iFi audio Pro iCAN

Nostoi

Headphoneus Supremus
ICan or ICannot?
Pros: 1. Immense but clean quantities of power.
2. Ability to tweak sound according to user preference.
3. Tube and solid-state mode.
Cons: 1. Overly busy and slightly outdated design philosophy.
2. Not the most resolving amplifier.
3. Tube mode is only semi-convincing.
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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.
el tri head
el tri head
Has anyone come up with a way to use a better remote with this? Does anyone have the code or a remote they have found that is programmable with it? Thanks. I need to use a remote that works at more than 6 feet.
el tri head
el tri head

Gippy

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Phenomenal performance at lowest (0dB) gain, especially with XLR4 out
Excellent solid state mode
Best implementation of iFi's XBass and 3D modes
Compact design compared to other full-featured desktop amps
Cons: 3.5mm outs have automatic IEMatch and don't provide the best sound quality
9dB and 18dB gain modes have significantly more noise
Tube modes are gimmicky
Runs hot
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.
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Gippy
Gippy
Update: I'm now using 9dB gain mode exclusively. There is some faint hissing if I turn up the volume to very high levels, but I feel 9dB gives the sound some more dynamic range, a bit of extra energy, over 0dB gain mode. The hiss isn't audible at my normal listening levels. Here's hoping that the next version of this is improved!

knorris908

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Detail
Power
Clarity
Flexibility (Tube mode & Solid-state mode)
Cons: The pad on the bottom isn't as stable as possible when not stacking with other iFi Pro components.
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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.



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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


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My planar magnetic headphones respond well to the Pro iCAN

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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.


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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.
iBo0m
iBo0m
Good choice of earphones to test out iCAN :)

ufospls2

Headphoneus Supremus
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Relaxing with Milo

Hey Guys,

Today we are talking about an absolute Swiss army knife of an amplifier, the iFi Audio Pro iCAN. Not only does this amp sound great, it can do pretty much….everything!

iFi Audio is a British company that was founded in 2012. It is a subsidiary of AMR Audio, which has a long history of making stereo equipment. iFi has always struck me as a company that focuses more on headphone and personal audio, but that does seem to be changing lately, and they are branching out into other areas (see the iFi “Aurora” all in one for an example of this.) Their products are innovative, and seem to prioritise functionality as well as sonic performance.

The “Pro” line up launched with Pro iCAN that we are talking about today, but has since seen the introduction of the iESL (for electrostatic headphones) and the Pro iDSD DAC (which I will be talking about in a new review in a few days, another great bit of gear.)

The Pro iCAN, which I will just refer to as the iCAN from here on out, is a small desktop sized amplifier. It features, not one, but two true tube modes, as well as a fully solid state mode. Talk about flexibility! You can switch between these modes on the fly with a flip of the switch, and it takes about 5 seconds for each mode to engage. The iCAN also features the best implementation I have heard of iFi’s “XBass” feature, as well as their take on crossfeed, the “3D” feature. I didn’t use the “3D” feature too often, but it does work well on some tracks, and the “XBass” feature is a tasteful boost at three different levels. I think it really depends on the headphones you are using when it comes to determining which of these levels and features you will want to use, and of course, your personal preference will play a role as well.

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Almost every connection you can think of!
The iCAN is a bit of a mini powerhouse, it doesn’t take up much space, but it puts out 14,000mw at peak output levels, and with its 3 gain settings, can run everything from sensitive IEMs, to the Hifiman Susvara and HE6. Not many amps can boast such flexibility. Now, if you try to listen at enthusiastic levels, with both the “XBass” and “3D” features on with the Susvara or HE6, the amp will likely go into protection mode as it is starting to struggle, but apart from that it will have no troubles driving them.

I think the iCAN has a similar sound signature across its three output modes, SS, Tube, and Tube +. The two tube modes are noticeably different from the SS mode, but they seem to maintain a similar sound signature and are not warm and gooey as some people expect tubes to be. The two tube modes seem to round off the edges of notes and make things a bit easier to listen to, but it will really depend on your headphones and preferences as to which mode you will prefer. I ended up using Tube mode with my Abyss, but SS mode with the Susvara. With something like the Focal Utopia, I could see Tube mode being used, and with the ZMF Eikon, maybe SS mode. The flexibility the iCAN offers, again, is tremendous.

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I would describe the Pro iCAN as a fairly neutral sounding amp, perhaps leaning to colder and clinical at times, but not in a bad way, its just not a warm, fuzzy, and thick sounding amp.

The iCANs technical performance was quite impressive, from dynamic swings to detail rendering. It perhaps doesn’t make the Susvara and hard to drive headphones slam as hard as a speaker amp, but it has no troubles powering them, and does more than an acceptable job at bringing out the positive qualities of said headphones.

I tried comparing the iCAN to my iDSD Black Label, which is also made by iFi. The Micro iDSD BL is a fantastic transportable all in one unit, I really love it. However, perhaps it is not fair to compare it to a standalone desktop amp, but as both units are made by iFi I gave it a shot. As an amp only, the Pro iCAN, apart from being what seemed like infinitely more powerful, was more detailed and neutral sounding. The Micro iDSD seemed to have a tiny bit bloom that the Pro iCAN did not, as well as less detail. I still hold the Micro iDSD BL in very high regard as a transportable all in one, but its amp section was indeed beaten quite handily by its big brother. No surprises there I suppose.

iFi Audio has come up true Swiss army knife of an amp with the Pro iCAN, and it really doesn’t do anything wrong! It can power sensitive IEMs without hiss, it can power most of the hardest to drive headphones on the market, it has bass enhancement and crossed implementations, and is both a SS *and* tube amp. I think it sounds fantastic, especially for the sale prices I have seen it available at on occasion (about $1299USD, and about $1000USD used.) I have even seen one unit sell for $850USD! At these prices, this amp is not only an excellent recommendation, but is a very solid value compared to some of the other options on the market.

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With a tower of planar goodness!
The iFi Pro iCAN gets a very thorough recommendation from me, especially if you are looking for “one amp to rule them all.” I could see this amp being a reviewers dream come true, as it is so truly flexible. Great job and congratulations to the team at iFi for creating such a stand out product. I really enjoyed my time with the Pro iCAN, and to this day, consider purchasing one on occasion, even though I don’t truly need it!

Thanks for taking the time to read this review.

betula

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: amazing control, dynamism, clarity and detail
- bass and 3D enhancements
- power output
- tube and solid state mode
Cons: vocals are not as alive as they can be
- sometimes sounds a bit sterile
- treble in solid state mode can be a bit harsh
I reviewed quite a number of iFi’s (AMR’s) portable DAC/amps (Nano iDSD, Micro iDSD BL, Micro iCan, xDSD), therefore I got really interested in reviewing the Pro iCAN, their higher-end amp for £1799.

The kind people at iFi agreed to send me a review unit, as long as I take the Pro iDSD as well (£2499) and evaluate them as a combo. How could I have said no?

Luckily I had around my Chord 2Qute (£695) and Questyle CMA600i (£949) along with a Cavalli Liquid Platinum (£790 with import tax and custom fees), so there will be a lot of comparisons in this review.

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Music preferences:
Mostly electronic ambient with deep and layered bass but I listen to good music from many genres. I like vocals and occasionally even classical music. I don’t like RNB, rap or country. (More details on my profile page.)

Sound signature preference:
I prefer a darker and smoother sound with no loss of bass extension, and within this realm I strive for the cleanest, clearest and most detailed sound.

For this review I mostly used my Audeze LCD2C. It delivers the most excellent bass response while it represents the perfect balance between refinement/details and easy listening. My listening sessions tend to be quite long (over 2 hours) so I need a relaxed sound. For this reason I didn’t keep the Focal Clear for example.

System used:
PC with Audioquest Jitterbug and iFi iPurifier 3.0. Source was bitperfect FLAC from my computer along with my balanced Toxic Silver Widow cable. All amps were used in balanced mode as I found this superior to their single ended output in each case.

I won’t copy/paste all the technical jargon, number of inputs and outputs of all amps here, as this information is widely available in other reviews and on the manufacturer’s websites. I will focus on sound quality only, mentioning just a couple of technical details.

Source 1: Chord 2Qute

First I will talk about the amps driven by my Chord 2Qute DAC. The 2Qute is an exceptional DAC for the money, it is very clean, has the strength of Chord DACs which is exceptional soundstage depth and a very lifelike sound. I believe it is the best DAC choice these days under £800.

iFi Pro iCAN

Build:
As I took the iCan Pro out of the box I was surprised how small and how heavy it is. It feels robust in the hand, and the small size is very desktop friendly. The unit is very well made, beautifully designed, and it looks even better in person than it does on pictures.

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Bass and 3D enhancements:
Having a gain switch, bass and 3D (soundstage) enhancement is definitely a very attractive selling point of the iCan. These analogue adjustments are even more subtle and better implemented than they are on iFi’s more affordable portable DAC/amps like the Micro iDSD BL. In my opinion they really increase the range of headphones you can use with this amp. With a HD800 for instance you probably want that little extra bass, with a closed back headphone you are very likely to turn the 3D switch a little higher. Both these switches have low, medium and high settings. With my LCD2C I found the highest setting always too high. I can imagine someone using the lowest or middle settings on them. I mostly turned these settings off, only occasionally left the extra bass on the first, lowest setting with some bass heavy electronic music. 95% of the time I didn’t need to use these enhancements with the LCD2C.

S.S./Tube/Tube+ modes
In solid state mode the iCan is very clean, but can be a bit cold and sharp. The sound is extremely dynamic, with fantastic speed and clarity. A bit like a perfect machine which might become a little bit overwhelming after a while. I couldn’t use the iCan in SS mode for too long due to my treble-sensitive ears; however I have to admit electronic music sounds phenomenally clear and punchy on it.
Luckily the buyers of the iCan actually buy two amps in one, since there are built in tubes using a completely separate electric circuit. Therefore the iCan is a solid state and tube amplifier, not a hybrid.
Tube mode still sounds extremely clean, clear and punchy but there is a little more life in vocals and the sharp edge of the treble which can become bothering after a while is taken away.
Tube+ adds even more warmth and ease to the sound but to my taste it took away too much from the speed, dynamism and clarity which in my opinion are the iCan’s main strengths.
For my further evaluations I mainly used the iCan in Tube mode, as I preferred this much more to the other two modes.

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The Pro iCan is technically extremely impressive. The clarity, details, dynamism and control is second to none. It does sound a bit upfront and forward though. It is not a very relaxed amp, not even in tube mode. It is very agile, offering an energetic performance. Even in tube mode it does not sound overly ‘tube-like’ at all. There is a subtle warmth and smoothness compared to SS mode, but it feels just like a breath of life to the music and hardly takes away anything from the amazing technical capabilities of this amp.

Bass is always tight, deep, exceptionally well-controlled and detailed. There is a good amount of bass even without using the bass enhancement. With my LCD2C I almost never felt the need for it, except to have some real ‘club experience’ with EDM every now and then for a short period only. With other bass light or open dynamic headphones this bass adjustment can be very handy.

Treble is always clear, clean, detailed, and dynamic. In SS mode it was a bit cold, dry and almost aggressive to my sensitive ears, but switching to Tube mode was a perfect remedy here. Those edges became rounded while keeping all the details. After the perfect and punchy bass response in tube mode I got the perfect treble response too.

Mids are where the Pro iCan has its weak point in my opinion. Mids sound a little bit recessed compared to the bass and treble and the singers are less upfront blending more into the background. Also on other amps vocals can sound more lively and lifelike than on the iCan, especially for this price.

Soundstage otherwise is excellent, there is great separation and air between instruments, the soundstage feels spacious enough, but not overly huge.

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Overall I was very impressed by the Pro iCan’s technical capabilities. That control, punch, speed and clarity especially at the low-end is something I absolutely love and respect.
I did find the treble and the extremely dynamic sound too much for my ears and taste in SS mode, and vocals were not as lively as they can be even in Tube mode.
While I admire the technicalities of this amp, I couldn’t really connect to it emotionally. I know, this is something highly subjective and immeasurable, but I have to mention for the fairness of this review. I didn’t find this amp very engaging; it didn’t bring me closer to the music. In my opinion the Pro iCan is the perfect amp for the analytical listener.

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Comparisons:

Monoprice Monolith Cavalli Liquid Platinum

Mids are wonderful and liquid on this amp. The whole sound in fact has an addicting liquidity and warmth which is hard to describe, one must hear it.
I think the Liquid Platinum is worth its US retail price ($770) but it is not in the same league as the CMA600i or the Pro iCan.
Compared to the iCan and the Questyle CMA600i the LP has a much thinner sound. The meat is missing from the bones: the sound is not very full at all. Bass lacks quantity and quality, treble lacks sparkle.

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The LP is a very polite, very sophisticated amp. It has a very subtle, gentle sound presentation. It is surprisingly neutral and transparent for a hybrid amp, in fact it sounds less ‘tube-like’ than my CMA600i which is a current mode SS amp.
There is a subtle tube character to the sound but it stays extremely clear, clean, detailed and refined. Mids in fact are better than they are on the iCan and on par with the CMA600i. Where the LP falls painfully short compared to the two other amps is bass performance. It is enough for classical and acoustic music, but EDM sounds anaemic compared to the two other amps.
The LP is very different in presentation. If the iCan is a hyper-modern club house, the LP is a small venue with a wooden stage where a string quartet is playing. The 600i might be a multifunctional alternative concert venue in this metaphor.

While the LP is a very nice and musically engaging amp due to the overall lack of body/texture and the more than polite bass response I don’t consider it to be in the same league as the two other amps. With tube rolling I imagine this can be improved to a certain level, but even upgraded tubes won’t completely change the polite/thin nature of the LP.

Questyle CMA600i

In technicalities the 600i is somewhere between the LP and the iCan. The sound is meaty enough, has a full body/texture just as the iCan. This amp sounds very liquid too, but in a different way. The LP is more nuanced and subtle. If the LP is a stream, the 600i is a river. It is a funny thing to say, but to my ears the 600i sounds more tube-like than the LP. It has a great, thick sound, liquid smooth and gentle treble, full mids and lifelike, sweet vocals.
It doesn’t have the amazing technicalities of the iCan. The 600i sounds slower, less controlled. Bass is not as punchy, not as detailed compared to the iCan, however still blows the LP out of the water in this regard.
The detail retrieval was on a very similar level with all amps, but they do offer it in a very different manner. The iCan pretty much slams the details in your face. The LP tickles your ear with gentle subtleties. With the 600i you find details as tasty raisins in your cake.

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The 600i is nowhere near as technically advanced as the iCan. It lacks punch, lacks control; it is slower and smooth like butter in comparison.
But, and this is a huge BUT, it does deliver music in its liquid smoothness. It is engaging, involving and emotionally connecting to music. It grabs your soul and not your brain.
Mids and vocals have much more life and warmth. For relaxed and long term listening sessions this amp is a much better choice. It just sounds sweeter.
To my ears the 600i pretty much is the perfect compromise between the LP and the iCan. It has the body to the sound; it is technically quite capable and delivers pure sweetness at the same time. I miss the tightness and bass control and treble clarity of the iCan but the liquid smooth and engaging sound with the sweet vocals make it up for me. Also, while vocals are on par with the LP, the 600i is better in everything else compared to Monoprice’s amp.
Important note, that the internal DAC of the 600i is only acceptable. You need to pair this amp with a good DAC for the same results I had. You need at least a 2Qute, but there is even better, like the Pro iDSD for example. The 600i needs a tight and precise DAC that offers a better control otherwise the sound can be too lazy and too smooth, falling apart. After hearing it with the Pro iDSD I am very tempted to upgrade my 2Qute.
Another thing I must mention is that the 600i sounds good only in balanced mode. The SE headphone output is pretty poor in comparison.

Source 2: iFi Pro iDSD

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Using the Pro iDSD in my system instead of the Chord 2Qute hasn’t changed my opinion on the amps. All my observations remained the same. However, the iDSD is obviously a better DAC than the 2Qute. This is not much of a surprise, since the iDSD is four times more expensive and has tons of other features as well apart from being a DAC. I won’t even go through all of them; it is just an extremely versatile device. Just take a look at its back panel. You can use it for Wi-Fi streaming, it has an SD memory card slot, and so on.

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The question is not what it can do, but what it can’t do?

Of course I tested the iDSD as a standalone DAC/amp from its SE headphone output; but the level of performance was nowhere near compared to the balanced out of any of the three other amps paired either with the 2Qute or with the Pro iDSD as a DAC. To me it sounds only 60-70% as good as the Pro iCan with a good DAC in balanced mode. Bass is almost identical, but the upper mids and treble are not as open and natural as they are on the iCAN. If you want to spend £2400 on a DAC, you owe your ears with a nice amp as well.

In my opinion the 2Qute is only very slightly better in two things compared to the iDSD which is soundstage depth and lifelikeness of vocals and instruments.
No question however, that the iDSD is a far more advanced DAC. The control it brings to the picture is simply amazing and sends the 2Qute to the back row. This amazing control is the most obvious in the low-end and treble areas. Bass extension is better, details are better, the soundstage is wider.

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Swapping the 2Qute for the Pro iDSD just brought my ears an overall more satisfying sound. It is a more detailed DAC, bringing the 600i’s sound closer to the Pro iCAN with much better control, low-end tightness and separation.

I wish iFi would sell a more affordable and simple DAC only version of it, since in my opinion a lot of people don’t need the arsenal of features from the iDSD but could still use its outstanding DAC section.

I can understand though, if someone needs an extremely versatile and high-quality ‘DAC-system’, the iDSD is a solid choice even for its relatively high price.

I must mention what a pleasant surprise the ‘plug and play’ nature of this device was. I didn’t have to bother with any download or software installation, it automatically installed itself, even to Foobar2000, which is a big plus.

Source 3: Chord Qutest
(Purchased after I finished writing this review. RRP £1195)

Since I simply wasn’t able to go back to my 2Qute after settling down with the Pro iDSD and CMA600i combo, I upgraded my 2Qute for the Qutest. I was hoping to get a similar DAC performance to the impressive Pro iDSD but without all the bells and whistles of iFi’s high-end DAC and spending the money solely on sound quality.

Since this is a Pro iCan review which is already getting too long, I won’t go into details here but I have to say I am not disappointed with the Qutest. It is a clear upgrade to the 2Qute and rivals with the Pro iDSD on pure sound quality.

In some ways it is not the most meaningful comparison since the iDSD offers an array of features while the Qutest is a DAC only, but I believe the sound difference between them is only a matter of personal preference. The iDSD sounds a bit thicker with a more firm low-end but Chord’s Qutest is even more resolving and more spacious. I could be happy with either of these DACs but if I can choose only one that would be the Qutest. I know other audiophiles who prefer the Pro iDSD vs. the Qutest.

Conclusions

I have got some unexpected conclusions after comparing these three DACs and three amps.
1, A tube amp can sound quite solid state-like and a solid state amp can sound quite tube-like.
2, It is not enough for an audio equipment to be technically amazing. There is a magical factor which is the connecting ability between soul and music.

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3, I find the stereotype of the two kind of audiophiles to be true. Imagine a line where at one end stands the audiophile who gets all the pleasure from technicalities, listening to the gear. On the other end of this line stands the music lover who values musical enjoyment higher than any sort of technical brilliance. Of course these are the two theoretical extremes and most of us stand somewhere in-between appreciating both music and gear but to different extent. I am a bit closer to preferring music on this scale; the buyers of the Pro iCan are closer to preferring technical perfection on the same line.

Finishing words:

I found the Pro iCan a technically amazing amp. I can listen to its bass delivery for a long time. The layers, the control and the tightness are addictive. The clarity, the speed and dynamism are spectacular. After some time however I got a bit bored in all this technical perfection and I started to miss the soul from the music, especially when it came to vocals.

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Also, the more forward dynamic nature of the Pro iCan is not the very best choice for long term, relaxed listening. While I admire the sound that comes out of the Pro iCan and find the extra features like bass enhancement pretty useful, this amp is not for me. I need something smoother, something more relaxing, something with more life and soul.
The Pro iDSD paired with such an amp is an amazing combo. If I could afford to collect amps I would happily keep the iCan for certain moods and music, and I am sure other audiophiles who value technical perfection a little higher than musical engagement will be very happy with this amp.
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bluesaint
bluesaint
you should swap out the tubes in the ican pro. I did and makes a whole lot of difference. The stock 1980's GE5670 is at best considered tier3 tubes. Even moving to 1950's GE JG5670wa makes a world of difference.

B9Scrambler

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Lots of useful features - Clean sound and background - Very powerful - Tons of input and output options
Cons: Difficult to read labels - Tiny switches may be tough for some to grip - Limited to ability to stack with non iFi Pro range products due to tube protruding from the top of unit - Gets quite warm (not so much a negative as a head-up)
Greetings!

Today we're checking out iFi's top tier hybrid amp extraordinaire, the Pro iCAN.

Any time I'm in a thread or forum where someone is asking for a suggestion on which new amplifier to buy, inevitably someone will throw one of iFi's many options into the mix. With such a vast selection of products to choose from, and with a positive reputation to back it all up, it's not particularly surprising. Almost every review of a product of theirs is rife with praise and positivity, regardless of whether the review is coming from someone like myself who was loaned a unit to check out, or from a legitimate customer who simply wants to share their experiences with others who might be interested in buying the same thing.

I really don't enjoy reviewing devices and prefer to stick to headphones and earphones, so when Lawrance at iFi reached out to see if I would be interested in reviewing a product of theirs, their reputation in the community was more-or-less the deciding factor. I wanted to see what makes the iFi brand so beloved in the audio community. The Pro iCAN was selected almost exclusively for the purposes of getting the most out of the HiFiMan Susvara.

Before we get started, I want you to know that my experience with other iFi products is nil and other amplifiers limited at best, boiling down to my current headphone amp, the TEAC HA-501, a few old Kenwood's from the 90's, a classic Marantz Model 3800, and an NAD C 356BEE owned by my cousin. I've also messed around with countless other stereos belonging to others but not enough to know them inside and out. If you're expecting a technical, in-depth look at the Pro iCAN, you might want to check out some other reviews. Mine will be a subjective take on this compact powerhouse.

I also come from a psychology background and as a result my writing can be quite sterile. I can't wax poetic like some other reviewers unless a product really grabs my attention in a particular way, something amps and players haven't really done for me yet. In my world, they're really just there to transmit music to the headphone with little need for in depth features or fancy gimmicks. All I want is for them to be intuitive to use and to stay out of the way of the music. The Pro iCAN does both of those things very well, while also containing a slew of features and things that could be considered gimmicks if they weren't implemented so well.

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Disclaimer:

The Pro iCAN was a loaner unit sent over by iFi for the purposes of review. Thanks to Lawrance for reaching out to see if I would be interested in checking out one of their products, and for suggesting the Pro iCAN. As this was a loaner, it was sent back to iFi.

At the time of this review the Pro iCan retailed for 1,600 USD; https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-ican/

Specifications:
  • Gain: 0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
  • Frequency Response: 0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
  • Total Harmonic Distortion (THD, Balanced/Single-Ended):
  • Balanced SE Solid-State: ≤0.0015% ≤0.005%
  • Tube: ≤0.002% ≤0.005%
  • Tube+: ≤0.012% ≤0.2%
  • Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended): >147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
  • Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >14,000mW / >4,800mW
  • Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >23V / >11.5V
  • Input Voltage (Pro iCAN): DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
  • Input Voltage (iPower Plus): AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
  • Power Consumption: ≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
  • Dimensions: 213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
  • Weight: 1.93kg (4.3lbs)
  • Test conditions: Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise
  • SNR Balanced re 23V, SNR SE re. 11.5V
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Packaging, Build, Features, Sound, and Other Stuff:

I'm used to my stereo equipment arriving in a fairly basic cardboard box with some branding, model numbers, and some other random stuff plastered on the outside. Open it up and the device is usually wrapped in a sheet of plastic and tucked in some squeeky foam cutouts. There's usually a manual that could have been crafted from any standard printer, then folded and stapled. To say the unboxing experiences are unremarkable and completely forgettable would be an understatement. iFi's unboxing experience on the other hand is a little more modern and less sterile than that.

The Pro iCAN's shock-white box and minimal branding, limited to iFi in silver letting on the top and two sides has an Apple-level of minimalism and style to it. The exterior sleeve, which shows images of the front, side, and rear of the iCAN along with a list of specs and features shakes things up a bit. Inside, you're immediately greeted by the iCAN nestled in a soft foam ring shaped perfectly to fit around the plethora of knobs, inputs, outputs, and other protrusions present on the device. Below in a few segmented compartments are the remote, power brick and cable, along with a short audio cable.

The Pro iCAN itself is a solid and hefty device considering it's compact size. The all-metal shell is nicely constructed with clean cutouts in the rough shape of a rippling wave emitting from the tube. The rest of the shell has a broad corrugation to it which is subtle but looks pleasant. Its too bad that effect doesn't carry over to the faceplate which maintains a simple rectangular shape, breaking design cohesion. On the bottom isn't the usual rubber pad per corner, but one large silicone pad with an indent for stacking the iCAN with their other flagship device, the iESL. As others have mentioned, this large silicone pad lets the iCAN pivot or slide around more than it should. A mild annoyance at worst for me. What annoyed me more was the labeling of the various dials and knobs. The matte silver writing on the silver faceplate meant they were washed out in certain lighting conditions or at specific angles. Not an issue after a couple days with the device as it is fairly intuitive to use. All the iCAN's functions fell to hand without much thought after getting used to the layout.

