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iFi Audio xCAN Portable Amplifier with Bluetooth
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | iFi |
Color | Silver |
Form Factor | Over Ear |
Connectivity Technology | Wireless, Wired |
Wireless Communication Technology | Bluetooth |
About this item
- xCAN Portable Amplifier with Bluetooth - iFi AUDIO 1 Year Limited Warranty
- Wireless: ESS Sabre 44.1/48k 16-Bit (AAC, aptX, aptX LL and SBC)
- Wired: 3.5mm (TRS or TRRS S-Balanced) and 2.5mm (TRRS)
- S-Balanced: Greater Than 3.8V / 45 mW (@ 300 Ohm)Greater Than 3.5V / 380 mW (@ 32 Ohm)Greater Than 3.1V / 600 mW (@ 16 Ohm
- Balanced: Greater Than 7.6V / 90 mW (@ 600 Ohm)Greater Than 7.2V / 800 mW (@ 64 Ohm)Greater Than 5.7V / 1,000 mW (@ 32 Ohm)
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This Item iFi Audio xCAN Portable Amplifier with Bluetooth | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | $299.00$299.00 | $17.99$17.99 | $199.00$199.00 | $129.99$129.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 27 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 27 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 27 |
Customer Ratings | ||||
Sound quality | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
Volume control | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Value for money | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.8 | — |
Quality of material | — | — | 4.8 | 5.0 |
Portability | — | — | 4.3 | 4.6 |
Sold By | Adorama | shuangche | GRAMOPHONE | Hour Loop |
connectivity tech | Wireless, Wired | Wired | Balanced 4.4mm, S-BAL 3.5mm | Wired |
headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | — | ✗ |
connector type | wireless | 3.5mm Jack | — | usb |
headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack, 2.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack |
cable feature | Without Cable | Retractable | — | Retractable |
control type | Media Control | Volume Control | Media Control | Volume Control |
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From the brand
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About iFi
You love music, so that’s why we create products that improve sound quality and eradicate noise, distortion and hiss.
With our vast catalogue of devices, you can bring the live experience into your home. Or if you prefer your music on-the-go, we deliver every cymbal crash and pluck of a string in clear isolation straight to your ears.
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What makes our products unique?
Our products are known for their high-quality sound, unique features, and innovative technology. They use proprietary technologies, high-quality materials, and offer a wide range of products, including portable options.
Are our products high quality?
Our company uses high-quality components and advanced circuitry in their products, which results in clean and accurate sound reproduction. We have a dedicated team of experienced engineers and designers who are passionate about producing the best possible audio products.
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Product Description
iFi was born in 2012 with one goal in mind: to produce 'ultra-fidelity' audio products that push the sonic envelope whilst still priced within the mainstream.
iFi audio is under our parent company, AMR, Abbingdon Music Research, which designs and produces top-end luxurious audio products. AMR saw in 2010 that customer demand for wireless and portable headphones was expanding as the whole audio dynamic was changing. Thus, iFi was launched.
iFi offers small but prodigious personal audio products thanks to the superior knowledge of AMR’s technology. Today, we are proud of our British (and international) roots. We continue to design and produce over 35 different products. We are headquartered in Southport, UK with distribution including retailers such as B&H and etailz with production overseas.
We source parts from around the world from manufacturers including AMOS (UK), GE Valves (USA), WIMA (Germany) and TDK (Japan).
xCAN
Why do you need an Amp?
If you have high quality or hi-fidelity headphones you are going to need some power in the form of an amplifier to drive them to their true performance potential. A smartphone, computer, tablet or audio player on the market are not designed for processing or producing high quality sound. iFi audio has developed top of the line products to meet the various needs and preferences whether you are an everyday listener or an experienced audiophile.
The xCan
If you are looking to improve the sound quality of your music from a highly rated portable device and your wired headphones while maintaining portability this is the amplifier for you. The xCAN is a next generation portable and pocket size hi res headphone amp introduced into the x series.
