[thaslaya]

I'm interested in the X Bass option. Is it subtle?

It's very tastefully done in my opinion. Adds just enough to elevate bass but it won't be basshead levels unless it's already a basshead iem/headphone.

 

[iFi audio]

It's very tastefully done in my opinion. Adds just enough to elevate bass but it won't be basshead levels unless it's already a basshead iem/headphone.

Thanks for the vote of confidence there!

I feel the same way, I will use it when I feel like the album I am listening to benefits from it, and also with some headphones it just adds that bit of magic that they may have been missing.

Cheers!!

 

[jsmiller58]

Thanks for the vote of confidence there!

I feel the same way, I will use it when I feel like the album I am listening to benefits from it, and also with some headphones it just adds that bit of magic that they may have been missing.

Cheers!!

As I’ve said before, XBass (along with XSpace and K2HD) is permanently on for me (but a warmer signature with good sub-bass is my preference).

 

[thaslaya]

As I’ve said before, XBass (along with XSpace and K2HD) is permanently on for me (but a warmer signature with good sub-bass is my preference).

I find that while all 3 options are excellent, I tend to use them only when it enhances the particular iem I'm using at the time. But that's what's fun about the Kensei, you have so many cool options to tweak the sound to your particular preference.

 

[RHMMMM]

Could someone compare with the iBasso DC Elite?

 

[Polky74]

Could someone compare with the iBasso DC Elite?

Now... that's the million dollar question.

 

[Blackrao]

Correct me if I am mistaken but the technology isn’t upscaling, it is interpolating lost information beyond 20khz or thereabouts.

Here is ifi tech info on it where they explain how it upscales the file https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iFi_GO_bar_Kensei_Tech_Lowdown_1.0.pdf

 

[BS5711]

Here is ifi tech info on it where they explain how it upscales the file https://media.ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iFi_GO_bar_Kensei_Tech_Lowdown_1.0.pdf

Perhaps your interpretation of the meaning of upscaling is different to mine.

As I read the below the interpolation and adding in of data above 22khz is the main point of K2HD with upscaling being involved but not what K2HD actually is fundamentally all about.

In fact they state that the upscaling is optional, I would imagine that is a general comment about the upscaling being optional in the implementation of K2HD technology not that it is optional on the Kensei, it seem to be on or off.

 

[Blackrao]

Perhaps the K2HD upscales when it detects the right format, in the manual it kind of states the conditions in which it works. Maybe Ifi would like to chime in to clarify

 

[BS5711]

Perhaps the K2HD upscales when it detects the right format, in the manual it kind of states the conditions in which it works. Maybe Ifi would like to chime in to clarify

That certainly reads like it does the interpolation beyond 22khz and upscales to 192khz if the PCM data is less than 192khz.

Interesting stuff but I would buy one just because it looks cool. What puts me off is the noise floor hiss with sensitive IEM. I have the standard Go Bar and that is the only thing I dislike about it.

 

[Billyak]

That certainly reads like it does the interpolation beyond 22khz and upscales to 192khz if the PCM data is less than 192khz.

Interesting stuff but I would buy one just because it looks cool. What puts me off is the noise floor hiss with sensitive IEM. I have the standard Go Bar and that is the only thing I dislike about it.

Does that still happen with the built in iematch?

 

[iFi audio]

As I’ve said before, XBass (along with XSpace and K2HD) is permanently on for me (but a warmer signature with good sub-bass is my preference).

I find that while all 3 options are excellent, I tend to use them only when it enhances the particular iem I'm using at the time. But that's what's fun about the Kensei, you have so many cool options to tweak the sound to your particular preference.

I agree with both, for me sometimes it is also about the simplicity of those options. I would much rather this than playing around with an EQ or PEQ option (which I did for many years).

As I said in previous posts, the K2 option jumped out to me when listening to "The Final Cut" (Everyone's fav Floyd album lol) I immediately thought of the original vinyl when I had it on, and again, I am hoping to spend more time with it after AXPONA.

Cheers!!

 

[jsmiller58]

Does that still happen with the built in iematch?

No, the background is silent when IEMatch is enabled.

 

[BS5711]

Does that still happen with the built in iematch?

As stated immediately above the IEMatch does correct the noise floor hiss but I personally prefer not to need it. Not from a sonic perspective just a personal preference in that it seems like a sticking plaster for a problem that I don’t think needs to exist in the first place.

That is just my thoughts based on my use case whereby I have a couple of IEM that I use regularly that hiss very obviously on the Go Bar. As such it is an annoyance to me and I avoid using the Go Bar with those IEM. Other more powerful gear I have doesn’t have that issue iFi Diablo included so I infer the high noose floor is a byproduct of getting as much power out of a small footprint as possible. If I used the Go Bar with headphones mostly and a couple of less sensitive IEM I wouldn’t know about the noise floor and the IEMatch wound be an innocuous little switch on the side that I wouldn’t even think about. I guess that is a design compromise for most expected use cases.

 

[Billyak]

As stated immediately above the IEMatch does correct the noise floor hiss but I personally prefer not to need it. Not from a sonic perspective just a personal preference in that it seems like a sticking plaster for a problem that I don’t think needs to exist in the first place.

That is just my thoughts based on my use case whereby I have a couple of IEM that I use regularly that hiss very obviously on the Go Bar. As such it is an annoyance to me and I avoid using the Go Bar with those IEM. Other more powerful gear I have doesn’t have that issue iFi Diablo included so I infer the high noose floor is a byproduct of getting as much power out of a small footprint as possible. If I used the Go Bar with headphones mostly and a couple of less sensitive IEM I wouldn’t know about the noise floor and the IEMatch wound be an innocuous little switch on the side that I wouldn’t even think about. I guess that is a design compromise for most expected use cases.

Fair point. I don't like using the iematch dongle with my CA Andromeda.