When it comes it inputs, outputs, and options, the iCAN should have most users more than covered. This is a very flexible device, much more so than my equivalently priced TEAC HA-501 which is simple and barren in comparison. On the front of the iCAN, starting from the left, you find the power button and LED indicator, input knob, XBass selector, switch for moving between solid state/mixed/tube-only functions, left balanced input, standard 3.5mm input, 4-pin balanced XLR input, right balanced input which doubles as a 1/4” input, 3.5mm balanced input, 3D effect selector, gain selector, volume knob, and the IR receiver for the remote. And that's just on the front. Flip to the back and you've got another set of balanced XLR inputs, three RCA inputs, balanced XLR outputs, an unbalanced RCA output, a DC loop-out, ESL-link, and the 15V/4A DC input for the power brick. That's a lot of holes in a reasonably small device. The most amazing part is that it's all laid out in a very neat and uniform manner where everything is easy to access, though the two toggle switches on the front for the state selection and gain are quite small.

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While I appreciate the inclusion of the remote, it found little use while this unit was in my possession. One reason being the iCAN was almost always within reach, usually sitting a couple feet from me on my desk so there was zero need for the remote. The other being the remote adjusts volume only, and each adjustment required an individual press of the button. Maybe the battery was low, I didn't have another to test it with, but you couldn't simply hold the button down to adjust volume. Being the impatient person that I am, I'm much more likely to get up and walk across the room to adjust volume rather than chill in my chair and press a button countless times. Sure, I'd rather have the remote than not, but overall it wasn't particularly useful.

What was useful was just how wonderful this unit sounded and paired with nearly everything I threw it's way. One thing users won't be wanting is extra power, that's for sure. As mentioned earlier, the primary reason for selecting this amp was to get the most out of the Susvara from HiFiMan, a top of the line, full-sized planar magnetic headphone. It doesn't take much to get it up to volume, but to get the most out of it's dynamic performance it does take some proper driving power. My TEAC HA-501 just barely does the job. The iCAN did not disappoint.

With the Susvara plugged into the balanced 4-pin Neutrik XLR input, hybrid state selected for a touch of warmth, XBass off and 3D Enhancement off, gain set to +18, I sat down and leaned back in my leather Lazyboy recliner with the lights off and a HiFi E.T. MA8 sourcing Supertramp's “Crime of the Century”. The next 44 minutes were utter bliss. Rick Davies' harmonica solo leading off the album on the track “School” sounded beyond crisp. The following build up to the piano solo and eventual battle between Davies' chunky guitar work and Hodgson's unique vocals egging Davies on set the stage for the rest of the listening session. “Asylum” ended up the next highlight with the iCAN sketching out and defining the soft piano work, swells of emotion from the eventual strings and guitars filtering in as the track progressed. And of course, Hodgson's wailing vocals begging not to be admitted, pleading his case for sanity. On my favorite track, “Rudy”, the iCAN's outstanding separation paired with the Susvara's technical excellence surrounded you in the mellow, weightless piano work dancing in the background. At around 1:20, the pulsing swells of strings were perfectly captured by the iCAN as it worked in conjunction with the Susvara. Around 4:00 things get 70's with a wakka wakka guitar groove kicking in. Hodgson's vocals shift stage from back and to the left with a subtle filter placed overtop, to dead centre and clear as day. The iCAN's outstanding sound stage and layered presentation really aided in giving this track depth and urgency, especially in the closing moments where strings appear again, pulsing louder and louder only to fade into “If Everyone Was Listening”. Closing out the album is another excellent entry in the Supertramp portfolio, the title track “Crime of the Century”. Paired with the iCAN, the dark, heavy tones and pained guitar solo oozed emotion and feeling, even more so when swapping away from the iCAN's hybrid setup to tube only where the presentation takes on a slightly softer, warmer tone. I've listened to this album countless times over the years, front to back. Never was I pulled in quite to the same extent as I was when experiencing it again through the Susvara and iCAN. It was something truly special.

That feeling carried over into every subsequent listening session as I experienced my favorite albums for the first time all over again. It wasn't just good for music either. Wipeout 2048 on the PS Vita is one of my favorite games and can be an intense experience with headphones, even through that tiny screen. It's fast paced with some pretty outstanding sound design. Filtering it through the iCAN and Susvara was such a hilariously overkill experience to have with a mobile video game, and I loved every second of it.

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Additional Notes:

Since reviewing devices isn't my forte, here are some additional observations about the device gathered through use during the couple months the Pro iCAN was in my possession. I was having trouble working it naturally into the review. Instead of forcing it, you can read these details in a more easily digested form.

Solid State (Blue light): In this state, I found the iCAN to present with a very precise, detailed sound with very little coloration. It was nearly analytic in it's presentation giving the Susvara additional definition to it's note presentation. I really enjoyed pairing the iCAN on this setting with warmer headphones like the thinksound On2, A-Audio Legacy, and Polk Audio Buckle.

Hybrid (Yellow): Here the iCAN sounded quite similar to running in solid state mode, but with some added warmth and a softer note presentation. I found running it in this mode extremely flexible, pairing well with everything. The Susvara especially sounded lovely during hybrid playback, maintaining it's natural warmth but gaining a bit of additional precision.

Tube (Green): If set to tube more, turning on the iCAN cold would net a relaxed 25 second boot time as the tubes warmed up. Switching from other states after the device was already one was much quicker, as would be expected. Also expected was the iCAN to show off a warmer, softer tone than running in the other modes, though it still wasn't quite a lush sounding in this setting as my solid state TEAC, something that took me by surprise. Vocals in this mode were smoother and slightly less detailed, but damn if you couldn't listen for hours on end without experiencing fatigue. I really like pairing brighter headphones like the HiFiMan HE-350, Philips SHP-9500S, or AKG K553 Pro with the iCAN on this setting. The Susvara sounded best here with classic rock and metal.

Xbass: Unlike more traditional bass enhancement features, it doesn't simply increase bass across the board but focuses on specific frequencies, namely 10Hz, 20Hz, and 40Hz. This will come in handy for addressing limitations in your headphones. It came into play for watching movies and with the K553 Pro which made use of the 10Hz boost, giving it some extra grunt in the lower bass where I find it lacking.

3D Sound Enhancement: Beyond the initial 30+ option, this feature didn't do much to the Susvara. Maxed out it also took away from the impact of bass and deeper tones. It's impact was much more noticeable with the ADVANCED Alpha, a more budget friendly planar, and didn't act as a negative towards the low end. It was also very helpful with some of my closed back headphones. The A-Audio Legacy has a reasonably intimate and compact stage, opening up considerably with the setting maxed out at 90+. The thinksound On2 also benefited, but not to the same extent. It already has a pretty good sound stage for a closed back on-ear and lost some imaging precision as 3D Enhancement was added in. For some, the trade off for a more spacious sound would certainly be worth it.

Black Background: The iCAN was a very silent runner, showing off a colorless, black background with everything I tossed it's way. That included sensitive BA-only iems like the B100 to power hungry products like the HiFiMan Susvara.

Toasty Taylor: The iCAN runs pretty warm, which is to be expected from a powerful, compact, Class A device with tube functions. It was never hot enough to cause worry, though I wouldn't be particularly keen on stacking it with other units that generate a similar amount of heat unless in a space with ample ventilation. Experience with my own equipment of an older vintage, composed of gear from the 70s and early 80s, shows that devices that pump out heat to the extent of the Pro iCAN really need that airflow. If you're coming from equipment that doesn't run quite as warm, this might throw you off.

Stacking: Because of the tube poking up gingerly through the top of the unit, the iCAN will probably find itself at the top of your stack of devices. Stacking it with other products in iFi's Pro series would be ideal since they are designed to be used in conjunction, or stacked, with each other. Scroll back up to the picture of the silicone pad on the bottom of the unit and you can see where there is a clear indent to accommodate the tube. Handy little feature.

vs. TEAC HA-501: To my surprise, regardless of the setting, the HA-501 was the warmer of the two devices. The various settings on the iCAN gave it a lot more flexibility and pushing power. Whereas my TEAC pushes the Susvara adequately, on particularly bass heavy tracks like The Prodigy's “Charly (Trip into Drum and Bass Version)” the TEAC will distort once the volume increases enough. The iCAN did not. Also, with the 3D Sound Enhancement featured dialed in, the iCAN was capable giving off a larger stage. The only area where I definitely preferred the TEAC was in the low end presentation. It seemed to have a little more depth and impact, though the advantage was whittled once you started taking advantage of the XBass enhancements of the iCAN.

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Final Thoughts:

I'm the type of audio enthusiast that finds a source and amp that I like, then builds the rest of my auditory experience around it, focusing on picking up a variety of headphones with various signatures. Others do the exact opposite by finding a single headphone that represents them and their preferences, then they hunt down the perfect amp and/or source so they can get the most out of it. The Pro iCAN is suited to both of these kinds of people. It can be that one reliable source for people like me to build their experience around, yet it has the flexibility and performance to be the one device thats let you get the most out of favorite set of headphones without the need to buy multiple amps for signature variety.

Being able to run your gear in a solid state, tube, or hybrid setting gives the iCAN impressive flexibility and suitability with a number of different signatures. Further enhancement via the XBass and 3D Sound Enhancement features just adds to it's chameleon-like nature. It's three gain settings let you power pretty much anything at whatever volume you want, free of distortion. It has enough inputs, outputs, and variety within each to let you attach nearly anything, and source sound from pretty much anywhere. It... kinda just does everything. When you take into account the plethora of things it can do, the cost of entry is actually pretty darn reasonable. Would I trade my beloved TEAC HA-501 up for it? Yup. My TEAC looks and sounds gorgeous, but the iCAN is so much more capable and flexible in the long run.

Thanks for reading, and thanks again to Lawrance and iFi for the opportunity to check out the iCAN.

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, head over to The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

ngoshawk

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Price compared to competitors, multi-function controls, multi-connective"ness." Tubey-goodness, ability to tailor to almost any capability. Sound is wonderful!
Cons: I'm not sold on the isolation pad on the bottom...makes the critter slippery...Can't see the tubes enough!!! Not as well known as Chord products...XBass/3D buttons too small and close to larger knobs...
iFi Pro iCAN-4.5 stars...


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Entrée:



I had a dream sometime ago…I was walking down a road, not unlike an old London street, fresh from rain and cobbled, of bygone era. I caught a look into a shop with much dust on the shelves and wares stored on said shelves. I could almost make out that whatever was on the shelves, was quite intriguing, to the point that I changed my path to enter and inquire of the shopkeeper what type of shop it might be….it was at that point I woke up. I have imagined that it could be of almost anything, but after receiving an email from Lawrance, I understood…you see it was a scant two days later, that he contacted me… it was rather unsettling, but titillating at the same time…At current, I look down upon our Australian Shepherd puppy, and pen this intro, thinking of that dream. It all became clear tonight, and one hopes I can convey that in what follows. White Shadows guides me to the finishing of this diatribe, and I am glad.



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Listening to Radioactive from Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix, through the UM Maestro V2, one simply sits drinking in that fine single-malt, and amazes at the wonderful cacophony of sounds and sensations wrought from such diverse vocals and music. While not something I listen to all that much, the combo certainly gains my respect for their sheer musical prowess, and an exceptional guise to decipher finer and faults of the critter(s) at hand. Love can indeed be built slowly, but explode exponentially when the paths converse in the universe of synergy. And that is what I can garner from the iFi Pro iCAN, adding a synergy of almost simplistic pleasure. Harkening back to an older day, when tubes were not only the best, but an exceptional tool for our indulgence, I find myself imagining that I am front and center in the finest McIntosh system, something I have stated before, and probably will again (possibly from that shoppe…). The combo of Maestro leading, and the tubey-support rendered by the Pro cannot be underestimated. Even through a “normal” MacBook Pro, one can certainly appreciate the qualities wrought from those fine wares. Exquisite mids, and vocals to make one simply exist. Treble, which while a bit hot for me in the Maestro, can certainly be tamed through the tubeyness of the iCAN. And for that I am grateful.

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To come off of the Chord Hugo2 tour, into this was a surprise I could not imagine. To say that I could go from one $2400 DAC/amp (much, MUCH more…) to a $1700 hybrid amp is more than could be asked. But, that does allow one a certain look into how those who relish or fret over a choice such as that think…we as audiophiles are blessed with choice such as that. And I for one am honored to be included with the ability and the want to audition such worthy “problems.” A problem, I hope can be helped by the wretched writings I put forth here. Words cannot really allay the emotives of which I feel. Moving into Kitchen by twentyonepilots, I “suffer” that consequence of trying to garner diminutive differences or similarities, which would allow those in the position to purchase that little extra motivation. That over the edge push I give them in order to nudge them in their chosen path, knowing full well that they probably chose before…but needed that verification I provide.

I wholeheartedly thank Lawrance and iFi for the continued support. To have such an opportunity come up out of the blue such as this is indeed humbling. My hope is that my feeble words can lend some guidance for those looking. I do not take that responsibility lightly. In return for the loan, they only asked two things, an honest opinion, and the ability to use whatever they see fit from said review in their advertisements (one hopes that part comes true!!).

About me: *I am older. I am happy that I have rediscovered the joy of music, through personal listening devices. Through this opportunity, I have become exposed to some wonderful kit. Much I now own, much I covet. Much I would never purchase, for various reasons.

My listening style has changed somewhat over the years…from old time Rock-n-Roll to the Blues to Reggae, to Bluegrass. I cut my teeth on Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Outlaws, The Who, Santana, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bob Marley, and Pink Floyd. But the music I hold dearest and nearest my soul, is Stevie Ray Vaughan. I was lucky enough to see him perform four times…twice in open air venues, followed by (that evening each time!!!) smoky blues bars, where intimate would be an understatement. Each holds a very special place in my psyche, and I can almost remember the whole of each concert in their entirety…

I enjoy a warmer signature in my equipment, and listening, with a good bass line (but not basshead), complimented by outstanding vocals. Combine the sweetness of SRV’s guitar and Billy Holiday’s voice, and you get my musical grove.*


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Entrée part deux:

I am lucky to have a stack of the iFi products, running together as my main testing equipment, with the ability to hook into any of my players. Purchasing the excellent iFi iDSD Micro Black Label first, I added the iFi iTubes2 after the audition tour (a victory tour of the BL), and finally an iDAC2, with which to tame the whole system. Spending roughly half of what I would have on the Pro iCAN, this was a natural test of “would it be better,” or “could double the price give THAT much better.” I did compare the two set ups, but mainly used and experienced the Pro iCAN (with and without the iFi iDAC2), since I had fresh knowledge of the stack. A stack, I will add in which I am extremely pleased and feel no need to upgrade.


The iCAN is a device, which can take the place of my whole iFi stack, but at what cost? As mentioned, costing roughly double what I spent, for the trio, is it worth it? Well…I do think I am the wrong person to ask. But through my words, I hope that a semi-informed decision can be fashioned. I will state, that since my loan of the Pro, I have not even turned on the iFi stack, except to draw a quick comparison (until tonight and a final comparison). Is it better? I would respectfully state, “yes.” Is it worth double the cost I spent? The Luddite in me says NO WAY! But, the practical, long-term answer is I do believe yes. Why? Well, for that price, you do get an all in one, which can do everything my stack can, and does it better. It is more dynamic in sound, takes up less space, and can attach many MANY more device set ups than the stack. One could easily throw this into a small home system, and not miss a beat. I do also believe it has enough power to sufficiently drive all but the hardest speakers or headphones. Using Pinky’s HD600’s, I did have to run the 18dB push. But that was the only set up in which I did. And it sufficiently drove the legendary hard-to-drive headphones. It would be quite adequate for all but the hardest songs. That alone, says quite a bit.

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To get the best out of the Pro iCAN, one should include a DAC of similar quality. Through conversations with Lawrance, I extended my time to test that aspect. And it was WELL worth it!!

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To say I was excited would be an understatement...



Equipment used/compared:

Macbook Pro
Shanling M1/M5
Fiio x5iii
iFi combo of: iDAC2, iTube2, iDSD Black Label

iFi iDAC2 used between MacBook Pro & Pro iCAN

Unique Melody Maestro V2
Unique Melody Martian
Lendmeurears FLC8s
Grado GH-2
Audioquest Nightowl
Sennheiser HD-600 (borrowed from @PinkyPowers)


Music used:

Adele- Hello
Adele-Someone Like You
Tom Petty-I Won’t Back Down
Tom Petty-Learning to Fly
Tom Petty-Free Fallin’
Coldplay- Technicolor ii
Coldplay- Sky Full of Stars
Coldplay- White Shadows
Coldplay- Paradise
Coldplay- Lover’s in Japan
Lindsey Stirling w/ Pentatonix- Rasioactive
SRV- Mary Had A Little Lamb
SRV- Look at Little Sister
Twentyonepilots- Regional At Best album
Ziggy Marley-I Am A Human
Ziggy Marley-Dragonfly (Live & Studio)


Specs (from the iFi site):

Specifications:


Gain:

0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable

Frequency Response: 0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD, Balanced/Single-Ended):

Solid-State: ≤0.0015%/≤0.005%
Tube: ≤0.002%/≤0.005%
Tube+:≤0.012%/≤0.2%

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended): >147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)

Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >14,000mW / >4,800mW

Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >23V / >11.5V

Input Voltage (Pro iCAN): DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A

Input Voltage (iPower Plus): AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz

Power Consumption: ≤ 22W idle, 50W max.

Dimensions: 213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm

Weight: 1.93kg (4.3lbs)

Test conditions: Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise, SNR Balanced re 23V, SNR SE re. 11.5V


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Sound:



Compared to iFi stack, the Pro has better control of the bass. Not necessarily MORE (in fact less due to the ability to add “Bass Boost” from both the iTubes2 & BL…and a LOT, too!), but better controlled. Also, the sub bass is a bit forward, giving that more full sound to my ears. The iFi stack for whatever reason has a more forward mids sound, to me. Bass is more, but less controlled. I think this might be a result of the bass boost switch, as mentioned but with either 6dB (on the BL), or 6/12dB (@20Hz on the iTubes2). While I do enjoy that push on some songs, I like the Pro’s ability to add at more frequencies, tailoring to a possible lack in the headphones/IEM’s used…a nice touch, indeed.



As mentioned above, the Pro iCAN, one can tailor the bass boost to different frequencies. I cannot really tell what the difference is at the 10 Hz setting, but can clearly hear the boost at 20 & 40Hz. The push of bass at 20Hz is quite pleasant, giving that somewhat audible rumble to me. At 40 Hz, the push forward is quite noticeable on songs such as Tom Petty’s (RIP, dear sir) Learning To Fly. An extremely energetic sound is the result. I left the bass switch at 40 Hz most of the time.



On Ziggy Marley’s live version of Dragonfly, the sound is simply intoxicating. I can say with a decent authority that this is as close a sound as I have heard to the vaunted (to me) ampsandsounds Kenzie, with which I had the pleasure to audition some time ago. An incredible synergy focusing on that exuberant support guitar can be heard like it should be…an equal to Ziggy’s voice. Just incredible. And I would be hard pressed to decide between the Hugo2 and the iCAN based upon that song alone…It would be a long audition’s night for me to decide, and a good one…



While I appreciate the ability to adjust either set up as needed when speaking of bass boost, 3D, gain, wash, rinse, spin, etc.…I have decided that I am simply a lazy slovenly sod, who would just as soon set something and leave it. There is a reason I like complicated things, but this isn’t one of them. Changing only as needed, I do find both aspects appealing, but…just a random thought, and to tie it to the gear at hand (if you are still with me…), my personal iFi stack needs adjusting more than the Pro iCAN, when it comes to the toggles, and buttons. I can get away with, errr tolerate less adjusting while listening to the Pro. On the stack, I seem to be constantly reaching for those little toggles, and I have a genuine fear of destroying my four hours of hard Lego work on the rack itself as a result…I do lose much sleep over this…no really…



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Coming back to the Pro (finally, you say…), I found it to be eminently competent. As Army Firedog mentioned, it does pretty much all well. This can be a fault, if you want, especially if you are anal about “compatibility.” THIS amp, MUST go with THIS headphone, and THIS DAP, etc…blah, blah, blah. I do not fault any of you that wish, desire and have that. In fact, I applaud and bow in your general direction. But something must be said for a device, which can simply work. I state this in several reviews, going all the way back to my Vibro Labs Aria IEM…it just works. Call it the Luddite in me (haha, I know especially with all this durn technology), but the Pro simply works. I say this as I now listen to twentyonepilots excellent Regional At Best album, with no added bass or 3D. I could go 40Hz on the Bass boost and 90/60+ (floor-standing speakers setting) 3D, and happily drink my Boulevard Nutcracker Ale, but going “naked” seems to be how this particular time in the space continuum was intended for me. And I am not disappointed in that.



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Cracking a smile out of the corner of my mouth, with the Traveling Wilburys song, End of the Line, I get it. I love my stack; don’t get me wrong…I will happily have that for a good long while (ssuuurrre I will…). But the Pro can do that and more. iFi set the bar again when it comes to compatibility and adjustability, but on that simple tubular-level. Desire Solid State? Turn the switch. Tubular? Cool bro, flip the switch one more notch. Totally tubular? Again, flip the switch. It is almost like each Wilbury taking turns singing a verse in that iconic song. And that is the way it should be. A Mega Group to end all Super Groups, much like the Wilburys, the Pro comes along for that ride letting you swing gently in your rocking chair. And I thoroughly appreciate that. And GOD, I miss the Wilbury’s.



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This is one critter you do not have to Handle With Care, for it can handle quiet as well as loud and boisterous. This little critter can rock. Much the way the remaining Wilburys carry on, the Pro just glows along in that sensuous orange, almost smiling through those ever increasing in size vent rings. Taking in more and more, the song envelops your senses, just the way the Pro looks. Small, with the ability to be a multitude of things, and powerful. Kind of like that ultimate Executive Assistant. The one who can anticipate your every move; and in many ways is MORE qualified than you for the job at hand. But one, that just as happily stays behind the scenes knowing their role perfectly. One in support of the overall program. That role, which is invaluable and perfect for most situations. Maybe perfect would be too much of an insult. It has been a good long while, since I have enjoyed an audition device at low volume as much as cranking it up. Quite often we are hell-bent on cranking things to 11, but here I am quite content to stay below the horizon.



Listening to Adele’s Someone Like You, I think of a dear friend I lost recently. We traveled some of the same roads in life, but not often enough. I am sad I did not find out sooner after he died, but in his honor I analyze the iCAN like he loved analog albums. I so thoroughly enjoyed hearing about his latest find, or replay of an “old friend.” He was an exquisite writer of prose, published rightfully so, deep of thought. I drink a local Porter in his honor, and envelop myself in the sweet succulent virtue of Adele’s melodic interludes. Dear god, this is good. Saturated depth, which would make Rembrandt jealous, the Pro provides that velvet tubeness, which oozes through every tender note of her voice. Simple in support, the piano plants the foundation, and Adele flowers the song, as it should be. A thorough drowning of hue, note & tone; sweet & sorrow; rich and forlorn. Vibrant & colorful, I stop to take another sift of drink. I am thoroughly enthralled with how this song is presented.



It is often said, that if a song can move our soul, move our desire to provide the best we can, then the song is perfect. I prefect that this song is indeed faultless for my needs as of this instant in the cosmos. Supple bass through her voice, fulfilled and complimented oh so well by the piano. A song, which needs no more, but makes you desire more. A song, which the iCAN presents respectfully, highlighting her sensuous voice of deep, rich and melodious tone. Thorough in presentation, and complimented by her “duet” part, the song indeed is perfect through this mix. I shed a tear, lift my Porter skyward for that dear friend, and do my best to emulate his wonderful prose of writing. I feel, that I fail in that regard, but must continue writing. It is to be, and I will.


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Sound deeper:



A love affair can be sudden. It can also be long of build. It can blossom from the go, or be subtle of that build. I would say my affair with iFi was of the former. Fortunate I was to be on the iFi Micro iDSD Black Label tour; I was thrown over a cliff at what the BL could do (much the way those of Chord UK love are…). So much so, that my comparison stack consists of the BL, the iTube2 (after I started that tour, honored I was), and the excellent iDAC2. Roughly half the price of the Pro, this is now my basis of comparison for all. The stack held up well to the excellent Chord Hugo2, at roughly 1/3 the price. A comparison you will have to read, and view elsewhere. Needless to say (but I do anyway…), the trio will be used again for comparison, and I am glad.



At roughly half the price of the Pro, the comparison may be more valid. Should one splurge double the cost for the excellent iCAN? Well, for that my hope is that I have outlaid a proper response. If one wants an all-in-one, then the iFi Pro iCAN should be on your short list. If you are frugal of means, or want of piecing together, you may have to go a different route and still be 85% satisfied.

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As with the latest iterations of iFi products, the Pro iCAN has both XBass and 3D technology. From my first interlude on the BL with both, I was impressed at how the tech could change the sound. Not an equalizer, but worthy of inclusion in that argument, XBass & 3D provide listener “tunable” aspects to aid an otherwise excellent sound. Crave more bass in a song? Move the toggle to the right. Prefer a more “expansive” floor standing speaker sound? Again move the 3D all the way to the right. There is a difference to all, and gives one the ability to tailor each song to your contentment.



As stated above, I am more one to set the toggles and switches, and simply listen. That said, given the ability to fine tune, one would be silly not to try. Using the above Adele songs as the test bed, when moving the 3D to floor-standing speaker equivalent on the scale I was stunned. Stunned at how the already excellent depth of the song was given MORE. A most definitive width of stage was added, and it was good. Too often when the “bells and whistles” are added and played with, they are either gimmicky, or unfounded in their ability. Happily what iFi does with their two-standout technologies is not gimmick. It works to these tired old ears.



