[Blackrao]

Got to check out the Ifi Go Bar, I like all the functionality and the portability. My connection to PC is rocksolid but my iphone it can be hit or miss dont know if anyone has a good solution for that one. It might just be an iphone thing

 

[WarHead75]

Hello, I’ve been lurking on this thread since last month. Was going to get the Astell&Kern HC3 but reading how the previous HC2’s Lightning adapter broke or not working with iPhone with A&K not addressing the issue is why I decided to go elsewhere. I read about this new iFi Go Bar and that there was a Gold version which has been claimed by everyone to sound better than the original. I was like, they’re all gone by now.

One user here pointed out a site called ListenUp that still had these Gold Go Bars almost a year ago lol. To my luck they had one last Gold Go Bar in stock and I snagged it like no tomorrow. Thank you to whoever that was. Oh and there is still some Gold Go Bars at a UK site called Audiologica but it would cost a bit as it’s shipping from the UK.

Sounds phenomenal on the UAPP app on Android and isn’t hindered much in sound quality on the iPhone. The cable stays connected even by bending around so I have been able to go out for a walk with it. I just hope @iFi audio will sell these usb c to Lightning cables on their site soon as I would like to buy a few to keep enjoying my Gold Bar.

 

[FooFighter]

I like my Gold Bar very much but bending the imcluded cable is always leading to playback stop.
I'd love to see some really portable cable solutions with less stiff cables such as ddhifi is producing.
Unfortunately my other non IFI cables aren't working

 

[aldinho878]

Any thoughts on which digital filter is the best to use? I realize there's very minimal if any audible differences, but was wondering if anyone has done extensive testing on this?

 

[Hinomotocho]

I've been using a BTR7 to connect via bluetooth to my Nvidia Shield for movies which is a more comfortable option than being tethered to my desktop amp. Due to the limited battery life, and lack of audible low battery notification I often find myself charging from a USB cable from my Shield, which then switches over to USB and highlighted it as the better ouput. I just had a thought that to prevent such frequent charging and degrading the battery, and to achieve a better quality output I could perhaps look into a USB powered option.
Probably as they are different devices I haven't been able to find any comparisons, does anyone know how the SQ might compare to the BTR7? Do these work via a hub or need to be directly connected to the USB port?

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I've been using a BTR7 to connect via bluetooth to my Nvidia Shield for movies which is a more comfortable option than being tethered to my desktop amp. Due to the limited battery life, and lack of audible low battery notification I often find myself charging from a USB cable from my Shield, which then switches over to USB and highlighted it as the better ouput. I just had a thought that to prevent such frequent charging and degrading the battery, and to achieve a better quality output I could perhaps look into a USB powered option.
Probably as they are different devices I haven't been able to find any comparisons, does anyone know how the SQ might compare to the BTR7? Do these work via a hub or need to be directly connected to the USB port?

I own both devices.

While the BTR7 sounds good to me, and has a high power output, I personally think the GOLD-BAR sounds better.

Compared to the BTR7, it has more power, is able to drive the 3.5 and 4.4 outputs simultaneously, has MQA full decoder (for those interested), has no battery, and has IEMATCH.

Produces some hiss noise on sensitive IEMs.

It connects directly to the usb, but has a power demand that is a bit critical with iPhones.

 

[Hinomotocho]

I own both devices.

While the BTR7 sounds good to me, and has a high power output, I personally think the GOLD-BAR sounds better.

Compared to the BTR7, it has more power, is able to drive the 3.5 and 4.4 outputs simultaneously, has MQA full decoder (for those interested), has no battery, and has IEMATCH.

Produces some hiss noise on sensitive IEMs.

It connects directly to the usb, but has a power demand that is a bit critical with iPhones.

Thanks for your reply.
I am satisfied with the BTR7, just reassessing my needs and looking to preserve my gear
The GOLD bar is quite a bit more than the standard one, for that price I might consider the Gryphon if it can bypass the battery.
I like the idea of the xbass and xspace for movies.
I don't have an iPhone and will mostly use from my Shield

 

[Ferdinando1968]

Thanks for your reply.
I am satisfied with the BTR7, just reassessing my needs and looking to preserve my gear
The GOLD bar is quite a bit more than the standard one, for that price I might consider the Gryphon if it can bypass the battery.
I like the idea of the xbass and xspace for movies.
I don't have an iPhone and will mostly use from my Shield

I love the GOLD-BAR, as sound, as general performance and also (yes) aesthetically.
In my opinion it is at the top of the category 'dongle', quietly encroaching on performance
to a higher category of devices.

However I have to say that if I were forced to choose between it and the Gryphon, I would definitely choose the latter, due to its vastly greater flexibility.

It has the battery, which is an advantage in some respects and a disadvantage in others.

It has the possibility of dual USB power supply, which allows you not to consume the battery of your smartphone when connected,
and at the same time allows you to feed it with a 'clean' USB power supply
(provided that its internal power supply is always 'clean' because it is taken from its internal battery).

It has a lot of inputs and outputs that allows me to use it any way I want
(as a BT receiver, as a DAC by analog output, as a headphone amplifier by analog input or via USB, etc).

In short, I believe it is ultimately a 'superior' device.

 

[Lightspeed12]

Hello people I have just purchased a ifi gold bar but can't get any sound out of it.
The gold bar is hooked into my astell&kern sr25 mk2 & the external usb won't light up.
I did get it to light up once but still no sound.
The instructions are as clear as mud. Lol
Anyone prepared to go through the initial set up for me please. Thanks Grant

 

[BS5711]

Hello people I have just purchased a ifi gold bar but can't get any sound out of it.
The gold bar is hooked into my astell&kern sr25 mk2 & the external usb won't light up.
I did get it to light up once but still no sound.
The instructions are as clear as mud. Lol
Anyone prepared to go through the initial set up for me please. Thanks Grant

Can you try plugging it into something else ?

There is no set up.

I recall reading somewhere about A and K DAPs not playing nicely with USB accessories.

 

[Lightspeed12]

Can you try plugging it into something else ?

There is no set up.

I recall reading somewhere about A and K DAPs not playing nicely with USB accessories.

I plugged it into my astell&kern sp1000m & i have no problems at all & the settings on my astell&kern sr25 mk2 are set the same.
It did work once after I posted with the sr25 mkii but after I turned it off it won't work again for some reason. Very annoying & the place I bought it from is closed today. Thanks for your help.

 

[Lightspeed12]

All seems ok now I tried a u green new type c cable I had bought earlier so looks like the ifi one is not good. Hope these don't drain the dap battery like they do the Apple phones. Thanks.

 

[WarHead75]

Hey guys, is the usb c socket for the Go Gold Bar suppose to be uneven (not perfectly in the center)?

Either way it works and sounds fine. I’m just worried about the longevity of a socket like this unless all units look like that

 

[flyte3333]

@iFi audio - how does the volume control work with Go Bar?

Especially with BP mode with DSD input?

If volume control is done by the Cirrus Logic DAC chip, then it's not really bit perfect D to A then (the way your old DSD1793 chips were truely bit perfect converters of DSD)?

 

[mikewbragg]

I’ve recently picked up the go bar and have noticed that the usb-c connection using the supplied cable has some up and down movement within the device. I can rock the usb c connection up and down a few millimeters. Is this normal?