The Tech
With more than 1000mW of power per channel, full analog volume control, advanced analog signal processes (3D+ Matrix and XBass II), and optional aptX and AAC Bluetooth connectivity,it can be connected from a music source wired or wireless. The xCAN is a major sonic step up for smartphones, digital audio players, and computers. With high end Bluetooth connectivity just about every modern device is able to stream audio to it without the need for cumbersome cables. The xCAN delivers high-end audio quality from both Balanced and S-Balanced outputs using a balanced dual-mono circuit topology in an extremely portable package. The 3D+ Matrix for Headphones and the new XBassⅡ system enhance your enjoyment of music by correcting common flaws even in high end headphones and offering the most musical enjoyment from the widest range of headphones. With it's smooth contours, futuristic design made up of an extruded Magnesium body, 6mm machined front plate, and it's small black lightweight stature, you will enjoy not only top performance in sound, but also the high quality feel of this diamond in the rough without the bulk. Fit for any lifestyle and far from a basic gadget, listen at home, in a professional work setting, at the beach, on the commute, exploring around the world, or anywhere you want to take your music to the next level. It is compatible with any Apple iPhone or Android phone. Expect nothing less than extraordinary from the iFi audio brand.
This product is not compatible with Bluetooth headphones.
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The xCAN has two modes:
Which means you can listen at home, but with its cool slimline metallic design you’ll want to take it everywhere. |
Hi-Res Audio True Native playback of all music formats from MP3 to DSD512, PCM768 and 2xDXD. |
Dual-mono Power House The xCAN rocks a dual-mono headphone amplifier with 1000mW of power per channel which can unleash the full potential of both 32ohm and 600ohm headphones. Plus with built-in Global Master Timing from AMR, jitter is a thing of the past. |
Bluetooth
The SOC (System-on-Chip) responsible for Bluetooth processing in most devices are designed for mainly voice calls.This inherently diminishes the sound quality.
In the xCAN the SOC is designed with strictly audio in mind. The SOC we use is only for reception, no conversation or amplification. It also includes aptX and AAC codecs for best audio quality from iDevices, Android devices, laptops, and ect. The xCAN simply provides CD quality bluetooth for a better listening experience.
Battery
With a separate power input (USB Type C) to charge its own internal battery, it does not draw from your smartphone or playback device. Playback time is up to eight hours.
3D+ Holographic and XBass II
Our 3D+ Holographic dual-analogue matrices create a louder, deeper sound stage that puts the artist with you in the room, not just in your headphones.
And the XBass+ analogue bass correction system corrects headphone/speaker bass response to deliver a deeper tighter, rich and more prodigious bass.
S-Balanced Performance
The iFi exclusive S-Balanced technology delivers the maximum performance from single-ended and balanced headphones alike. The S-Balanced (single-ended compatible balanced) 3.5mm headphone output delivers the benefits of the balanced connection to single-ended headphones. Reap the advantages of balanced wiring, enjoy lower distortion and reduced crosstalk.
Specifications
Inputs Wireless: ESS Sabre 44.1/48k 16-Bit (AAC, aptX, aptX LL and SBC)
Wired: 3.5mm (TRS or TRRS S-Balanced*) and 2.5mm (TRRS) *ONLY found in iFi components such as nDSD BL. Do NOT feed using normal TRRS Balanced output sources. No USB audio input
Max Output S-Balanced: > 3.8V / 45 mW (@ 300 Ohm); > 3.5V / 380 mW (@ 32 Ohm); > 3.1V / 600 mW (@ 16 Ohm
Balanced: > 7.6V / 90 mW (@ 600 Ohm); > 7.2V / 800 mW (@ 64 Ohm); > 5.7V / 1,000 mW (@ 32 Ohm)
THD & N S-Balanced: < 0.005% (@ 100 mW/1.26V 16 Ohm)
Balanced: < 0.006% (@ 360 mW/2.4V 16 Ohm) SNR
S-Balanced: > 121dBA (@ 3.8V)
Balanced: >120dBA (@ 7.6V)
Recommended HP Impedance: 16~600 Ohm
Max. Input S-Balanced: 3V RMS Balanced: 6V RMS
- Gain: -95dB to +18dB adjustable in 114 1dB steps (using volume control)
- Frequency Response: < 2Hz – > 200kHz (-3dB)
- Playback Time: > 8 hours (charging via USB port)
- Dimensions: 95 (l) x67 (w) x19 (h) mm
- Weight: 127g (0.28 Ibs)
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Product Dimensions | 3.74 x 2.62 x 0.75 inches |
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Item Weight | 0.01 ounces |
Manufacturer | iFi AUDIO |
ASIN | B07FTFZ8WF |
Item model number | 310002 |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
Customer Reviews |
4.0 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #57,621 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #71 in Headphone Amps |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | October 23, 2018 |
Item Weight | 0.01 Ounces |
Number Of Items | 1 |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the sound quality, performance, quality, sturdiness, and power of the headphone amp. For example, they mention that it sounds warm, tight, and detailed, it does its job perfectly, and that it's totally portable. They appreciate the build quality, saying that it has a well-machined metal/plastic shell. Customers are also impresseded with the power, saying it has plenty of power.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the sound quality of the headphone amplifier. They mention that it has an expansive and open sound, making listening enjoyable. They also say it adds a lot to the music, with clean and detailed vocals and mids. Customers also say the LED, switch, and knob are very useful and easy to memorize. Overall, customers are satisfied with the performance of this portable product.