The XBass does work a bit differently than other iFi products, though. Instead of a 9dB or 12/18dB (product dependent), the Pro uses different frequencies. Coming in at 10Hz, 20Hz & 40Hz, the “added bass” works differently than a simple loudness or the other iFi XBass switches mentioned. Targeting a specific frequency, the 10Hz gain is for headphones/loudspeakers missing only the very lowest bass (below 40Hz). The 20Hz is for bass missing below 80Hz, and the 40Hz is for those missing “substantial bass” & some mid-bass below 160Hz.



To me, a “thinning” of sound ensued when the switch moved towards the lower frequency settings. When switched off completely, the mids moved forward almost overpowering the sound signature. Almost. Maybe “truer representation” would be a better response. Regardless, I found happiness in all of the settings, leaving the switch mostly at the 40Hz setting with my Martian’s, and off or 20Hz with my Grado GH-2’s. A maximum of 12dB was added, and I assume at the 40Hz level, as I could “feel” that the most. Unscientific, I know, but the added bass could be heard most at this level. Conversely, I kept the bass switched all the way to 40 Hz with the Maestro V2, and I liked it. An added boost of the bass pretty much made the already wonderful Maestro sound near perfect to me.



As for the 3D, the settings are “similar” to the other iFi units, in that there is a definite widening of stage. Other than that, the settings are unique to the iFi iCAN lineup. With settings running from 30, 60 & 90 degree setups, one can mimic narrow placement of speakers such as outside a computer to a full-on room setup with floor standing speakers. This last set can also be used to enhance recordings, which lack “spaciousness.” The 60-degree setup would be similar to bookshelf speakers, which can sound quite good in and of themselves.

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I ran either 60-degree or 90-degree settings for all headphones involved.



Comparing the Pro iCAN to the Hugo2 may not seem like a fair comparison, but since I was fresh off the H2 tour, valid in my mind. Garnering numerous design awards for 2017, the H2 is stunning. Getting the connections right, one could very easily be set for a long time in the “portable” audio world. With numerous filter settings, boosts and the ability for a multitude of hook ups, versatile would be an insult. With the sound to back it up, I rarely passed the mid-range on the volume “color wheel.” I did like how when one gets used to the colors, you could easily decipher what settings you were on, and it does make logical sense. If you are across the room, you only need look at the colors to know what adjustments you have made. A novel idea, and done mostly well. And logically laid out, too. Following the color spectrum from cold to hot, you only need know your colors (such as the rainbow…) to decode what levels you set. An interesting concept done well, once you understand.



Here is where the Pro iCAN falls behind the H2…other than the volume pot and the input switch, you must be fairly close to understand the settings. Not a bad thing mind you, but just like those who want every conceivable option in their CUV, many here would want the ability to read all of the knobs/settings. The Luddite in me says who gives a crap, and leaves it alone. Also, the 3D knob is too close to the volume pot on the iCAN, even for these skinny digits on your humble narrator. But, I’m not sure what could be done to alleviate that…

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As I mention in my H2 review, the Hugo has superb detail retrieval. No muss, no fuss as to where and what the instruments are to sound like. Placed where they should be, the detail amazes me no matter the setting. The iCAN falls a bit behind here, but not enough to worry. I found that the Pro is more listening device of choice dependent than the H2. Moving from my Martians to the Maestro, opened up the iCAN the way it should. Wide sound stage, excellent depth, solid but not bloated bass, as well as detail of the same range as the H2. The GH-2’s were portrayed the same way, with excellent depth as well. Make the iFi more IEM/headphone dependent, and you can hopefully understand the differences. Not unpleasurable mind you, but not as forgiving as the H2. One would expect this most likely for a device costing roughly 50% more…



That said, when you throw the iDAC2 into the mix, between source & the iCAN to take advantage of it’s excellent DAC capabilities, you end up with something very close to the Hugo2’s price; and a sound, which is quite close. In fact, when using the two together, I prefer the iFi set up. I just do. It’s hard to explain, but just the way I prefer the Shanling “house sound” to their DAP’s, I prefer the iFi sound to others. And as said above, for ½ the price I have a very good set up, in which I am happy. Choosing only one, between the H2 & Pro; I would lean towards the Hugo2. I like what iFi does to the sound very much. I respect what Chord has done for the sound. When it comes down to it, I prefer like to respect in what I listen to...



Compared to the stack, the Pro wins all the way around. Better control, less fiddling to achieve that “perfect sound, “ in which you strive, the Pro just works. The stack is like that old steam machine you see in movies, where the Scientist is constantly fiddling with knobs, buttons and pull levers to achieve maximum “velocity.” The Luddite in me screams, ENOUGH! Just play! But the techno-Scientist in me cherishes the adjustability…a conundrum indeed. With the iDAC2 along supporting the Pro, it is a sound, which could satisfy for a good long while…



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Finale:



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From my first indoctrination with the iFi DSD Micro Black Label, I have been smitten. My first foray into the netherworlds of “mid-fi,” I have consequently pathed to high priced and “better” items. One need only look at my review of the wondrous ampsandsounds Kenzie or Focal Elear (luckily together) to understand how far I have journeyed. And the last two in my review stable, the Hugo2 and this one iCAN have allowed me to passion further up into the “high-fi” range. But I still harken back to the BL, thinking how it threw me over the cliff, and I protected it, lest we all lose the privilege of such fine wires and circuit boards. Much stays the same with the iCAN, and I am glad. Glad that Lawrance allowed me this extended visit with such a fine piece. One, which I do say can indeed go toe to toe with the vaunted Hugo2, in my humble opinion. The H2 certainly gets all of the accords, while the Pro simply sits by waiting for that next person who wants something a bit different. With a bit of a different approach, and does it well. A stop in that shop, which looks dusty and deserted if one simply walks by, but if one takes a closer look, you see history. You see the old dusty forgotten turntables on the shelves, or the vintage tube amps from days gone by. And you are piqued with interest. Interest you dare not ignore, such, as you would listen to your inner voice. Because to do so, would be what the mainstream does. And in that own right, if that is what makes them happy, that is all right, too. But you stop knowing there is something special in that “shop,” so you enter. An Australian Shepherd of unknown aged sleepily raises her head and looks up at you, smiles (which they indeed do, incredible dogs, they are…) and goes back to sleep, while her owner states, “You have come to the right place, please sit down and join me in a single-malt while we audition.” And you do, knowing you have made the right choice, with Duke Ellington sounding in the background.



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As Tom Petty so fervently stated, I Won’t Back Down, and neither will the Pro iCAN. It takes your challenge and throws it into the wind, to watch the ensuing wonderful show of music on the wind, such as the flowing plastic bag scene in American Beauty. I don’t care if that was a scene, which was staged or made up for the film. To me, it was the most beautiful scene and dialogue of the entire movie (which was simply superb anyway). The artist would be the iFi Pro iCAN, and the bag being strewn about so eloquently the music thrown, and for that I am grateful for iFi and the passion in which they provide their wares. I am so very grateful, that I have found a company as passionate as I in what I listen to…and one, which would be humbled if you were to part with some of your daily wage to make your life better.



As you Learn To Fly, one becomes enamored and respectful of all that the Pro can do…after all it IS the iCAN. And can do, might as well be the motto.

th

SoundApprentice

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Power, Flexibility, Resolution
Cons: Slides around? Cost might be prohibitive to some.
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It’s funny how things work out sometimes. Just before my annual spring/summer hiatus from pursuing #AudioNirvana, I decided to part ways with my Eddie Current Balancing Act amplifier, HiFiMAN HE-6 headphones, and Schiit Yggdrasil DAC as part of a downsizing, capital-raising, not-quite-sure-why-I-am-doing-this selling spree. During the process, the buyers of the HE-6 and Yggy both asked me how they would perform with iFi Audio’s Pro iCAN. Of course, I hadn’t the slightest idea because I had never used an iFi product in any of my personal audio systems. Ironically, the first product I am offered to audition this fall turns out to be the Pro iCAN. So, thank you Lawrance at iFi Audio; now I’ll be able to share some real opinions about this desktop headphone amp the next time someone asks.

Prior to this audition, my experience with iFi stretched as far as a brief audition of the original Micro iCAN at a friend’s and seeing several iFi products compared against Schiit Audio’s. Much like Schiit’s USA-made wares, UK-based iFi has made a mark in the computer audio and headphone scenes for its small, silver, affordable amps, DACs, and power-purifying devices. You’ll often see these two brands going head-to-head in debates on audio forums across the web. Aside from competing in the same spaces with similar products, there’s another reason why these two brands are so well regarded among their fan bases: Quality—both brands benefit from R&D by veterans of high-end audio manufacturers. It doesn’t seem often noted, but iFi’s parent company is Abbingdon Music Research, or AMR. AMR is regarded for making ultra-high-end, reference-class stereo amps, DACs, transports, and other hi-fi wares. The Spirited Uncle Mactually cycles AMR’s DP-777 DAC through The Sound Lab on occasion, which I attest is one sweet piece of equipment. But I digress; my point is that iFi is able to later deploy tried-and-true technology from AMR at a fraction of the cost—enter the Pro series.

The Pro iCAN is iFi’s first flagship product released under the brand’s “Pro” or professional series line. Designed with some trickle-down technology from AMR, the Pro iCAN is iFi’s “studio-grade” headphone amp and preamp, chockfull of features not commonly found in desktop-sized amps, let alone ones priced at $1,699. I can see some iFi fans suffering from initial sticker shock, but this is a distinctly different product from anything iFi has put out before, and it brings far more value and flexibility than you’d first think.

You can read about all of the technically excellent details and specs—like the end-to-end, fully-balanced design, premium components, and incredible dynamic range—on iFi’s website, so I’ll just tell you about the features I liked most.

Tube Flavor

Do you like tube or solid-state sound? Don’t know? The Pro iCAN gives you a taste of both. The Pro iCAN houses individual solid-state and tube amplification sections. A switch on the front panel shifts the Pro iCAN between its Solid-State, Tube, and Tube+ modes, letting you select which circuit sounds best to your ears.

Solid-State mode is notably for you audio purists; employing a pure solid-state circuit using JFET transistors and a fully discrete, Class A power stage. Switching over to one of the two tube modes engages two top-grade General Electric 5670 tubes for an all-valve sonic presentation to give you that taste of tube flavor.

As a tube guy, I unsurprisingly preferred the Tube+ mode, which iFi says “reduces negative feedback to a minimum” and lets a “greater amount of the tubes’ natural harmonics” be produced. Still, I personally found the differences between the solid-state and tube circuits to be little more than subtle overall. My takeaway is that the Pro iCAN in Solid-State mode is crisp, clear, and precise. It has good reach and resolution without being overly dry or analytical. On the other hand, the 5670 tubes introduce a few degrees of mild but welcomed warmth and body to my ears. Bass lines and vocals seemed a touch richer and more involving, dynamics became a bit rounder and less pinpoint precise, and the sound stage opens up just ever so slightly, becoming a share wider and more holographic.

While clearly audible, I admit to wanting a greater sound variance between the different modes—more of that classic tube lushness, make-me-feel-euphoric goodness if you will—but the Pro iCAN remains a dialed and mostly analytical amp across the different modes. Don’t take this as a bad thing; iFi is clearly going for a notably resolving reference sound with the Pro iCAN—just don’t expect it to sound like three completely different amps by switching modes. I know this goes against what some other reviewers have touted, but I stand by my impressions that the solid-state and tube modes only let you subtly tweak the performance to best suit the gear and music you’re enjoying at the time.

In use, I also personally found the Pro iCAN’s wide dynamic range and sonic purity a challenge to describe in detail. Accuracy and neutrality are what come to mind most, which are pretty self-explanatory. Add in the amp’s ample power and the Pro iCAN is simply a lively performer that lacks any notable “house sound” coloration like my Eddie Current, Ray Samuels, and Woo Audio tube amps all had. Again, not a bad thing, just different. Neutrality and resolution in an amp can help a system’s synergy; by essentially getting out of the way, your sources, DACs, headphones, and speakers are given the opportunity to shine—providing they’re resolving enough.

That’s not to say the Pro iCAN is sonically boring. In fact, it’s quite engaging as it’s wide dynamic range and resolution draw out fine details and texture in the music that lesser spec’d amps gloss over. Add in the simple and surprisingly good sound tweaks for those that might need, scratch that, will need them, and you can an amp that packs a powerful punch.

Easy EQ

I generally let my system speak for itself, avoiding digital equalization tools and adjustments that alter the voicing of my gear. But the Pro iCAN packs two very usable EQ-like features into its compact chassis that are impossible to ignore. “XBass” and “3D Holographic” are two proprietary circuitries that help correct two common headphone and loudspeaker shortcomings: sub-bass and imaging.

XBass is iFi’s solution to bass deficiency in reference headphones and loudspeakers. Through analog signal processing circuitry, XBass provides a 12dB boost at the 10, 20, and 40Hz frequencies through a convenient front panel knob that lets you dial in the desired level of bass correction on the fly.

iFi says this implementation is not like traditional tone or loudness controls and is “sonically superior to Digital Signal Processing (DSP) systems.” I don’t know-how to confirm this in a meaningful way, but I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by how well the controlled bass boost integrated into the resolving timbre of the amp. Results obviously vary by recording frequencies and headphone/loudspeaker responses: XBass filled in the nether regions of my Sennheiser HD650 gloriously up to 20Hz but quickly made my AudioQuest NightHawk bloated and boomy with most recordings. XBass is likely more useful for filling out a headphone like the flatter responding AKG K701 or Q701.

Turning to the recording side of things, I found XBass most useful in combating tipped-up rock and anemic live recordings. And while it would have been nice to have varying levels of decibel boosts, the appeal of the 12dB XBass boost is that this easy-on, easy-off feature breathes visceral life into bass-light recordings and headphones/loudspeakers at the turn of a dial, which turns out to be something pretty nice to have—especially for us bassheads.

While XBass helps correct for bass deficiency, 3D Holographic for Headphones helps correct for imaging and sound stage deficiencies when listening to stereo recordings through headphones, meaning that closed-in feeling when the sound is stuck right between your ears. In other words, 3D Holographic was designed to create an “out-of-head” headphone listening experience that parallels listening to loudspeakers in a normal room.

This is something other manufacturers have tried to achieve with software plug-ins and crossfeed features, but as iFi explains, 3D Holographic for Headphones “is not based on a standard crossfeed system, as found in some high-end headphone amplifiers. Many so-called ‘3D systems’ are usually DSP based that artificially effect the sound and add unwanted reverb in order to simulate a ‘spacious’ type of sound.

“It’s true that traditional crossfeed tends to produce an ‘out-of-head’ sound, but with much diminished spatial components and a narrower soundstage,” iFi continues, adding that these implementations often produce “unnatural, echo-like sound, which may initially be impressive, but soon becomes tiring.” By contrast, iFi claims 3D Holographic for Headphones, which was developed based on research extending back to the 1980s, is the first system in commercial production to achieve the desirable out-of-head imaging rendered without added reverb.

Because the Pro iCAN is the first amp I have tried with a feature of this kind, all I’m willing to say is that I generally liked whatever was happening when turning the 3D Holographic front panel dial from off to the 30°, 60°, and 90° Loudspeaker Angle settings. Much like the XBass feature, 3D Holographic has varying degrees of impact. In particular, I found 3D Holographic to gradually widen the sound stage in each increment, especially with must-own jazz classics like John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” and Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” where instrument localization is often strongly apparent. Studio recordings by Ben Howard and John Mayer’s various live albums also gained noticeably more depth and dimension by cranking the dial, although electronic tracks from the likes of Bonobo and Moderat seemed to benefit in lesser degrees.

During my time with the Pro iCAN, I often found myself cranking the 3D Holographic dial all the way to the 90° setting for the fun of it, which created a more lively listening experience at the expense of some precision. The 90° setting generally gushed with the greatest sense of space and width, moving the sound stage from dead center in my head to the edges of my ears. Admittedly, some tracks can get too busy and displaced sounding in this mode and in some instances cymbals and strings tacked on a strange artificial sounding tizzy-ness. So, it’s safe to say results will vary—implement as needed. As a guy who also has a listening room with a loudspeaker setup, I won’t say that 3D Holographic truly emulates properly positioned loudspeakers, but it takes welcomed and major steps in incrementally making headphones far more bearable and spatially believable, especially during long listening sessions when that “stuck in your head” feeling gets fatiguing.

Heady Options

Lastly, as I own and audition a lot of different headphones and IEMs with different types of cables, I thoroughly like the flexibility and scalability packed into the Pro iCAN. Never have I had a headphone amp that had every jack I needed, let alone one that could play well with every headphone or IEM I threw at it. The Pro iCAN never failed to impress here.

Armed with a host of balanced (3.5mm TRRS, two x 6.3mm, two x 3-pin XLR, and 4-pin XLR) and unbalanced (3.5mm and 6.3mm) headphone outputs, outside of some exotic cable types, the Pro iCAN has compatibility covered.

Better even, regardless of whether I had a sensitive IEM or a power-hungry full-size headphone connected, there was absolutely zero background noise or that annoying gain hiss—even in Tube mode with the volume knob cranked to the max.

What’s more, the Pro iCAN pumps out up to 20V via its balanced outputs, which is equivalent to 100W into a 4 Ohm speaker. Pair this ample power with the variable gain stages (0dB, +9dB, +18dB) and the Pro iCAN easily drives just about every headphone on the market with accuracy and ease—including the venerable HiFiMAN HE-6 and AKG K1000.

Parting Thought

With plenty of single-ended and balanced inputs and outputs, pretty much every headphone jack you could ever need, a ton of power, a few unique tone-tweaking features, great specs, and packed-in premium components, the Pro iCAN packs a powerful punch, offering scalability, flexibility, and performance. Oh, and it sounds darn good. If you’re already an iFi fan, you’ll undoubtedly like the Pro iCAN. If you’ve never tried an iFi product, the Pro iCAN is unlikely to disappoint. Without a doubt iFi’s flagship Pro iCAN is a headphone amp and pre-amp I can live with.

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Armaegis

Modern Modder Man of Manitoba
HTML... uphill, both ways!
Pros: loads of power
many features to play with
Cons: features don't live up to the hype
price
I had the iFi Pro iCAN on loan for a few weeks and have assembled my notes below. They will remain mostly in point form, because no one wants to read an essay. I ran it through a fairly extensive gamut of different headphones and speakers.

Since there is a lot of "stream of consciousness" in these notes, it would be prudent to not examine any particular section by itself. At the very least, read the section immediately above it so you know where the relevant comparison is coming from.

Also be aware that in point form, my notes are very nitpickish. I do not dispense with pleasantries here, and my editing will be minimal. This is simply the style of my note-taking, so don't get your knickers in a knot if you disagree with something.


Main equipment used for evaluation:
Hifiman HE-6: well known as the most power hungry brute in the headphone world, and serves as my main reference can, low-ish impedance and stupid low sensitivity
Sennheiser HD650: my other reference can, and should be well known by most headphone users, high impedance and medium sensitivity
Sennheiser HD598: little brother of the HD650; horrible impedance curve
Nuforce HEM8: multi driver iem, low impedance high sensitivity
Fostex TH-x00 Purpleheart: closed, low impedance medium-high sensitivity
Bryston B60 - integrated speaker amp and my primary amp for the HE-6
Prism Lyra and Prism Callia - both pro level dac/amp, the latter being the "hifi" version with a more powerful amp
RME ADI-2 Pro - pro level dac/amp
iFi iCAN Pro - well d'uh
Stereoknight transformer based balanced preamp


Reviewer Bias:
- purist
- leans to preferring dry/clinical sounds
- snarky


Build Quality
- chassis overall very nice build quality; no complaints here
- casing is solid and feels good
- large rubbery pad on the bottom isolates it from the desk
- good feel to the volume knob
- very slight play to all knobs/switches, but nothing unreasonable
- gets warm but not hot; avoid stacking though, especially if it's a component underneath that needs to breathe since the rubber pad will insulate
- remote: cheap plastic thing, it works most of the time but doesn't seem to detect sometimes depending on angle
- switches are good, stick out just enough to be functional but not feel too fiddly or obtrusive


First listening impressions
- first: hey this is nice
- later: new toy syndrome has worn off, still good but not as enthused
- kinda brutish, not an ogre, but more Fezzik than Inigo Montoya
- I have a really hard time matching volume, because the iCAN "feels" louder all the time
- overall feels slightly on the V-shaped side (both warmer yet brighter)


On the inputs/outputs:
- the actual switching mechanism itself is quite seamless
- use the balanced XLR inputs; they sound so much better than the single ended
- I'm certain it's not my source, because mine does both and I've evaluated on other gear and found the differences to be marginal*
- single ended seems muted and loses energy (especially treble) and impact/punch compared to balanced inputs
* however, I cannot fully discount that this is a function of how my source is interacting with the iFi inputs
- but noise floor is higher with balanced input while using single ended output... not sure why this is; could be a cabling or power thing but it's unusual and I can't fully track it down
- switching inputs (both with nothing connected or the same source connected to both xlr and rca), there is a higher inherent noise from the balanced inputs which is opposite from expected
- however this noise is not affected by gain
- but it is affected by the pot... so the origin of the noise is coming from in between? It's not a huge problem, so I'm not chasing it down anymore after this
- balanced output is always quiet, regardless of input


Noise floor:
- not detectable with HE-6 (no surprise there)
- very slight noise floor with HD650 on balanced low gain with volume turned up all the way (can't tell with music)
- more noticeable with HEM8, but again it's low enough that your music would be deafening by the time you reached audible levels of noise



Impressions with HE-6
Note that my primary amp with the Hifiman HE-6 is the Bryston B60 which is a speaker amp. Most of my comparisons will be against that unless otherwise noted. Yes the HE-6 is a power hungry beast, so that makes it a good stress test so to speak.


General musings:
- in single ended mode, Callia and iCAN are somewhat close, with iCAN carrying more grunt but Callia feels more refined
- in balanced the iCAN pulls closer to the Callia in refinement
- Callia headamp is cleaner (single ended) while iCAN seems stronger and punchier (same impression from both HEM8 and HE-6)


Initial thoughts on Balanced vs single ended (HE-6) with the various options:
- no issues with power in either single ended or balance, it gets plenty loud
- initial feelings on all the various options and knobs: I am not a fan
- the character of the various settings actually changes depending on single ended or balanced
- typically I found myself preferring balanced solid state
- the two tube modes seemed stronger in single ended mode; going to balanced seemed to take out some of that tubeyness or changed the tone to something odd
- on Xbass and 3D most of the time the first setting is ok-ish, but anything higher I did not like



Mode: Solid State (single ended)
- does not hit as hard as the Bryston B60 (but more than Prism Callia)
- slightly more sibilant yet softer at the same time; the initial "sss" is stronger but the trail is softer or drawn out
- midbass has a slightly hollow impact (sort of like emphasized at both edges); I can see how this might make people feel it is more detailed and impactful
- so maybe this is simply how it handles a transient; harder front edge, perhaps more overshoot then followed by ringing?
- initial feeling is more air and more zing, but this fades after some time
- coming back to B60 immediately feels fuller and more balanced, even though it's hard to quantify and doesn't have the same "kick" as the iCAN
- overall prefer solid state over tubes after listening back and forth


Mode: Solid State (balanced)
- more power, seems to have more control
- feels a bit more full bodied, but it's a very slight difference here
- midrange presence seems slightly smoother, but marginally so
- upper range unaffected
- still doesn't feel as full as the B60, but brings a bit more kick to the game
- if I had to pick one mode of the six possibilities, it would be this one


Mode: Tube (single ended)
- definitely not neutral
- you can easily tell there's a bass hump/harmonics
- more thump (different from kick), but softer on edges
- pretty much what you expect of a stereotypical tube sound
- you'd think this would be nice on music that was a little bass light... but adding those harmonics into stuff that doesn't have it in the first place doesn't work and you get a harmonic warmth but not any actual body; it actually makes those mids feel... not quite honky, but too thick


Mode: Tube (balanced)
- less hump, less thump
- seems like less of a deviation from normal compared to single ended
- still warmer compared to solid state, but in a different way than the single ended mode
- let me rephrase... feels like warmer with a tilt?
- perhaps slightly cleaner sounding than single ended, but tone is slightly offput
- I find myself marginally preferring single ended over balanced in tube mode


mode: tube+ (balanced)
- so I thought: ok if you're gonna go tube, might as well go all the way???
- seems like richer deeper sound? nope I lied, that's not what I get
- not any thumpier or softer
- but definitely an extra harmonic or something that pulls on the ear in an odd way; I'm guessing it's odd order harmonics here
- upper end feels less refined
- it's not a treble glare, but maybe a high order distortion product
- I actually feel like this one is more fatiguing than regular Tube mode
- not sharp, but seems kinda hissy/sibilant
- feels like... a delay in the upper registers? (rather than harmonics?)


mode: tube+ (single ended)
- ok this one seems richer compared to balanced
- adds more warmth
- too much of a "good thing"
- midbass steps forward
- does not tame bright recordings; just smooshes it out
- feels like a reverb
- even as an outside listener while someone else is wearing the headphones, I could tell this sounded different



Crossfeed / 3D Holographic:
- bleh? maybe I'll try a different song... nope, still bleh. Maybe a different setting, wow nope What is going on. Let's try a mono recording... nope, now it's just further away.
- loses impact and sharpness
- I do consistently feel that there's less "centre", but it comes at the expense of everything else.
- Let's not pretend that we're emulating speakers here. I prefer the stock crossfeed plugin on Jriver, or better yet just get the free ToneBoosters Isone Pro vst plugin (but this requires all the software shenanigans)
30: dips the middle
60: dips the middle more
90: boosts the edges
- really not much more to say here; overall this mode did nothing for me
- but note for later, this feature redeems itself a bit on the preamp outputs


