(March 25, 2025) iFi Audio has launched the iDSD Valkyrie, a flagship portable DAC/amp designed for users who want more than just high-quality sound—they want to shape it themselves. The Valkyrie is positioned as a tool for personal audio fine-tuning, giving listeners access to features normally found in professional mastering studios, packed into a battery-powered portable device.
At its core, the Valkyrie is built around four Burr-Brown DACs configured in a hybrid multi-bit setup, which iFi says provides superior low-level linearity without compromising the dynamics associated with classic multi-bit chipsets like the Philips TDA1541A. The DAC section is paired with a hefty 20,000mAh battery pack (four 5,000mAh cells) that enables up to 18 hours of playback and can be fast-charged via USB-C in just 2.5 hours. Output power reaches a peak of 5,700mW—enough to comfortably drive demanding headphones with low impedance, making the Valkyrie a true mobile alternative to a full-sized desktop setup.
One of Valkyrie’s hallmark features is its onboard DSD remastering, which allows users to convert PCM files into DSD512 or DSD1024 using a custom FPGA processor. This proprietary algorithm, inspired by technology used in Sony’s mastering studios, effectively upscales and reprocesses audio to reduce distortion and improve clarity. There’s also JVCKENWOOD’s K2HD technology on board, which attempts to restore some of the analog warmth often lost during the digital recording process. The Valkyrie offers two modes—K2 and K2HD—the latter upscaling to 192kHz/24-bit, applying a time-domain restoration approach for extended harmonic detail.
For those looking to further fine-tune their sound, the Valkyrie includes eight digital filters, ranging from bit-perfect to apodizing, each balancing trade-offs between impulse response, frequency extension, and imaging. In addition, iFi has included its signature analog processing tools—XBassII, XPresence, and XSpace—all switchable and implemented via hardware instead of DSP. These features add low-end weight, vocal presence, and soundstage expansion without introducing digital artifacts or phase issues.
Another standout is the device’s compatibility with xMEMS headphone drivers. The Valkyrie delivers a -14V bias signal and passive EQ correction for this next-gen speaker tech, allowing it to extract a fast, clean sound from compatible IEMs built to deliver response times150 times faster than a typical dynamic driver.
Wireless connectivity includes aptX Lossless Bluetooth via a Qualcomm QCC518X chipset, delivering CD-quality transmission (44.1kHz/16-bit) over the air, and LDAC support for up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution. Inputs and outputs include 4.4mm balanced, 6.3mm single-ended, S/PDIF, and USB-C.
The iFi iDSD Valkyrie is available now for $1,699 USD via iFi’s website and Elite Dealer network. For more information, visit www.ifi-audio.com.
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