is neutral. But it nevertheless adds some character of its own, especially on tube mode but even on solid-state mode. I had similar findings on my other “bright” headphones, such as the ATH-AWAS, WP900, and MSR7B. to my ears, they are all less picky than the ZMF and thus benefit from the range of options available on the iCan. Even the XBass introduced some low-end on the MSR7B, which filled out the sound signature without making it bloated.

Comparisons

I didn’t have the luxury of having an array of amps to compare the iCan against during this review. However, I have just received the Sparkos Labs Aires solid-state amplifier, which currently retails for about £2,500 in its base model and £,3000 model with XLR inputs. Although there is some price difference between the iCan and the Aires, at the iCan’s original RRP of £1,799, they inhabit the same orbit. While both of these amps are basically neutral and linear in terms of their sound signature, technically the Aires is in a different league; it commands a sense of speed, resolve, imaging, and detail retrieval, which the iCan simply can’t compete with. Timbre on these amps is also somewhat similar, but the presentation on the Aires is more natural and refined without sacrificing any musicality. Details like tom-tom drums, cymbals, and guitar tones are reproduced with an amazing lifelike clarity. On extremely fast and detailed music, the Aires exudes confidence and a superb sense of precision and speed. The Aires does not have the flexibility of the iCan, but what it does it does with exceptional conviction. In addition, while the Aires is ruthless in terms of revealing the flaws of a recording, the iCan has the merit of being slightly more forgiving. Whether that's desirable is a question of preference.

Conclusion

The Pro iCan is a very good amp, the advantage of which is multiple sources of connection, huge amounts of clean power, the ability to switch between solid-state and tube mode, and a robust build design. On brighter sounding headphones, I feel the synergy is excellent. At its original retail price of £1,799, I feel its in some competitive territory and it would not personally be my choice within that price bracket. Moreover, with specific respect to the Hugo 2, I would not necessarily add it unless I wanted a tube option, and if that was the case, I would likely buy an OTL tube amp. That said, if you’re in the market for a headphone amp that can cater to a wide range of headphones and to the need to tweak your sound preferences accordingly, then the Pro iCan is worthy of your attention.

MICRO IDSD BLACK LABEL'S BIG BROTHER
iFi's Micro iDSD Black Label (shortened to the MiDSD BL for the rest of the review) is perhaps iFi's most popular product. It's a portable combo DAC/amp unit that packs a comprehensive feature set, along with a ridiculous amount of power, at a price ($600 USD) that doesn't break the bank. What's very notable is its analog tweak features, XBass and 3D+. I own the MiDSD BL, and used it as my everyday desktop DAC/amp, but there were a few things I found frustrating about it. It didn't provide enough power on eco (lowest) gain for my headphones. If I raised it to normal gain, there would be hissing. And using the IEMatch feature to eliminate the hissing resulted in a less airy sound.

The only upgraded model from iFi that has the analog tweak features, and has more power, is the Pro iCAN, but it's triple the price. As I loved the 3D+ tweak on the MiDSD BL, upgrading to the Pro iCAN for me was a no-brainer. Those who aren't as enthralled with the analog tweak features may wonder if the Pro iCAN is worth it for them.

The unit itself is a very nice size, as it's reasonably compact compared to the rackmount widths of beefier amps. It's as wide as the 8.5" length of a letter-size paper sheet. The front panel looks very symmetrical in its design. The iFi logo on the top left will change color depending on its current status. There's no way to disable this LED, but it's small enough to not be too obtrusive.

This is a Class A amp, which means it runs hot. It won't burn your hand when you immediately touch it, but it's very warm, and you wouldn't want to put your palm on the chassis for more than half a minute. If you're coming from the MiDSD BL like I did, this might be a bit of a shock to you.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS (4 IN, 5 HEADPHONE OUT, 2 PREAMP OUT)
For inputs, there's a dual XLR3 in for the left and right channels, as well as 3 RCA ins. This is a bit of overkill, as for my purposes, I've never needed more than two inputs at the same time. But it's nice that the option is there. For this review, I mainly used the XLR3 input fed from a Topping D90 DAC, which at the time of this review was Topping's flagship DAC ($700 USD) using the AKM AK4499 chip. Other reviews have used iFi's own Pro iDSD ($2500 USD). I think $2500 for a DAC is a colossal waste of money, especially when the DAC has superfluous parts such as its own headphone amp and tubes. The Pro iDSD also uses the same DAC chip (TI PCM1793) as the MiDSD BL, and doesn't have the analog tweaks that the MiDSD BL has, so I couldn't justify it at all. Headphone amps affect the sound far more than the DAC, so by going with the Topping D90, I saved a lot of money.