XBass:
- oh the lowest setting is kinda nice... but the others are just too much; in fact distractingly so
- even with metal recordings which I find are typically mastered bass light, the boost just didn't seem right
- you can't use this to correct for bass deficient headphones, because then you're pushing past what the headphones are really capable of and it turns into a muddled and distorted mess
- on bass-light recordings... eh I guess sorta it works, but you can't really amplify something that isn't in the recording
- so really this is only ok with bass capable headphones but bass-light recordings, and only on the first setting
- this feels like a bit more than just a typical EQ bass shelf, like maybe there's a tiny bit of harmonics added in too? I wouldn't be surprised if there were some crossfeed effect happening too, but don't know that for certain and am purely guessing here
- I suppose if you're in the "MOAR BASS" category of listeners then you'll be happy with this; I tried this using some bass heavy Fostex TH-X00 Purplehearts which are already bass heavy and this was simply too much



Gain (level match as much as possible by ear and multimeter)
- I'm surprised that it seemed like there were differences here
- low: kinda weaker? vocals seem slightly strained, but smoothest mid and treble, least impact
- med: "stringier" (not necessarily bad per se) upper end, impact seems cleaner
- high: hissier and slightly more sibilant, impact same as medium or ever slightly stronger, feels a bit like midbass boost again
- overall I stuck with Medium gain as my favourite and most of my listening was done here



Impressions with Sennheiser HD650
- all the fiddly knob stuff is less disagreeable on HD650 than the HE-6, like it's not as sensitive/resolving
- initial impressions seemed positive, but this dissolved after fifteen minutes
- soft touch/edges
- I thought it would be warmer but that's not the case
- still sounds brighter compared to my Bryston, it's not a "tss" sound but the trailing edges have a slight upturn to them
- resolution is ok, but not the best I've heard with the HD650
- Lorde - Royals: good kicks, but metallic, snaps don't have the body that they should
- all above impressions in solid state mode (balanced)
- Tube mode (balanced): ahh What?? distorted wonk wonk wonk
- Tube+ mode (balanced): huh better, like returning more to solid state, less sibilant, but slightly more fatiguing than regular tube mode
- SS mode (SE): sounds about the same as balanced, maybe a touch more metallic
- Tube mode (SE): warmer, hazier, this is the softest sound of all the modes and configs
- Tube+ mode (SE): too much harmonic, almost feels like an echo? even fuzzier, loses kick; vastly prefer balanced in this mode
- overall I do no not recommend the HD650 with this amp; it was not an ideal pairing


Other headphones:

Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart (single ended only)
- this is a bassy headphone going into what I feel is a somewhat bassy amp...
- as expected combo produces too much bass overall for my tastes, but could be fun for others
- Xbass: too much; it overwhelms
- crossfeed: meh... too mushed with all the bass, it just makes things feel hollow in the middle and flabby everywhere else
- tube mode: is ok, definition goes down, but rumble and thump increase (no surprise there); if I wanted to go for a stereotypically tubey sound with lots of warmth, this is it
- tube+ mode: also ok; it's just softly thumpier, same definition as regular tube mode but has a softer tonality, not warmer but low end feels stretched out, upper end
- this would be a basslover combo


Fostex T50rp (single ended)
- just not a good match
- top end feels withdrawn regardless of setting
- midrange is there, but feels detached
- bass hits quite hard, this was about the only part I lked
- tons of power, but it simply didn't mesh well
- I gave up on this


Sennheiser HD598
- very similar tone as the HD650
- similar changes with the various settings, but overall effects are less so and this seems to work in its favour
- I would pick the 598 over the 650 with this amp
- solid state: single ended is good, balanced feels somewhat tubbier
- tube balanced: not as wonky as the HD650; I can tolerate this one
- tube SE: warmer, softer, lazy-ish
- tube+ balanced: like a slightly edgier solid state
- tube+ SE: mush mush mush, stick with balanced
- crossfeed is actually no too bad, the middle doesn't dip as much, overall feel is more like a sideways stretch
- Xbass: it's weird that the 598 feels more comfortable boosting bass than it's big brother 650; still not my cup of tea, but it's workable here


NuForce HEM8 (from the 3.5mm jack)
- the 3.5mm jack is lower in volume compared to the 6.5mm
- congested? what the heck is going on? I'm having trouble trying to do a volume match because something doesn't sound right
- no seriously, what's wrong with this thing... is it broken?
- loses cohesion
- snaps and plucks are in the wrong place in time???
- is this just some sort of L-pad going on to bring the level down? feels like something more than that
- in any event, the sound is a mess and I'm abandoning this
- reading the manual... oh this is the iEMatch thing? I have no idea what that's supposed to be, but it's clearly not working for me

3.5mm jack with Fostex T50rp
- not as messed up as the HEM8, but still feels slightly muted


NuForce HEM8 from regular TRS
- ok, so right away this is miles better than the 3.5mm output
- seems a bit bassier
- does not feel as neutral as my NuPrime uDSD
- midrange is flatter, treble has good extension if very very slightly upturned
- slightly cloudy in resolution...
- REVISED: balanced inputs cleans this up (don't know why, but the above when I was using single ended inputs the sound sucked)
- overall tone still slightly fuzzy, but not cloudy like before
- overall tone balanced is restored
- Callia headamp is less stuffy, like a veil has been lifted
- midrange clarity improved, feels much better and breathes
- bass hits harder and cleaner now
- all above noted with solid state mode
- tube mode: there's a tradeoff here... seems cleaner up top but muddier down low
- tube+ mode: wow big pop when switching mode here so be careful; did not get any cleaner like tube mode but did not get muddier either... but sounds withdrawn
- actually just be careful with sensitive iems with the knobs; they all seem to produce pops when changing modes
- Xbass: even 1st notch seems too much, 3rd notch gets distorted
- 3D: 1st notch collapses the middle stage and becomes withdrawn, 2nd notch not much different, 3rd notch adds elements to the side (but lower, unlike speakers which was placed higher) but still sounds artificial; overall staging feels better with this turned off
- Callia headamp is cleaner (single ended) while iCAN seems stronger and punchier



Impressions on Speakers


Speaker "3D Holographic" settings from the preamp outputs:
- does not have the middle dip like with headphones; general balance is better
- staging is better preserved than with headphones

+ mode: it's ok, seems to add more air? very tiny smear but yeah I guess it feels like a different room or speaker setting; placement of side instruments moves further out and slightly up; with a mono vocal and my speakers slightly offset, I can hear this distortion effect like a comb filter? (yes this happens with offset, but I've never heard it this apparent before and it disappears with the crossfeed turned off)
30+: feels like a reverb now, angle doesn't really change but speakers have moved further away
60+: really pulls it out to the side, it's gone past reverb and is almost like an echo; instrument location has moved further behind and up, a bit like I have some satellite speakers in a surround mode behind me; the middle is a bit of a weird null zone

- overall 3D effect is less noticeable in Tube and Tube+ mode

- with desktop speakers the effect is very noticeable; likely most of the processing occurs in the upper registers of the frequency range, so the entire speaker and staging flies out to the side
- the various bookshelf speakers I tried exhibited mostly similar behaviours (main ones I had on hand: Celsus Sound SP-One, Centrance Masterclass 2504, John Blue JB3)
- the one that sounded best was my John Blue JB3 which feels like a horn and has a very narrow sweet spot; the + mode expanded this and gave it more space (almost too much air, though the speaker veers that way to begin with)

Larger speakers used: Genelec 1030, Yorkville YSM8, Yorkville U15 (full sized PA cabinets), a couple Paradigm bookshelves
- with larger full range speakers that have a deeper reach, the 3D spatialization is not quite so drastic since the lower energy range doesn't move, thus helps keep things in place
- but the effect here is that I felt like I moved closer to the speakers (increasing effective angle) rather than have the speakers widen out
- it's still a bit hazy and/or feels buzzy out at the furthest edges and raised up higher (again like I have some small satellites above and behind me, though their location is much higher here than compared to the desktop movement); the middle isn't a null zone like with bookshelf speakers, but does feel squishy
- the better the bass reach of the speaker, the less egregious the effect of the spatialization
- sub integration is kinda odd though; I feel like I'm getting phase discrepancies and walking around the room feels weird, so it's probably better to stick with a regular 2.0-ch setup rather than 2.1

- but overall I find it easier to adjust my ears to the speakers with the 3D effects; with headphones it just doesn't work for me



XBass speakers:
- if you're trying this on desktop speakers, you're gonna push them past what they're capable of and get a horrible mess because you're just distorting the speakers
- this did not sound good with any of my small bookshelf speakers
- on speakers with very good bass extension, you'll get rumble but not impact, it does feel deeper but also like you're in a bass bubble
- my Genelecs gained body, but still the strain was showing
- with my full range Yorkville PA speakers, this was generously room filling
- like on headphones, I find the first notch ok, 2nd is passable, but third is way way too much
- also similar to my headphone assessment, this setting really only works when you have bass-capable speakers and bass-light recordings.



How about as preamp?
- I wish there were a way to mute the preamp outputs
- all the fiddly knobs pass through in their own way
- not as transparent as the Stereoknight (but this is one of the best preamps I've ever heard); feels slightly mushier in comparison
- SS (balanced out) - soft yet a bit hard somehow; feels like a slight V emphasis
- tube (balanced out) - softens the sound, sharp plucks and twangs are smoothed out
- tube+ (balanced out) - actually less soft than regular tube mode; there's roundness to the sound but not warmth
- SS (SE) - same as balanced; maybe just a tiny bit more definition?
- tube (SE) - ever so slightly different flavour from balanced but hard to describe
- tube+ (SE) - more warmth than balanced



Closing thoughts:
- no, I didn't hate it, despite my snarkiness
- I did not read other reviews before taking my notes, so my observations are fairly untainted
- solid state mode strikes me as a very competent amp
- preference for balanced vs single ended depends on the mode used
- there is an impressive amount of power on tap; it is rare that I find an amp that can handle the HE-6 and not struggle
- all the variable functions strike me as trying to do too much in such a small space; I understand the appeal and it's a tweakers' delight, but for me those added features were detractors
- just because I didn't like the Xbass or 3D spatialiazations doesn't mean others wouldn't enjoy them; the only feature that baffled me was the iEMatch
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Pros: Drives every earphone under the sun (including electrostatics when the ESL adapter is launched), Options of Tubes or Solid State, Lots of extras
Cons: Remote is cheap and functions poorly, Delays when switching from solid state to tube mode, High price tag & still needs a DAC to maximize performance
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At the time this review was written, the iFi Pro iCan was listed for sale on Amazon’s website. Here are some links for purchase and information:
 
https://www.amazon.com/iCAN-Professional-Studio-Grade-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B01GO98QSS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1491958089&sr=8-4&keywords=ifi+ican
 
Introduction
Are you looking for the ideal headphone amplifier? What are your requirements?
 
The answers to these two questions varies, sometimes significantly depending on the person asked. The simple fact that we as audio enthusiasts have to be specific in our answer tells me that there’s room for improvement in one particular area, VERSATILITY. That’s where the Pro iCan steps in.
 
There are arguments about amps that carry on in audiophile circles…
 
“Is balanced worth the leap in price?”
 
“Solid state or Tubes?”
 
“High impedance and power hungry cans or low impedance portable gear with sensitive in-ear monitors?”
 
...as well as many others.
 
The truth is that there’s no wrong answer. As our gear and preferences evolve and change, so too does our demands and opinions of what’s ideal. What is agreed upon is the fact that we want to get the biggest return on the dollars we spend.
 
What if I told you that the answers to just about every single listening preference were answered in one amplifier? The folks at iFi have been listening, and the result is the Pro iCan. I said iCAN, not iCAN’T!
 
Let’s take a look at the amplifier that is versatile enough to eliminate specific preferences and go over it with a meat and potatoes review, shall we?
 
Disclaimer
The Pro iCan was borrowed from iFi in exchanged for a comprehensive review. I would like to thank my good friend Lawrence for the opportunity to spend some time with the unit and share my experience with the iFi community.
 
Review
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The Pro iCan comes in a white sleeved box about the size of the average men's shoebox. A nice photo of the front of the unit is featured along with a brief description. The back of the box displays a photo of the rear portion of the device along with some key features.
 
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Removing the sleeve I’m greeted to a simple white box with the iFi logo.
 
Specifications and Accessories
 
Specifications    
Gain: 0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
Frequency Response: 0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion (by output setting):    
Solid-State:    Balanced: ≤0.0015%        Single Ended: ≤0.005%
Tube:        Balanced: ≤0.002%        Single Ended: ≤0.005%
Tube+:        Balanced: ≤0.012%        Single Ended: ≤0.2%
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended): >147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >14,000mW / >4,800mW
Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >23V / >11.5V
Input Voltage (Pro iCAN): DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
Input Voltage (iPower Plus):    AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption: ≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
Dimensions: 213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
Weight:1.93kg (4.3lbs)
 
Accessories
1X Pro iCan
1X Power Supply (15 volt, 4 amp)
1X Wireless Remote
1X Pair RCA jacks
 
Design, Build, Functionality
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The Pro iCan is an all metal chassis. For a desktop amplifier it’s on the smaller side. The size is comparable to the likes of the Schiit Jotunheim or Asgard. For its size, the iCan Pro is fairly heavy.
 
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I paired the Pro iCan with its older sibling, the micro iDSD. I ran line out in preamplification mode from the iDSD (used the iDSD as my DAC). Hooking the Pro iCan up was simple. Power adapter and two RCAs is all it took. As if I had to mention, the iDSD did a great job and paired well with the iCan Pro.
 
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Looking at the back of the unit, there’s multiple inputs and outputs. The Pro iCan has left and right three pin XLR balanced inputs and THREE sets of unbalanced RCA inputs. For preamp output purposes, the unit has left and right three pin XLR balanced outputs as well as a set of unbalanced RCAs. Also located on the back is the power adapter input, a DC loop output, and a ESL link (special connection for a special iFi electrostatic add-on, not yet released).
 
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Taking a look at the front, there’s a TON of stuff to go over (I will cover the front of the unit from left to right).
 
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Top left we have a iFi Pro indicator light. Depending on what internal amplifier you’re using, the light will change color. The unit’s power button is discretely located on the lower left part of the front. A large dial is also located on the left side. This dial allows users to choose between the three analog RCA inputs and the dual three pin XLR balanced input. To the right of the input selector dial, there is an XBass selector dial. XBass options range from off, to a 12dB boost at 10Hz, 20Hz, or 40Hz. The XBass is definitely a useful tool that adds depth and lower frequency to leaner headphones, or gets the bass bumping when called upon. The boost is powerful, controlled and tastefully done from what I’ve heard. To my ears, each setting adds a noticeable emphasis that can give even the leanest headphones a nice amount of added oomph. Underneath the XBAss dial, a small metal three way lever switch can be found. This is the amplifier selector switch. I can choose to go from solid state, to tubes (with class A amplification), to a tube+ setting (even more “tube-ish” sounding).
 
 
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The middle portion of the amplifier has several output jacks. Let's use the next to paragraphs to explain single ended and balanced modes. 
 
Outputs- Single Ended
In the middle of the device, there are up to FIVE OUTPUTS THAT CAN ALL BE USED SIMULTANEOUSLY (in single ended operation). With single ended operation there are two ¼ inch output options, a four pin XLR balanced output, and two single ended 3.5mm outputs that are wired with IEMatch technology. Simplified, the two 3.5mm outputs are ideal with more sensitive earphones (like IEMs, and sensitive low impedance headphones). I find this many output options to be a very useful tool for someone like myself who does multiple comparisons, writes reviews and goes to shows. The amount of outputs the Pro iCan has is fantastic, and what I consider to be one of the device’s biggest strengths.  
 
Outputs- Balanced
If you use the balanced input, the outputs change to balanced as well. Instead of having five different single ended stereo outputs (in unbalanced mode), the Pro iCan outputs change to three different balanced signals. Options are dual three-pin XLR (or dual ¼ inch outputs) which split the signal into left and right channels. The four pin XLR runs in balanced. The two 3.5mm outputs split the left and right signals as well. When using the Pro iCan in balanced mode, the output power is increased as well.
 
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On the far right a large dial is placed to control volume. The Pro iCan also comes with a small wireless battery operated remote that changes the unit’s volume. The remote is a simple two button remote to be used for volume only. There is no power or input buttons on the remote. To the right of the outputs another smaller dial can be found. This is the 3D switch. To my ears this is an “awesomifier” for warm headphones and headphones that seem to struggle in terms of soundstage and imaging. Here’s iFi’s definition of this technology:
 
“The 3D Holographic for Headphones is not based on a standard cross-feed system, as found in some High-End headphone amplifiers. Many so called ‘3D systems’ are usually DSP based that artificially affect the sound and add unwanted reverb in order to simulate a ‘spacious‘ type of sound. It’s true that traditional cross-feed tends to produce an ‘out of head’ sound, but with much diminished spatial components and a narrower soundstage, sometimes almost approaching mono. Most DSP based 3D designs produce an unnatural, echo-like sound, which may initially be impressive, but soon becomes tiring. By contrast, 3D Holographic for Headphones, provides not only ‘out of head’ placement of the sound sources, but renders the whole 3D sound field in a manner that strongly parallels listening to loudspeakers in a normal room, all achieved without the added reverb. This is the first system in commercial production to achieve this.”
 
Underneath the 3D dial is another three way lever switch. This controls the amplifiers gain. There are three gain settings (0, +9dB, +18dB). Just a heads up, the gain settings increase the sound output quite a bit, and the Pro iCan gets insanely LOUD. How loud you ask? It’s capable of putting out up to 14,000mW. This device is literally is capable of pushing any headphone on earth including Electrostatics (with the electrostat add-on component, not yet released). In the same breath it can drive the world’s most sensitive IEMs with minimal to no background hiss (via the 3.5mm outputs).
 
Sound
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Do you want the lean and clinical sound of a TOTL solid state amplifier? CHECK (solid state amp setting)
 
Do you want the best of both worlds with a class A tube amplifier? CHECK (Tube amp setting)
 
Do you want a warm expansive sound of a creamy tube amp sound? CHECK (Tube+ setting)
 
Do you want to use all three of these amp variations with anything from sensitive in-ear monitors to power hungry full sized headphones (and eventually electrostats)? No problem!
 
This amp is absolutely fabulous. Don’t get me wrong, this thing isn’t going to slay every summit-fi full sized headphone amp that exists. In some cases there are going to be elite headphone amps that have higher quality internals and perform better with full sized (primarily power hungry) headphones. Just the same, I’ve heard some multi-thousand dollar tube amps that will outperform the Pro iCan’s tube amp setting as well (as well as provide a larger panel for tube rolling). HOWEVER, these higher priced models don’t come close to the Pro iCan in terms of VERSATILITY. It’s really hard to ask for more considering the fact that this thing is under two grand and can push every earphone on the planet.
 
Because of the various settings and MULTIPLE amplifiers packed into the Pro iCan, I can’t give the unit a definitive sound signature. This device has multiple sounds once you factor in the various amplifiers and adjustable bass and 3D settings.
 
There are some basic observations I made when using the device. I found that neutral and semi open headphones sounded better with the amp in the “Tube” or “Tube+” setting. I found myself using the “Tube+” setting in combination with the Xbass setting on headphones like the Sennheiser HD600 and Philips SHP9500. I was able to really dial it in for my preference using the amp with this setting and added luxury of the Xbass dial.
 
Just the opposite, I enjoyed pairing the iCan Pro in solid state setting with warmer, bassier and closed full sized cans. Using the 3D dial seemed to add air and improve imaging with headphones like the ZMF Atticus, Meze 99 Neo and NAD Viso HP30.
 
Using the iCan Pro with in-ear monitors was a great solution for desktop use. I had fun using all the settings the amplifier had when using it with IEMs. Truth be told, not many amps are made to work with IEMs and as a result there is a fairly large amount of background noise and hiss. Not only did the iCan Pro avoid this phenomenon, it also gave me the luxury of dabbling with amplifier and sound settings like no other amplifier can. The single ended 3.5mm jacks are equipped with iFi's IEMatch technology found in the micro iDSD, making these outputs ideal for sensitive earphones.
 
Conclusion
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Factor in price and I can guarantee sound of the iCan in every amp setting will give everything in its range a run for its money. I still love my micro iDSD and think it’s one of the better devices out there, but the iCan Pro’s amplifier section destroys whatever amplifier is under the hood of the iDSD.
 
The iCan’s biggest competition is the fact that there are amps in the five hundred to one thousand dollar range that will give it a run for it’s money if we’re talking about performance (based on preference) with one type of amp or the other (solid state or tube, but NOT both). The Brands and offerings that come to mind are Cavalli, Violectric, Woo Audio, Aune, and Schiit. At the same time, that’s the beauty of the iCan Pro. You don’t have to settle for one amp or have to buy multiple desktop amplifiers, you have them all in one!
 
Each amplifier setting flirts with or achieves excellent to TOTL fidelity.  You want the clinical and balanced sound of a high end solid state amplifier? Flip a switch… You want the warm and expansive sound of a tube amplifier? Flip a switch…You want more bass? Turn a dial… You want a more spacious sound from your headphones? Turn a dial… You want to listen to your 400 ohm planars? There’s a jack for that… You want to listen to your highly sensitive multi driver in-ear monitors? There’s a jack for that… It goes on and on and on…
 
While the Pro iCan doesn’t rule the headphone world at any one thing in particular, the amp's fantastic performance and versatility makes it an epic piece of gear. Ifi has pretty much “cracked the code” and made what I would consider the most versatile headphone amp on the market today. It has an output and setting ideal for any headphone you have. As long as you have a decent DAC to feed it music files (which is an added cost you must consider to maximize the Pro iCan performance), the Pro iCan has the amplifier part down to a sweet science. Much of the magic that was used in the micro IDSD has been utilized with the Pro iCan, and they've also added a phenomenal amplifier section with loads and loads of power.
 
The iCan Pro is several amplifiers in one chasis. Owners can use the device with every pair of earphones they have. This provides tremendous value to those who want an all in one amplifier solution.
 
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Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Aornic

Member of the Trade: Acorn Audio
Pros: Large amount of power, neutral and un-coloured sound in solid-state mode, XBASS pairing with some headphones, many simultaneous outputs, transportable
Cons: Overly indistinct sound between the solid-state, tube and tube+ modes
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iFi's response to my criticism as a disclaimer for this review: 
 
'The unit may have needed to be run in longer in each mode. It requires 24/7 burn in for each mode (3 weeks total) so this maybe why he says the sound wasn't a big jump between the settings'.
 
I had the Pro iCan in my possession for almost a month and ran it near non-stop, mostly in tube mode.
 
---------------------------------------------------
 
Having previously found the IFI Micro iCAN SE impressive with its small factor yet high power, along with the synergy between its XBASS hardware bass boost and the Sennheiser HD800, I was greatly looking forward to tackling the company’s flagship amplifier. The elder brother of the Micro iCAN is called the Pro iCAN and it retails for $1700.
 
I’d like to thank IFI for sending me this unit of the Pro iCan for my honest impressions and a review.
 
Specifications
 
Gain: 0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
 
Frequency Response: 0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
 
Total Harmonic Distortion:    
    
Solid-State: ≤0.0015% (Balanced) ≤0.005% (SE)
 
Tube: ≤0.002% (Balanced) ≤0.005% (SE)
 
Tube+: ≤0.012% (Balanced) ≤0.2% (SE)
 
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended): >147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
 
Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >14,000mW / >4,800mW
 
Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended): >23V / >11.5V
 
Input Voltage (Pro iCAN): DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
 
Input Voltage (iPower Plus): AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
 
Power Consumption: ≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
 
Dimensions: 213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
 
Weight: 1.93kg (4.3lbs)
 
Test conditions:
 
Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise
 
SNR Balanced: re 23V
 
SNR SE re.: 11.5V             
 
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Build Quality & External Features:
 
I do not know why I expected the actual unit size to be substantially bigger, as it really is not large at all – especially compared to the size of the Audio-GD NFB-28 that I bought recently. I really do not care much for the looks of the Micro-series by IFI, but I had to admit that they were built like little tanks. The Pro iCan takes that robustness and gives it a chassis that one can proudly display as a member of their audio chain with its textured metallic look.
 
 
The front panel has two dials and seven outputs. The large dial on the far left is to select the input feed, as the Pro iCan has the capability of three pairs of RCA in and one balanced XLR input. Also implemented is one pair of RCA and XLR outputs each, all on the back of the chassis. The next dial on the front, a smaller one, selects the four settings for IFI’s hardware bass boost – known as XBASS. The settings are off, 10 Hz, 20 Hz and 40 Hz.
 
Neatly placed at the front are no fewer than three balanced output options – dual XLR, 4-pin XLR and a 3.5mm. There are also slots for two 6.35mm plugs contained in the centre of dual of the dual XLR, as well as two pairs of 3.5mm jacks – one balanced and one unbalanced.
 
At two points on the front panel are small switches, each with three settings. The switch on the left selects between solid-state mode, tube mode and a mode that IFI calls “tube plus.” The next switch, on the right, toggles between 0, +9 dB and +18 dB gain. The smaller knob on the right toggles between 30/+, 60/30+ and 90/60+.
 
I found that the unit ran quite cool in solid-state mode, but heated up a bit when the tubes were activated – showing a picturesque orange glow emanating from the stylized vents of the chassis. This heat is expected from a tube amp, and as there is no exposed tube – there is no chance of burning yourself by accidentally (or deliberately, if you’re into that) touching it.
 
Finally, a remote is also included which can control the volume.
 
 
Sound
 
Just like I found to be the case with the Micro iCan SE, the solid-state mode of the Pro iCan provides a very clean and powerful amping experience. There is no colouration to the sound of any sort, to my ears, and it is designed to take the sound signature of your headphones and simply make it louder. However, I honestly could not hear much of a difference in the presentation of the solid state mode between the Micro iCan and its elder brother. Keep in mind that the Micro iCan SE’s wattage was strong enough to power most headphones on its own, so Pro iCan only feels like an upgrade in this mode if you have severely hard-to-power headphones. I wish I had a Hifiman HE-6 on hand to test this, but alas I do not.
 
