The phantom of iDSD – It's iFi's latest multi tasker so a DAC, preamp, headfi amp and streamer all-in-one [£4'500]. Its parallel solid-state, GE5670 tube and enhanced 2nd-order THD tube paths make for three selectable core flavours. That's well before we make any of the other possible adjustments. Like Gustard's new R26II, it can decode up to DSD2'048 natively and even includes an internal resampler to perform PCM⇒DSD conversion on the fly. There's multi-stage analog bass boost, multi-stage cross feed and JVC's K2 'harmonic restoration' algorithm. Four interleaved BB DSD1793 handle conversion. Voltage gain is adjustable from 0-18dB. Amplification is by discrete class A, power 4.6wpc into 64Ω. The Volumio-collab streamer embeds all the Connect services and AirPlay2. The power supply is external so the 15V switching iPower Elite with active noise suppression from sister brand SilentPower. There's even an IR wand. As the photos show, fore and aft connectivity is extensive as befits a statement effort. Alas, the analog RCA/XLR outputs aren't simultaneously live. We chose one or the other in fixed or variable mode. Whilst the published specs don't mention WiFi or Bluetooth specifically, the antenna port on the rear suggests their presence. 10MHz clock i/o mean that the iDSD Phantom can clock another digital device with its own oscillator; or be slaved to an external master clock. Whilst the look suggests docked twin chassis, this is a one-box affair.