As for outputs, there's an XLR4 headphone out, dual XLR3 headphone outs that double as 6.35mm outs, a single-ended 3.5mm out, and a balanced 3.5mm out. The Pro iCAN's vintage is 2016, so no balanced 2.5mm or 4.4mm outs. But you could plug up to a whopping 5 headphones into this unit. At the back is a dual XLR3 out and 1 RCA out, in which the iCAN may act as a preamp. Plugging headphones in at the front doesn't disable the rear outputs.

For this review, I mainly used the XLR4 headphone out with the Grado GS3000e, which has 40 ohm impedance and 97dB/mW sensitivity. (Grado's marketing states 32 ohm and 99.8dB/mW but measurements at RAA state otherwise.) At the time of this review, it was Grado's flagship wooden headphone ($1800 USD). Using XLR4 out over 6.35mm out provides a considerable advantage in that it doubles the power output without affecting the noise floor. This is very important as we'll see later.

The 3.5mm outs are disappointing. They automatically have iFi's IEMatch feature applied to them. Unlike the MiDSD BL, in which you had to determine the IEMatch strength yourself, the Pro iCAN detects the headphone's impedance and applies the appropriate IEMatch level. I don't like IEMatch and think it's a flawed solution to a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. Users have reported that while it does remove hissing, it also reduces the overall volume, decreases the dynamic range, and makes things sound less airy. I agreed with these findings, and always had IEMatch off on the MiDSD BL, even though without it, I could hear a very faint amount of hissing. Instead of using IEMatch, it's better to just design an amp for ultra-sensitive headphones and IEMs that works. For moderately sensitive 3.5mm headphones, a 6.35mm adapter should be used in order to avoid IEMatch.

GAIN (0dB, 9dB, 18dB)
0dB gain mode was fantastic. Using the XLR4 out, 0dB gain mode outputs as much power as the MiDSD BL on normal gain, but without all the noise and distortion! It was plenty loud with my GS3000e at just 10 o'clock on the dial. ASR measurements state that 0dB gain mode is very clean, and excels with low to moderate impedance headphones. Most importantly, my GS3000e was finally dead silent when there's no output, even with the volume knob turned all the way to the maximum 5 o'clock position.

9dB gain mode introduced a very small amount of floor hiss on my GS3000e, about as much as I got on the MiDSD BL on normal power. Some users have reported that 9dB gain mode sounds more neutral than 0dB gain mode, but with no way to really do a fast comparison, I couldn't determine whether what I heard was placebo. Going to my Grado SR225i, 9dB was ideal for it, as it was a less efficient headphone (32 ohm, 93.5dB/mW) than the GS3000e (40 ohm, 97dB/mW), and was using the 6.35mm out, which provides half the power compared to XLR4.

18dB gain mode wasn't tested. I didn't have any headphones that required that much power. Attempting to use it on the GS3000e resulted in very audible hissing. ASR measurements state that distortion and noise are considerably higher, so if you have headphones that actually need this, you really should look at another amp.

AMPLIFICATION MODES (SOLID STATE, TUBE, TUBE+)
Unique to the Pro iCAN is its three different amplification modes. The solid state and tube modes run on separate circuits, so this isn't some halfhearted hybrid design. It's literally two amplifiers in one. Note that the temperature of the unit stays hot regardless of whether you use solid state or tube mode.

Solid state mode is what I use most of the time. It provides the best clarity and dynamics, and I use a software EQ to remove the harshness from my GS3000e anyway.

The tube modes are more of a gimmick, and I wouldn't really miss them if they were gone from the next iteration of this unit. Tubes have a limited lifespan, and the tubes in the Pro iCAN aren't easily replaceable. Some day, I'd like to resell this unit, so I'd rather minimize my tube usage if possible. Tube mode doesn't sound too much different than solid state mode on most recordings. Maybe it removes a bit of harshness, but I couldn't barely tell a difference, if at all. I wouldn't recommend using tube mode over solid state mode.

Tube+ mode, on the other hand, noticeably changes the sound signature, as the increased harmonic distortion really takes the edge out of any harsh treble. This means there's some detail and dynamics loss, but if you're not feeling analytical and want a more relaxing sound, this mode will work for you.

ANALOG TWEAKS (XBASS, 3D)
Here we go. This is what I consider to be the primary selling point of the Pro iCAN: getting the "best" version of iFi's analog tweaks.