The tube mode is where matters get a bit more interesting. The stereotype of tube amps is that they colour the sound, adding a little distortion and warmth to make the overall experience more “musical.” Other characteristics of tubes is that bass thump is slightly reduced, with the trade-off being increased soundstage and a wetter sound. Allow me to go through this one-by-one:
  1. Distortion is only really audible on really revealing headphones, like my Sennheiser HD800. Even then, it is very low and barely noticeable unless you are actively looking for it.
  2. There is not much more warmth compared to the solid-state mode. On headphones like the ZMF Atticus, itself a very mid-bassy and warm can, a change can be heard but it is not very distinct.
  3. Bass thump is indeed reduced slightly, but a low setting of XBASS can be added to counter this.
  4. With more analytical headphones, such as the Sennheiser HD800 and the ZMF Eikon, a wetter sound is definitely heard over the dry presentation of the solid-state mode. What this means is that music becomes more laid back, with frequencies gelling slightly to achieve a less stark and analytical and more thick and rich tone. However, the change is very subtle once again.
 
The tube+ mode is meant to bridge the gap between the dry and analytical solid-state mode and the wet and musical tube mode – with less-reduced bass thump while maintaining some characteristics of the tubes. The most noticeable change between it and the tube mode is that the low distortion is further reduced, providing a blacker background to the audio. However, it does lose some soundstage and the feeling of there being more space in the mix – but adjusting the crosstalk/3D holographic sound setting can adjust this to what you enjoy.
 
Ultimately, it took a lot of careful listening to distinguish the three modes with all four of my main headphones as nothing overt comes about from switching between them. I can, however, attest that the biggest difference is between the solid-state and tube mode, but it is still so slight that the tube+ mode being a middle ground is a little baffling. If I could make any changes, I would have picked a tube that is more distinct from the solid-state mode. The current tube mode might have been more suitable for the tube+ mode, a subtle change that bridges the gap between solid-state cleanliness and a very coloured sound.
 
That being said, I do have favourite modes for each of my main headphones.
 
Pairings
 
DAC used: Schiit Gungnir Multibit with XBASS and 3D Holographic Sound Turned Off. All testing done on 4-pin XLR balanced output.
 
Sennheiser HD800
 
Sennheiser’s former flagship is a very clinical listening experience with vast soundstage and imaging capabilities. I find it difficult to pair with many headphone amplifiers, as the treble glare can get too painful to me with bad pairings. One such painful pairing was when I tried it with the Rupert Neve amp at the London Can Jam 2016 – and that is with the superdupont-resonator mod added to it too.
 
In my delta-sigma Schiit Gungnir days, I would find the treble presentation of the DAC to be a bit harsh when paired with the HD800. However, since upgrading to the more natural sounding Multibit version, I have found it to be an easier pairing with some amplifiers due to its less reliance on pushing air out to the listener.
 
The solid-state mode did not bring me any sort of glare or pain, but was still a bit treble-peaky at times depending on the source material. I did find the sound to be too dry for my taste, especially since I am used to the more coloured and warm Cavalli Liquid Carbon being paired with the headphones.
 
Tube mode brought about subtle changes that I preferred in this pairing. The sound became more laid back, and while not nearly as warm as I am used to – it was not as stark or alert in its attempt to dispense audio. Details, particularly in heavily layered rock and classic rock recordings, seemed to be brought out better in the mix and any distortion was barely noticeable after listening to music rather than deciphering the capabilities of the amp itself. I would actually classify this mode as being more detailed than the richer and more syrupy Liquid Carbon – but with reduced low end.
Tube+ mode was quite similar to the solid-state mode, too much on this headphone for my tastes. Thus, the winner of the three modes with the HD800 was tube mode.
 
ZMF Eikon (Padauk)
 
ZMF’s new flagship is a slight departure from their headphones in the past, opting for a more resolving and detailed sound while maintaining a punchy and fun sound signature with well extended and audible sub-bass. Since I’ve had this headphone, I’ve found myself drawn to the possibilities of tube amplifiers for their sound-shaping features.
 
While the tube mode of the Pro iCan is not quite a stark departure from the sound I can obtain on the Eikon using the Audio GD NFB-28 solid state amplifier – it provides a more laid sound to the very dynamic headphone. The tube mode rounds off some of the edges in airy instruments such as strings and horn sections, and provides slightly more soundstage to boot. I much prefer this combination with smooth jazz recordings and classic rock, but not so much with electronic genres due to slightly reduced sub-bass performance. Vocals, particularly female vocals, have slightly reduced airiness than the solid state mode but more body to the lower tones.
 
Tube+ mode, in this instance, can be used to offer a slightly wetter sound while maintaining the bass impact needed to enjoy genres more reliant on it. However, because it would seem that I indeed prefer the pairing of the Eikon with tubes (no matter how subtle the effects may be) I would say that the tube mode is my preference with the ZMF Eikon.
 
Focal Elear
 
To my ears, the Elear was not designed to be used for laid back and easy listening. My go-to can for metal music, the dynamic and aggressive nature of the Elear makes it stand apart from the other headphones I am using today. However, due to these characteristics, I would not choose to try and modify the Elear’s sound to be anything other than what it is normally. Tube mode with the Elear does not do this much, but it is still at a level where I feel that it would be better served with the cleaner amping experience of the solid-state mode.
 
ZMF Atticus (Cherry)
 
ZMF’s new Atticus headphone is a mid-bassy experience with a lush and smooth midrange. It is quite picky with amp pairings, absolutely refusing to play nice with my Cavalli Liquid Carbon for instance, as a warm amplifier causes it to become overly muddy in presentation – with the mid-bass becoming overpowering and causing bleed that detracts from any details and accuracy.
 
None of the modes of the Pro iCan are a bad pairing with the Atticus, but I opt for the cleanest experience in this regard. The airiness of the solid-state mode, coupled with the lower distortion than the tube modes (once again, no matter how subtle they may be) make it the best pairing with the Atticus. However, I must admit that the amp of the Audio-GD NFB-28 (solid-state) controls the bass of the Atticus far better, bending it to its will. Comparisons, once again, made with the Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC being fed into both amps.
 
XBASS & 3D Holographic Sound
 
While also being present on the Micro-iCan SE that I reviewed previously, both these modes have been upgraded substantially for the Pro-iCan’s usage. In my honest opinion, these two settings are the main selling point of this amp – and its true character, geared towards those wanting customization in their sound.
 
XBASS is a hardware bass boost that pairs very well with the Sennheiser HD800, something that I noticed while reviewing the Micro-iCan a few months ago. On the Pro iCan, however, it is a far more customizable experience with more texture and reach. Offering 10 Hz, 20 Hz and 40 Hz settings, it ranges from giving a slight kick to the low-end of your listening experience to making it a basshead’s dream. As it is a hardware boost, any trade-off to its usage is heavily reliant on the headphones being used and their ability to separate the frequencies well.
 
XBASS on the HD800 alerted me to just how well the sub-bass on the Sennheiser extended, just not very audibly due to the low volume of its low end. A HD800 with XBASS turned on full transforms the headphones into a punchy and bassy experience while retaining its crispness in the mids and highs – and most importantly the fantastic soundstage and imaging. It is a result that would make purists balk, however, as you are essentially making the headphone “lie” to you in a manner that goes far beyond mere tube colouration. Despite that, it is my favourite pairing of this amplifier – just an expensive one.
 
3D Holographic Sound is meant to add more panning distance and area into the soundstage of headphones. Using what I assume to be crosstalk, it widens the soundstage to varying effects depending on the headphones. I found the same function on the Micro-iCan to be a bit eerie, ethereal and whispery in nature – removing any impact or depth from the sound. On the Pro-iCan, however, the experience has been made more robust so that this is avoided.
 
Looking to try it, on full setting, with the HD800? Don’t bother, it does not benefit much at all. Closed headphones, like the ZMF Eikon and Atticus, do experience some widening of soundstage – and it is definitely interesting but something that is heavily dependent on the listener’s preferences.
Some combination of the two settings could fine-tune the Pro-iCan into sounding how you want, making the amplifier a consideration for those who are into such levels of customization.
 
Conclusion
 
Observant readers might notice that I did not touch very much on how the Pro-iCan simply “drives” headphones in this review. That is because it simply does so, driving most headphones is no problem for it with its ample wattage. Once again, I do not have a Hifiman HE-6 on hand to test how it does with that notoriously low-sensitivity headphone, but it handled my three 300 ohm and one 80 ohm headphones with ease. Through the 3.5mm output, it drove the 320 ohm VE Zen 2.0 easily too. I never had to make use of the gain switches.
 
I also have to praise the small form factor of the Pro-iCan, which is especially small compared to my gigantic Audio-GD NFB-28. It is quite transportable, and if it had a DAC component then it would have been all you need for a transportable setup.
 
However, ultimately, I find that the Pro iCan (when used in its pure solid-state, tube and tube+ modes) lacks a distinctive flavour that sets it apart from other amps that I have tried. While the XBASS and 3D Holographic Sound settings exist to customize your experience, I feel that IFI played it a bit too safe with the difference between the three modes – with tube+ mode feeling redundant with some headphones and it was too indistinct from solid-state mode.
 
That being said, there is nothing wrong with this amplifier.  Anyone seeking a cleanly amped experience that comes with the bells and whistles of customizable hardware bass boosts and crosstalk settings will find it here – if they are willing to spend the aforementioned $1700 for it.
 
I would imagine that even the subtle differences would suffice for some, but I would personally want a tube amplifier for this price in which it was possible to roll several different tubes for customization in a different way – so the switching mode isn’t a selling point for me.
 
So, in summation, the Pro-iCan is a solid product that will drive any of your headphones and give you the ability to customize your experience with features that are, frankly, not present on most amplifiers.
 
 
 

Trogdor

Reviewer: Metal-Fi
Pros: Reference clean sound, unbelievable I/O flexibility, unique and rewarding 3D holographic system, luscious tube mode
Cons: XBass knob should be used with extreme caution, no tube rolling fun

Introduction


As I sure many of you are already acutely aware of, we're big fans of iFi Audio. You see unlike a lot of vendors who treat their circuit designs as if they were highly classified secrets, iFi is very open and honest about all of their products. In fact, iFi is one of the few companies I know of that even freely shares high-resolution pictures of every circuit board they fabricate. Couple that with the fact that these Brits are very community focused, vetting feature and collecting feedback constantly, makes iFi, at least to our ears, one of the defacto leaders in the low- to mid-tier marketplace.

So when iFi announced their "Pro" line, aimed squarely at the high-end market, I was stoked. I already use their now well respected micro iDSD ($499) on a daily basis, which I still maintain is one of, if not the best sounding headphone amp/DAC combos you can buy at its price point. But despite my affinity for the micro iDSD, I'm quite aware of its limitations too.

First off, the micro iDSD is without question a "jack of all trades" type of device than a truly dedicated component, and as such, comes with all the benefits and limitations that entails - no balanced outputs, only one input, solid-state only, etc. Secondly, I've always felt the micro iDSD is more DAC than amp, with the overwhelming majority of its feature set focused on accommodating headphones with a vast array of juicing requirements than outright performance. Finally, and most importantly, iFi can only squeeze so much performance out of a device that isn't exactly desktop sized and designed for portable use. Put simply, there is room for improvement (literally).

But going "Pro" also means having a pro price tag as well, with iFi's first offering in this line, the Pro iCAN headphone amplifier, clocking in at a hair under $1700. Not outrageous in the high-end headphone amplifier market by any means, but certainly a price tag that puts it squarely in the prosumer market nevertheless. So with all of that in mind, is the new Pro iCAN all go or just for show? Read on and find out.

Living A Truly Balanced Life


I think given all the features the Pro has, the most important one bar none is that it is a fully balanced design. What that means in a nutshell is that from end-to-end this amplifier has two discrete channels, one for the left and the other for the right that the signal propagates through. Why is this so important? Because many manufactures claim that they have a balanced design when in reality it is "balanced" in name only, with just the output stage splitting the single-ended signal into two outputs. And thus won't reap the full rewards of a truly balanced design, which includes higher dynamic range and lower overall THD and cross talk.



The Pro is what iFi likes to dub as "True Differential Balanced" which is a very fancy way of saying that both the left and right channels go through discrete circuit sections. That also means double the parts since each chain has to go through their own input and output stages during amplification while keeping both channels matched. To that end, iFi has designed their own special potentiometer that is built custom by ALPS Japan exclusively for the Pro. It features 6-tracks with two sets of two tracks each to control the left and right channels respectively, and the last two tracks used to monitor volume operation. In English, when you turn the volume knob on the Pro, you are changing the volume of both channels simultaneously while keeping each channel in sync so one side doesn't sound louder or softer than the other. Again, a mark of a truly balanced design. It's also motorized too so you can use it with the included IR based remote as well. Slick.

The Eye of Sauron




If you wanted to live the valve life and still stick with iFi, then your only option was the micro iTube. However, with the Pro, iFi gives you a choice, with the ability to in real-time switch back and forth between the valve and solid-state input stages. Historically, hybrid amplifier designs would usually tack on a tube output stage on top of a solid-state one as an added effect. With the Pro, both the solid-state and tube-side are completely separated from each other and once switched over, the signal path continues to maintain the shortest route to the output stage through each. Nice.

The tube of choice as you can see is the venerable and well regarded General Electric NOS 5670, and the Pro ships with two of them (again, balanced). This is a premium version of the 6922 with a slightly different pin-out. With the Pro, you actually get two different tube playback modes, Tube and Tube+. The difference between the two is that in Tube+ mode the signal has less overall loop-gain because the J-FET circuitry is switched out for all-valve operation and thus sounds more "tubey" compared its non-plus counterpart, which tries to balance preserving the 5670's natural harmonics with transient response.

On the solid-state side of things, the Pro offers a fully discrete MOSFET-buffered bipolar Class A output stage. The circuit is also purely DC coupled with no coupling capacitors insight. For very sensitive IEMs and low impedance headphones, the Pro operates in Class AB mode.

Yes iCAN!




Speaking of power, the Pro's output is insane. You have three gain stages, 0db, 9db, and 18db respectively. In 20V balanced-mode, it can output the equivalent of 100W into 4 ohm speakers! In fact, the Pro is so powerful that iFi had to put protection circuitry in it. Don't worry though, the added circuit is not in the audio path but rather implemented in the power supply. Basically, this circuitry allows short term, unrestricted peaks but will progressively limit the available current when the amp reaches a certain operating temperature or starts to clip. If the amp does find itself in this mode, it will continually step back the flow of electrons until it completely shuts off to avoid damage. With all that said, be very careful with this amplifier if you are using multiple headphones with vastly different amperage requirements, since very bad things can happen if you use the wrong gain stage or turn the dial too high, especially if you are in balanced mode.



Again, sticking with the theme of choice, the Pro offers an insane level of I/O flexibility. You have have several balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs to choose from. The large left knob can select from three singled inputs and one balanced one on the back. You even have one 3.5mm TRRS jack if you happen to own an IEM and want to run them in balanced mode. The two 6.3mm jacks can also run in balanced mode too, which is why you see an "L" and "R" above them. The manual states for single-ended headphones you should use the "R" jack which is what I used when I wasn't in balanced mode.

Finishing Touches


In addition to supporting highly sensitive IEMs, the Pro also inherits iFi's XBass Bass Correction System and 3D Holographic technologies too. Both are implemented as purely analogy circuitry, with XBass boosting bass 12db at 10Hz, 20Hz, and 40Hz respectively. This is a great feature if you have very bass light cans or are a self-proclaimed bass head. Otherwise I'm going to be the first one to say to you to should never ever have to touch that dial. Never.

On the other hand, the 3D Holographic system they've implemented in the Pro is fantastic and can single-handily make hypercompressed music sound a lot more alive. Take note, this isn't your typical Bauer crossfeed circuit which I find unbelievably annoying. Rather, iFi has developed their own proprietary matrix that can translate a spacious stereophonic recording with good imaging when replayed on speakers into its equivalent when listening to headphones. I'll have more to say about this knob below.

The general fit and finish of the Pro just screams "pro" too, from the golden ratio variable thickness chassis to its nylon based quad damped isolation base mount. I also appreciate its overall size too, which can easily fit on any desktop. When its co-conspirator is released in the next couple of months, the Pro iDSD, iFi plans to make a rack that will accommodate both. Sweetness.

The Miracle Knob




I thought the best comparison would be to actually compare the micro iDSD with the Pro. That way both chains are using the same DAC and I can simply plug headphones in and out under the same approximate volume level to get a sense of what another $1100 buys you. I used a pair of Focal Utopia ($3999) and Audeze LCD-4 ($3999) for the overwhelming majority of this review.



LORN's Arrayed Claws is just a phenomenal record and definitively an early contender for AOTY. What really sets this album apart from your prototypical black metal offering is this hypnotic, almost trance like quality to it. Couple all that with the fact that occasionally the album goes all Random Access Memories on you in a few spots, makes for a riveting yet unique listening experience to say the least.

Right out the gate, the main sonic difference between the iDSD and Pro is refinement - bass sounds deeper and more controlled, the midrange blossoms with all of Claws' distortion and reverb on full display, and the treble is crip and clean. In fact, I've read a few impressions where the reviewer found the Pro somewhat clinical and I do hear that given the Pro's level of cleanliness. But I'd argue that at least in solid-state mode, neutral would be a better description as I found the amp just let the Utopia do its thing. I can't say the same thing with the iDSD, which compresses the Utopias' already middle-of-the-road soundstage.

However, if the stock solid-state sound just isn't doing it for you, no problem. Flip the Pro into Tube+ mode, wait for the light to turn orange, and bathe in all that tube glory. I found Tube mode isn't really much to speak of, since the differences between it and solid-state is in the noise. But in Tube+, the Pro just sounds so luxurious, with a nice sheen of second harmonic goodness felt throughout that really livens things up considerably. In fact after deciding that the iDSD's amp stage was really no match for the Pro, I did most of my listening in Tube+ since I think it sounds a lot more musical with majority of my favorite metal recordings.

One thing that I also took me by surprise was just how much more spacious everything sounded. Which brings me to that 3D holographic knob on the right. As I stated above, iFi's 3D system is not just a simple crossfeed circuit, but their own proprietary design. And after playing with it for several weeks it is now what I like to call the "miracle knob." Turning the "miracle knob" to the 90 degree mark, which simulates a wide loudspeaker placement, felt like it added back a few points of dynamic range to Claws instantly (and this isn't even that compressed by DR standards). In fact, I was so impressed on how it transformed the sound, I thought to myself, "What could it do for Ulcerate?"



So if you're regular around these parts, then you already know how I feel about Ulcerate's latest, Shrines of Paralysis. This is an incredible record and easily could have made my year end list if it wasn't for its abysmal DR3 mastering job. I threw the 3D knob back to the zero mark and gave Paralysis another shot figuring the Pro could liven it up a bit. Yeah, still awful. But with that knob flipped to the 90 degree mark, not bad at all. The record suddenly felt like it had more sonic depth and sounded generally less crushed overall. In fact, for the first time ever, I was able to listen to Paralysis all the way through without suffering any ear fatigue. It's a miracle! If there is one aspect of the Pro you just have to try it is this one - flip that knob over to the 90 degree mark and prepared to be amazed!



Is it me or has Canada become the place for high-quality technical death metal these days? Must be something in the maple syrup. Anyway, Gomorrah's The Hauspex was one of the unsung tech death metal heroes of 2016 and still manages to climb its way back into my rotation every so often. For this outing with the Pro, I went with the LCD-4 and listened to Hauspex in both balanced and unbalanced mode to compare the two. Unlike the Utopia, the LCD-4 requires a lot of juice given its 200 ohm impedance. Full disclosure: I don't think balanced mode makes that much of a difference with the overwhelming majority of headphones. With that said, I thought balanced mode did improve the LCD-4 slightly, mainly in the bass department. Bass was just outright thunderous on tracks like "Sitra Achra" and "Cerulean" in balanced mode to the point that I thought I had the XBass knob turned up. I didn't. The LCD-4's bass is just incredible when driven to the fullest. And that's what balanced mode gives you. Unfortunately, my custom Utopia balanced cable was not ready in time for this review so I can't comment if there are any improvements in running the Utopia in balanced mode or not. My guess is like the LCD-4, bass extension would improve substantially since as Tyll over at Inner Fidelity reported, there is a big jump to 300 ohms at 50Hz from its nominal 85 ohm impedance. In other words, even though the Utopias are very easy to drive, they do require a lot of on-demand juice to extract every drop of performance out of them and the Pro is more than up to the task.​


Final Thoughts




Is the Pro a reference level component? No question. I think $1700 is actually quite a fair asking price given its sheer sonic performance and flexibility. And it certainly sounds better than all of its cheaper siblings by a wide margin. Moreover, iFi's proprietary 3D holographic system is just a godsend for the audiophile headbanger at large. I must have listened to hundreds of metal records over the course of this review, most of which were all hypercompressed, but with a simple turn of the knob, all of these recordings sounded significantly more open and dynamic. That in itself might be worth the price of admission alone.

If I had to nitpick though, I think some of its features could have been removed to save cost. For example, having a 3.5mm output is more or less superfluous on a system like this. If you bought the Pro for your expensive IEM or CIEM, you're audiophiling all wrong! And though I'm quite aware that bassheads will love cranking up that XBass knob, it is definitely not for me. Finally, even though I think serving the 5670 as the main course every night is fine and dandy, I still prefer a la cart. Especially since the 5670 won't last forever and eventually will need to be replaced.

Still, it's hard to argue with the Pro since it is such a joy to listen to and use. That's why I have no qualms giving it our highest honor even with its lofty price tag. The new Pro iCAN is definitely all go and no show (well, maybe a little show).

This review was originally featured on Metal-Fi.
loplop
loplop
Interesting to read a metal-head's take, thanks for posting @trogdor.

I use the XBass on occasion, usually the 10hz setting, to fill in recordings that are light in the bass. On some classical, for instance, the bass is quite light and without reinforcing you miss some of the hall ambiance. My LCD3 can be bass shy themselves at times, so 10hz is often on for them. LCDX not as often. I have also used it on 20 or even 40 with bass-light headphones, usually fairly cheap ones like B&W p5s2 or thinksound ON2. It's a very well done implementation, IMO!

@jeffhawke I am waiting for the iDSD Pro, also, and currently using an iDAC2 > iCAN Pro. Before I got the iDAC2 I used my iDSD BL. It's a great pair with the iCAN Pro, definitely up to the task. Really, really enjoyable listen.
jeffhawke
jeffhawke
Thanks @loplop. Any noticeable differences in terms of SQ between using the iDSD BL and the iDAC2?
iFi audio
iFi audio
Thank you for your putting your time into our pro iCAN. We are glad you enjoyed it.

Army-Firedawg

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: Both SS & Tube amp., beautifully well built, plethora of input/output options, truly superb sound, plays and powers ANYTHING
Cons: I hate it when I can't find any, but I honestly couldn't think of any negatives present with this product
   20170108_122353_HDR.jpg
 
 
 
  I was introduced to the iFi brand  during the Carolina CanFest 5 head-fi meet back around March of 2016 and was seriously impressed with how powerful and clean their products performed. It didn’t matter if I used my personal hyper sensitive ciems (Empire Ears Hermes VI), mildly power hungry Sennheiser HD650, high demanding headphones such as the Hifiman HE1000v1 or any of the Audeze line. iFi met every challenge with a smile and delivered one just as big to the listener. The product I’m most specifically referencing was their iFi Pro iCAN. The ability to cover the vast array of products and functionality blew me away then, so when I was finally able to review it almost a year later my fingers couldn’t begin to type my application fast enough.
    It goes without saying but I will make it a point to regardless; thank you iFi for allowing me to be a part of trying out your flagship product. My time spent with it was thorough and very well enjoyed. Now, with all that said and the pleasantries aside, allow to me explain my thoughts on what is the flagship of the iFi brand.

 
    I would like to say that first and foremost I am NOT an “audiophile” but rather an audio enthusiast. I listen to music to enjoy it. Do I prefer a lossless source? Yes, of course. But I can still be very happy streaming from Pandora or even my YouTube “My Mix” playlist. I also prefer equipment that sounds the best to me personally regardless of what frequency response it has or rather or not it's “sonically accurate” and I always have and shall continue to encourage others to do the same.
    I'm a 25 year old firefighter, for the City of Concord North Carolina as well as the U.S. Army North Carolina National Guard. The cliché of wanting to do this since I was born couldn't be more present with me. I've worked hard over the last several years to earn this position and now it's time for me to work even harder to keep it.
    My interests/hobbies are power lifting, fishing and relaxing to audio products and reviewing them to help other decide on what products would work for them. Few things make me as an audio enthusiast/review feel more accomplished than when someone tells me that I helped them find the type of sound they've always been looking for.
    Now, the sound signature I personally favor is a relaxing, warm and sensual sound that just drifts me away in the emotional experience of the music being performed. Yes, accuracy is still important but I will happily sacrifice some of that if I'm presented with a clean, warm sound that can wisp me away into an experience that makes me yearn for more.
    My ideal signature are that of respectably forward mids and upper bass range with the bass being controlled but with some slight decay. I like my treble to have nice extension and detail reveal with a smooth roll off up top as to not become harsh in the least. Examples of products that have given me chills and keep giving me the yearning for more feels are the (in no particular order) Bowers & Wilkins P7, Oppo PM-1/2, Empire Ears Hermes VI & Zeus XIV, Audeze LCD-XC, Meze Headphones 99 Classics.
-Headphone
    -Audio-Technica
        -ATH-W5000
        -ATH-W1000X
    -Sennheiser HD650
    -Empire Ears Hermes VI
    -Meze 99 Classics
 
-D.A.C.
    -Schiit Bifrost 4490
-Source
    -LG V20
    -HP 15634 Laptop
    -Sony Playstation 4
-Misc. Equipment
    -Source cleaner
        -iFi Nano iUSB3.0
    -Video Game
        -Destiny
        -Final Fantasy XV
 
    I am by no means sponsored by this company or any of its affiliates. They were kind enough to send me a product for an arranged amount of time in exchange for my honest opinion. I am making no monetary compensation for this review.
    The following is my take on the product being reviewed. It is to be taken “with a grain of salt” per say and as I always tell people, it is YOUR opinion that matters. So regardless of my take or view on said product, I highly recommend you listen to it yourself and gauge your own opinion.