"...Using my new Hifiman HE400SE planars thus far. Well, this amp sounds darned good, very "warm but neutral" and the bass and 3D features add a lot...." Read more
"...To me it's a brilliant product. The sound quality is very, very good....quite remarkable for a travel design...." Read more
"...That's when I noticed that the xCan actually has smoother sound. It's not "edgy" with shrill highs and too much bass like the BTR5 does...." Read more
"...But It have buttons, LED , switch and knob that very useful and very easy to memorize, after 10 minutes I operate the device I already know what I..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the performance of the headphone amplifier. They mention that it does its job perfectly, the sound quality is very good, and it drives their Sennheiser HD800s beautifully. Some say that there is a very obvious improvement.
"...are useful and work as promised. It charged in about three hours...." Read more
"...To me it's a brilliant product. The sound quality is very, very good....quite remarkable for a travel design...." Read more
"...Otherwise, it works very well; the metal/plastic shell doesn't feel cheap although I was surprised by the small size...." Read more
"...Absolutely beautiful. It drives my Sennheiser HD800s beautifully and works equally as well with my Audeze earbuds...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the headphone amp. They mention that it is totally portable, and could function as a portable laptop. The amp is powerful and small enough to sit in your pocket, without feeling overly bulky. Some customers also say that it's the best portable Bluetooth headphone AMP available.
"...Or basic IEMs. The amp is built solid, has a metal chassis, is compact but has some weight to it, All the indicator lights etc...." Read more
"...(it's super light). The xCan is made of aluminum with plastic rear and knob...." Read more
"TLDR; If you're looking for a highquality, powerful portable headphone amp without a DAC, this is one of the best...." Read more
"...It is small enough to sit in your pocket without feeling overly bulky...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the sturdiness of the headphones. They mention that they have no complaints with the build quality, it's well-machined, and solid. Some say that the design and sound are analog and really well done. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.
"...it up any louder. Or basic IEMs. The amp is built solid, has a metal chassis, is compact but has some weight to it, All the indicator lights etc...." Read more
"...It's the best technical product I have bought in a long time...." Read more
"...After I hold the product, it feels very solid. Nice!! I have no regrets buying this product instead of Fiio BTR7 that have more features...." Read more
"...Otherwise, it works very well; the metal/plastic shell doesn't feel cheap although I was surprised by the small size...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the power of the headphone amp. They mention that it has plenty of power, is incredibly flexible, and has enough power to switch through any of their 12 headphones. Some say that the added power was nice. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.
"...Has plenty of power, even on the planars I tested the upper power shelf and it has plenty of power to spare, I would never turn it up nearly that..." Read more
"...It has enough power to switch through any of my 12 headphones and has balanced output...." Read more
"...I can tell you the added power was nice, but I can tell you that beyond a certain point it is more than the power...." Read more
"This is a unique amplifier that outputs a lot of power with very clean sound from the 2.5 mm connection...." Read more
Customers appreciate the headphones' appearance. They say it has an aesthetic design, and is quite remarkable for a travel design.