XBass comes in 3 flavors: 10hz/20hz/40hz. Note that these are poorly named. "10hz" starts with a +9.5dB boost @ 10hz and slopes down towards 0 @ 200hz. "20hz" has a +10.5dB boost @ 20hz and slopes down towards 0 @ 500hz. "40hz" has a +10.5dB boost @ 40hz and slopes down towards 0 @ 1khz. The "20hz" boost is about the same as the XBass+ boost on the MiDSD BL, though I typically never used it when I had the MiDSD BL because I thought there was too much lower-mids bleed. "40hz" was even worse, and I switched out of it after about 30 seconds of listening. However, there was a plus: the "10hz" boost is much more subtle, and I greatly enjoyed this on my GS3000e.

The 3D mode is interesting. For those who haven't used iFi's 3D, I need to debunk a misconception. It is not just crossfeed. Simple crossfeed reduces the soundstage width. What iFi's 3D does is mess around with the phase at various frequencies, sending some sound from one channel to the other, but this is done in such a way that it increases the soundstage width, not reduce it. It also preserves the bass, unlike a simple "out of phase" filter. Therefore, iFi's 3D tweak is superior than simple crossfeed, and it's something that I have turned on all the time for increased immersion. Different headphones will vary in the amount of benefit that iFi's 3D provides, but it really shines on my GS3000e.

Note that the Pro iCAN was launched before the MiDSD BL, about 8 months earlier, in the first half of 2016, while the MiDSD BL was launched in the beginning of 2017. The MiDSD has an updated 3D mode that's called "3D+". 3D on the Pro iCAN comes in 3 flavors: 30°, 60°, and 90°. 30° and 60° provide a lesser effect than the MiDSD BL, and so they're not worth using if you've been used to the MiDSD BL.

90° provides about as much width as 3D+. However, 3D+ introduced some extra airiness and brightness by increasing the amount of perceived treble. This is all done with phase voodoo, as measurements have shown that the frequency response doesn't change. 90° on the Pro iCAN doesn't do this. Some may feel the MiDSD BL might exhibit a "stronger" effect due to the treble lift. When I used the MiDSD BL, I had to reduce the treble via software EQ to offset this. With the Pro iCAN, I adjusted my software EQ so that it was back to having the appropriate amount of brightness. Overall, I'd give a slight edge to the Pro iCAN because it keeps the heft of the mids, but I could totally see someone preferring the 3D+ of the MiDSD BL.

So to compare, for the MiDSD BL, I had XBass+ off and 3D+ on. On the Pro iCAN, I have XBass at "10hz" and 3D at 90°. I feel this is a slight improvement over the MiDSD BL's tweaked sound.

CONCLUSION
The Pro iCAN is a considerable upgrade, especially if you already enjoy the MiDSD BL and frequently use the XBass and 3D analog tweaks. It measures significantly better, provides more clean power, and is definitely worth triple the asking price ($1800 USD vs. $600 USD) if you can take advantage of its strengths. However, it's not a universal recommendation, as I feel it's best used specifically with balanced headphones with moderate sensitivity and impedance.

Those with sensitive IEMs should look elsewhere, as the forced IEMatch is a letdown. The marketing states that there's a monster amount of power on tap, and there is, but it's not clean. Those with low-sensitivity headphones have cleaner amp options at this price range, as moving to 9dB or 18dB gain results in worse performance. And finally, if you're a purist and think the XBass and 3D knobs are sacrilege, and won't take advantage of the preamp function, then don't get this amp. There are cheaper amps that will provide what you need.

My Review of the iFi Pro iCAN




ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many thanks to Lawrance over at iFi - who has been patient and supportive of getting me info and started with product the past few years.

This is my purely subjective review – based on my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please consider and respect this - especially if my impressions do not match your own.


I have used the iFi Pro iCAN extensively over the past 6 months, and I have clocked a lot of hours with the amplifier in the last 3 months in particular.

You can read specs anywhere, so for the sake of brevity, I will stick to how my experience went and how the Pro iCAN fit into my stable of audio devices and headphones.

REVIEW

Setup
For this review, I used the PRO iCAN PRIMARILY from PRO iDSD (Also on loan from iFi) Opus #1S, and iBasso DX90. I tested against other amps, (iFi xCAN, iDSD Micro, iCAN SE, Massdrop Liquid Carbon X +SDAC, & Schiit Asgard II) to see differences in performance with various headphones.





