With various series of DACs, headphone amplifiers, and other products, the UK Hi-End brand iFi Audio has quickly established itself in the market within about a decade. They have built a rich lineup with vinyl accessories, power supplies, and more. The iFi models we have tested in the past have all shown remarkable performance. Recently, iFi Audio launched a new DAC headphone amplifier product – the iDSD Valkyrie DAC, which is uniquely designed and sized compared to previous iFi Audio products. We will define it as a “portable desktop DAC/headphone amplifier”. Whether it can perform well as a desktop model and whether it is necessary as a larger, over ten thousand yuan portable model are the main concerns.
Unique design of standalone products
The Valkyrie is undoubtedly a high-end product under iFi, as can be seen from the luxurious packaging. The exquisite wooden protective box may remind one of the packaging of fine wine or cigars.
From a bird’s eye view, the Valkyrie also resembles a wine box.
iFi has equipped the Valkyrie with a large storage bag, which includes complete cables and a high-capacity solid-state organic capacitor low-ripple silent power supply, the iPOWER X, allowing the device to reduce the impact of power quality degradation while in use. Of course, the Valkyrie itself has a built-in 20,000mAh battery, providing up to 18 hours of battery life, sufficient for multiple listening sessions.
When taking out the entire unit, one can see that the design of the Valkyrie is completely different from all previous iFi models. The all-aluminum CNC machined metal body is paired with a champagne gold color, and the extended wing-like shape on both sides clearly pays homage to its name, Valkyrie.
The Valkyrie continues the iFi “Swiss Army Knife” family tradition, equipped with a full range of ports. The front panel features one 3.5mm and one 4.4mm balanced headphone output, while the back includes a 3.5mm analog input, USB Audio, and 3.5mm SPDIF optical/coaxial inputs, as well as three sets of Line-Out/preamp outputs: 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, and RCA single-ended. In terms of wireless connectivity, the Valkyrie supports high-definition codecs such as Aptx Lossless and LDAC through the Qualcomm flagship QCC5181 Bluetooth 5.4 chip.
Through the buttons on the front panel and the specially added display screen, the Valkyrie offers multiple sound options to switch between. The familiar X Space, X Bass II, and X Presense preset analog EQs continue to be used, allowing for adjustments to widen the soundstage, enhance low frequencies, and position vocals, even simultaneously.
The Valkyrie uses a custom FPGA chip that can upsample all input signals to DSD1024, which iFi refers to as “re-mastering”. Additionally, it allows for various digital filter/DSP algorithm settings, with the K2 Technology algorithm from Japan’s JVC being a highlight. This algorithm performs waveform correction and upsampling/filtering adjustments to achieve a sound more akin to analog master tapes, providing K2 HD (upsampling) and K2 options, which are familiar to many CD enthusiasts, as many CDs processed with K2HD have been highly sought after by audiophiles.Furthermore, it includes options for pure “Bit Perfect” without digital filtering, balanced filtering, minimum phase, GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimization), Apodising, and Transient Aligned.
In addition to the rich digital algorithms, the decoding section of the Valkyrie also references the legendary Philips TDA1541 decoding chip, using four Texas Instruments TI Burr-Brown DSD1793 chips to form a hybrid multi-bit architecture with eight pairs of differential signals. The DSD1793 DAC is well-known to iFi, and I once asked Thorsten Loesh, the then chief designer of AMR (iFi’s parent company), about the reason for using this chip, which is not particularly outstanding in specifications. The answer I received is still applicable today: the warm musicality of the BB 179x chips is favored by designers and users alike, and the DSD 1793 chip is designed with a native 1Bit conversion path that does not undergo Multi-Bit conversion, which iFi believes better showcases DSD characteristics. Now, with breakthroughs in digital reception and processing technology, the Valkyrie can support Hi-Res formats up to PCM 768kHz and DSD 512.
Additionally, it is important to note that the Valkyrie provides setting options for different impedance and sensitivity headphones, including the standard Normal, Turbo, and Nitro gain adjustments, with Nitro being the highest gain setting, achieving an output voltage of 19.6V. According to the official specifications, the Valkyrie’s headphone amplifier can reach a maximum output of 8.9V/2,475mW (@32Ω) and 19.6V/640mW (@600Ω). There is also a dedicated setting for xMEMS earphones, which is a new type of solid-state micro-speaker technology that has gained attention in recent years, utilizing MEMS manufacturing processes. This silicon-based integrated unit has inherent advantages in transients, distortion, and high-frequency extension. However, this technology, typically used in miniature microphones, often requires specialized driving circuits, and most products come with active drivers. Therefore, the xMEMS amplification module built into the Valkyrie currently does not have corresponding earphone products available, but it remains a potential technical feature.Strong performance with greater flexibility Having previously experienced the stunning performance of iFi models like the iDSD Diablo 2, I confidently selected three representative headphones for this test, primarily connecting via USB AUDIO to the HiBy R8 II.