"...The sound quality is very, very good....quite remarkable for a travel design...." Read more
"...And I admire the aesthetic design from IFI, the design is very unique and different with others audio company...." Read more
"...Absolutely beautiful. It drives my Sennheiser HD800s beautifully and works equally as well with my Audeze earbuds...." Read more
"...No complaints with build quality (solid) design, features or sound.Bluetooth capability detracts from the user experience...." Read more
Customers like the connectivity of the headphones. For example, they say it pairs well with their DAP Hiby R6 and has excellent sound quality with Android products with AptX HD.
"...Sound is good with iPhones, excellent with Android products with AptX HD. The xCan an outstanding value for a portable headphone amp." Read more
"...Pairs well with my DAP Hiby R6. Exactly what I was looking for. Great bang for the buck and I would highly recommend." Read more
"Ok. At least it connects better than the xdsd does. Not sure there is any point in buying this product over buying decent Bluetooth headphones...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the bluetooth connectivity of the headphones. Some mention that both have Bluetooth capability, while others say that they have highly limited capabilities.
"...Features: Both have Bluetooth capability but I question why the xCan touts "Hi-Res" when BT 4.2 can't do more than 44.1k streaming...." Read more
"...Bluetooth capability detracts from the user experience...." Read more
"...It has headphone jack input so it can be used with or without Bluetooth. Sound is good with iPhones, excellent with Android products with AptX HD...." Read more
"...At about 10 feet the Bluetooth connection began to breakup and then lost its connection with the device...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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for some reason. My Fiio player has BT also of course, so I can either do wireless with the XCan or wired! Fantastic. The only thing you cannot do is use wireless IEMS or headphones with this amp.
Using my new Hifiman HE400SE planars thus far. Well, this amp sounds darned good, very "warm but neutral" and the bass and 3D features add a lot. Has plenty of power, even on the planars I tested the upper power shelf and it has plenty of power to spare, I would never turn it up nearly that loud!
For dynamic phones you could probably keep it down in the silver or green range and never have to turn
it up any louder. Or basic IEMs. The amp is built solid, has a metal chassis, is compact but has some weight to it, All the indicator lights etc. are useful and work as promised. It charged in about three hours.
I don't have any balanced cables here, and have never used them, and I'm a bit baffled as to
what cables I would need for the 2.5" balanced input or headphone out on here. I'll research
that later on. I will also test the Bluetooth later as well, with my iPhone14. I just used the
basic longer 3.5" provided to connect the DAP to the amp.
I believe, for under $200, this is a phenomenal headphone amp. It's a big upgrade
from the older Fiio A5 amp I was using for several years, as the XCan has tons more power,
and sounds overall, a good deal sharper and clearer as well. You have both BT options
and old school wired, and both balanced inputs/outputs, which is amazing. The amp has power
to burn to drive almost any headphones, I would say, except maybe super high impedance
power eating studio phones. Even those, it should drive anyway. I played Wish You Were Here
side 1 (Pink Floyd from Discovery box set) and now playing Blondie Disc 1 of the new box set
Against The Odds, and all of it sounds warm, tight, and detailed so far, no distortion at all.
The XBass really helps for planars, etc. 3D is less exciting but it does add some soundstage
or presence. With XBass on, it adds a good deal of low end punch, but, it still doesn't go to
exaggerated, muddy, BEATS type extremes.
If you only need a USB connex. portable amp without Bluetooth, get the HipDac 2,
but if you want a lot more power and either type of connection option, the XCan is the
amp for you, no question. And it's totally portable, or could function as a portable laptop
or PC/Mac tablet desk amp if necessary, though you'd have to use BT or a wired connection.
I see now why IFI is held in such high esteem, they put out a quality product, but you better
research it all first to see which of their amps is right for your needs, and also considering
their price levels, which can go from $100 up to $5000 or whatever!
Everything is well thought out and with proper time learning and getting to know the equipment one can have an absolutely amazing audio experience.
I'm not going to say a whole lot other than I don't give 5 stars out willy nilly. This earned 5 stars over 9 months of use and truly understanding every feature and optimizing sound of each one of my headphones. This product has no firmware update, software upgrade, or app and therefore is a product that you can use well into the future. To me it's a brilliant product. The sound quality is very, very good....quite remarkable for a travel design. Listening to quality productions on this has left my mouth open at times.
