amazon IFI UNO reviews
iFi uno – DAC & Headphone AMP – USB-C Input – Improve Lacklustre Audio – Streaming/Gaming/Music Modes Adjust Sound to Suit You – 32-bit/384kHz/DSD256/MQA – Windows/MAC/Smart Device/Active Speakers: Buy it now
iFi has been very successful with its “Zen series” product line, devices that have good performance, good sound quality, and prices that are only on par with competitors from China. Continuing its success, iFi recently launched UNO, a mini Desk DAC/Amp that serves diverse entertainment needs from listening to music, watching movies to playing games. With a price of just over $80, UNO appears to have no competitors because there are few products in its price range that possess so many unique features and designs.
When it comes to design, the iFi UNO is quite compact, I can hold it in the palm of my hand. Furthermore, the material used is synthetic plastic so the body of the device is quite light and can easily be put into a pocket. You can also rest assured that this plastic material has some added ingredients to help increase hardness and fire resistance.
The front of the UNO is a volume knob and power switch, on the right is a gain key and an EQ key used to switch between 3 sound modes. The 3.5 mm output produces a capacity of 210 mW at 32ohm, not bad for a compact device like the UNO. You can comfortably combine the UNO with “lightweight” Fullsize devices like RODE NTH100, Beyerdynamic DT900 proX or Philips SHP9500, in addition, iFi UNO is also equipped with an RCA output port for you to output to an external amplifier.
In addition to using with a computer, you can also connect iFi UNO to a smartphone as a “dongle”, however, this “dongle” is a bit oversized and it is only compatible with Android devices. The decoding ability of iFi UNO is also quite impressive, this DAC/Amp can play DSD256 and MQA 4X well.
The sound quality of iFi UNO is still typical of the Zen product line, which is a warm and thick sound, because Low-Mid and Up-Bass are buffed quite a lot, quite the opposite of Topping products when Brands from China often prioritize clarity and detail, resulting in the Mid range being often quite thin and dry. This is the point that I think iFi does quite reasonably because UNO’s target audience is usually young people who love popular music genres. A warm, easy-to-listen sound quality will win more sympathy than a traditional music style. Sound focuses too much on detail and technique. Another advantage of iFi UNO is that it is very compact and lightweight. If you are also an office worker like me, you will love this DAC/Amp. Take it to the company during the day to relax during your lunch break, and put it in your backpack at night. Bring it home to play games and watch movies, iFi UNO only takes up a small space in your backpack or you can even put it in your pocket. The difference between the sound modes on the iFi UNO is also very clear, when listening to music, the sound is very rich, strong Bass and Mid are thick, warm, details are not too good but acceptable, switching to movie mode is fine. The sound space is wider, it feels like you’re listening in a large room, but the music is a bit echoed, the sound bands are diluted, not as tight and energetic as when in music listening mode, in gaming mode it is. The sound is quite similar to the music listening mode, the difference is that the Bass sound is increased significantly, but the layer separation is no longer clear.
Conclusion
With the above advantages, I think iFi UNO is an extremely reasonable choice to upgrade sound quality. Instead of adding a soundcard to your PC, which is expensive and lacks mobility, iFi UNO is a superior solution, meeting the needs of listening to music, playing games and watching movies.