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Diablo 2 is a portable, or transportable, DAC-HeadAmp with power to spare, capable of replacing any desktop DAC.

Let's start by sharing some helpful technical information that iFi Audio has provided. This allows the reader to follow the subjectivity of my analysis with some objective data in hand.

Specifications:

• System compatible with xMEMS technology
  Burr-Brown dual DAC and the new 16-core XMOS chip for processing data received via the USB and S/PDIF digital inputs.
  Ultra-low distortion PureWave circuit
  Bluetooth 5.4 with Qualcomm QCC518 supports: aptX Lossless; aptX Adaptive; LDAC; LHDC/HWA; AAC and SBC.
  Full MQA decoding
  Bit Perfect Supported Formats: DSD: 512, 256, 128, 64, Octa, Quad, Double, Single-Speed; PCM: 768, 705.6, 384, 352.8, 192, 176.4, 96, 88.2, 48, 44.1kHz
  Three different power modes Normal; Turbo and Nitro
  Zero Jitter / Improved Femto clock system for lower jitter and phase noise
  Inputs: 2x USB-C (1x Audio and 1x Charge); SPDIF optical and coaxial 3.5mm
  Outputs: 2x balanced 4.4; 1x single ended 6.3mm output
  Output Power: Up to 5180mW at 32Ω (balanced) and 2060mW at 64Ω (balanced).
  Battery life: 6 to 12 hours depending on mode (Normal, Turbo, Nitro).
  Dedicated desktop stand included
  PSU: iPower2
  Dimensions: 166 x 85 x 28.5mm, weighing 455g.
  Price: approximately €1299.
• Performance: Diablo 2 offers three power modes:
• Normal Mode: suitable for IEMs, providing a quieter background, plus iEMatch technology to minimise background noise and improve volume control for overly sensitive IEMs.
• Turbo mode: designed for headphones with medium sensitivity.
• Nitro mode: for low-sensitivity headphones (planar-magnetics, for example), delivering up to 19.2V.

Snapdragon Heart

Diablo 2 has advanced jitter reduction technology and features such as Servoless Direct Drive (no coupling capacitors) and Optima Loop (localised feedback only) for optimised gain control. The TI DSD1793 (192kHz/24-bit Max.) DACs are interleaved to guarantee high resolution up to 768kHz, DSD512.

The heart of the system is a Snapdragon BT 5.4 processor. All the resistors are Vishay MELF and all the capacitors used in the power supply are Panasonic OSCON. A 4800mAh lithium battery guarantees the declared (but unconfirmed) high autonomy.

Based on these specifications alone, the reader might get a good idea of whether this is the DAC they've been looking for a long time, as many of today's competitors don't have this resolution, let alone this power.

On the other hand, the Diablo 2, which replaces the Diablo 2021, isn't exactly cheap (€1299). Ifi Audio has much more affordable proposals, such as the Zen 3 DAC (€229), which is simultaneously under scrutiny, and serves the same goal because it's also transportable. However, it doesn't work with a battery.

iFI Audio Diablo 2 - a powerful Headamp/DAC for all headphones

Design, construction, ergonomics

Now let's analyse some subjective aspects such as design, construction, ergonomics, and sound quality.

The metallic red may not be to everyone's taste, as it's too flashy. The same can be said of the longitudinal grooves, which act as heat sinks and serve as rails for mounting the 'devil's wings': a precarious double stand to keep the Diablo 2 more or less stable as if ‘in crutches’ when used as a desktop DAC.

The Diablo 2, while not pocket-friendly, is pretty transportable in the small bag provided.

On the other hand, at 166 x 85 x 28.5 mm and weighing almost half a kilo, the Diablo 2, while not pocket-friendly, is pretty transportable in the small bag provided. However, I did not carry it outside and only used it as a desktop unit.

Normal, Turbo and Nitro

Unlike other iFI models, e.g. the Gryphon, the Diablo 2 has no 'xBass' or 'xSpace' modes (Crossfeed), and no digital filter selector. But it offers power modes: Normal, Turbo, and Nitro (see specifications above). There's also a mysterious on/off switch for xMEMS, a piezoelectric headphone technology that only exists on paper. Until then, keep the switch in the off position.