 
The Opening Experience
 Please allow me to explain why I feel so strongly about the initial unboxing experience with a product. Maybe it’s due to my southern roots in the hills of eastern Kentucky, but I’ve always been raised under the pretense of when you introduce yourself to someone for the first time you present yourself with confidence, class, character, pride, and competence. You greet the other person with a true warm smile, eye contact and a firm handshake. Anything less or short implies to other person that you either don’t care about them, are too full of yourself, too busy to be bothered by the likes of them, or worse, just generally disrespectful.
    As a consumer, I take this same belief to when I open a new product. Why? Because think about it this way. How else can a company introduce themselves to their customers? How do they present their products? Are they packaged with pride and presented in such a way that makes the listener eager to listen to them? Or maybe they’re just wrapped up and placed in an available space. How about the box itself? Is it bogged down with jargon that says look at this, look what I can do. I’m better than anything on the market and here’s why read this and check out that. Or, is the package clean, simplistic and classy? As if saying to the customer ‘Good day, pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Please give me a listen and allow me to show you what I can do and allow my actions to speak louder than my words.’
    This is why I feel so strongly about the initial presentation of a product, and I feel it’s truly a shame more people don’t. But with all that aside, let’s discuss how this products introduced itself shall we?
 
20170108_142105_HDR.jpg   20170108_142138_HDR.jpg
20170108_142824_HDR.jpg   20170108_142802_HDR.jpg
 
20170108_142723_HDR.jpg
 
 
 
    Like the previous iFi iUSB3.0 the Pro iCAN is packaged in a wonderfully simplistic and straightforward way. The front has only a picture of the product, the brand name, and what the product is. The back has a few show points about the product but doesn’t bog down the entire thing (my personal preference is for it to be in the intro guide because people who are shopping for products in this price point have likely done a fair bit of research into what the product can do).     
The product itself is inside the box that is inside the wrapping (where all the pictures and words are, the only thing written on the box box is iFi. Upon opening the box you’re immediately greeted with the iFi Pro iCAN right up front and centered, though it’s a little bit smaller than what the size of the box made me think to believe. Under the main showpiece you’ve a the traditional instructions and warranty information as well as the power cable and iFi branded dual coaxial cable.
Quite a short section but really there wasn’t much to the unboxing of the iFi, it was rather straightforward. I don’t feel like I was shafted a great experience nor was I given a breathtaking memorable experience either. I do believe it was a good one however and the pride of the iFi brand still made itself known; and with that I am happy with how the unboxing is.

 
Construction
20170108_122850_HDR.jpg   20170108_122733_HDR.jpg
20170108_123004_HDR.jpg   20170108_123035_HDR.jpg
20170108_123130_HDR.jpg   20170108_122910_HDR.jpg
 
 
    The total build quality to the iFi Pro iCAN it freaking top notch in every single aspect I can even start to critique it on. This beautiful piece (both metaphorically and literally) is completely aluminum build and competently put together at that. I personally really enjoy the functional aspect to the artistic design of the wavy pattern to the  top plate. In addition to looking really nice it also disperses heat more effectively than a flat panel, and I like that nudge to look and functionality so very well done iFi. While I’m talking about the top plate it also has a single glass bulb that allows you to somewhat look through and view the 2 General Electric 5670 tubes. Oh yeah, in case you already didn’t know, the iFi Pro iCAN is a hybrid solid state (which may also be listed as SS as well from this point forward) & tube amplifier, but I digress. Circling the bulb is a circular vent pattern that allows the pretty high heat this can make to vent easier. The sides, just to knock these out right quick, follow the wavy/circular pattern with its vent ports to further allow the iCAN to breath. The bottom of this device has a nice rubber padding that now only helps prevent scratches but also reduces noise from whatever it may be resting on, another functionally applicable piece iFi added.
    The back of this monster has an absolute smorgasbord of input and output options for the user. From left to right (from looking at the back of the iCAN) you’ve a balanced L&R input and not 1 or even 2 but 3 unbalanced coaxial inputs. This is an awesome feature for I can use this one endgame amp. for so many of my setups (PS4, DAC, etc…) without having to unplug anything. Continuing onwards, you’ve a L&R balanced output as well as an unbalanced coaxial output; oh, wait, in addition to being a hybrid solid state and tube amp. this beast is also a preamp; I did mention the endgame potential of this right? And finally you’ve the power, DC loop-out and DSL Link ports (I was unable to try either of the later two).
    Now onto the business end of the Pro iCAN, the front. And my goodness, you thought the back had option. From left to right (again facing the device), you’ve the power button,  input selection knob which allows you to choose which of the 4 input option you want to use instantaneously, a bass booster knob (which I will discuss in the features section), SS/Tube/Tube + selector switch (also to be discussed in the features section), your first 6.5mm(¼”)/3 pin XLR input port, unbalanced 3.5mm (⅛”) port, the 4 pin XLR port, your second 6.5mm(¼”)/3 pin XLR port, and finally your balanced 3.5mm (⅛”) port. My goodness that’s 5 individual ports that allows for up to 5 different headphones to be played and the exact same time, and with 14amps of power the Pro iCAN can most certainly handle it. But continuing on because we’re not quite finished yet. You’ve the 3D holographic headphone selector knob (to be discussed further in the features section), the gain switch (to choose between a 0, 9, or 18db gain), the silky smooth volume knob, and finally, bringing in the very rear is something I’ve personally never even thought about to have on a headphone amp., and that’s a IR (infrared)  sensor for the supplied remote control.
    I didn’t mention while listing the grand menu this product offers its users but all the knobs and switches are made of premium aluminum while the ports are made of a premium plastic that looks and feels super durable. I really don’t have a single thing to complain about in the construction of the Pro iCAN. I really tried thinking of one but iFi really did a splendid job in how they crafted this device. Everything they did had a function to it and everything was built super well. I feel that all I can do is babble about how good this thing looks and is built so I’ll just end this section here.
 
Features
 
    The Pro iCAN is practically bursting at the seams with all the things it can do. Starting with, in my opinion, the coolest feature, and that’s the 3D dual holographic processor for headphones and speakers. This knob, located directly left of the volume knob, has 4 selections to choose from; off, 30 degrees (+ for speakers [which essentially just activated the processor]), 60 degrees (30 for speakers), and 90 degrees (60 for speakers). I REALLY loved this, for everything from music to media and even gaming (dear goodness what it does for gaming). The aspect of imaging and spacial awareness is often used to place the listener inside the performance and make you really feel apart of whatever you’re listening to, but with the iFi 3D dual holographic you might as well be in the game you’re playing, performance you’re listening to, or movie you’re watching. I personally prefer the 90 degree setting when I’m playing games or watching movies because, to me, it adds the most sense of realism and a many of times has made me take my headphones off to see if Christina (my wife) is talking to me across the room it’s that spot on. When I’m listening to music I prefer either the 90 degree or 60 degree if I want a more intimate experience with my performance. I will say that going from this back to my Schiit Lyr 2 was immediately noticeable on just this aspect alone (for now anyways). So be warned those who wish to try the Pro iCAN, once you’ve experienced the clarity of surround sound from headphones, it’s never the same going back.
A feature that I believe a lot of people will really enjoy, that I even used a few times myself, is the Xbass (bass booster) setting. This allows the user to add 10, 20, or 40hz to the bass (more specifically the mid bass) to give it a harder punch to whatever you’re listening to and through. I say I myself earlier because I’m not a big bass nut and have purchased headphones that have the response that I enjoy the most. But, with that said, when I’m in a fun kind of mood and wanna get my club/dance/dub/EDM on I’ll certainly crank that up to 40hz and ravel in the extra hit given. Also, I like using these for action movies; they make for some really fun booms.
Finally, the last feature of the Pro iCAN that is worth showing extra spotlight is the SS/Tube/Tube + selector switch. Without discussing the overall sound of the iCAN (for it’ll of course be discussed in the Sound section) this allows the user to choose between the accuracy and quickness of a solid state amplifier or the relaxing and musical aspect of a tube amp.There’s also a feature that’s called the Tube amp + that
 
Specifications (copied straight from the iFi website)
  
Gain:
0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
Frequency Response:
0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD, Balanced/Single-Ended):
 
 
Bal.
SE
SS
≤0.0015%
≤0.005%
Tube:
≤0.002%
≤0.005%
Tube+:
≤0.012%
≤0.2%

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended):
>147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):
>14,000mW / >4,800mW
Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):
>23V / >11.5V
Input Voltage (Pro iCAN):
DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
Input Voltage (iPower Plus):
AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption:
≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
Dimensions:
213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
Weight:
1.93kg (4.3lbs)
Test conditions:
Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise
SNR Balanced re 23V, SNR SE re. 11.5V
 
 

 
Sound
 
                                                                                             20170108_122534_HDR.jpg
 
 
    My goodness, I’ve yet to come up with a single complaint to the iFi. How about the sound? They’ve put all their resources into its functionality and features that surely they’ve sacrificed the sound right? Nope, not in the very least. The Pro iCAN delivers audio swiftly, accurately, and transparently. It didn’t matter if I was powering the respectably hungry ATH-W5000 (like planars they’re lower impedance but they need some juice to really sound their full potential) or my hyper sensitive ciems. Everything was incredibly detailed and revealing with a pitch black background that, especially when paired with the 3D feature, does a job of putting you at the performance or inside the movie or video game that I’ve never experienced before.
    For the gamers out there, I’ve also an Astro MixAmp Pro 2011 edition that I use for gaming (my thoughts on that shall be reserved) and the positional abilities that are present within the Pro iCAN just destroy every single thing about the Astro. In fact if I had a viable method to use an external mix with this device I would have likely left it unplugged throughout my entire time with this unit. So just in terms of its gaming capabilities, consumers should really take note of this unit (if of course their wallet can handle it, this booger isn’t cheap). I’ll use this one example so that this paragraph doesn’t go too long, when playing Final Fantasy XV there was a mission where I had to find some frogs. Well these stupid things are pretty well hidden and took me long enough to where I had an idea to try out the iCAN to try and find them that way (was using the Astro before). And when I switched over it was like switching from 360i to 1080p difference. I was able to EASILY and accurately find where each frog was just by listening to their croaks (which I heard with the Astro but wasn’t able to identify where).
    Getting back on track with the musical abilities. As of this very second while writing this I’m listening to one of my favorite tracks of all time (that unfortunately is ONLY on YouTube because they’ve never [to my knowledge] released a track so I can only imagine how it COULD sound) Pirates of the Caribbean by the Rhapsody Philharmonic, and the separation present is just incredible. I can easily identify where exactly what instrument is playing where, in addition to that I can actually hear the reverberation of certain instrument strings (in this case the double bass and occasionally a violin) when they’re closer to the recording microphones. This type of detail retrieval was consistent throughout my time with the Pro iCAN and made me close my eyes in enjoyment each and every time.
    To finish, this may be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it but the Pro iCAN didn’t really favor any headphone sound signature. It remained unbiased and played anything the same as everything else. For example, my Sennheiser HD650 pairs very well with my Schiit Lyr 2 (with NOS tubes I purchased) but not as sublimely with the Audio-Technicas. They don’t sound bad by any means but it just doesn’t mate as well as with headphones that are more relaxed and laid back (such as the HD650, 99 Classics, P7’s etc…).
 
Conclusion
 
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    To sum up my thoughts on the iFi Pro iCAN, is that this is truly an outstanding unit in every single aspect I could think to test it out on. It had enough power to easily and effortlessly power anything I had at my disposal to try with it all while being finess enough to silently power my hyper sensitive ciems. The build quality is not just artistic but functional and extremely durable. The iCAN is finally a device that ends my thoughts of wanting to have both a tube amp. for personal enjoyment and relaxation as well as a solid state for accurate interpretation of the equipment I’m to be reviewing. The sound, to me, was ghostly transparent while giving me full confidence that it was revealing all the detail the DAC was giving to it. I greatly enjoyed my very quick two weeks with it and absolutely recommend this amp for honestly anyone who’s in the market for an endgame amp. I’m also confident enough to say it’ll satisfy basically any needs you’d think of. Very, very well done iFi; you’ve yet again created a product that others should certainly make note of and respect.



 
Also, make sure to check out my unboxing and review videos. They’re pretty awesome AND you getta put a face to the Army-Firedawg name. If this review helped you out at all please hit that thumbs up button for it really helps me out a lot. Till next time my friends, stay safe.
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ModMax

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Build Quality, Aesthetics, Sound Quality, Versatility, Fully Balanced, Black Background
Cons: Tends to slide easily on desktop (minor quibble)
INTRODUCTION

Disclaimer:  As part of the Pro iCAN USA Tour group, iFi provided me a demo unit for a brief time in exchange for my opinion.  My thanks to iFi Audio for this unique opportunity.
 
BUILD & SPECS

One word for the build:  Impeccable. 
 
Like all of the other iFi Audio products I've come across, the Pro iCAN is built with longevity in mind.  It is definitely heavier than it looks.  Upon first glance at its front and back panels, it may also come across as overwhelmingly complicated.  However, after a quick review of the user manual, all of the connectors, knobs, and switches begin to make sense and operation is fairly simple and straightforward.  It also helps that I previously owned the iFi Micro iDSD.
 
As far as the specs go, I am always amazed at how much tech iFi is able to thoughtfully fit within their products.  For detailed specs, I won't regurgitate that information here since it is readily, and more accurately available on iFi Audio's Pro iCAN web page.  Plus, the page is well designed and provides an excellent overview of the versatility of this all-in-one.
 
Note:  This section is where I planned to post pictures I took of the amp and accessories, however, my camera's memory card has been "misplaced".  Until I find it, the reader can enjoy the fantastic pictures taken by other reviewers of the Pro iCAN.  Honestly, some of these Head-Fi reviewers take damn nice photos!
 
SOUND

Headphones used for this review included Focal Elear, Mr Speakers Ether C v1.1, Focal Sphear, and Noble Savant Universal IEM Wizard Edition.  Throughout my time with the Pro iCAN, I mostly reached for the Focal Elear headphones.  Maybe it was the intimate soundstage of the Elear's, but something just seemed to "click" between this pairing.  I was also able to more easily discern the sound quality differences between the various modes of the Pro iCAN using the Elear's. 
 
Before going on, I do want to mention that I am highly impressed with the black background conveyed by this amp while auditioning with my Focal Sphear and Noble Savant IEMs.
 
3D/XBASS
I only used the 3D/XBass features when watching movies with the Pro iCAN.  For music, I kept these features OFF as my preference.  Your mileage may vary, especially dependent on your source material and equipment chain which may benefit from these enhancements.  I can say they are very beneficial when watching movies making the experience much more engaging.
 
BALANCED VS SINGLE-ENDED
Go balanced if you can.  Bass had more punch, Mids were richer, and Treble had more sparkle.  Single-ended is no slouch here, but the balanced output just seemed to make my music more enjoyable.  I tended to get "lost" more often when listening via balanced vs single-ended.
 
SS/TUBE/TUBE+
To me, the audible differences between the SS and TUBE modes were notable.  However, I could not hear any notable difference between TUBE and TUBE+.  I don't know, maybe my gear (or ear) limitations are to blame.  The SS mode was the fastest of the three, as to be expected.  Its tonality reminded me of my iFi Micro iDSD, though I felt the Pro iCAN had an edge in detail and dynamics.  If you like the sound of the iFi Micro iDSD, then you will love the sound of the Pro iCAN's SS mode.  Switching from SS to TUBE/TUBE+ modes, the overall soundstage and dynamics remained the same, however, the low-end and mid-range became fuller, rounder and richer in tonality with a longer decay.  The treble, to me, remained largely unchanged.  This was a very pleasant experience with the Focal Elear headphones, especially on tracks (and on days) when the Elear's hit a little too hard and fast.  Overall, the sound quality of this amp is superb and allowed me to more easily immerse myself in the music.
 
FINAL WORDS

Another great product from iFi Audio that I'm sure will be a hit, especially with current or previous iFi owner's looking for an upgrade.  Given its versatility and ample power, some may consider this amp overkill for their needs.  I consider the Pro iCAN a solid choice to future-proof one's audio needs, especially given the quality and robustness of the build.  I very much enjoyed my time with the Pro iCAN and I am sure those lucky enough to own one will too.
abvolt
abvolt
Excellent I've been looking at getting this amp, Thanks..
TigzStudio
TigzStudio
1699.00 is the retail
BarDash
BarDash
Thanks for the review, I've had this amp for over a month now and really love it! Although it does slide around a little on the desktop, Lol.

grizzlybeast

My name is grizzlybeast and I'm an audioholic.
Pros: Tons of power, very clean and deep. Black background, analog sound with good body.
Cons: May not be best for very dark headphones.

 ​

 ​
Sih5ZzJ.png

iFi audio Pro iCan Review


 
 
Intro
 I am part of a loaner tour that iCan has put together and am thankful to finally get to hear it. 
This is a very good piece of gear. I am impressed. 
 
 
DSC_0812-.jpg
 
 
Set up:
Imac>Focusrite Rednet3 via AES>Metrum Pavane balanced>iFi iCan Pro

 

Specs

  1. 0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
  2. Frequency Response:    0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
  3. Total Harmonic Distortion (THD, Balanced/Single-Ended):    
  4.               Balanced          SE
*Solid-State:     ≤0.0015%      ≤0.005%
Tube:                ≤0.002%        ≤0.005%
Tube+:              ≤0.012%        ≤0.2%
  1. Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended):    >147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
  2. Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):    >14,000mW / >4,800mW
  3. Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):    >23V / >11.5V
  4. Input Voltage (Pro iCAN):    DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
  5. Input Voltage (iPower Plus):    AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
  6. Power Consumption:    ≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
  7. Dimensions:    213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
  8. Weight:    1.93kg (4.3lbs)
  9. Test conditions:
  10. Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise
  11. SNR Balanced re 23V, SNR SE re. 11.5V    

Build

DSC_0050.jpgDSC_0239.jpg
 
This little beast is quite small but is thoroughly and  thoughtfully designed with tons of little details. Something this expensive shouldn’t be showing bolts all over the place if its going for a modern look and the iCan is a clean and smooth piece of equipment that a beauty to behold.
 
 
The dial is smooth with with it’s resistance to ease of turn ratios nicely balanced.  No matter the gain settings I faced no issues trying to dial in my ideal volume. I must confess an epic fail. I did not try the remote. I had opened the Pro iCan and left the remote inside of the box thinking I would try it later and totally forgot it. 
 
 
DSC_0144_Fotor.jpg
Quad-Damped Isolation Base Mount
Underneath the amplifier is a rubber or silicone pad that is used instead of traditional feet. What a welcomed change of practice since I imagine it to not only provide isolation but also prevents scraping or rub marks on surfaces.  Ingenious really! I will mention that since the amp is small it will slide a little when trying to plug a headphone in. You have to use two hands. 
 
 
DSC_0143_.jpg
 
If someone were to want to compare DAC's at the twist of a knob you could easily do so. With the iCan you have three different single ended inputs as well as balanced inputs, balanced and single ended outputs and more. I don't think they can fit one more input or output on this amp. If they could have I am sure it would be there. It even has out put for an electrostatic amp to hook up to it. 
 
 

[size=20.007px]Functions[/size]​
 
 
 

Single ended

Still more than enough power to drive my HE-6 to normal listening levels and the tonal aspects of the amp work very well with it but the sound quality takes a hit. If you try to go too loud the protection circuitry will kick in. The hit in sound quality is evident with the 650 and my Pioneer HRM-7 as well. 

 

Balanced

Do trust the specs with this amplifier. It sounds cleaner, deeper, and more dynamic from the balanced jack.
 
 
 
 
DSC_0243.jpg
[size=17.03px]XBass [/size]
This amplifier has a lot of features and not all of them work when trying to drive the HE-6 at moderate levels. When attempting to bass boost the HE-6 while on the third level of gain the amplifier turned red and then shut off. 
 
Yes… I did attempt to bass boost the HE-6 while it was at a moderate listening level on high gain. I emailed the ifi rep and his response was as follows.  
 
“The iCAN Pro is best considered like a racing car. It does not have most fluffy consumer system safeties. So it will allow you to combine settings (e.g. high gain, high volume setting, high bass boost added to a high 3D setting) that will cause a crash. Except in the iCAN Pro the protection circuitry will shut it off at the edge of crashing to avoid damage to either the Amp or Headphone. So take the foot of the gas and it will start up again.”
 
Turning the HE-6 to medium gain and the bass boost to 40hz and the amp turned off after half way through a song. But turning the amp to high gain with the bass boost at an average listening level had no issues. The bass boost sounds really good. Nice and solid with a bit of bloom added like you would expect but distortion seems minimal. 
 
The tube function must be used responsibly with the HE-6 as well as the added level of harmonic distortion can make the amp clip a little earlier. Now I will let you know that I listen fairly loud for my first few songs usually and then later settle in for the rest of the session at a lower volume. I am the guy at the meets that turns it up from the previous person usually listening before me but then I turn the pot down for the rest of my listening. At my normal listening levels I can engage the tube function, 40hz bass boost, and high gain with no issues at all. 
 
Other headphones had no hiccups and proved to be one of the best bass boost implementations I have heard. Nope no digital signal processing here... this is how it should be done! 
 
 
 

Tubes

Since the amp itself doesn’t have the tonality to pierce through the 650 veil in solid state mode I didn’t enjoy it with the Senn. With the HE-6 it was a help in the needing to remedy the bright treble of the HiFiman but it makes the wonderful clarity of the 6 take a hit as is expected since tubes simply add 'useful' distortion. I became addicted to the super clear sound of the combination without tubes but and in this case though it dropped the level of transparency a bit with 'Tube+' , 'tube' mode made a slight difference but maintained most of the transparency while still providing a noticeably rounder treble. It doesn't change the overall nature of the amplifier but is a welcomed option. For the best results it is recommended to use the lowest gain setting. Unfortunately I can't use the lowest gain setting with my HD6XX to sound right, nor my HE-6 and my  modded Pioneer does not benefit from tubes except to help smooth out some of its graininess. 
 
 
DSC_0242.jpg
[size=17.03px]3D[/size]
It doesn't sound like the soundstage is actually wider when you listen for width but the center image seems pushed back and more speaker like. When engaged dynamics seem to take a hit as well as bass quantity (not quality). Vocals sound a little more hollow but overall still have a really good timbre with the exception of the upper midrange sounding a bit tingy or sharp. If you turn the knob all the way these negative aspects worsen.  Hi hats become a bit more tizzy and sibilants/ consonants  sound more stressed while the body of the voice takes a hit. The plus is that there is no extra reverb or lingering sound waves that make the music more cavernous. All of the technical aspects of clarity, resolution, detail and speed remain intact. So though it loses a bit of punchiness, overall fidelity is maintained. If you find the negative effects mentioned above to be bothersome you can select a lower setting. 
 
It did help make the 650 sound less congested and made it a little more competitive with my Trafomatic head 2. The He-6 got a bit too sharp for easy listening. With the HE-6 I used the 30/+(the first setting) with good results but overall found it unnecessary. I wish I would have had the Kennerton Vali on hand because that headphone would have actually benefitted from this option. 
 

 

Sound

DSC_000vff.jpg
Bass
 
The bass is solid with a balanced amount of presence. It has a very very slight bloom with good texture. Bass slam is satisfactory and macro dynamics are easy to perceive in the low band.  It has grip and control with good depth and detail. I personally won’t call it elevated or boosted but it does seem to have a very little bit more presence than those here present I have compared it to.  Bass quantity is very reminiscent of the Nuprime HPA-9. There is no extra mid-upper bass warmth but it is linear and uniform. Those seeking an amp that provide adequate slam will find the Pro sufficient especially with the bass boost engaged. It is acceptably tight but is more natural than clinical.  My initial impressions on the bass with the 650 in SE left somethings wanting. When used in balanced the bass is much better on my modded 6XX but still not as tight as I have heard it. 
 

Midrange

The midrange is simply analog. I really like the bass of the iCan pro because its detailed and present with good punch but the midrange is what seems to draw the most attention to itself. It has what sounds to my ears as a warmth from the lower midrange to midrange proper without ever sounding muddy. The upper midrange is not withdrawn per se but it doesn’t sound accentuated. Tones resonate with a realistic strength and purity that justify its asking price. While this may not lift the breathe of the vocals high enough to make them sound like they project as convincingly as my TH2 which provides better harmonics, it does capture realism of tone and fullness of body exceptionally well. Body this amp has to spare without ever sounding too slow or syrupy. Textures are not smoothed over and instruments are a little sweet in timbre. I would be lying if I said that the iFi Pro doesn’t have a bit of sweetness to it and a welcomed dose of flattery. It is not flat or sterile by any means and is very tactful at displaying its musicality because this complimentary midrange fullness is not with the addition of any extra decay or soft tubey attacks. The sound is musical but accurate and insightful. Pianos, xylophones, strings, guitars, cellos sound as real as ever.  In fact even if I don’t end up buying this amp I have a new standard now as to how much realism I should be expecting at this level. If I had to make a gripe about the midrange it would be that I would like a little more upper midrange presence and harmonics to balance out the lower to midrange section for better linearity but as is the midrange is charming. 
 

