[lapmic]

I found two

1. wifimedia just confirmed they also have "gold" in stock
https://www.wifimedia.eu/nl/ifi-audio-gold-bar.html?sqr=gold bar

2. https://www.hi-stands.eu/en/go-bar.html

Thanks a lot for the tip! I just ordered one IFI Go bar gold from hi-stands.eu

 

[rafaelo]

There are a lot of great opinions expressed already in this thread which I totally agree.

I am giving now some of my review comments but I think is this OK since I did not finish my review yet...

The quality of the SE output is amazing, this is the smallest difference I encountered between balanced and unbalanced mode in any device. It has much more difference in xcan for example. I do not want to listen from the unbalanced output of xcan where here the satisfaction is almost the same in the go bar between the two output modes.

This is a super silent device with the most black background I have ever heard. Super super clean background.

The DAC flavour completely disappeares, it simply does not exist. There is no flavour. Absolute neutrality. I personally believe the burr brown has some slight flavor and has a (subtle) difference in comparison but I am not saying that trying to impose any negative connotation. It is what it is and what I personally believe. It is a different dac afteral. The ESS dac of KA3 has much much different flavor.

My comments are for the silver go bar. I have not heard the gold. I am quite shocked that people find the gold so much different.

Someone else mention that it has two opamps but I did not see that in the device specs. Is that true?

 

[igorski]

I use my GoBar from time to time with my HQPlayer NAA (Network Audio Adapter)

@polymaniac, could you kindly try DSDx48 rates (48k DSD enabled) with HQP/NAA + Go Bar in your setup ? Does it work ?

 

[wolfstar76]

Anyone here can compare the SQ of Go Bar to DX160? Given the price, I hope the dongle such as Go Bar can make mid tier DAP irrelevant in term of SQ. I am looking for my next DAP or if possible dongles to work with smartphone. I already had lotoo paw s1, but it can't compete with my DX160.

 

[iFi audio]

There are a lot of great opinions expressed already in this thread which I totally agree.

I am giving now some of my review comments but I think is this OK since I did not finish my review yet...

The quality of the SE output is amazing, this is the smallest difference I encountered between balanced and unbalanced mode in any device. It has much more difference in xcan for example. I do not want to listen from the unbalanced output of xcan where here the satisfaction is almost the same in the go bar between the two output modes.

This is a super silent device with the most black background I have ever heard. Super super clean background.

The DAC flavour completely disappeares, it simply does not exist. There is no flavour. Absolute neutrality. I personally believe the burr brown has some slight flavor and has a (subtle) difference in comparison but I am not saying that trying to impose any negative connotation. It is what it is and what I personally believe. It is a different dac afteral. The ESS dac of KA3 has much much different flavor.

My comments are for the silver go bar. I have not heard the gold. I am quite shocked that people find the gold so much different.

Someone else mention that it has two opamps but I did not see that in the device specs. Is that true?

Thanks a lot for that feedback, it's much appreciated and I'll ask internally about op-amps, thanks!

- @iFi audio, any suggestion how to enable these ?

Let me ask about that as well, thanks!

 

[ardexx]

Loving the GO Bar Gold bar so far! It would be great to see a desktop derivate of this great device. Almost as it is now, but just a tad bigger, with a power supply connection and perhaps an addition pair of (fixed) outputs.

Since I am using the GO Bar in a desktop environment now, I am wondering which exact volume settings gives the standard 2V. output.

For example: With the Mojo 2, volume position 39 (in the high range) gives max. 2.12 Volts, and position 42 gives max. 3 Volts.

It would be nice to have something similar for the GO Bar.
@iFi audio, is this data available?

 

[ardexx]

PCB’s

of the GO Bar and GO Bar 10 (GOLD) as found on the internet. Not sure if these are final board revisions.

 

[ducnsh]

Can I use a built-in microphone earphone with GO Bar?

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Loving the GO Bar Gold bar so far! It would be great to see a desktop derivate of this great device. Almost as it is now, but just a tad bigger, with a power supply connection and perhaps an addition pair of (fixed) outputs.

Since I am using the GO Bar in a desktop environment now, I am wondering which exact volume settings gives the standard 2V. output.

For example: With the Mojo 2, volume position 39 (in the high range) gives max. 2.12 Volts, and position 42 gives max. 3 Volts.

It would be nice to have something similar for the GO Bar.
@iFi audio, is this data available?

Thanks for the suggestion

PCB’s of the GO Bar and GO Bar 10 (GOLD) as found on the internet. Not sure if these are final board revisions.

Yes, these were sourced from our own media portal - they are final.

Can I use a built-in microphone earphone with GO Bar?

No, you can't.

 

[Doug2507]

PCB’s of the GO Bar and GO Bar 10 (GOLD) as found on the internet. Not sure if these are final board revisions.

So apart from the case, the difference is 3 additional caps....?

 

[AudaciousAudio]

Anyone else having trouble connecting to Iphone? I upgraded firmware to 1.70a, connected to an Iphone 12 Pro Max running ios 15.5 and it doesn't turn on. Tested on my PC and my Mac and it works fine with those, but for the life of me I can't get it to work with the Iphone (which was the sole reason I got it. The portability so I don't need to lug my Diablo around).

It worked once, the second time i plugged it in using the cable that came with the Go Bar but since I've had trouble. @iFi audio @Sebastien Chiu ?

Is there a particular way to connect it, or maybe some sort of trick I haven't figured out?

 

[littlexx26]

PCB’s of the GO Bar and GO Bar 10 (GOLD) as found on the internet. Not sure if these are final board revisions.

wow better than the difference of 1z2 and 1a2
and seems the 3 additional caps are soldered by hands

 

[polymaniac]

Anyone else having trouble connecting to Iphone? I upgraded firmware to 1.70a, connected to an Iphone 12 Pro Max running ios 15.5 and it doesn't turn on. Tested on my PC and my Mac and it works fine with those, but for the life of me I can't get it to work with the Iphone (which was the sole reason I got it. The portability so I don't need to lug my Diablo around).

It worked once, the second time i plugged it in using the cable that came with the Go Bar but since I've had trouble. @iFi audio @Sebastien Chiu ?

Is there a particular way to connect it, or maybe some sort of trick I haven't figured out?

Try another iPhone (if possible), if it didn't work then get a replacement cable because all other constructs with adapters and CCK etc. didn't work for me. The Original iFi iPhone cable is a bit sluggish to connect from time to time, but mostly works OK.

 

[ducnsh]

So the gold version has more 3 caps?

 

[rafaelo]

Sometimes iphone ports collect some lint from trousers. Every now and then I am cleaning with a toothpick actually I am taking a lot of lint out of my lightning port very often.

This can also affect the connection with the cables and can make a difference sometimes, is worrh trying out first.