portable powerhouse designed for uncompromising sound
In the quiet pursuit of faithful sound reproduction, iFi has introduced the iDSD GR 2 — a portable DAC and headphone amplifier that asks whether high-fidelity listening must be tethered to a dedicated listening room. Built from the ground up as a successor to the xDSD Gryphon, the device arrives in mid-2026 at a price point slightly below its predecessor, suggesting that the democratization of audiophile-grade audio continues its gradual, deliberate march forward.
- The portable hi-fi market grows more crowded, and iFi is staking its claim with a complete internal rebuild rather than an incremental refresh.
- A Burr-Brown PCM1795 chip and K2HD harmonic restoration technology create tension between the warmth of analog tradition and the precision demands of modern digital listening.
- Bluetooth support via aptX Lossless and LDAC challenges the assumption that wireless audio must mean compromised resolution, pushing the boundary toward untethered hi-res streaming.
- A hybrid power system that silently arbitrates between wall current and internal battery attempts to dissolve the friction between desktop and portable use cases.
- At £529/$529 — notably less than the £599 Gryphon it replaces — the GR 2 lands as a more accessible proposition despite its ground-up redesign.
iFi has unveiled the iDSD GR 2, a portable DAC and headphone amplifier built from scratch to succeed the xDSD Gryphon. Rather than iterating on existing hardware, the company reconsidered both the internal architecture and external design, aiming to deliver high-end sound quality whether the listener is seated at a desk or moving between locations.
At the heart of the device is a Burr-Brown PCM1795 DAC chip, chosen for its warm, analog-like character and low distortion. It works alongside K2HD, a harmonic restoration algorithm intended to recover subtle recording details that might otherwise be lost in the digital chain.
Connectivity is broad: wired listeners can use USB-C or SPDIF inputs and choose between 3.5mm or 4.4mm headphone outputs, while wireless users can stream high-resolution audio via aptX Lossless or LDAC Bluetooth codecs. A hybrid power management system adds practical flexibility — the unit draws from wall power when available, but automatically calls on its internal battery during demand spikes before quietly returning to mains once the load eases.
Customization is handled through the iFi Nexis app, which offers digital filter selection, listening profile adjustments, input switching, and over-the-air firmware updates. The GR 2 is available now at £529, $529, or €549 — a modest step down in price from the Gryphon's 2021 launch cost of £599, making the redesigned model slightly more accessible despite its comprehensive overhaul.
iFi has released the iDSD GR 2, a portable digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier that positions itself as the successor to the company's earlier xDSD Gryphon model. The new device is built from scratch, with both its internal architecture and external design reconsidered to create what iFi describes as a portable system capable of delivering high-end sound quality without compromise, whether you're at a desk or moving between locations.
At the core of the GR 2 sits a Burr-Brown PCM1795 DAC chip, selected for its ability to render audio with what the manufacturer calls a warm, analog-like character while keeping distortion low and preserving dynamic range. This chip works alongside K2HD technology, a harmonic restoration algorithm designed to recover subtle details in recordings that might otherwise be lost, bringing the listening experience closer to what the original artists and engineers intended.
The device offers multiple ways to feed it music. On the wired side, you get USB-C and SPDIF digital inputs, plus both 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs to accommodate different connector standards. If you prefer wireless, the GR 2 supports Bluetooth streaming via aptX Lossless and LDAC codecs, which means you can stream high-resolution audio files up to 16-bit/44kHz without a cable tethering you to your source device.
One of the more practical additions is a hybrid power management system. When the unit is plugged into wall power, it prioritizes that external supply. But if the demand for power spikes, the internal battery kicks in automatically. As the load decreases, the system switches back to mains power, allowing the battery to conserve charge. This approach aims to give users flexibility whether they're stationary or traveling.
Control and customization happen through the iFi Nexis app, which lets you select digital filters, adjust your listening profile to taste, switch between inputs, and download firmware updates over the air without needing a computer. The GR 2 is available now at £529, $529, or €549. For comparison, the xDSD Gryphon that preceded it launched in 2021 at £599 or roughly $815, making the new model slightly more affordable despite its ground-up redesign.
Notable Quotes
a portable powerhouse designed for audiophiles who want uncompromising sound beyond the confines of the desktop— iFi
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why rebuild the entire device rather than just update the existing Gryphon?
The company saw an opportunity to rethink how a portable DAC should work in 2026. That meant new chip choices, new power management, new software integration. Sometimes starting fresh lets you avoid the constraints of an older design.
The Burr-Brown chip—is that a choice driven by sound quality, or is it what was available?
It's specifically chosen for how it sounds. Burr-Brown chips have a reputation for that warm character, and in this case it pairs with the K2HD algorithm to recover detail. It's not just about specs; it's about the listening experience they're after.
The hybrid power mode sounds clever, but does it actually matter to someone using this at home?
Less so, honestly. That feature is really for people moving between locations—office, commute, home. The battery management becomes more relevant when you're unplugging and replugging throughout the day.
What's the real competition here? Are people choosing between this and a desktop DAC, or between this and their phone's built-in audio?
Both, probably. Some audiophiles want portable high-end sound because they don't want to compromise when they're away from their main system. Others are upgrading from their phone's DAC entirely. The price point suggests iFi is targeting people serious enough to spend money on sound quality but practical enough to want it in a portable form.
The app control—is that essential or just convenience?
Convenience mostly, but it matters. Digital filters can change how the DAC processes the signal, and being able to adjust that without a computer makes the device more flexible. The over-the-air updates mean it can improve over time.