Treble

The textures in the treble are crisp and solid without ever sounding splashy and the resolution throughout the whole frequency range is excellent. The details are all there but I would venture to say that this amp is a little more serene in the treble. It is non fatiguing and relatively insightful at the same time. It takes on a more ‘down-to-earth’ than aerial ambience.   The tuning seems deliberate as to show the audio world that you do not need to artificially boost the treble for high quality sound. While I appreciate this, it may be a departure from the screeching, lit up tunings of more sparkly gear. You would think that the tube engaged would be dark and the amp would be bright but its not so.
 
Compared to the Airist heron this amp will sound similarly balanced in the treble but less airy and extended and a whole lot more grounded in foundation. I often find my memory recalling the Heron because it has the best tonality of just about any amp I have heard to date but its lack of depth, dynamics, and bass slam held it back. The pro is sharper, more resolute, better separated and has much better density of tone than most amps so though the treble is not accentuated it always sounds organic, and realistic without any of that digital hash. Actually, in overall balance, this amp reminds me most of the Nuprime HPA-9 but in a whole other league of technical ability and realism. 
 

Performance

The Pro is a very clean sounding amp with good transients and realistic decay. Its depths are utterly aphotic and sounds emerge from below with clarity, body, and individuality. Separation is excellent but could stand to be assisted by a wider soundstage. Layering (which is  a consequence of body, separation, and depth) is very good. Textures are there as well. The tuning can make certain recordings sound a little more weighed down and saturated but the precision and holography keeps things from sounding (sorry to repeat myself) cluttered and thick. While not super fast, the Pro has some zip to it as well. 
 

Comparisons 

I am tempted to make a reference to the Nuprime HPA-9. The pro is better by all accounts but the the Pro is pretty much like a Numprime HPA-9 on steroids. They both have much in common. Punchy bass, full mids, smooth treble, good body. Only the Nuprime is not as powerful, is slower, not as clean, nor as clear or as articulate but within its price tier holds its own. 
 
 
zCxzxv.jpg
 
Vs Trafomatic Head 2 w/ 75 HG Reflektors NOS 6922 tubes.
 
  1. Instruments sound more free flowing and eloquent on the Trafomatic Head 2.
  2. Instruments seem to rise and decay with more intensity on the TH2
  3. Details are close but resolution seems negligibly better on the iCan Pro
  4. The vocals sometimes sound a bit too weighed down on the pro in comparison; just a little too heavy in the lower to middle midrange and they place the vocalist closer to you than the TH2 does. 
  5. Tones have more density  and body on the iCan and that is saying a lot because in my home the TH2 usually has more body compared to other amps and is far from thin. It is here that the ifi amp gains back grounds in realism. 
  6. Soundstage is very easily wider on the TH2. This is regardless of headphone and even with the HE-6. Its not even close... even with the 3D engaged. When the 3D is engaged the pro can come closer but the center image sounds more hollow than the TH2 and more peaky in the upper midrange. 
  7. Soundstage depth seems tied but the fact that the Pro is deep and has a much blacker background makes it seem better layered. 
  8. Even with higher impedance headphones the Pro has a heavier bass but the TH2 makes those headphones sound more dynamic and natural.
  9. Treble presence goes to the TH2 as well as airiness. I have never appreciated the TH2 in this aspect and really thought it to be only average but it handily bests the Pro. 
  10. Clarity barely goes to the ifi amp and it took a few days to come to this conclusion. I feel the Pro makes instruments resonate more strongly and even though the TH2 is very clear its sounds aren’t nearly as clean as the Pro overall. The trafomatic is a tube amp and when the "tube+' option is engaged on the Pro the TH2 takes the win but in solid state mode the Pro is ever so modestly clearer.  
 
 
Vs Schiit Jotunheim
So why compare a 399 amp to a 1699 one? Because the Schiit Jotunheim disrupts  all expectations of price to performance. However, in almost literally every area the Jotunheim shows a weakness the Ican Pro shines. 
 
  1. Soundstage depth goes to the Pro without dispute.
  2. Microdynamics go to the Pro.
  3. Nuance goes to the Pro. 
  4. Refinement goes to the Pro.
  5. Blackness of background goes to the Pro over any amp I have heard bottom line. However that instant perception of clarity we listen for in the first few moments of plugging our headphones into an amp is actually more instantly apparent on the Jotunheim because of the treble presence and its clean nature.  After a few songs it becomes apparent that the Pro is more refined, cleaner, and clearer. The Jotunheim has very low distortion, even lower than much more expensive amps but not the iCan.
  6. The lower midrange sounds more rich and wholesome on the Pro while the upper midrange to lower treble is more pronounced on the Jotunheim for better vocal harmonics.
  7. The bass is cleaner and a little tighter on the Jotunheim regardless of headphone.  
  8. Stage width may even go to the Jotunheim as the Pro lacks a bit of width but its barely discernible when comparing and could sound that way because the Jotunheim has very little depth. If it were not for my bias towards black backgrounds and depth of soundstage the Jotunheim would be my pick for the 650. However, to those less biased I would actually say the Jotunheim is the better pairing because it lifts the veil better and controls the bass a tad better. 
  9. The Jotuheim cannot properly handle the 6. It can get it loud but its a splashy, trebly mess of uncomfortable listening. The Pro is much better at taking on such a beast.
  10. Bass slam is stronger on the Pro as well as macro dynamics but only by a hair. 
 
 
 
 
 
DSC_0190.jpg
Vs Cayin iHA6
 As far as balance goes the Cayin is very similar to the Jotunheim.
  1. Bass quantity goes to the Ican pro
  2. Bass control is mostly equal but slightly less boomy on the cayin. 
  3. The pro is a much cleaner sounding amp but is a lot darker in comparison. The iHA-6 has enough power to drive the 6 well but like the Jotunheim the treble is a bit too much and the pairing is not ideal for my tastes. 
  4. The iHA-6 sounds thinner than the Pro but is more airy and has better sparkle and overall would sound more linear apart from being more bright than I personally consider truly neutral. My idea of neutral treble lies somewhere in between the two. 
  5. Layering and depth is much better on the Pro and it sounds more holographic overall while the iHA-6 sounds more flat.
  6. I felt that when I compared the iHA-6 directly to the Airist Heron 5 that the iHA-6 when used balanced was more dynamic than the Heron but had a relatively small soundstage in comparison. Also that the Heron had better tonality but worse technicalities besides soundstage. The pro would sound stronger in the midrange than the Heron and less open but a lot better layered and realistic. 
  7. The Pro has a more realistic and full midrange than the iHA-6 and is more musical all while being a little better overall in performance. 
 ​

Pairings 

 
DSC_0232.jpg
Pro and the HD6XX (modded)
Ifi's flagship amp controls the 6XX bass decently when used balanced. The 650 suffers no harm from the midrange warmth of the Pro but the veil is not lifted. The holography and soundstage depth is easily perceivable with the 650 as is the low distortion. Bass boosts, 3d, are fun with the Senn but the tube option is a little less desirable since it increases the ‘veil’ effect of the 650. The Sennheiser doesn’t sound slow but becomes richly musical; just less open than with my tube amp and the Jotuhheim. 
 
 
 
DSC_0216.jpg
Pro and the HE-6 (modded)
This is a match made in heaven…well almost. The 6 largely benefits from how the iCan is tuned. Also, the 6 doesn’t suffer in the ways that it usually does when being under amped (treble sharpness, lack of dynamics, weak bass). The he-6 has been better served in the bass department by some speaker amps I have heard and I have heard the 6 slam harder but I still find the 6 to have body and decent dynamics through the ifi iCan Pro. The treble is still bright, after all its an HE-6, but the sharpness gives way to better articulation and a more controlled and enjoyable treble. On high gain the the HE-6 has more than enough power and I can’t go past 12 o’clock before cringing. The Pro does better with lower impedance headphones and the 6 is a testament to that as it sounds adequately fast, very clear, controlled, and holographic.  Were I to choose a desktop headphone amplifier for the sole purpose of driving the 6 I would most likely pick the Pro over the vast majority of dedicated solid state headphone amps. Compared to my Trafomatic the Pro still sells the 6 a little short on soundstage width but I find my modded HE-6 to have more than enough soundstage on the Pro. The low distortion of the 6 as well as the clean black background of the iCan Pro make an excellent way of hearing music as clean and as clear as the high standards of most audiophiles can demand. This pairing will be rewarded by a clean and balanced DAC.
 
 
 
 
DSC_0226.jpg
 
Pro and my modded Pioneer HRM-7
It may not hurt to mention that my Pioneer HRM-7 has gone through several modifications, has been tested with many different amps, and has been in my stable for quite some time. When I got my Pavane DAC it was all I had and I easily noticed the difference of the Metrum in my system.  It has been the reason for me not missing much when I sell a headphone because it can suffice(for short a short time). Well with the  Pro the bass can be tight and punchy and the lower impedance of my HRM-7 worked much better with the pro than even the 50 ohm setting of my TH2 when it came to dynamics and speed.  On a few rare songs I still prefer the TH2 pairing  because of the tonality and spaciousness that seems to help headphones of this type sound more open. More often I prefer how the Pro grips the HRM-7 and drives it with better authority for more potency and articulation. The midrange warmth of the Pro helps with the HRM-7's  deficiency in the midband. I listen to a lot of old school hip hop and some of those recordings were… well downright low quality. The bass boost on the Pro and muscular sound of my bass modded 7 makes for the most fun I have had in a while, a little over the top but hey whatever…thats what I like sometimes. 

 

CONCLUSION

DSC_0001_Fotor.jpg
 ​
 
This little thing is a BEAST. Its got a lot of muscle, a lot of articulation and definition with a clarity and black background that few amps pull off. I have read previous reviews  of this amp and some of the negative reviewers must be tricked by the ‘more treble=more-fi’ foolishness. There is nothing wrong with bright equipment and it has its purpose but it doesn't equal high quality. Developers are pulling away from that ideology now and ifi is ahead of the curve in regards to the need of a turn around. More and more people are coming to expect balanced treble and natural mids as well as inner detail.
 
Initially I was very apprehensive about a small amp like this packed full of features being able to deliver true sound quality. My gimmick flag went up. But since I heard the ifi Micro SE I knew they could deliver sound quality. I wasn’t expecting this much inner clarity but am pleasantly surprised. This sets a new standard for me in a few ways. 
 
Will I purchase one… I don’t know but its now on my shortlist between only two other amps. I have scratched quite a few off and this is now number 2 on that list.  The Pro is an end game amplifier with its own flavor. Just don’t look at the features as its main attraction or detraction from what it is at it's core. An excellent solid state amp. The rest are bonus features and cherries on top. If you audition gear before you buy it… do yourself a favor and give this one a listen. 
 

 ​

 ​
 ​
reddog
reddog
One great information review. I really enjoyed reading the review and think the amp sounds like a great find.
drwlf
drwlf
Lovely review, thanks for your work!
Mojo777
Mojo777
Very nice review. Anyone compare it tot the OPPO HA-1?

ostewart

Reviewer at Sound Perfection Reviews
Formerly affiliated with HiFi Headphones
Pros: Sound, Features, Build Quality
Cons: It slides around on your desk
Firstly I would like to thank iFi Audio for the loan unit for review, I have been using it for about 3 weeks and as always I will try to write an honest review.
 
Gear Used:
Dell XPS 15 / Marantz CD5400 / Audio Opus #2 > Matrix Quattro II DAC > XLR Out > Pro iCan
Headphones: Hifiman HE-500 (4-Pin XLR Balanced) / AAW Nebula 2 IEM’s / Fostex TH-500rp
 

 
 
Tech Specs:
Very comprehensive list on their website: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-ican/
MSRP: £1495
 

Packaging, Accessories and Build quality:
The packaging is similar to other iFi offerings just bigger, it is white, with actual size pictures on the side, and product info and specs on the back. Once you remove the outer sleeve you are greeted by a thick car box, which holds the amp in place well during transit, and underneath you will find the accessories. I really like the simple yet effective packaging, it doesn’t look cheap or cluttered. iFi is embossed in silver on the ends of the box, a classy touch in my opinion.
 
Accessory wise you get a pair of RCA interconnects and a remote control which controls the volume only, you also get a very good user manual. Nothing else is needed to complete the package.
 
Build quality is on par with other offerings, an impeccable finish on the amp itself all laid out in a very symmetrical manner. It is not the best looking amp, but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in features, I like the more understated look. All inputs and outputs are built to a very good standard, the volume knob is very smooth to operate and the switches are tight so you won’t accidentally increase the gain for example. On the top of the amp there are holes which help keep it cool and lets you see a little of what is inside, there is also a small window through which you can see the GE valves. The only thing I would like improved would be the bottom, it has a big rubberised patch, but I find the amp is a little light and still moves quite easily on a desk, so you have to hold it tight when plugging anything in. I think soft rubber feet on each corner may have been better.
 

 
Features:
This amp is packed full of features, and I don’t quite know where to start.
Input wise you get 3 sets of unbalanced RCA inputs, and a set of balanced XLR inputs, the input is selected with the big knob on the left hand side of the amp.
 
You also get a set of XLR outputs and a pair of RCA outputs, so you can use this as a pre-amp.
 
On the front you have the source select knob, next to this there is a smaller knob which controls the Xbass boost, then you have a jack/XLR combi socket for normal stereo 6.3mm unbalanced output or as the L balanced channel (jack or 3-pin XLR). 
 
In the middle you have a balanced 4 pin XLR socket, and next to this you have another jack/XLR combi socket for normal stereo unbalanced 6.3mm jack or as the R balanced channel (jack or 3-pin XLR). The next small knob is the 3D sound switch, then the volume knob.
 
Underneath these there is another layer, with the mode select (solid state, tube, tube+), normal unbalanced 3.5mm output, a balanced 4-pole 3.5mm output and then the gain switch (0dB, 9dB, 18dB).
 

 
As you can see it is packed full of features but they are easy to find and get used to their placement on the amp.
 
So more about the Xbass, it is not a traditional bass boost, all analogue circuitry and it provides a minimum of 12dB boost at 10/20/40Hz (selectable). It works well in combination with the 3D sound and also for leaner headphones. It is not a big increase, and doesn’t muddy the sound, and obviously will affect different headphones differently. I personally didn’t find myself using it when using Tube or Tube+ with the HE-500, but if I engage the 3D sound at 60 (solid state) I used the 20Hz boost to fill the sound out a little.
 
The 3D sound settings are also an interesting feature, I can’t really explain it so read on their website: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-ican/
 
What I can say is that it is subtle but makes a difference, it takes a while for your ears to get used to the sound but is does become a little more like speakers, the centre image is more focused. Using the more extreme settings on headphones does make them sound a little leaner which is where the Xbass comes in handy. The main difference is when you switch the 3D settings off and the sound just sounds a little odd and panned right and left in comparison, also the sound is slightly less fatiguing with the 3D engaged.
 

 
Now on to the main part, unfortunately I don’t have any other high end amps to compare this to, but I will try to describe this amp as best as possible.
 
Lets start off with running it in SS mode, this is a very reference amp with no added flavour. This does mean it will show up any flaws in your music and also source, so I recommend pairing it with a good DAC. I am running it balanced from my Matrix Quattro II DAC, and I have not needed to increase the gain at all with the HE-500’s, and the volume knob is sat around the 9o’clock position.
 
This amp handles everything with ease, never a hint of strain or harshness, it really brings out the best in the HE-500, you get the deep controlled bass that lesser amps cannot provide, but also the soundstage improves. Not artificially but one things the HE-500 lacked a little is width, which this adds, the layering is also superb. On some brighter headphones some people may find this a little fatiguing as it doesn’t take anything away from the highs, so be careful with bad recordings. But when paired with good headphones and good recordings it will let you hear every nuance and bring you sonic satisfaction.
 

 
Now lets change it to the Tube mode, like this you get a richer sound, more body and it just sounds fuller. This works wonders on the slightly brighter headphones out there, or just those who want that smoothness of tubes but without sacrificing fine detail. I find the tube mode better for just sitting back and enjoying my music, the good thing about the tubes in this is that they don’t alter the overall clear sound of the amp, they just add a touch of warmth and body.
 
So what about the Tube+ mode? Well with this sounds a little grainier than the Tube mode, and fuller too, but it sounds ever so slightly closer in presentation (the soundstage isn’t quite as wide) the differences are not huge between Tube and Tube+, and it will depend largely on the headphones you have and on your preferences. I find Tube+ to be a little richer in tone, and a little grainier, whereas the normal Tube mode offers the added richness I like with the HE-500.
 

 
Conclusion: I don’t even know where to start, this is a feature packed amp that has an understated look but does not disappoint on the sound front. A few people have thought this amp is jack of all trades, master of none, but in my opinion iFi have made the perfect all in one amp for all headphones and have not failed in any area. Whether you want reference sound from the SS mode, or a richer sound from the Tube mode you have it all in one neat package. Add to that the possibility of using it as a pre-amp, and being fully balanced throughout and you have a very impressive array of features for the money.
 
The price looks high, but if you factor in buying a good solid state amp, and a good valve amp, you are looking at the same price if not more, and most likely they won’t be able to drive pretty much every headphone on the market.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Pro iCan, and I wish it could stay in my permanent collection, it just works so well with anything you throw at it and has the perfect form factor too.
 
Sound Perfection Rating: 10/10 (You won’t find this amount of power and features on another amp in this, or any other price range, and sonically this amp exceeds all expectations)
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Turrican2

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: Covers most peoples input/output requirements. Bags of power!. Has lots and lots of buttons and features, extremely configurable.
Cons: Remote control is a bit 'cheap' and sometimes doesn't respond well. Maybe too much configuration for some? (stretching here....)
Firstly, many thanks to iFi for the loan of this amp. I am not affiliated with iFi, just a regular Head-Fi addict to happens to be lucky enough to get loan units now and again from the generous iFi team.  As I've had this for a few weeks now it's time to jot down some brief thoughts and observations.

Up until very recently, my main desktop rig consisted of iFi Micro iCan, Micro iDAC and Micro iTube housed nicely in the iRack.  I've been using this for a couple of years to drive my HE500s (now sold), AKG K3003 and laterally my Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2 so I'm familiar with the iFi sound.  These days I own the HUGO and Beyerdynamic A2 as my desktop rig and Lotoo PAW5000 with Mojo as my portable setup..
 
 
Package

The iCan Pro comes in the same type of packaging as the other iFi gear, just larger! so same great unboxing experience and enough accessories to get you going.  The unit itself is satisfyingly weighty and looks to be very well made.  I like the size and design quite a bit, everything is machined well, no rough spots and you immediately get the impression this thing is built to last. This amp also has some power, 14,000 mW @ 16 Ohms!  Also included in the package is a faitly basic remote which is not really the quality I'm used to compared to the Beyerdynamic A2's remote but it'll do the job.  If you plan to use the remote a lot you might be a little dissapointed as I found it didn't always respond if it's not in perfect line of sight but YMMV. The volume knob itself on the iCan feels luxurious and smooth, no worries there!
 
 
Front Panel

On the front you have an array of outputs, single ended 3.5mm, Balanced 3.5mm, Balanced 4-pin xlr and twin single-ended 6.35mm sockets, so plenty of options.
There is a large input selector on the left (mirroring the Volume knob in the right). The amp accomodates 3 analogue inputs and a balanced input.
Also on the front are what really sets this amp apart from others, knobs to tweak in the form of XBass and 3D settings. These are extremely well implemented on this amp, quite subtle but effective.  If you have a neurtal source or bright cans, the XBass can provide a nice balance to the audio. It jumps in 3 increments, 10, 20 or 40 Hz depending on how much you need.  Similarly the 3D has 3 'stages' depending on your preference.  Similar to my experience of the iCan (which has a 2 stage 3D switch) I found for accoustic tracks it works noticably better at bringing the audio to the forefront (like speakers) but it doesn't always work so well with other tracks, in fact it makes some tracks sound 'off', you need to experiment but when it works I like it a lot.
There are also 2 slider switches on the front:
- Gain - 0db, 9db or 18db.  I personally found 0db to be fine with the T1 (600ohms).
- AMP selector switch  - Here you can select purely solid state amp, the tube stage or Tube+ mode which is a bit of a hybrid mode.  As I am used to the iTube and iCan in combination this is great to see. In my experience the iTube does not provide an immediate wow factor, but if I remove it from the chain, my enjoyment of the music appears to lessen.  It's difficult to quantify but noticeable to me never-the-less.  For this reason I chose to use the Tube+ output the most.
 
paw5k.jpg
iCan Pro feeding the Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2 using the 4-Pin XLR Balanced output.  Source is Lotoo PAW5000 and Mojo.
 
 
Rear Panel
 
Here you will find everything you need:
L + R Balanced 3-Pin XLR female input
3 x RCA Stereo inputs
L + R Balanced 3-Pin XLR Male output
1 x RCA Stereo output
Energiser output for 'stats (sorry no more info on this).
Power Passthrough ( I assume for the energiser module?)
 
 
Form Factor

This unit is a good size for desktop needs, fairly shalow and not too wide.  It's actually almost identical in width and height to the Beyerdynamic A2 amp, less deep however:
 
IMG_20160819_191352.jpg
 
IMG_20160819_191359.jpg
 
Sound
 

The first time I used the iCan (and most amount of time I spent with it) I had it paired with a Chord Hugo connected to my Gaming PC.  I also had a Jitterbug in the chain to attempt to compensate for USB noise.

Immediately I felt at home.  This has the familiar sound I am used to with the Micro iCan/iTube only much, much more so.  Sound stage is a little fuller and it really drives the T1's well. I would never call the sound I acheived from the 'Micro' set-up 'thin', but this is a ritcher sound with more weight and more space.  I'd love to try some HE-6 on this, I have a feeling it would do them justice. After some time listening I settled upon my desired xBass setting , 20Hz, this seemed to sound about right with the T1/Hugo combo.  I tend to keep the 3D off until I know I need it (accoustic mainly). 
 
I think the Beyerdynamic A2, to my ears has a slightly more detailed presentation and more 'real' bass tonality but I'm being super critical here, there is nothing wrong with either of these aspects on the iCan Pro.  It's really nice. The problem with comparing this with most other amps is the you can make a big or small difference to the sound just by tweaking some dials.  On the A2, aside from Gain control, you get what it offers, period. If you want to add flavour or change the presentation you need to add a warmer DAC or a Tube stage.  With the iCan it's almost too configurable, too tempting to keep pressing stuff! which can distract from the ultimate goal here, enjoying the music.  Maybe it's just me but I found it hard to stop playing with it, I guess that urge would lessen the longer I used it.

If I didn't already have a top shelf amp, this would be on my shipping list.  Even though it's expensive, if you think about all the technology and configurability this brings to the table in one unit, it's pretty much in the right place.

Thanks again to iFi for the loan, it was a great few weeks.  I would recommend this amp if it's within your budget. Very flexible, well designed and great sounding amplifier capable of driving hungry Cans or sensitive IEMs.
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smial1966
smial1966
Nice review Phil. Glad to hear that your A2 bests the iFi in some areas. :wink:
Turrican2
Turrican2
Thanks Andy, with my headphones, yes but the iCan is a splendid amp for sure.

thatonenoob

Reviewer: PMR Audio
Pros: Excellent Sound, Build Quality
Cons: Slides Around, Remote
iFi Pro iCAN
An Impressive Flagship Contender  


Untitled_Panorama1.jpg
 
INTRODUCTION

iFi's Bid To Define A "Flagship Amplifier"​
The Pro iCAN. An understated name for a product that politely seeks to be the alpha and omega of flagship headphone amplifiers.   The fully packed, bright red PCB is illustrative; according to iFi there is simply “no more ‘real estate’ left to develop” on the Pro iCAN.  Consider it an embodiment of the iFi philosophy.  One will not find a slick webpage for the Pro iCAN –instead be prepared to be confronted with a smorgasbord of tech and hardware specifications. Making a return at the top of the page is the rounded rectangle proclaiming the glorious 14,000 mW output power rating of the amplifier.  It’s all very impressive, in a uniquely iFi way. 
 
It’s no secret that the Pro iCAN has been cooking for quite some time.  Well, at least one of the various iterations of the device. The development history of the iFi Pro devices (including the sister iDSD Pro) can be found in bits and pieces on the 87-page long thread here.  A more recent, dedicated thread for the Pro iCAN can also be found here.  Going through the pages, I realized just how much effort and time had gone into designing the Pro series.  In fact, the iDSD Pro went through an almost complete redesign in its still continuing development.  It’s a testament to just how far the iFi team will go to get it right.  There’s a lot of ground to cover in this review, and we’d better get started.  
 
Disclaimer
The iFi Pro iCAN was provided by iFi through Stereo for the purposes of this review.  I have now had it on loan for close to 3 weeks.  I am neither a paid affiliate nor an employee of iFi.  I’d like to thank the iFi team for this opportunity, and for answering my various questions.  In addition, I’d like to offer a shout out to @HiFiChris and @ClieOS, who both respectively helped aid my understanding of the finer points of RMAA measurements, especially the implications of its non-absolute nature and the scaling tendencies of the program.  It’s been a great experience with many things learnt. The Pro iCAN is truly an immense product –and one of the reasons why it took comparatively longer for me to get this review out was because there were simply so many features and combinations to test, and I didn’t want to formulate a representative opinion without first attaining a certain level of familiarity with the amp.  Thanks for reading folks, and I hope that at least some of y’all will find this helpful and/or meaningful.  Can also find it on my blog here.
 
PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

Fairly standard stuff.  The iFi Pro iCAN comes in nice matte box with a high quality photo on the front.  Opening it up, one sees the amplifier packed nicely into medium density foam.  It's nice to see that there is also foam on the box cover, and that the amplifier is fairly well shielded against the trials and tribulations of general shipping. included accessories are fairly straight forward:
  1. RCA Interconnects
  2. Power Supply
  3. iFi+ Native DSD Free Albums
  4. User Guide
 
_D701321.jpg
 ​
BUILD AND DESIGN

One would be hard pressed to find an amplifier that captures the spirit of utilitarian practicality better than the Pro iCAN.  The first thing that struck me out of the box – the amplifier was pretty darned heavy.  Okay, maybe not as heavy as the Feliks Audio Espressivo sitting next to it, but a heck of a lot heavier than the Micro iCAN.  Think Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago.  The design of the amp is immediately striking –the wavy top surface collides with the concentric arcs around an off-centered magnified viewing window. It’s something that looks like it came straight out of my old multivariable calculus textbook.   My only gripe is that the front panel has not been machined to match the cross section of the “waves” on the side panels.  It’s a small detail.

 
The front panel is symmetrical and absolutely packed with knobs and switches.  It’s hectic –and yet it all makes sense.  On the far left is input selection, followed by the XBass selection (off, 10Hz, 20Hz, 40Hz).  Directly underneath the XBass selection is the amplification mode switch (SS, Tube, Tube+).  In the center are a total of 5 headphone output options. For balanced outputs there are 2 x XLR 3-Pin, 2 x 6.3 mm TRS (iFi’s Single-Ended Compatible system), 1 x XLR 4-Pin, 1 x 3.5 mm TRRS (AK style).  For single-ended outputs, there are 2 x 6.3 mm TRS (XLR 3-Pin doubles up), and a 3.5 mm TRS.  On the far right is the volume pot, and on its left is the 3D Holographic selection (off, 30/+, 60/30+, 90/60+), with the gain switch right below it.   The back panel of the iFi Pro iCAN houses an equally impressive number of input and output options.  There’s a balanced input, 3 x unbalanced inputs (RCA), a balanced line output, and an unbalanced line output.  In addition, there is also a DC Loop-Out and a connector for iFi’s Electrostatic Add-On Module (for Stax users).
 
_D701420.jpg
 
The Quad-Damped Isolation Base Mount seriously had way more engineering in it than I had expected.  It features a 4-layer sandwich comprised of dual layer elastomers (fancy talk for a polymer with elastic properties, i.e. a rubber-like material) and a dual-layer of metal alloys.  Specific details about the composition of these layers can be more easily found on the iFi Pro iCAN user-manual.   However, I second an observation brought up by @Koolpep his respective review of the amplifier.  This brick slides around far too easily. Heavy weight and low friction on a smooth desktop surface are not necessarily the best characteristics to have together, especially not in an expensive flagship amplifier.
 
Starting up the amp is fairly simple.  There's various glowing colors, and a protection circuit will be activated if something were to go seriously wrong. Glaring issues – none, except the remote control for the volume pot.  This bothers me.  Now, I’ve used Beyerdynamic’s flagship amp, which I believe has a solid implementation of the remote control idea.  The iFi Pro iCAN on the other hand has some issues.  For example, it takes me close to 15-16 separate clicks to traverse 18 degrees on the volume pot.  That’s about 75 – 80 separate clicks to traverse from 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock!  In case you’re wondering, holding down the button doesn’t do much either.  Now I’m not sure if this is because the remote is for fine-tuning, but this isn’t workable by any stretch of the imagination. I do believe that other users have reported similar issues with their units, and I hope that this will be resolved soon.  As a final note –this amp runs hot (not that this should be surprising).  

 

TECH AND SPECIFICATIONS

The iFi Pro iCAN is filled with a fair bit of technology.  Let’s start with the balanced capabilities of the amplifier. I’ll preface this by saying that for this review, I did not have any balanced headphones to run the Pro iCAN with. My Fostex TH-900, Audio Technica R70x and Beyerdynamic T1 are all currently wired for single-ended use. That said, I’ve gotten excellent results out of the single-ended output on the iFi Pro iCAN (more on that later), and if experience is anything to go by, the balanced will be just as good, if not better than the single ended option.  Returning to the matter of balanced circuitry, iFi is quick to point out that they have implemented a “true differential balanced” system for the Pro iCAN.  That is to say, there is no combining of signals into a single-ended path post amplification, and then splitting again for the output.  Instead, the Pro iCAN maintains two separate signal paths from end-to-end.  It’s a straightforward implementation that keeps fidelity in mind.
 
Untitled_Panorama2.jpg
 
At the heart of the iFi Pro iCAN is the ability to switch between the tube/ solid-state modes almost instantly.  Granted, prolonged use in solid-state mode will cause the amplifier to turn off the tubes to prolong operational life. One of the questions that I had was regarding what had changed between the Micro iCAN and the Pro iCAN from a technical perspective.  Like one concerned member brought up (and I paraphrase), it wouldn’t have been okay for a Micro iCAN to be combined with an iTube and put into a fancier enclosure.  Rest assured, no such thing occurred. The tech guys at iFi explained that the Pro iCAN is a ground-up, fully discrete design.  The Micro iCAN on the other hand utilizes a discrete gain-stage followed by a monolithic IC as a current buffer.  Passive components are shared, but that’s where the similarities end. From a sonic perspective, the difference is fairly obvious (more on that later).   The tube of choice employed in the iFi iCAN is the GE 5670.  Its implementation is also unique in the sense that there are two-individual input circuits for solid-state and tube operation.  But it’s no gimmick.  This isn’t a two-for-one that achieves nothing overall.  Consider it a refinement of operation.  Also returning are the XBass and 3D functions, which I’d like to cover in greater depth in the sound section of the review.
 
Now for some basic RMAA results. RMAA results are only as good as the equipment used to perform the tests, and there has been a decent amount of coverage on its limitations and weaknesses.  Consider it as a broad proof-reading of published technical specifications.  And in this sense, the iCAN achieves, checking out fairly comfortably given the limitations of my rig. THD was 0.0048% and IDM + Noise at 0.013 %. Currently, I am utilizing an Asus Xonar U7 external sound card (line-in mode).  The ADC is a Cirrus Logic CS5361-KZZ that is capable of 24/192 w/ a 114 dB dynamic range.  It uses a 5th order MBT Delta-Sigma Modulator, and attains low levels of noise and distortion.  For those curious, the DAC is the equally capable CS4398-CZZ.  At any rate I’ll get to it below.
 
Specifications: 
Gain:0dB, 9dB and 18dB user-selectable
Frequency Response:0.5Hz to 500kHz(-3dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD, Balanced/Single-Ended):
 BalancedSE
Solid-State:≤0.0015%≤0.005%
Tube:≤0.002%≤0.005%
Tube+:≤0.012%≤0.2%
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR, Balanced/Single-Ended):>147dB(A) / > 137dB(A)
Output Power (16Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):>14,000mW / >4,800mW
Output Voltage (600Ω, Balanced/Single-Ended):>23V / >11.5V
Input Voltage (Pro iCAN):DC 9V/6.7A – 18V/3.35A
Input Voltage (iPower Plus):AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption:≤ 22W idle, 50W max.
Dimensions:213(l) x 192.5(w) x 63.3(h) mm
Weight:1.93kg (4.3lbs)
Test conditions:
Gain = 0dB, 0.775V(0dBu) with 300 Ohm load unless stated otherwise
SNR Balanced re 23V, SNR SE re. 11.5V
 
SSFRResponse.png
Solid-State FR (No Boost, No 3D, Gain 9 dB)
 ​
BassCombinedFinal.png
XBass FR
 ​
Extree.png
Solid-State, Tube, Tube Plus Compared (Scaling Pushed to Extremes, No Meaningful Discernible Difference)
 ​
SOUND

The Pro iCAN is a subtle and perceptive amp in my mind. It’s powerful, and yet humble in its sonic presentation. Why do I say this?  The Pro iCAN is a resolving and clean sounding amp, one that prefers to be authentic rather than dramatic in its presentation of sound.  Switching between the solid-state and tube modes, you never get the sense that you’re listening to three different amplifiers.  In my listening experience, the changes were more often than not, subtle.  And this is a very good thing.  It indicts a strong sense of sonic direction, that the team at iFi knew just how they wanted their amp to sound.  The feature set, while extensive (XBass, 3D, etc.), always complements the Pro iCAN in an intuitive manner, and represents why they cannot be discounted as gimmicks. 
 
The XBass functionality has returned in both 10, 20, and 40 Hz options.  It relies on analog signal processing (no DSP), and provides a minimum 12 dB boost at the previously stated levels (see RMAA results).  It is a clean boost that depending on the level can add a slight to moderate emphasis at subbass levels.  It’s well-executed, and can make some tracks significantly more fun to listen to. 
 
The 3D Holographic System (also no DSP) makes a return as well on the Pro iCAN, and is even better implemented than before.  In a retrospective comparison, the Pro iCAN’s implementation makes that of the Micro iCAN look a tad unrefined and even a bit brash.  The 30˚ Loudspeaker Angle simulates narrow loudspeaker placement, and it really works on some of the crazier stereo recordings.  Running ACJ’s Stone Flower, I found that it worked decently to tame the rather extreme placement of instruments (my right ear is ever thankful).  The 60˚ Loudspeaker Angle is meant to simulate an equilateral triangle placement and I often found that it was a good center ground to listen at.  The 90˚ Loudspeaker Angle is quite impressive.  While listening to the Vangelis’ Antarctica OST on this setting, I encountered an overwhelming spatiality that made for an awesome experience.  Of course, it won’t be suitable for all recordings, and one shouldn't expect it to do so either.
 
_D701414.jpg
 
What follows are my general observations on the differences between the Pro iCAN’s various operation modes.  To start, the perceived difference between the SS and Tube modes was less immediately obvious than between the Tube+ mode. The Tube+ mode reduces negative feedback, and thus allows the musical even order harmonics that play nicely on tubes to take precedence.  Naturally, there is a corresponding increase in distortion.  I think that it is important to note that you will not encounter any major roll-off on either end of the frequency spectrum while using the Pro iCAN in both of its tube modes (see RMAA).  The SS mode was obviously the cleanest, and represented an excellent mix of dynamics and resolution.  It is speedy and responsive, and sounded excellent.  Compared to the Micro iCAN, it sounds much more refined, airy, and generally more transparent.  Consider this to be the pinnacle of the “iFi sound”.  Switching over to the Tube state, the tonality more or less remains the same.  There is a weightier bass and a slightly increased mid-range presence.  The way I’d describe this increase in presence is as if the “shadows” of sounds had increased in size (a little abstract I suppose).  In other words, the sound space had been “filled up”. The Tube Plus mode was interesting.  It’s perhaps the “tubiest" of the three states.  It’s a luxurious, smooth sound that still maintains the resolution and soundstage performance of the prior two settings. In a bit of a wildcard match up, I threw the Feliks Audio Espressivo into the mix.  I feel that the latter has excellent synergy with the T1, and I was interested to hear how it would fare against a much more expensive Pro iCAN.  This is where I felt the iCAN could have used a slightly more dramatic presentation.  Compared to the Espressivo, the iCAN sounded at times a bit too smooth and even restrained.  Granted, it wins squarely on technical performance and soundstage/ imaging, but the result isn’t quite as powerful sounding as the Espressivo.  I recognize that there is a need to stay within certain sonic boundaries (and I mentioned this as a strength at the start of this section), but there is a lingering feeling that just a bit more shine could’ve been added.  Overall, I loved the SS and Tube modes, and occasionally did enjoy dipping into the Tube+.
 
Now are some of my thoughts on how the Pro iCAN performed with a selection of tracks.
 
Orchestral - Princess Mononoke OST (Joe Hisaishi)
The Pro iCAN did stunningly on this.  The sound is very big, and the lower frequencies have great presence and physical impact.  The highs are not in the least bit limited and it feels like I've managed to hit the limit of my T1's vertical soundstaging capability.  Trombones are brought to life with an excellent portrayal of the instrument's ability to sound incredibly metallic and dramatic when played at forte. Similarly, the traditional Japanese Koto never lost its place in the mix with the help of the Pro iCAN's detail retrieval/ separation.  I found presentation to be mostly on par between the three modes with slight variances in line with my original impressions above.
 
Bossa Nova/ Jazz - So Nice (Wanda Sa)
The bass line is very tight, and well-controlled with just enough quantity. Wanda Sa's voice is nicely textured, and contrasts well with the rest of the band.  I did not enjoy this on Tube+ as much though. The lower frequencies, while being quite lush, almost felt a tad too bloomy.  The slight edge on the instrumentals, especially the plucking on the bass, was lost and it demonstrated an instance where the Tube+ didn't do as great as I'd have hoped for.  
 
Chill-Out/ Downtempo - International Flight (David Snell, Thievery Corporation)
This is a congested track if not properly handled.  There are simply a lot of instruments playing at once.  However, the Pro iCAN navigated it brilliantly. Between the drums and the harp, the Pro iCAN simply breezed through the track, keeping the bassline at a comfortable distance and placing just the right amount of emphasis on the harp.  The one thing I did note was that in SS mode, the harp tended to get a slight bit peaky, especially on the T1.  But apart from that , it was a great showing from the Pro iCAN.
 
Pop - Goodbye Stranger (Super Tramp)
Hey, you can't beat some cheesy pop from the 1970s/80s.  The wonderful synth tracks were well executed, and the vocals felt clean and clear amidst the Wurlitzer Piano, electric/ bass guitars, keyboards, and percussion.  The one thing that I did note was that the sound in SS wasn't as euphonic as I would've liked, but switching into the Tube modes fixed this.  It wasn't a huge difference, but it helped "push" the Pro iCAN nicely in a direction that I wanted it to go while still maintaining its base performance/ core sound signature.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS

This is a great amplifier.  I really don't have much else to say, except that if you enjoyed iFi's previous offerings, this will definitely be a hit with you.  It's got a clean, resolving, and technically excellent signature which can be adjusted ever so slightly with a myriad options, ranging from a simple bass enhancement (XBass) to completely changing the core operation of the amplifier from solid state to tubes.  And speaking of XBass, the traditional iFi set of features has returned in this new amplifier in a refined and upgraded form. As a flagship, the iCAN Pro has got just about everything that I'd expect and hope for, and if you put aside its remote control issues and its tendencies to slide around, you have a real winner.  Congrats iFi!
 
Untitled_Panorama3.jpg
dpump
dpump
I understand your dilemma of having so many irons in the fire. Not sure from reading your intro but It seems you got the amp from a dealer? If that is correct, they should probably have provided you with balanced phones to use. None the less, you did a great job with what you had. I'm in the same boat as you being retired and on a meager fixed income. I think the iCAN Pro would be endgame for me, but it's way out of my budget. I sure would like to try it though to see if it would be all I would want.
thesheik137
thesheik137
nice review (and measumerents!) , but what types of headphones and IEMs (if any) did you use to test this equipment and what were the differences? that would be good to know, thanks
h1f1add1cted
h1f1add1cted
@thesheik137 He wrote in the review about his used gear: "...Fostex TH-900, Audio Technica R70x and Beyerdynamic T1 are all currently wired for single-ended use..."

Koolpep

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Drives EVERYthing, from HE-6 to IEMs, plenty of connections, customizable sound, fully balanced, incredible sound quality
Cons: slides around flat surfaces
REVIEW: ifi Pro iCAN
 
Equipment used:
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800S, Hifiman Edition X, Hifiman HE-560, AKG K7XX, Audeze LCD-2f, Sennheiser Momentum, HD-650, Oppo PM-2, PM-3, Aurisonics ASG 2.5, Noble K10U, LZ-A3, plenty of other IEMs.
 
All images are full-size and can be clicked and seen full screen.
 
DSC01537.jpg 
 
 
The HD800S leans heavily on the Pro iCAN below:
 DSC01541.jpg
 
 
 
 
Music used:
From Röyksopp to Amber Rubarth, Diana Krall to Apoptygma Berzerk, Tom Jones to Sphongle, Yello to Camouflage, mostly FLACs 24/96 or 16/44.1 - some mp3 320kbps, some AAC 256kbps
Depending on headphone high or low gain - no EQ
 
Disclaimer: samma3a.com and @Mazen4samma3a provided me with a demo unit of the ifi Pro iCAN. I am not affiliated with ifi or Samma3a.com Though I really highly appreciate what samma3a is doing for the audiophiles in the region!! Thank you so much for letting me test and review this amazing amp. I do own the iUSB2, iDSD nano and iDSD micro from ifi. 
 
TL;DR
 
Conclusion: I called the ifi iDSD micro the Swiss Army Knife of portable/desktop DAC/amps. The Pro iCan is that times 1,000 in the desktop amp range. Versatile, tube-sound, solid state sound, tube+ sound, power to drive an HE-6 and highly sensitive 8 Ohm IEMs, fully balanced mode, connectors for ANYthing. And a sound quality that you usually have to pay at least double the amount for. I so want this amp. This amp is pure endgame material. There is no reason to own anything else. If you can afford this beauty.
 
 
Now, the longer version:
 
Packaging & Accessories
 
As usual - clever packed by ifi with all essentials in the box. Power supply (iPower Plus) the amp it self, a remote, manual, warrantee card and a set of cable (RCA cable).
 
 
 
Technical Highlights
 
Balanced headphone amplifier. Two system amplification stage, one tubes, one pure class A solid state. 2 GE 5670 new old stock tubes are the heart of the tube stage, ultra low noise, J-Fets are the core of the solid state stage.
 
Ouput: 
14,000mW @16Ω (peak, constant 4,800mW) 
240mW @600Ω
Dynamic Range: > 117 dB
THD: <0.003%
Analogue processing: X-Bass in 3 levels, 3D Sound in 3 levels
Gain: 0dB, 9dB, 18dB
 
Headphone outputs:
3.5mm single ended
3.5mm balanced
6.35mm single ended
3 pin XLR balanced (left and right) right connector works as well as single ended 6.35mm)
4 pin XLR balanced
 
DSC01506.jpg
 
 
Outputs:
balanced 3pin XLR (left /right)
RCA output - single ended
 
Inputs:
3 x RCA single ended in
3 pin XLR balanced input
 
DSC01535.jpg     DSC01536.jpg
 
 
Sound effects:
X-Bass in 3 levels (OFF, 10Hz, 20Hz, 40Hz)
3D Sound in 3 levels (OFF, 30, 60, 90 headphones)
 
DSC01531.jpg DSC01529.jpg
 
 
 
Usability and Build Quality
 
Build quality is great. every knob feels solid and every dial is weighty and smooth. The volume knob is motorized and can be operated via remote (I didn’t have the remote for the test though).
 
The iCan has a special power supply unit that is of the ultra low noise variant. You can’t fault ifi on their power supplies, they are always amazingly clean. Another add-on part for this amplifier will be the Electrostatic Headphone Energizer. A separate box that can be connected to the Pro iCan that delivers up to 1,700V Peak - with Bias selectable for Stax, HiFi/Pro, Sennheiser and other manufacturers. It’s not yet clear when it’s coming.
 
The switches and knobs from left to right:
 
  • Power button:
    Press it and the iCan starts the boot up procedure. Relays click, laser needle stitched logos light up and change color, once in operating temperature, depending on mode (solid state or tube) the light changes and let’s you know it’s ready.
  • Input selector:
    Large dial on the left. The same size as the volume knob on the opposite side. Choose between 3 analogue inputs and balanced input.
  • Bass selector:
    Switches the XBass from OFF to 10Hz,20HZ,40Hz - increases the bass response of headphones or speakers to your liking purely in the analogue domain.
  • Amp mode switch:
    3 mode switch that selects solid state operating mode of the amp, tube mode or a tube+ mode.
  • Headphone outputs:
    3.5mm single ended, balanced, 6.35mm single ended, 3pin XLR and 4pin XLR
  • 3D selector knob:
    Selects the analog 3D/soundstage enhancement effect in 3 levels plus OFF
  • Gain stage selector switch:
    0dB, 9dB and 18dB selector.
  • Volume knob:
    motorized knob turn it to change the volume.
 
 DSC01527.jpg   DSC01497.jpg
 
 
 
 
Build Quality
 
The enclosure is aluminum - it feels great to the touch - Interesting cutouts that let the lights of the LEDs and tubes shine through the housing as well as ensure the device has enough heat escape ports. It does get quite hot in operation.
 
Everything feels solid and nice - however my only real negative with this amp is: it’s too light. Yes, I really mean it. You cannot plug in a XLR or even a normal headphone without making sure you hold the amp with your other hand. It has a large antiskit rubber pad on the bottom of it but thanks to it’s really low weight it happily moves around very easily. A small pull from a headphone cable and it moves. I believe this amp should be at least 1kg heavier. It’s meant for desktop use, so really shouldn’t slither along like a snake. But that is it. That’s all of my criticism. 
 
DSC01547.jpg
Bottom anti-skid rubber could be stickier....
 
Sound Quality Comparisons & Usage
 
General
 
Using the Pro iCan
 
For an amp that is as powerful as the iCan Pro - it’s important that it’s save. You can switch everything while the amp in in operation without causing anything to break. Changing the gain, makes some relays tick and before the new gain engages you have a few seconds to react to your input before your ears might get blasted with too much power :wink: 
 
Switching from solid state to tube mode, creates a small break of 20-30 seconds until the tubes have reached operating temperature. When switching from tube mode to solid state mode the tubes don’t immediately switch off - they stay on for some time longer, to not expose the tubes to many on/off cycles. Only when not used in a longer period do the tubes switch off. Every other command is done immediate and you hear the result.
 
DSC01538.jpg   
 
 
Sound quality
 
Overall: how did they mix detail, smoothness, rich and satisfying sound, with precise imaging and soundstage?
 
Solid state mode:
Detailed, neutral and balanced solid state mode. Plenty of power to even drive the most demanding headphones. I was quite impressed that this little thing can drive the HE-6 well and loud. In general Hifimans seems to sound better to me in this mode while Sennheiser and Audezes sounded better in tube mode. 
 
Tube mode:
In tube mode you get that addictive bottom end. Just recently I declared that the WA8 from Woo audio drove my T90 best ever. Now I have to announce that my LCD-2 never sounded better than on this ifi amp in tube mode. Brilliant mids, lovely bass, the way Audezes should sound. Confirmed on LCD-3 - just magical. slightly warmer sound in general with a tad treble (but not detail) roll-off. Silky smooth, sound. Like velvet. 
 
DSC01500.jpg
 
 
Hybrid mode:
Sort of best of both worlds. You have the highs form solid state with the bottom end of the tubes - a slightly silkier version of solid-state alone - a wining combo.
 
In all modes the iCan Pro drives IEMs as well when connected via 3.5mm plug. I also connected plenty of headphones at the same time - the iCAN didn't break a sweat.
 
EDIT: I previously called this mode: hybrid mode. That was wrong. It's tube+ mode - not a hybrid mode. ifi describes this like that:
We are tube lovers and we appreciate sometimes there is a need for even more tube-like sound, there are two tube settings – Tube and Tube+. The Tube+ position reduces overall loop-gain and thus negative feedback to the minimum. This gives a different trade-off between the tube’s natural harmonics and the transient performance.
 
DSC01546.jpg  
 
 
Conclusion & Issues
 
DSC01542.jpg
 
 
Having just reviewed the WA-8 and found it to be one of the best sounding amps, I have yet another absolute hit product to report on. The crazy thing is that this time we have an amp that costs about the same - offers crazy amounts of peak power (up to 14,000mW peak and more than 4,800mW constant) - so it can drive even the most demanding planar magnetic headphones with ease. It also offers 3.5mm outputs with IEM match technology so you can run sensitive IEMs from it without hiss. This amp is a technological marvel. It’s well put together and sounds just brilliant. 
 
It also saves you a lot of money as you have a tube amp, a class A solid state amp and a hybrid amp in one. you can drive everything from IEMs to Planars (and with an add-on in the future even electrostatic headphones).
 
Here is a tear down video I found: https://youtu.be/qla2KXNXfdw
 
Take a look at the design and how well the PCBs are designed. The lovely tubes in it….it’s a joy to look at such a well put together amplifier in such a small housing.
 
ifi came out to assault the “state of the art” and to my ears - they fully succeeded. It’s an amp that can seriously push any kind of headphones to its limits. 
 
One very welcomed consequence from using this amp: Having heard my headphones with this amp: PM-2, HE-560, LCD-2f etc. made me appreciate them even more. I thought I am ready to move to TOTL (top of the line) headphones, like the Edition X or HD800S. Now I know there is still so much life in my current headphones and so many areas I haven't yet explored - I should rather keep them and listen a few months or years longer with an endgame amp like this one. And an endgame amp this amp is (of course, my humble opinion for my humble setup and budget) . I am pretty sure there is not much in the same price range (and probably double the price) that comes close. And if it comes close sound quality wise, it won’t offer the versatility. 
 
As an alternative and if you don’t have really hard to drive headphones, or you don't need balanced outputs, the WA-8 is in the same price range and also sounds sublime, has a smaller footprint but lacks the versatility and future proofing to a certain extent.
 
Rating: Full 5 stars (would give it 7 if possible).
 
THANKS to www.samma3a.com and @Mazen4samma3a for the review loaner! So sad to see it go back :frowning2: This is my new dream amp (again).
punit
punit
As usual great job Koolpep.I have spent quality time with this amp (had a loaner for a few days) & I agree fully with this review. It really surprised me with HE 6. This is a TOTL amp.
obsidyen
obsidyen
Great review as always, German precision. :) I really want to try this amp.
cjs001
cjs001
Damn, wish it had come with speaker level output for passive speakers.
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