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iFi hip-dac 3 Portable USB DAC & Headphone Amplifier – XMOS Hi-Res DAC, Balanced USB-C, MQA, DSD
$354.52
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iFi hip-dac 3
Portable USB DAC & Headphone Amplifier | Balanced Output | MQA Full Decoder | XMOS 16-Core
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The Legacy Continues
Meet the iFi hip-dac 3 — a pocket-sized portable USB DAC and headphone amplifier, now refined in the elegant Titanium Shadow finish. More than a visual upgrade, hip-dac 3 introduces meaningful internal enhancements, improved connectivity, and greater versatility for both headphones and IEMs.
Designed to replace the weak DAC and amplifier stages found in phones, tablets, and computers, hip-dac 3 delivers powerful, detailed, and natural sound wherever you go.
Titanium Shadow. Modern Refinement.
Housed in a sleek aluminium chassis, hip-dac 3 blends timeless design with modern functionality:
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Dual USB-C ports
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One dedicated to audio
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One dedicated to charging
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iEMatch switch on the underside
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Optimized for high-sensitivity earphones and IEMs
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Reduces hiss and improves volume control
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Inside, circuit upgrades include new metal-film capacitors, an updated GMT clock system, and a new crystal oscillator, all working together to lower phase noise and deliver a cleaner, more accurate signal.
Hip-Flask Size. Magnum Performance.
Compact and robust, hip-dac 3 fits easily into a pocket or bag while offering serious output power:
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Up to 400mW @ 32Ω
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6.3V output into 600Ω (balanced)
It effortlessly drives a wide range of headphones — from sensitive IEMs to power-hungry full-size models.
At its core is iFi’s expertly implemented Burr-Brown DAC, paired with a 16-core XMOS microcontroller, programmed in-house to ensure optimal sound quality and perfect hi-res performance.
True Balanced Circuit Design
Unlike typical single-ended designs, hip-dac 3 features a fully balanced signal path, reducing distortion, noise, and crosstalk.
High-quality internal components include:
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Custom iFi OV op-amp
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Low-noise Texas Instruments power IC
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Premium analogue volume potentiometer
The result is a cleaner, more engaging, and more dynamic listening experience.
Tailored for Headphones & IEMs
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PowerMatch® (switchable gain)
Matches output power to your headphones for optimal performance -
iEMatch®
Ideal for sensitive earphones, reducing background noise and improving detail -
XBass® (analogue bass enhancement)
Adds low-end weight without muddying mids
Operates fully in the analogue domain — no DSP involved
Plays Everything — Including Full MQA
hip-dac 3 supports true high-resolution playback:
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PCM up to 384kHz / 32-bit
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DXD up to 384kHz
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DSD64 / 128 / 256
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Full MQA decoding (three-stage unfold)
LED indicators beside the volume knob change color to show the active format and sample rate.
Connectivity & Battery
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USB-C audio input (asynchronous, jitter-free)
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3.5mm single-ended output with iFi S-Balanced® circuitry
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4.4mm balanced output for maximum performance
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2,200mAh battery
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Up to 12 hours of playback
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Can be used while charging
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Included cables:
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USB-C OTG cable
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USB-A to USB-C cable
Specifications
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Type: Portable USB DAC & Headphone Amplifier
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DAC Chip: Burr-Brown (True Native®)
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USB Interface: XMOS 16-Core
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Supported Formats: PCM, DXD, DSD, Full MQA
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Outputs: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Balanced
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Input: USB-C
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Battery: 2,200mAh (up to 12h)
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Body Material: Aluminium
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Dimensions: 100 × 70 × 15 mm
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Recommended Headphone Impedance: Up to 200Ω
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Wireless: No
Why Choose hip-dac 3?
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True balanced architecture at a portable size
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Full MQA decoding for hi-res streaming
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Powerful output for demanding headphones
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Optimized for both IEMs and full-size cans
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Elegant Titanium Shadow finish
The legacy continues.
Meet the hip-dac 3 — a portable hi-res DAC/headphone amp, now in Titanium Shadow with more versatility.
Now, our battery-powered portable hi-res DAC/headphone amp is adorned in the Titanium Shadow hue, exuding timeless elegance with a touch of modern sophistication. The transformation extends beyond aesthetics. The hip-dac 3’s sleek Aluminium case houses new features, tailored to elevate your audio experience.
Two USB-C ports simplify your cable management: one for audio and the other for charging. A switch on the underside activates iFi’s iEMatch technology, which is optimized for high-sensitivity headphones and earphones, making it especially beneficial for your in-ear monitors (IEMs).
Inside, the device boasts circuit enhancements, including new metal film capacitors for a better frequency response. Additionally, an updated version of iFi’s GMT circuitry, coupled with a new crystal oscillator, further reduces phase noise, delivering a purer sound to you.