Pro iCAN (Bottom) with the Pro iDSD and assorted headphones


WHAT IT IS
The Pro iCAN is the combo solid-state and tube amp section of iFi’s PRO line of products which also includes the dedicated DAC and multimedia hub (Pro iDSD), and the transformer/energizer (Pro iESL) which is specifically for electrostatic headphones.

POWER TO SPARE (0db LOW, 9db MEDIUM, 18db HIGH)

The Pro iCAN is iFi’s flagship headphone/speaker amp blessed with a surplus of power, (Up to 14W for headphones and its 20V mode can output up to 100W into 40 Ohm speakers!) allowing for the proper driving of the most power-hungry headphones. I never felt the need to raise the volume dial past 10 o’clock in HIGH gain or noon in LOW gain with my hardest to drive 300 or 600 Ohm headphones.

BUILD

SOLID. 213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm metal casing and weighing 1.93kg (4.3lbs) indicates that this is a sturdy and substantial desktop component that was designed to last.







AMP PERFORMANCE




My planar magnetic headphones respond well to the Pro iCAN



Of particular note: The widened soundstage on my Sendy Aivas!



Solid-State - The PRO iCAN was able to drive my old Sennheiser HD-650s to louder volume levels than I am comfortable with even on LOW gain, and both MEDIUM and HIGH gain drove them ridiculously louder! This is my preferred way to listen to the HD-650s. The brighter sound and tighter dynamics of the solid-state mode perfectly balances the HD-650s darker tuning and eradicates any veiling tendencies. While the balanced connection offered more power, the single-ended connections also sounded full and well-rounded.


Tube Mode - I really enjoyed the first tube mode, finding it the ideal balance of “tubey goodness” to enrich slightly thinner sounding headphones and tracks. I especially enjoyed listening to AKG 550s, Thieaudio Phantoms, and (on LOW gain) my Etymotic ER4XR extended response iems. Classical and orchestral pieces found their stride in this mode, filling-in the sound signature without muddying or dulling the performances.



Tube+ Mode – I enjoyed this mode the most on my Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd ver.) and the Sennheiser HD-800. While taming the most punishing tones and ringing in the highs, it simultaneously filled-out the mids to lessen to purely clinical and sterile natures of their presentations while adding a bit of weight to the low end. Just what I want when I want to just relax and enjoy, and I love that I have the option to turn the tube+ mode off if I want to dig-in and examine a piece or a component’s effect on the audio chain.





AMP SOURCE RESULTS BREAKDOWN


In order of performance:

1. Phones – (RCA input) Each sounds about the same.. (Apple or Android) Basic, low detail and flat sounding unless you play with DSP apps. Plenty of volume with low distortion if you adjust your phone’s volume to its particular “sweet spot”.

2. Tablets - (RCA input) Same as phones, but a little more source power. Louder, but still need to adjust volume to prevent distortion.

3. Fiio e17 DAC - (RCA input) Adds a bit of “fullness” to the sound and increased detail over early model phones. Newer phones (iPhone 7 and newer, Note 8) sound about equal with tradeoffs for and against each. The Pro iCAN reveals the strengths and weaknesses easily.

4. iBASSO DX90 DAP - (RCA input) The player offers better detail and resolution than any of the previous choices in the list, and the Pro iCAN easily demonstrates this.

5. Radsone E100 - (RCA input/2.5mm to XLR) The E100’s app gives you great customization choices, EQ, Crossfeed, Filters, etc.. I didn’t feel the need to alter the signature much, but the Pro iCAN handled changes across the full EQ range with no evident distortion. More dependent on original Bluetooth source quality than I wanted, but has plenty of innate resolving capability and clean clarity of sound if the source has it to begin with.

6. iFi iDSD Micro - (RCA input) Increased clarity and resolution due to the DAC improvement over all my previous choices. Additions of XBass and 3D were easily-tolerated with no sense of distortion, but the Pro iCAN’s onboard XBass and 3D settings sound a bit cleaner and more refined.

7. Opus #1S DAP - (RCA input/2.5mm to XLR) Best mobile source I have, and the PRO iCAN really shines with it. The player has a little darker coloring than the DX90 does, which the PRO iCAN displays transparently and perfectly.

