iFi Audio Uno

Description 

The One you need

Not sure what a DAC is but know you want better sound quality for your music, movies, games, podcasts and YouTube guilty pleasures? Then, the new iFi Uno is for you.

All devices that act as digital sound sources use a built-in DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter) to convert the digital info in your source device – your computer, tablet or smartphone – to music you can hear through speakers or headphones. External DACs sound much better than the standard DACs used inside these devices.

Imagine the difference in quality from a standard TV to an 8K Ultra HD TV — but in sound! This is the difference an external DAC makes to your music. The iFi Uno will supercharge your sound. Everything will sound more powerful, more detailed and more real.

The One you want

Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, the iFi Uno’s cute, curvy case is made from tough, mineral-filled polymer. Inside, the sophisticated DAC and headphone amp circuitry will upgrade the basic audio tech in all sorts of digital devices. Connect the iFi Uno via the USB-C input to your Windows PC, Apple Mac, smartphone or tablet. It needs no power source as it receives both power and audio data from the source it is connected to. Add headphones, powered speakers or an amp and separate speakers and you have what you’ve always wanted – bigger, bolder, more detailed sound.

Work. Chill. Play.

One simple device. Three unique modes.

• Music mode unlocks detailed and engaging sound from all your favourite artists. Listen while you work.
• Movie mode enhances dialogue clarity when you’re streaming films and must-watch TV shows. Never miss a moment.
• Game mode makes low-level sound effects crystal-clear. Always hear your enemies coming and storms brewing.

Simply use the button on the front panel to cycle through the three settings. Illuminated logos on the top of the iFi Uno indicate your chosen mode.

Uno, dos, hi-res

The iFi Uno supports different file formats – PCM 32bit/384kHz, fully native DSD256 and MQA.

• PCM – Pulse Code Modulation is the file format used in CD, DVD, Blu-ray and other digital audio applications. It’s the next step up from MP3.
• DSD – Direct Stream Digital is a very high-quality audio format, better than CD quality. The higher the number (sample rate), the better the recording – DSD64, 128, 256, 512 and 1024. Fully native means that it hasn’t been altered in any way from the original recording.
• MQA – Master Quality Authenticated is an award-winning audio technology that enables music fans to stream the original master recording into their home, car or their mobile. With the iFi Uno you can listen to MQA straight out of the box. Simply connect to Tidal Masters and check the option to stream MQA.

DAC’s the ticket

The iFi Uno draws on our ten years of experience and the advanced spec of the DAC chip within it to unlock rarely implemented high-end features. Adjustable analogue gain with DRE (Dynamic Range Enhancement) plus technologies to minimise THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and crosstalk and a choice of digital filters is accessible via the front-panel buttons enabling you to fine-tune the sound of the iFi Uno to your taste. In short, whether you simply use the Mode features or decide to tinker further, the iFi Uno will make audio sound clearer, minimise any interference and just give you a better entertainment experience across the board.

Awesome analogue

The Uno’s analogue circuitry is just as vital to the supercharged sound quality it provides as its digital tech. The headphone amp feeds a 3.5mm socket at the front, incorporating iFi’s S-Balanced configuration to reduce noise and crosstalk. The stereo RCA output at the rear also benefits from our knack for delivering high-grade audio circuitry in remarkably affordable devices.

All the analogue outputs are gold-plated to resist corrosion and maintain conductivity over time.

Most DACs still use digital volume control – ours is analogue. Why is this special? When you reduce the volume on other DACs you remove data from the song or soundtrack. With analogue volume control, you reduce the volume whilst maintaining the quality. And finally, there’s PowerMatch – this ensures you always have the right amount of power to drive the headphones you are using.

You can count on the iFi Uno to deliver great sound for everyone

• Hi-Res TrueNative® playback of all music formats from MP3 to DSD256, PCM384 and DXD384.
• Discrete ESS Sabre Hyperstream DAC chipset with time domain jitter eliminator, discrete oscillator and 112dB dynamic range for discerning listeners.
• Extensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital stage, including our GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock and intelligent memory buffer. This represents a total ‘out-of-the-box’ systematic digital solution that solves jitter once and for all.
• In music production, dynamic range means the difference between the loudest and quietest sounds. It’s measured in decibels, or dB for short. In a single audio track, dynamic range means the dB difference between the loudest and quietest moment in the audio file.

You can think of the dynamic range in a system as the space between the noise floor and the clipping point. When a sound goes below the noise floor you won’t be able to tell the difference between the signal and the system noise of the medium. When a sound goes above the clipping point, the tops of its waveform will get abruptly cut off, causing harshness and distortion.

iFi’s proprietary technology extends the Dynamic Range by 6 dB or more, for an improved listening experience.

• iFi’s exclusive S-Balanced® circuit delivers maximum performance from single-ended and balanced headphones alike.
• TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors offer high stability and low losses for resonant circuit applications.

Getting ever closer to the theoretical ideal of pure, frequency-constant capacitance, these capacitors reduce capacitor-induced distortion to vanishingly low levels.

They are pricey but are a perfect addition to our products.

• muRata control-type, low-ESR high-Q multi-layer capacitors. The ‘ESR control’ aspect of the Murata is something special. Their noise suppression abilities are impressive.