I have since gone on to buy the xdsd which is basically this with a DAC.
I repeat I don't do a lot of reviews and I am a tough critic and rarely give 5 stars. It's the best technical product I have bought in a long time. It has enough power to switch through any of my 12 headphones and has balanced output. If you understand EQ then you will know how to use the features optimally.
At $220 - $250 this is a great value.
Looks: The BTR5 is much smaller (photos). It's a little bigger than my thumb and has a clip. The xCan is about the size of a wallet. The B5 is made mostly of plastic with glass front and back. It also has a plastic clip which is great for hanging off your shirt neck or pocket (it's super light). The xCan is made of aluminum with plastic rear and knob. It has no clip or 3rd party case with clip. It does come with a velvet drawstring bag to keep fingerprints and scratches off of it in your pocket. If you want super portability, BTR5 wins.
Features: Both have Bluetooth capability but I question why the xCan touts "Hi-Res" when BT 4.2 can't do more than 44.1k streaming. Again, since it lacks USB-C, it can't tap into the 192/32+ samples. BTR5 is BT5.0 which does have ADPX HD and LDAC and up DSD512, MQA 16x, 384/32 via USB-C. Some have said the BT on the xCan is terrible. It's made of metal. Of course it's going to mess with the distance compared to the plastic B5. I got less than 10ft from my phone and it was dropping signals. This isn't really a problem for me since I have my phone in my pocket, but if you had it paired with your HDTV or tablet, moving from room to room could be a deal breaker.
The BTR5 has buttons on the side for "pause/play" and certain times you can control your device with the volume up/dn with FF/RW. I say certain times because via BT, the BTR5 can do this, but using it USB-C stops this ability for some reason. Volume still works. Not a dealbreaker but I'd like dedicated FF/RW instead of holding down the up/dn. The xCan can only mute (not pause) the volume if you push on the analog dial. It has no ability to pause/FF/RW songs. That really annoys me since I hate touchscreen phones for music playing. I'll get a proper DAP later.
Both also have 3.5mm and 2.5 "balanced" headphone jacks. The BTR5 only has USB-C input on the back while the xCan has 3.5mm and 2.5mm inputs. That's because the xCan is actually a "dual mono" amp with BT capability. This is where you need to have a DAC of some sort to pump the 96/24 - 384/32 to the xCan. It does come with both male 3.5mm and 2.5mm cords to hook up a DAC (my BTR5 via 2.5mm out) to the rear input and the xCan amplifies the sound. You can use "bit-perfect" out from the DAC so the xCan can amplify the sound analog (later on that).
Sound: So here's the part everyone wants to know. Does the xCan sound better than the BTR5? Yes. Not by a lot though. Since the price of the xCan has dropped from $299 to $199 and the BTR5 is currently $129, if you were only going to use it for BT listening, I'd recommend the xCan (unless the range is a dealbreaker for you). I thought the BTR5 sounded really good when I first got it. Bass was abundant and treble was very clear. I had tested it with 3 HP's (Senn 650HD's, Beyer 770, and TRN V80 which is a two driver IEM) with their cables upgraded to 2.5mm.
Then I got the xCan. What I noticed pushing both at same volumes and no EQ, at first the xCan sounds slightly anemic than the BTR5. That's when I noticed that the xCan actually has smoother sound. It's not "edgy" with shrill highs and too much bass like the BTR5 does. The B5 definitely sounds more "digital" soundwaves than the analog parts in the xCan. The volume is analog and so is the EQ (bass 2+ and presence). My biggest gripe with the BTR5 is, while it is very clear, it's just too much of everything. If you turn up the volume, some drum taps or bass hits get overbearing after hours of listening. Turn the volume to down to compensate and it just feels like it's too quiet. The xCan suppresses (controls) the bass and highs to where hours of listening at a comfortable level doesn't hurt your ears. I think that alone is worth the $70 difference.
