iFi Audio GO Bar Kensei... The Ultimate GO Bar Has Arrived!
- Thread starter iFi audio
- Start date
I had a similar issue with Tidal that disappeared once I updated the firmware.
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Yes, as a friendly reminder for those that are just getting their GBK please take a moment to update your units to firmware V 1.05 Located here...
https://ifi-audio.com/support/download-hub/
Thanks Folks!!
Cheers!!
Bubba
https://ifi-audio.com/support/download-hub/
Thanks Folks!!
Cheers!!
Bubba
Appreciate the honesty and openness, thanks !
Now give us something new with Bluetooth too please (for use while commuting)
Meanwhile I just ordered another Go Blu as I gave mine away to a friend recently.
jmirabil
New Head-Fier
Great note and as Im thinking back, I've bad a few go bars, one go bar standard two (now three) go bar gold's and now a go bar kensei, and it MUST be the firmware that makes my original gold bar versus the second gold bar sound different--Ive never upgraded a go bar firmware! So the 1.05 GBK code upgrade might indeed matter. Thx for the tip!Yes, as a friendly reminder for those that are just getting their GBK please take a moment to update your units to firmware V 1.05 Located here...
https://ifi-audio.com/support/download-hub/
Thanks Folks!!
Cheers!!
Bubba
I think honestly I've been hesitant to upgrade the gold bar is that the code upgrades don't 100% assure me that they are really for the gold bar, they seem to READ like they are for the standard go bar--If I still had my original go bar I'd diff/compare the files to verify for sure. But the GBK definitely has its own firmware line not to be confused with the standard rloor
jmirabil
New Head-Fier
I compared the actual SPECS on the go bar gold GBG to the go bar kensei GBK and there are differences, higher frequency response on the gbk of 70khz vs 45khz on the GBK. The balanced output has less than or equal to 0.0025% on the GBK versus 0.002% for the GBG. But the big spec diff seems to be on the S-Balancrd port output of 0.009% on the GBK and 0.09% on the GBG. I don't know about you but I NEVER use the S balanced only the 4.4mm balanced.
So all preferences aside, including my own, for the GBG, the GBK has either virtually the same/near-measurably identical to worse specs. Even after upgrading to 1.05 fw on the GBK, I still even in blind tests have slightly favored the GBG for sound and tone quality. Now the counterpoint to that is with K2SD the new harmonic-enhancing tech (which likely necessitates the higher top end frequency response of the GBK) with that ON in blind tests I slightly favored the GBK! So there's my admission-my first admission-that the GBK is better to my ears. I'm glad I got one but still having a spare new in box gold bar gold still for now is worth keeping.
So that's it for the basic testing with my old Samsung galaxy flip 3 phone--if I really wanted to nerd out I'd try the GBG and GBK running off a better box like a Sony NW-A306 32Gb usb-C player and Sony NW-WM1ZM2 256GB flagship player. Those wil have much better source electronics and such... perhaps better signal into the dac means better sound out... another time...
So all preferences aside, including my own, for the GBG, the GBK has either virtually the same/near-measurably identical to worse specs. Even after upgrading to 1.05 fw on the GBK, I still even in blind tests have slightly favored the GBG for sound and tone quality. Now the counterpoint to that is with K2SD the new harmonic-enhancing tech (which likely necessitates the higher top end frequency response of the GBK) with that ON in blind tests I slightly favored the GBK! So there's my admission-my first admission-that the GBK is better to my ears. I'm glad I got one but still having a spare new in box gold bar gold still for now is worth keeping.
So that's it for the basic testing with my old Samsung galaxy flip 3 phone--if I really wanted to nerd out I'd try the GBG and GBK running off a better box like a Sony NW-A306 32Gb usb-C player and Sony NW-WM1ZM2 256GB flagship player. Those wil have much better source electronics and such... perhaps better signal into the dac means better sound out... another time...
jmirabil
New Head-Fier
Putting the GBG and GBK next to each other they look like the gold and silver bar but it seems that as the code matures on the GBK it will become the platinum bar. Actually I am wondering why ifi didnt just call it that....I still like the look of the GBG with the Sony NW-WM1ZM2 ' s gold color, it just matches better nerd-aesthetically.
I don't know about you but I drive my GBG so it runs VERY HOT so the copper casing has a better heat capacity, assuming the same volume of casing is on the GBG and GBK, as they weigh near the same but copper is heavier than stainless steel casing as I recall.
Has ANYONE figured out a way to both drive these USB-C dacs to near capacity on Android devices and still get power/charge to the host device? Is that possible??? If I know I'll run out of power I must without this solution use the hip-dac 2 as my backup dac...
I don't know about you but I drive my GBG so it runs VERY HOT so the copper casing has a better heat capacity, assuming the same volume of casing is on the GBG and GBK, as they weigh near the same but copper is heavier than stainless steel casing as I recall.
Has ANYONE figured out a way to both drive these USB-C dacs to near capacity on Android devices and still get power/charge to the host device? Is that possible??? If I know I'll run out of power I must without this solution use the hip-dac 2 as my backup dac...
jsmiller58
Headphoneus Supremus
I did update the firmware earlier this week, but I can try again!
ekbalco
New Head-Fier
What do we have here ? Another dongle to join a long list.
Impressions;
Nice packaging. Nice box! The Kensei itself has a good amount of heft. Compared to the Gold Go Bar it’s close to its weight, slightly less. Heavier than the standard Go Bar. I can read the writing (and see the filter colours/indications)on the Kensei, unlike the standard Go Bar, which was very difficult to see.