Hip flask size. Magnum performance.
With its sleek, robust aluminium enclosure, the portable hip-dac 3 discreetly fits in a pocket or bag. It replaces the subpar DAC and amplifier in smartphones, tablets, PCs, and Macs. Just connect via USB-C, plug in your favourite headphones, and enjoy rich, dynamic sound.
iFi’s expertise with the Burr-Brown chipset ensures optimal performance. However, a superior DAC stage involves more than just the DAC chip. A crucial element is the XMOS chip for processing digital audio inputs. The hip-dac 3 features a 16-core XMOS microcontroller, programmed by iFi’s in-house team to optimise sound quality and ensure a perfect hi-res partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC.
hip-dac 3 your power-hungry headphone.
The hip-dac 3 features a true balanced circuit design, rare for its price range. This design minimizes signal distortion, resulting in a purer, more captivating sound for your headphones.
The circuitry incorporates high-quality components, including a custom iFi OV op-amp, a low-noise power supply IC from Texas Instruments, and a premium analogue volume pot.
The amp stage can deliver up to 400mW into a 32-ohm headphone load, making it compatible with a wide range of headphones. Additionally, it efficiently drives high-impedance headphones with an output voltage of 6.3V into 600 ohms from the balanced output.
Tailored for your headphones and earphones
The amp stage has switchable gain, called PowerMatch, to ensure optimal power for the headphones you are using.
An underside switch engages iFi’s iEMatch technology, optimising output for high-sensitivity headphones, especially in-ear monitors (IEMs). It reduces hiss, enhances detail and dynamic range, and improves volume control range.
XBass is a user-selectable feature that boosts bass without muddying the midrange, ideal for your earphones and open-back headphones. It works in the analogue domain, avoiding alterations via DSP.
Play all your files, including MQA
Hi-res PCM and DXD audio data is supported at sample rates up to 384kHz, alongside DSD from 2.8MHz to 12.4MHz (DSD64, 128 and 256).
Full decoding of MQA – the hi-res streaming technology, as used by Tidal’s ‘HiFi Plus’ tier – is also supported, performing the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process (as opposed to just the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’).
Either side of the rotary volume control reside a pair of LEDs that change colour to indicate the format and sample rate of the incoming audio.
Get connected
The hip-dac 3’s USB-C input supports up to 32-bit/384kHz audio, compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0. Its asynchronous design ensures jitter-free data transfer. A separate USB-C charging port allows use while charging, preserving a pure audio signal path.
The hip-dac 3 provides two outputs: a 3.5mm socket for single-ended headphones and a 4.4mm balanced output for those with balanced connectivity, leveraging the device’s differential amp design. The 3.5mm output utilizes iFi’s S-Balanced circuitry, minimizing crosstalk and distortion for single-ended connections.
The hip-dac 3’s 2,200mAh battery offers up to 12 hours of playtime, varying by volume and headphone power needs. It includes a USB-C OTG cable and a USB-A to USB-C cable.
Hip-case protects your hip-dac 3
The hip-dac series features a durable 102x70x14mm aluminum enclosure. For added protection and a suede-like touch.
Our hip-case in Dove Grey faux suede is perfect. It fits all hip-dac models snugly without compromising function.
Protect your hip-dac 3 with the hip-case.
Hi-Res True Native® playback of all music formats from MP3 to DSD256, PCM384 and DXD384.
The Burr-Brown True Native® chipset means file formats remain unchanged or ‘bit-perfect’. This means you are listening to music as the artist intended in the format in which it was recorded.
At iFi we use Burr Brown extensively in our products having selected it for its natural-sounding ‘musicality’ and True
Native architecture. Our experience with this IC means we know how to make the most of it.
The XMOS 16-Core chip processes the audio data received via the USB digital input.
This new low-latency XMOS microcontroller has greatly enhanced processing power. Compared to the current generation of eight-core chips, this new 16-core IC delivers double the clock speed (2000MIPS) and four times the memory (512KB), as well as the latest SuperSpeed USB standard.
iFi’s in-house digital development team has programmed the XMOS firmware to optimise sound quality and ensure a perfect partnership with the Burr-Brown DAC.
MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)
MQA is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. The hip-dac2 adopts MQA technology to receive and decode MQA audio and provide master-level sound.
It is a superior method to the traditional single-ended circuit approach. Balanced circuits reduce noise and crosstalk. Less Interference – clearer sound.
You normally find this set-up in products at the higher end of the price spectrum such as the Pro iCAN Signature but iFi is now using this across its range to produce the best quality audio for all our customers.
Sonically superior – richer, deeper.
The XBass® analogue bass correction system corrects for the missing headphone/speaker bass response.
