While wireless earbuds are more popular than ever, the wired earphone market is thriving. There are more, better earphones than at any other point and both innovation and sound quality are at peak. But… there’s something to be said for being free from a wire. Until recently, you were forced to use dongle DAC/amps or bulky standalone units, but the iFi GO Pod aims to change that.
The iFi GO Pod is a pair of Bluetooth ear hooks designed to deliver premiere sound quality and features. They have a high-quality integrated DAC and amplifier, intricately designed circuitry for the lowest noise floor, high-res Bluetooth codec support, plenty of power, and great battery life. While they’re hardly the only Bluetooth ear hooks on the market, they’re certainly the best we’ve encountered and make the perfect complement to any pair of earphones, bringing audiophile-grade True Wireless Stereo (TWS) to the wired headphone market.
Specifications
- Current Price: $399 (Amazon)
- Auto impedance detection: 16Ω / 32Ω / 64Ω / 300Ω
- Total Harmonic Distortion: + Noise ≤0.002% (1KHz/32Ω) @ (20-20KHz)
- Output power (RMS):
- 120mW@32Ω; 4V@300Ω
- 16Ω: ≥0.98V/60mW
- 32Ω: ≥1.96V/120mW
- 64Ω: ≥2.77V/120mW
- 300Ω:≥4.0V/53mW
- SNR: 32? ≥ 129dB (A) / 300? ≥ 132dB (A)
- THD+N: ≤0.002% (1kHz/32?)
- Bluetooth version: Bluetooth 5.2™
- Bluetooth codecs: LDAC*, LHDC/HWA*, aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC
- Bluetooth chipset: Qualcomm QCC 5100 Series
- Frequency response: 10-20 kHz(-3dB) LDAC
- Dimensions (GO pod): 1.7" x 0.6" x 0.4" (43.5 x 16.4 x 9.5 mm)
- Dimensions (Charging case): 4.6" x 3" x 1.5" (116 x 76 x 38.5 mm)
- Net weight:
- GO pod 12g (0.42 oz)
- Case 126g (4.44 oz)
- Power System: 5V/1A or 5V/2A Qi certified charger
- Battery:
- GO pod: 180mAh
- Charging case: 1,500 mAh
iFi GO Pod - Design and Features
If you’ve been paying attention to the world of personal audio, iFi Audio is a brand you’re probably already familiar with. It’s been making highly regarded DACs and amps for years, including wireless products like xDSD Gryphon, GO Blue, as well as wired stalwarts like the hip-dac. The GO Pod is an evolution of these productions, shrinking all of that audio-centric tech into an even more portable form factor.
The GO Pod are premium, flagship Bluetooth ear hooks. They connect to a pair of earphones using modular connectors, supporting both MMCX, 0.78mm 2-pin connections, as well as just about every other connection type with some option add-ons. They accept high-res audio from a source device like a smartphone and send that through to the earphones, essentially allowing you to turn any set you have into true wireless stereo (TWS).
Of course, this idea by itself is nothing new. We reviewed the Fiio UTWS5 two years ago and there have been many others besides. Where the GO Pods differentiate themselves is with power, reliability, high-res support, and functionality. They’re also by far the most premium crafted and presented ear hooks I’ve encountered by far. At $399, they’re more expensive than most of the competition but definitely work hard to earn their higher cost.
The ear hooks are made of two parts. You have the actual hook, which is modular and connects to the central module with a two pin connection. That module isn’t overly long but it’s immediately noticeable if you see someone else wearing it. It measures about 4.25 x 1.0 cm. It falls in line with the competition like the UTWS5 in size, but it’s to be expected when you see everything that it’s offering.
This central module is far more capable than your average pair of true wireless earbuds could dream of being. It houses, in essence, a miniaturized hi-fi system that puts sound quality first. Its DAC is able to output up to 32-bit/96kHz resolution, exceeding even many standalone DACs. There’s a separate DAC in each earpiece and each is tuned to deliver exceptional dynamic range with an imperceptibly low noise floor, even with sensitive IEMs.
It also includes a relatively powerful amplifier. The GO Pod is able to output up to 120mW into 32 ohms and 4V into a 300 ohm load. That’s more than enough for virtually any IEM on the market today. You don’t need to worry about adjusting gain settings or forgetting and potentially causing yourself some pain if you swap to more sensitive IEMs. The GO Pod can automatically detect the impedance of your IEMs from 16 ohms all the way to 300 ohms and will automatically adjust their output to match.
If you’re worried about the lack of control, don’t be. This system works very well and is similar to the IEMatch functionality found on some of its other products. There is still a lot of headroom too.
The GO Pod features independent analog volume control from your listening device. Using the capacitive touch buttons on either side, you can tap and hold to increase the volume. Adjusting the volume on your phone adjusts this further. The analog nature of this volume control is also very nice as it responds quickly and without degrading the sound quality with digital gain.