Let's talk about the EQ's built in. The BTR5 has a fairly balanced sound without using the digital EQ's. I already mentioned the bass is sometimes too much. Like music apps on your phone, when you turn it on, it does something weird where it lowers the volume and does some strange muffling of frequencies. You know what I'm talking about. While the BTR5 doesn't do it like a music app, it does it to a much smaller degree. The xCan has analog parts that when you flip that switch on the back, it alters the sound without lowering the volume. It's like having bass/treb knobs on a receiver, but you flip it on or off on the xCan. At first I didn't because I had also used the 3D+ (it's supposed to make it sound like the speakers in front of you). the 3D+ makes you lose some stereo separation and I don't personally like it. Maybe you will. However, turning Bass 2+ and Presence adds a bit more bass and slight midrange bump. I pretty much keep it on how since does liven up the sound for most of my songs.
So there you go. I'm going to keep both because I'll use the BTR5 for my computer to pump better DACs to my 2.0 analog 70's Pioneer amp or feed a bit-perfect feed from my phone to the analog xCan. For $330, it's still cheaper than the xDSD Gryphon ($600) that has a real DAC, and I can double the BTR5 for desk use. If you want to try Hi-res audio on the cheap, then get the BTR5 and see if you can tell the difference with your headphones or IEMs. You may find out how bad some of your MP3s sound because the BTR5 is so clear. Get the xCan if you value your ears for long listening sessions and already have a DAP or inline DAC (like Dragonfly black).
Looks: The BTR5 is much smaller (photos). It's a little bigger than my thumb and has a clip. The xCan is about the size of a wallet. The B5 is made mostly of plastic with glass front and back. It also has a plastic clip which is great for hanging off your shirt neck or pocket (it's super light). The xCan is made of aluminum with plastic rear and knob. It has no clip or 3rd party case with clip. It does come with a velvet drawstring bag to keep fingerprints and scratches off of it in your pocket. If you want super portability, BTR5 wins.
Features: Both have Bluetooth capability but I question why the xCan touts "Hi-Res" when BT 4.2 can't do more than 44.1k streaming. Again, since it lacks USB-C, it can't tap into the 192/32+ samples. BTR5 is BT5.0 which does have ADPX HD and LDAC and up DSD512, MQA 16x, 384/32 via USB-C. Some have said the BT on the xCan is terrible. It's made of metal. Of course it's going to mess with the distance compared to the plastic B5. I got less than 10ft from my phone and it was dropping signals. This isn't really a problem for me since I have my phone in my pocket, but if you had it paired with your HDTV or tablet, moving from room to room could be a deal breaker.
The BTR5 has buttons on the side for "pause/play" and certain times you can control your device with the volume up/dn with FF/RW. I say certain times because via BT, the BTR5 can do this, but using it USB-C stops this ability for some reason. Volume still works. Not a dealbreaker but I'd like dedicated FF/RW instead of holding down the up/dn. The xCan can only mute (not pause) the volume if you push on the analog dial. It has no ability to pause/FF/RW songs. That really annoys me since I hate touchscreen phones for music playing. I'll get a proper DAP later.
Both also have 3.5mm and 2.5 "balanced" headphone jacks. The BTR5 only has USB-C input on the back while the xCan has 3.5mm and 2.5mm inputs. That's because the xCan is actually a "dual mono" amp with BT capability. This is where you need to have a DAC of some sort to pump the 96/24 - 384/32 to the xCan. It does come with both male 3.5mm and 2.5mm cords to hook up a DAC (my BTR5 via 2.5mm out) to the rear input and the xCan amplifies the sound. You can use "bit-perfect" out from the DAC so the xCan can amplify the sound analog (later on that).
Sound: So here's the part everyone wants to know. Does the xCan sound better than the BTR5? Yes. Not by a lot though. Since the price of the xCan has dropped from $299 to $199 and the BTR5 is currently $129, if you were only going to use it for BT listening, I'd recommend the xCan (unless the range is a dealbreaker for you). I thought the BTR5 sounded really good when I first got it. Bass was abundant and treble was very clear. I had tested it with 3 HP's (Senn 650HD's, Beyer 770, and TRN V80 which is a two driver IEM) with their cables upgraded to 2.5mm.