The flagship VOLK AUDIO ETOILE (Star) earphones, with an impedance of only 8.8 ohms and a sensitivity of 110.6dB, weigh 900 grams and are a high-end decoding headphone amplifier, making it a particularly audiophile-friendly portable option.
The multi-driver design of the Star naturally possesses excellent transparency, and in actual tests at normal listening sound pressure levels, the Valkyrie’s circuit noise is virtually inaudible (with the iEMatch function activated and gain set to Normal).Driven by the Valkyrie, the Star exhibits a powerful low frequency without compromising its smooth and clear high frequencies, and it has a spacious soundstage with a rich sense of layering. This pairing showcases the excellent quality of both devices, presenting a luxurious and expressive sound without any uncomfortable pressure, making for an enjoyable experience.
With the HD800S, a traditionally hard-to-drive high-impedance dynamic headphone, this pairing undoubtedly reflects the Valkyrie’s significant performance improvement. This is perhaps the first model of its size that makes me feel capable of driving the HD800S adequately. The sound is full and not recessed, with a strong sense of energy and an expansive soundstage, and the resolution performs well. You can confidently activate the Nitro mode output; for well-produced recordings, the sound does not exhibit any unwanted harshness or roughness. Although it may not yet match the limits of their standard desktop models or higher-end separated systems, this performance is satisfactory and even surprising for its size, making it worth trying for those who need to take the HD820 (the closed version of the HD800S) out.
Switching to a more modern headphone, the HIFIMAN ARYA UNVEILED, with an impedance of 27Ω and a sensitivity of 94dB, featuring a nano diaphragm, invisible magnet, and grille-less design, I had previously hinted at my impressions of pairing it with the Valkyrie during its review. The ARYA UNVEILED is a typical modern high-performance headphone that does not set a high threshold for users, achieving good subjective results with high-level portable players. However, when paired with a better amplifier, the ARYA UNVEILED can showcase its potential in soundstage, transient response, and overall control, and the Valkyrie’s output is sufficient to explore the headphone’s superior performance. Connecting the Valkyrie requires only Turbo or Normal gain settings, and the first impression is excellent transparency with an indistinct soundstage boundary, creating an open and natural overall imaging and spatial feel.Dynamic presentation capability is also a highlight, able to handle tracks with strong sound pressure and large dynamics, while small volume micro-dynamics are clearly articulated. Maintaining good control, even rhythmically intense music does not sound stiff or rigid, and the colors and textures of various instruments are well reproduced. With ample transparency and resolution feedback, adjustments through K2HD or DSD upsampling options can yield a noticeably fuller and smoother sound quality. While not all musical genres may benefit from this, for example, some chamber music or vocal works, it may be worth experimenting with these sound options for a more engaging quality. Listening to the three headphones, in addition to the powerful driving capability and comprehensive compatibility with different headphones mentioned above, the Valkyrie also possesses a sound character somewhat different from mainstream digital streaming devices today. The highs and lows have excellent energy and extension while maintaining restrained control, the mids are smooth, natural, and full without being overwhelming, giving a more acoustic impression. Moreover, it is particularly noteworthy that the Valkyrie does not emphasize the high precision and sharpness that many devices pursue since the rise of Hi-Res concepts, but rather evokes the tuning philosophy of manufacturers during the CD era, which favored warm and full textures to please users. Although we all know this is not an analog source, I believe there is no rejection of this approach, which does not disrupt the overall sound quality and balance while providing a lively and pleasant listening experience. Furthermore, for patient users, this model offers numerous tonal adjustment options for continuous customization.Strange yet ‘Unique’ Valkyrie
In conclusion, the final question remains: given the high praise we previously gave to the iDSD Diablo 2, does the emergence of the Valkyrie bring a compelling necessity for an upgrade? Is the performance gap worth the price difference between the two? At the beginning of the article, I mentioned that the Valkyrie is a model with a particularly defined character. Its larger size and weight compared to the Diablo mean that only a very small number of audiophiles would be willing to carry it around. From a technical architecture and performance perspective, the Valkyrie shares significant traits with the Diablo, including a rich array of digital filters and DSP options, along with powerful output capabilities that allow it to stand out in the market. However, the Valkyrie is like the PRO MAX version of the Diablo, with stronger and more comprehensive output capabilities, able to drive the HD800S without weakness and cleanly handle the VOLK Star. The tuning from digital to analog not only brings richer playability but also refines the sound foundation to be more dense and expansive, balancing excellent vitality and listenability, while the increase in size and price highlights the characteristics of this iFi technical architecture.
The Valkyrie is somewhat of an oddity in today’s pursuit of simplicity and portability. However, if you need a portable desktop model that can handle different types of in-ear monitors and headphones, the Valkyrie is undoubtedly the most prominent option (perhaps the only one).