8. iFi Pro iDSD – (RCA input/2.5mm to XLR/& XLR to XLR) Clearly made to match the Pro iCAN. A good bit of clarity, fullness, and detail added to music which demonstrates my first REAL experience with higher-grade audio equipment.
SONIC COMPARISONS (Solid-State mode only - No tube options to compare against)


l iFi xCAN - Do you want fun or accuracy? The xCAN is bouncy, robust, energetic, and just plain enjoyable to listen to. Not nearly as accurate, detailed, nuanced, or balanced as the Pro iCAN. Think top of consumer-grade (xCAN) vs hi-end grade (Pro iCAN).

l iFi Micro iDSD – The Micro has a more congested sound than the Pro iDSD does. The Pro iDSD has better presentation, placement, and more “space” between sounds. It’s clearly easier to place instruments within the soundstage. The Pro iDSD has a wider stage and manages to place vocals in front of you better than both the Micro iDSD and Micro iCAN amps do. Vocals sound clearer and more nuanced on the Pro.

l iFi Micro iCAN SE - Out of all my amp choices, only the Micro iDSD & iCAN SE output close to the amount of power the Pro iCAN is capable of. (Though still less than 1/3 of the balanced and only 80% of the single-ended capabilities.) Same as the others, narrower soundstage, less instrument separation, and more of a “wall of sound” than a dynamic soundscape than the Pro iCAN provides. Still, excellent showings for portable amps!

l Schiit Audio Asgard II - This, in the beginning, was my reference for benchmarks. Along with slightly elevated bass, the Asgard II is slightly less neutral and analytical than the Pro iCAN. The exact opposite of the Micro iCAN & iDSD, which I consider more enjoyable for daily driver roles. Narrower soundstage. The lowest dynamic range of the desktop amps compared.

l Liquid Carbon X +SDAC – Closest match I own to the Pro iCAN when run in solid-state mode. MUCH less power, and slightly less detail revealed by the Liquid Carbon. Also, the bass range is much looser than found on the Pro iCAN, but the amp still works as an option for the enjoyment of relaxed and smooth sound signatures. A narrower soundstage, and oddly-offset instrument placements in the soundscape. Not offensive, but inaccurate.

l Pro iDSD – Closest match of all. Truly, the differences are very subtle and require very resolving headphones to really demonstrate the differences. To my ear, the Pro iCAN’s overall presentation seems a bit smoother, but with no actual loss in detail. The soundstage is also slightly wider when listening to certain tracks on the Pro iCAN.




REFERENCE MUSIC BY GENRE

Rock –


1. “Kryptonite” – 3 Doors Down

2. “Du Hast” – Rammstein

3. “Why Me?” – Planet P

4. “Hotel California” – The Eagles

5. “Money For Nothing” – Dire Straits

6. “Amaranth” – Night Wish

7. “Money” – Pink Floyd

8. “Lucy” – Skillet

9. “Layla” – Eric Clapton

10. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – Jeff Healey



Blues/Jazz –


1. “Round Midnight” – Thelonious Monk

2. “Smoking Gun” – Robert Cray

3. “A Night In Tunisia” – Dizzy Gillespi

4. “Mood Indigo” – Duke Ellington



Pop/Rap/Electronica –


1. “Lose Yourself” – Eminem

2. “When Doves Cry” – Prince

3. “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga

4. “No One” – Alicia Keys

5. “Royals” – Lorde

6. “Ride On Time” – Black Box

7. “O Fortuna” – Apotheosis

8. “Obsession” – See-Saw

9. “Guren No Yumia” – Linked Horizon



CONCLUSION

The Pro iCAN is a truly amazing product that has afforded me my first REAL exposure to “the next level” of audio. Just a few years ago, I was blown away by the performance of expensive devices that are now collecting dust because inexpensive devices easily-surpass their capabilities. So, for me, this is a great product that I can’t recall another amp that I’ve heard beating outside of tradeshow booths or swap-meets. Certainly, nothing that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to with my own gear, and in the comfort of my own home. I can easily HIGHLY recommend it!

To me, there are 3 main benefits:

l Great sound – This amp simply stomps any other device that I’ve reviewed.

l Clean power – While I didn’t go into detail about this, the Pro iCAN has great power conditioning built-in. When I connected all devices to bare power mains, there was clearly-discernable audio noise in my Liquid Carbon X and especially my Asgard II that remained until I put them behind an iFi PowerStation that was also on-hand for review. The Pro iCan’s power supply removed all signal interference no matter how I plugged it to mains power.

l Flexibility – The Tube, 3D, and XBass offerings aren’t just “gimmicks” or cheesy afterthoughts. They legitimately offer options to cater to what I want to hear no matter the characteristics of the source, headphones, or just my mood. It’s like getting 2 equally implemented and customizable amplifiers in one device. The Pro iCAN is not a tube amp with an okay solid-state section bolted on. Both flavors are equally capable and very powerful.