Then I got the xCan. What I noticed pushing both at same volumes and no EQ, at first the xCan sounds slightly anemic than the BTR5. That's when I noticed that the xCan actually has smoother sound. It's not "edgy" with shrill highs and too much bass like the BTR5 does. The B5 definitely sounds more "digital" soundwaves than the analog parts in the xCan. The volume is analog and so is the EQ (bass 2+ and presence). My biggest gripe with the BTR5 is, while it is very clear, it's just too much of everything. If you turn up the volume, some drum taps or bass hits get overbearing after hours of listening. Turn the volume to down to compensate and it just feels like it's too quiet. The xCan suppresses (controls) the bass and highs to where hours of listening at a comfortable level doesn't hurt your ears. I think that alone is worth the $70 difference.
Let's talk about the EQ's built in. The BTR5 has a fairly balanced sound without using the digital EQ's. I already mentioned the bass is sometimes too much. Like music apps on your phone, when you turn it on, it does something weird where it lowers the volume and does some strange muffling of frequencies. You know what I'm talking about. While the BTR5 doesn't do it like a music app, it does it to a much smaller degree. The xCan has analog parts that when you flip that switch on the back, it alters the sound without lowering the volume. It's like having bass/treb knobs on a receiver, but you flip it on or off on the xCan. At first I didn't because I had also used the 3D+ (it's supposed to make it sound like the speakers in front of you). the 3D+ makes you lose some stereo separation and I don't personally like it. Maybe you will. However, turning Bass 2+ and Presence adds a bit more bass and slight midrange bump. I pretty much keep it on how since does liven up the sound for most of my songs.
So there you go. I'm going to keep both because I'll use the BTR5 for my computer to pump better DACs to my 2.0 analog 70's Pioneer amp or feed a bit-perfect feed from my phone to the analog xCan. For $330, it's still cheaper than the xDSD Gryphon ($600) that has a real DAC, and I can double the BTR5 for desk use. If you want to try Hi-res audio on the cheap, then get the BTR5 and see if you can tell the difference with your headphones or IEMs. You may find out how bad some of your MP3s sound because the BTR5 is so clear. Get the xCan if you value your ears for long listening sessions and already have a DAP or inline DAC (like Dragonfly black).
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Maneggevole.
Visto il prezzo non lieve, potevano metterci un alimentatore, non solo un cavetto cortissimo per alimentarlo!
Il LED che segnala la carica è quasi invisibile.
Quando si fa un prodotto di qualità,
si dovrebbe anche fornirlo di accessori adeguati.
Inoltre la ditta inglese che lo produce, potrebbe anche mettere, almeno sul sito, le istruzioni in italiano.
Per il resto, più che ottimo come convertitore e ampli per cuffie.
Bruno Ferrara
After much research I decided on purchasing the ifi XCan and as I wanted it the next day and I had missed the “next day” cut off time for P.T. I decided to purchase it from Amazon. Next morning a thought crossed my mind regarding faulty product returns with Amazon hmmm..... It arrived within the pre informed delivery widow which was excellent as always. Great anticipation on its arrival ( I had downloaded the instructions/operating guide from ifi ) so I was ready to rock and roll on its arrival.
Wonderfully packed by Amazon and great presentation box from ifi, re- read the instructions checked the battery level 75% charged so “good to go” had my new iPhone 11 Pro Max fully charged pressed the centre button on the XCan it turned “blue” finding previously paired devised which of course none at the moment then after 20 seconds blue and red flashing to pair devises pressed find new devise on my phone and waited and waited and waited “nothing happed” they could not find each other.
Early morning thoughts of faulty product washed over me. Now if this happens you can press the settings button whilst in Bluetooth mode for three seconds to the force pairing sadly no connection could be made so 25 times later and feeling very disappointed I tried pairing my iPad and another iPhone again no connection made. After questioning my own ability of understanding I searched the internet other instances of this with iOS devices and there have been a number of instances. I tried to contact ifi but you have to raise a ticket with you concerns not good if you are getting a little stressed. I just wanted to talk to someone about it to ascertain if it was indeed faulty. I also turned off my WiFi disconnected my other Bluetooth devises rebooted and tried again nothing. I then turned on my previously connected devises and they all connected within seconds.
I called Amazon and spoke to a very helpful lady “Sophie” who could not help me technically but advised me that she could not replace it and that I would have to send it back then on their receipt of the product they will refund me my money “ok” let’s do that she did however arrange for it to be picked up in two days time.
