Ifi Go Link Headphone Amp Review – A Stunning Audio Upgrade

The Go Link Headphone Amp from ifi is a true triumph for audio technology. With nothing more than a small device that attaches to your headphones via USB-C, it brings music, games, movies, and more to life with more clarity, stronger sounds, and background details you never knew were there before.

Key Details

• Designer: ifi
• Connection: USB-C
• Where to Buy: ifi Store/Amazon
• Price: $59 USD
• Review Sample Provided: Yes

Listen Like You Never Have Before

The ifi Go Link Headphone Amp comes with two adaptors, one for your smartphone, and one for a standard USB-A connection, both of which connect to a standard headphone jack via a gold-plated 3.5mm slot.

The amp itself is a custom PCB that takes the audio stream that would simply run up to your headphones and adds a level of detail that makes it sound like you’re in the room with an artist playing your favorite track, or face-to-face with whatever you’re seeing in a movie or video game.

I tested the ifi Go Link Headphone Amp using some of the best live music that I’ve been listening to over the past year, as well as a range of games. In all cases, I was astounded by the things I could hear, because they simply don’t register on standard headphones.

Take Dasha’s phenomenal live performance of Even Cowboy’s Cry for example. This is a live track from YouTube, so I already know you’re dreading listening to it. I did that too when I first loaded it up, but after plugging in the ifi Go Link Headphone Amp, this video sounds completely different.

I can hear Dasha play the strings like I’m standing right in front of her. The lyrics are clear, there’s none of the muffling that often comes with live music re-recorded and uploaded on YouTube, and the song hits on a much deeper level than the fully-produced master.

An even better example is in Mimi Webb’s best live version of Good Without. Vevo’s live tracks are great regardless of what you’re listening to, but this one slaps so much harder with the right hardware.

It’s the lingering piano in this video, coupled with the tight riff and Webb’s fantastic voice that make for a sound that I can’t listen to while I work anymore thanks to this device. It’s too distracting. So good that I have to sing along, raise my arms on the drop, and give it the respect it deserves.

It Doesn’t Matter What You Plug in

The ifi Go Link Headphone Amp can upgrade the audio output of any headphones you plug into it because of the ES9219MQ/Q, a DAC chip from ESS Technology’s Sabre HiFi series. It uses 32-bit HyperStream III architecture combined with Quad DAC+ and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technologies to achieve a result you won’t be able to beat.

For the past decade, I’ve used Sony studio-quality headphones and the highest-quality earbuds that boast the most quality-focused audio experience in gaming and music. All of them, without exception, can be boosted for a satisfying result with this headphone amp.

I moved the device between my Mac and iPhone every day because the twisted pair configuration of the link cable between the amp’s parts allows for all sorts of strange positions.

By day, the amp would help me enjoy music, videos, and games at my desk, but by night it gave me the chance to listen to the exceptional Evangelion anime as I became fully immersed in its strange, beautiful, and brilliantly crafted world. A huge part of which is its sound design.

I don’t want to harp on about an anime you may never want to watch too much here, but I can’t think of a better example of how sound design comes across like never before than with Evangelion. The cuts, the rises and falls, and the clashing of huge mechs definitely weren’t intended to be listened to in this way, but ifi’s headphone amp makes them sound like they were.

I’ve always leaned on my headphones to help me through the day. When I was in school, they drowned out the world with music to make me feel safe and comfortable in all situations. Throughout my career, they’ve been there to help me blast through whatever projects I’ve been working on from the worst of jobs to the best of them, but I never knew they could be enhanced.

If you’re looking for a gift for the audiophile in your family or life and know they’ve got every pair of headphones or headset you can buy, this is what they need. It’s also perfect for those with limited budgets for headphones who want the best audio experience possible.

Verdict – 9/10

With a low price point and outstanding results, the ifi Go Link Headphone Amp goes above and beyond to bring those of us who sit there and listen to everything in life, be that the wind in the trees, the silence in a movie scene, or the key notes in our favorite music, the ultimate audio experience that finally lives up to our expectations.

Before you go

Thank you so much for checking out our review of ifi’s Go Link Headphone Amp. We’re big on tech here at Bonus Action, so I highly recommend reading a few of our other tech pieces if you’re really into your hardware.

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About the Author

Jamie Moorcroft Sharp

Editor

Jamie adores the indie games that you don’t hear about until you’re on a video essay binge at 3AM and suddenly the sound of them changes your life. He’s played games all his life and loves looking at the intricate details that make them magical and different. If there’s a wierd list, embarrassing feature, or something else far too out there on Bonus Action, there’s a good chance he wrote it. But that’s not all! He’s also an absolute fiend who never knows when to stop when he puts on his dirty robes and takes on his D&D persona as a Mud Warlock who acts on that tiny voice in your head when it wonders what would happen if you did something really dumb right now. He’s easy to beat in a TGC, though, just keep an eye out for his crazy card combos.

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