Setup simple enough. Immediately upgraded to firmware 1.05.
Balanced output using the Sennheiser HD660S2 and the legendary HD600.
Sound impressions? I use the Bit Perfect filter (or no filter I guess I could call it) with NO bass boost or any other extra. I tried the K2 sound briefly but didn’t carry on with it. I far prefer the Bit Perfect filter and that’s it. Very very nice sound. Detailed. NOT harsh. A degree of warmth. But it’s the fine detail that I’m hearing with the 600S2 in particular. Drives these headphones fine with about 35-38 out of the 60 sound increments. That’s loud enough for me. Can go a lot louder.
Decent soundstage and excellent separation IMO. As I say really happy that it drives my type of headphones so well with room to spare. The Kensei bar itself gets just a fraction warm. NOT toasty warm, just warmish. No strange noises or cut outs or connection issues (hooked up to a MacBook Air).
Will obviously keep playing with it but it’s a thumbs up from me. I used to have the standard Go Bar - this is a nice upgrade in my opinion. I have the Gold Go Bar - it’s really close between the two, I’m not sure, need more listening time. Hard to tell - perhaps the Kensei has a touch less warmth but a fraction more detail? Could just be me.
Price wise ? Hmm, it is expensive for what it is but it’s like Apple products-they take the piss price wise but hardware/build/quality is second to none. That’s ifi as well in a nutshell. A strong price but it’s a beautiful piece of kit. Really depends on your budget. If you have a standard Go Bar and have the money to upgrade then I’d recommend it. If you have a Gold Go Bar it’s a tougher decision.
As usual all my comments are only my opinion. I paid for it with my own money so I’m not obliged to be either positive or negative. My view on the Go Bar Kensei? Well worth having if you want this type of dongle.
Impressions;
Nice packaging. Nice box! The Kensei itself has a good amount of heft. Compared to the Gold Go Bar it’s close to its weight, slightly less. Heavier than the standard Go Bar. I can read the writing (and see the filter colours/indications)on the Kensei, unlike the standard Go Bar, which was very difficult to see.
Setup simple enough. Immediately upgraded to firmware 1.05.
Balanced output using the Sennheiser HD660S2 and the legendary HD600.
Sound impressions? I use the Bit Perfect filter (or no filter I guess I could call it) with NO bass boost or any other extra. I tried the K2 sound briefly but didn’t carry on with it. I far prefer the Bit Perfect filter and that’s it. Very very nice sound. Detailed. NOT harsh. A degree of warmth. But it’s the fine detail that I’m hearing with the 600S2 in particular. Drives these headphones fine with about 35-38 out of the 60 sound increments. That’s loud enough for me. Can go a lot louder.
Decent soundstage and excellent separation IMO. As I say really happy that it drives my type of headphones so well with room to spare. The Kensei bar itself gets just a fraction warm. NOT toasty warm, just warmish. No strange noises or cut outs or connection issues (hooked up to a MacBook Air).
Will obviously keep playing with it but it’s a thumbs up from me. I used to have the standard Go Bar - this is a nice upgrade in my opinion. I have the Gold Go Bar - it’s really close between the two, I’m not sure, need more listening time. Hard to tell - perhaps the Kensei has a touch less warmth but a fraction more detail? Could just be me.
Price wise ? Hmm, it is expensive for what it is but it’s like Apple products-they take the piss price wise but hardware/build/quality is second to none. That’s ifi as well in a nutshell. A strong price but it’s a beautiful piece of kit. Really depends on your budget. If you have a standard Go Bar and have the money to upgrade then I’d recommend it. If you have a Gold Go Bar it’s a tougher decision.
As usual all my comments are only my opinion. I paid for it with my own money so I’m not obliged to be either positive or negative. My view on the Go Bar Kensei? Well worth having if you want this type of dongle.
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ayang02
500+ Head-Fier
I think the Kensei is made for those who missed out on the Gold Bar. Especially those who thought the Gold Bar was better sounding than the standard Go Bar.
Three days in, going back and forth between the Kensei and the Gold Bar. I have a hard time determining a winner here. It really comes down to synergy with your headphones/IEMs. Both are equally good IMO
Three days in, going back and forth between the Kensei and the Gold Bar. I have a hard time determining a winner here. It really comes down to synergy with your headphones/IEMs. Both are equally good IMO
zwief
New Head-Fier
I’m holding out for a gold bar version of the Kensei? 
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Giving my Magic 8-Ball a shake it came up...I’m holding out for a gold bar version of the Kensei?
Reply Hazy, Try Again
Another shake and it came up
Outlook Not So Good
My reply would be, Never Say Never!
Cheers!!
zwief
New Head-Fier
K2 HD has been around for a long time. See https://www.jvckenwood.com/en/technology/k2/history.html#01.You can get more information here, but I am pretty sure the K2 HD tech was around before MQA, but that's another subject!
https://www.jvckenwood.com/en/technology/k2.html
Cheers!!
jmirabil
New Head-Fier
Ha! not likely as that would be an ifi 12th anniversary go bar. I'm daily testing the go bar gold versus the go bar kensei and still *slightly* favoring the gold... more to come...I’m holding out for a gold bar version of the Kensei?
KaiFi
500+ Head-Fier
So although some of you who own this may not prefer the K2 HD setting, can you explain how it affects the sound? That seems to be the main selling point of this dongle, so even if you don't prefer it enabled, what exactly does it do? I'd be interested in hearing that from reviewers.
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