Next morning I called the guys at Peter Tyson and explained my plight. They have them in stock but it is a new product for them and none had been sold to check for the same fault returns they did however go away and check the one in the showroom and would try connecting to their iPhones. Theirs connected to three phones in seconds the difference with their XCan to mine was when pressing the force connection it flashed manically, mine did not it remained on slow flash. I bought one from them it arrived next day and “hey presto” all three devices where connected within a minute.
What about the XCan well it is “absolutely amazing” the build quality, design and sound are everything I was hoping for. I normally listen to my music through Tidal MQA streamed through my Arcam streamer connected to an Arcam headphone balanced amp and I have both HD650s and HD700s headphones and this little XCan drives them equally as good as the Arcam set up and the big plus I can now listen with the freedom of movement. Now it is an amp but if you play it through Bluetooth it uses its built in Sabre dac which interestingly Arcam now use but played through a wired setup it uses the phone or other devises dac. It is only supposed to convert up to 16 bit rate but I have tried playing the same album through Tidal Hifi and Masters and I can detect an upgrade level of sound quality, detail and clarity from the Master album hmmm interesting as I know the ifi dsd plays MQA but only when wired connected.
Out of interest after the faulty XCan was returned and the replacement XCan was well into being enjoyed with a tremendous smile on my face I received an email from ifi telling me how to make the Bluetooth connection pairing which was word for word as the instructions, my concern was that it would not make a connection not how to make a connection. We live in a most wonderful era with technology but one can’t better talking to another human being with technical knowledge about issues like this.
I also bought a pair of IEMs they are the inexpensive KZ ZS pro 10 I am listening through them through Tidal Bluetooth into the XCan into the IEMs I would strongly endorse Trying this setup the sound is truly mind blowing clarity, detail balanced sonics no background interference just a real musical experience.
I hope this may be helpful to someone in the future as this is a really impressive piece of kit “once paired”.
Bei Bluetooth-Empfängern war ich sehr skeptisch, da meine Erfahrungen nicht gerade das widerspiegeln, was ich Laie erwartet habe.
An einem Receiver/Verstärker ging er zwar recht gut, von der Lautstärke aber die Qualität war nun nicht gerade optimal. Ganz zu schweigen von der Mobilität.
Also waren meine Erwartungeneinfach nur: Ich teste mal, wird schon nicht so prall sein und ich sende den xCAN zurück.
Doch weit gefehlt. Der P1 klingt an dem xCAN viel besser, ist laut und nun kann ich endlich mobil mit den P1 hören.
Zuvor habe ich einen Sony PHA1 am Smartphone betrieben und auch den DAC mit 24bit/192kbits angesteuert, aber es kam auch hier nicht der richtige Sound raus. Ansonsten ist der PHA1 recht gut und hat ansonsten immer gute Dienste geleistet, aber die notwendige Power für den P1 hatte er einfach nicht.
Ich frage mich, weshalb ich die P1 nicht zurückgeschickt habe, als ich keinen passablen Weg gefunden habe die Teile mobil zu nutzen... Gott sei Dank habe ich es nicht getan und diese Kombi ist wirklich sehr gut.
Meine Sennheiser Momentum OverEars waren bislang meine Messlatte, und die recht günstigen IEM KZ ZSX ebenso (sehr empfehlenswert, solange man nicht den BT-Adapter von denen gekauft hat, sondern mit Kabel betreibt), aber nun ist der Klang der P1 Welten von beiden entfernt.
Jetzt macht Tidal und meine HiRes Sammlung auch mobil Spaß.
Was ich an dem xCAN bemerkenswert finde ist die Lautstärkeregelung -- Sehr fein!
Akku scheint bislang ohne Probleme nach ca. 4-5 h Musikgenuss.
Die Einstellungen am Gerät zu XBassII und 3D+ sind angenehm und für den P1 sehr gut geeignet, aber weniger am Sennheiser, da klingt er ohne diese Anpassungen besser.
Also, letztendlich bin ich glücklich und der P1 sieht nunmehr nicht nur gut aus, (ich liebe das Design, andere machen sich darüber lustig...) sondern klingt nun auch für mich außerordentlich gut.
Meine Erwartungen wurden bei Weiten übertroffen.