iFi audio GO pod + IEMs Impressions and reviews

after prodding by @zerodeefex I will try to get Go Pods for a short-list short loaner tour.
if it happens, a new thread will be started.

 

@Vansen you in?

I kind of want to see how badass these are with the ETA setup.

 

Count me in.

 

We are in a hobby where people can buy $6000 IEM cables. I think $400, while steep, is worthwhile if it's better than the go blu.

 

All: we have spots open in the loaner tour of iFi Go Pod !

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/loaner-ifi-gopod-short-tour.13704/

 

Okay, so first off, had some weirdness at first with the mini-C/mini-S. I didn't realize they charged in the case, meaning I had to unplug from the headphones to charge.

Second off, they sound quite good. A little cleaner than the ifi go blu, but that might be my brain.

The big change is that they're quiet AS f**k. Like I plugged in the Ara and it's quiet as hell. I initially thought I'd use these with bigger headphones but it seems like my opinion has flipped: I'm going to use these with the Ara and put them through their paces.

The big, plasticky case kind of sucks, but at least it supports wireless charging.

I'd say if you are an avid IEM user, these are a really solid investment. I'm really enjoying the Ara out of these.

 

So I do get some occasional artifacts when using high bitrate codecs. I suspect it’s because of the way it has to pair with one as a master unit.

It’s too bad Qualcomm is insistent on their shit rather than pulling a Sony and upstreaming LDAC to AOSP. I suspect the state of Bluetooth audio would be better if it wasn’t littered with proprietary shit from Apple and Qualcomm.

 

probably similar in practice with a better amp and DAC section is my guess. Really surprised at how well this is holding up. My only true gripe is how honking big the charging case is:


z flip 5 in a case, iPhone 14 pro in a case, AirPods Pro 2 and iFi Go Pod case.

The sound is excellent and it actually is a strong case for using my Ara a lot more. Really enjoying this combo.

 

So do you have to remove the units from the iems every time you need to charge? Or is there a usb option on the units themselves? That could be concerning, the wear and tear of the mmcx sockets, if you have to remove the iems every time.

 

the case is so big because it fits the IEMs connected to the go pod

 

DAPs have gone the way of the dinosaur. If you really want that experience, get the gold bar. This is good enough with high bitrate that I am happy. When stuff like this or the go blu/ETA Mini-C/S combo sounds good to me, I’m not going to bother with a DAP again.

Do I lose resolution? Probably but it becomes less of a concern the older I get. Does it matter when I’m on the go? Not really. If I want the last word in technicalities, I’ll use my main rig.

hell, I’d use the latest AirPods Pro or the Samsung buds pro over carrying a separate DAP again.

 

on the plane right now and I'm really enjoying these. This is the first wireless solution I'd really endorse with the Ara. As I mentioned, my use case shifted the second I started playing with these. Honestly, I'd be pretty happy using these as my daily driver. Halfway through the Sara Bareilles live album (yes, I've used this album for many years to test stuff but also I love it) and I don't feel like I'm really compromising to have a portable system. The only thing I'd add at this point would be:

1. ANC for obvious reasons but I understand why this is difficult
2. Better noise rejection for the mics since I do make a lot of calls

All in all, for those of you looking for a wireless solution for your IEMs, I'd STRONGLY recommend giving these a try, especially if you have BA IEMs. Obviously I'll caveat that I'm using them with an Android device since Apple doesn't enable third parties to do higher bitrate AAC like they do with their proprietary wireless headphones and IEMs.

I'll also throw a plug in for the Flip 5. It's the first flip phone I'd recommend to regular people. It's been a delight to use and using the front screen to control my music like a little DAP is pretty cool.

 

I am going to send them to the next person this week but I wanted to follow up.

I can wholeheartedly endorse these, especially for those of you with BA IEMs. They're significantly better than the Go Blu for the Campfire Ara and, in general, it's a fantastic little system with some caveats.

1. Do you take a lot of work calls? Unfortunately I do and I'm oftentimes in the car or walking around. In this case, the mic doesn't work quite for what I'm doing. It's functional and works really well in my silent basement, but it doesn't work for the variety of calls I end up doing but I might be an outlier.
   
   
2. Do you use Android? I find my Android devices get better performance out of this thing for sure.
   
   
3. Do you carry a bag? The case is (understandably) not pocketable.

For the price, given the state of high end audio, I would enthusiastically endorse these for anyone who is prioritizing audio-first and wants a convenient, wireless product. The Go Pods are way better than I expected and, after falling for hype products like the Cayin RU6, is a refreshingly good sounding departure from the usual crap you see for mobile.

For those of you who need the best call experience, you're borked and need to use airpod pro 2s, the bose over-ear products, or samsung galaxy buds pro 2. For those of you who are prioritizing listening, these are a f'ing delight.

There was a time when I traveled with a case and a big portable stack + some full sized headphones. Eventually I moved to a chunky f'ing DAP or stack with some smaller HPs or IEMs. This is the full evolution of the audiophile portable rig and I'm all for it. Hell, if you told me wireless and such a portable setup would sound so good in 2010, I would have laughed my ass off at you and said "sure, buddy."