The switch for adapting very sensitive IEMS is hidden underneath, what the devil!?, and if you carry the Diablo 2 in your pocket, you could inadvertently activate it and lose/gain power without realising why.

iFi Audio Diablo 2 - Safety first: volume sliding lock

Volume lock

Fortunately, the rotary volume knob comes with a lock. And that's a good thing because if you accidentally turn the knob clockwise while using sensitive IEMs, you could lose your eardrums! I forewarned you that Diablo 2 was evil, especially in Nitro mode—a name that may have derived from the explosive nature of nitro-glycerine. Does iFI Audio intend to win a Nobel Prize?

Diablo 2 has a 6.3 mm jack input and a 3.5 mm adapter. The balanced 4.4 mm jack is now very fashionable, but it requires buying a cable with the proper termination, which is expensive and not widely available. It's a shame that the 4.4 mm balanced cable is so supplied, too, because it's with this connection that Diablo 2 delivers more power and better sound quality.

Bluetooth aptX Lossless

Diablo 2 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.4, which includes aptX Lossless (CD-quality). The Samsung S23 Ultra is allegedly not compatible with this new codec. But whenever I tried connecting it to Diablo 2, I got the indication 'Paired with iFI Lossless Audio'. Why? The devil might know.

The Diablo 2 includes a balanced (4.4mm) line input and output socket n DAC/preamp mode. It has also a 3.5mm coaxial/optic S/PDIF and two USB-C inputs for battery charging and digital audio, and a BT pairing button.

Clean power

Besides the resident headphones: Sf Pryma, Hifiman HE1000 (planar-magnetics), and Martins Logan Micro 80 (IEMs), I had the excellent Dali iO12 and the affordable new Meze Alba (IEMs).

Diablo 2 managed to get the best out of each of them, using its power sparingly as necessary. I ended up using my Hifiman HE1000 planar magnetics most of the time, only to conclude that, in Nitro mode, the specification of 6 to 12 hours of battery life is too optimistic. Of course, when used as a desktop DAC, you can always keep it connected to the iPower 2 power supply (5V USB). But I prefer to listen to it on battery power.

Some say that clean power is what counts in a headphone amplifier. The Diablo 2 not only has more clean power than any other portable I've ever tested, but it also beats some of the best desktops on the market.

Diablo 2 has more power than any other 'laptop' I've ever tested.

This is on an analogue level because, on a digital level, the jitter is practically non-existent (5ps), and it genuinely meets the DSD512 and PCM 768kHz-24 bit specifications (I tested it!). Note: if you're using Windows, you'll first need to install the latest USB Asio Driver v5.7 available from the iFI Audio website to get the highest resolution.

Sound quality: The Devil is in the Details

Anything I can write about Diablo 2's sound is only descriptive and personal because it depends on the headphones I used then. Listening to music with headphones is perhaps the most personalised way.

No two ears are identical, so each person is a case study. Just as there are huge differences between headphones: open or closed, dynamic or planar magnetic? And I'm not even talking about IEMs, whose proper placement inside the ear makes all the difference in the perception of bass, for example.

iFI Audio Diablo 2 - The yet to be available MEMS get priority on the front plate, while the IEM Match switch is hiding under the belly.

In general, I found the sound of the Diablo 2:

Energetic, fast, and very neutral in the mid-range, with controlled, dry bass and a mild 'citric' twist in the treble to bring out the flavour and reinforce the uncanny capacity to recover the lost detail in the mix.

It's a typical 'solid state' sound without the second harmonic euphony of a tube output stage that iFI Audio offers in some of its other models. They say the devil is in the details, and Diablo 2 reveals the true character of each headphone, reproducing pure music without distortion.

Diablo 2 is also a tool that can be very useful in professional field work; hence, its portability might be useful.

We're halfway through the year, and the Diablo 2 is still the best portable DAC-HeadAmp I've heard. As such, it is a strong candidate for a Hificlube 2024 Award.

Note: The iFI Audio Diablo 2 model is new, so you should contact Smartaudio or Smartstores for availability and price.