The hooks are also quite smartly designed. Unlike any other that I’ve tested, they’re modular and have swappable terminations to connect to both 0.78mm 2-pin connections and MMCX. Pentaconn, T2, and A2DC connectors can also be purchased separately. This functionality really enhances their value. The UTWS5 ($200), for example, were not swappable, which meant buying a second set to use with alternate-connection headphones. Or, more realistically, just not using those other IEMs wirelessly at all.
The case is another smartly designed element. It’s large and a bit bulky, but its size leaves plenty of room for the actual earbuds to fit in the case while they recharge. That’s just not the case with much of the competition, stressing the connectors both on the earphones and the hooks themselves.
I also think the case is just pretty neat. Okay, it may not be the most pocketable, but it’s a whole lot like a jewelry box. It even has little LEDs that illuminate the hooks and buds when you open it. It’s fancy, fancy, fancy. Practical? Eh. But it’s neat, nonetheless. I also like the angular carve of its exterior.
The technical design of the GO Pod is also interesting. You have a topology that has each element — DAC, amp, Bluetooth — all separated and incorporated independently to preserve audio quality. There’s no expense spared there. You have an environmentally noise canceling microphone built in for taking calls, because what would a pair of TWS earbuds be without the ability to handle calling? The DAC has multiple filters that you can choose from, allowing you to narrowly adjust the sound profile you’re hearing. The earbuds also intelligently determine which module should act as the master connection, assessing stability from the get-go in the connection process.
This is just a high-caliber product that’s designed to perform its wireless conversion duties without sacrifice. It succeeds remarkably well.
iFi GO Pod - Performance and Sound Impressions
I’ve been using the GO Pod for a bit over two weeks now. During that time, I’ve swapped different earbuds, used them walking in the snow, relaxed in the evening for some critical listening, and taken many calls. I’ve lived with these ear hooks. They just work, and work well, without some of the quirks I’ve encountered with some of the competition.
Starting with sound, I found these to be mostly neutral with a bit of warmth added to the lows. This is typical of iFi equipment: slight warmth, but don’t expect a big bass boost or a redefined sound for your IEMs. It’s a tonal character that makes listening feel a bit more rich, adding subtle nuance compared to others.
The GO Pod doesn’t hide detail or impede soundstage in the slightest. In fact, due to the power delivery and capability of the DAC, I felt like the treble detail may have even been slightly higher, though this may just be me convincing myself. This isn’t a device that’s going to reshape any IEM but it brings them to their potential for a full-fat listening experience, especially if you use the plentiful high-res coded support. My Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra allowed me to listen via LDAC, and with equally high resolution files, it offered a wired-like listening experience that was simultaneously fun and satisfying.
Their power delivery is excellent. These had enough headroom for everything from high-end planars like the Audeze Euclid to affordable IEMs like the Tin HiFi T5. I also tried it with a few expensive tribrid IEMs: the Thieaudio Monarch MKIII and Prestige LTD, as well as the Linsoul x HBB Jupiter. In every case, there was far more power than was needed to get these to a comfortable listening level; the GO Pod has headroom for days. The automatic gain matching also worked very well, so white noise was never once an issue, even with very sensitive sets.
Controlling the buds is simple enough via the touch controls. iFi took its cues from other TWS sets on the market and gives you full access to track, volume, and call controls at all times. This is done through a mix of taps and holds. I did find that I hit the pause control by accident at times when readjusting for my glasses. They’re quite sensitive and I wish there was a way to personalize these a bit to avoid the accidental pauses.
Battery life is very good! iFi rates these at seven hours of playback but that will of course vary depending how what earphones you’re using, your volume level, and if you’re using LDAC/LHDC. Given the ample headroom, I rarely found the need to drive these beyond 50% power and found the battery life to be pretty spot on. To be honest, I expected it to fall a bit short but if anything, it extended slightly past that mark.
In a future release, I would like to see the case streamlined. As much as I enjoy its design, it’s just too big to be easily carried. It takes up a good amount of space in a bag and if you try to carry it in your pocket, you’ll have a noticeable bulge. Slimming it down and rounding the boxy shape would go a long ways toward making it more portable.
Overall, these are really nitpicks on a great, fun, and freeing product.
Final Thoughts
The iFi GO Pod is every bit the premium product its pricing indicates it is. It provides an excellent listening experience with an out-of-the-box ability to connect and drive the vast majority of earphones. It sounds great, is comfortable, has excellent battery life, and even a decent microphone for taking calls. $399 is hardly cheap but when you consider its modularity and the expectation elsewhere in the market that you’ll simply buy two pairs of ear hooks, it’s not quite as bad as the sticker shock might first indicate.
In short, iFi nailed it. This is a wonderful product that allows you to turn any earphone into a pair of TWS earbuds. It has the audiophile bonafides to do even the most expensive earphones justice. If you’re an audio enthusiast with a bit of extra money to spend and the desire to cut the cord, you owe it to yourself to give these a closer look.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Some articles may contain affiliate links and purchases made through this will result in a small commission for the site. Commissions are not directed to the author or related to compensation in any way.
