iFi audio unveils iDSD Phantom, its most powerful all-in-one hi-fi yet

British audio company iFi audio has lifted the curtain on the iDSD Phantom, a new flagship home listening beast that rolls a reference-grade DAC, ultra-hi-res network streamer and seriously muscular headphone amplifier into a single, rather handsome box. In short: this is iFi throwing everything it knows at the wall, and confidently expecting it all to stick.

Billed as the brand’s most advanced listening experience to date, the Phantom replaces the Pro iDSD and upgrades just about every moving part in the process. There’s a rebuilt streaming engine, more precise digital conversion, greater output headroom and, crucially for audiophiles who like to tinker, far more granular user control. It’s less “plug and play” and more “welcome to the cockpit”.

At the heart of the Phantom is iFi’s new Chrysopoeia FPGA remastering engine, which brings DSD Remastering up to DSD2048 into the home, a level of processing previously reserved for elite mastering studios. To put that into perspective: at DSD2048, the signal is sampled around 90 million times per second, which is the sort of number normally reserved for NASA launches or particularly ambitious Excel spreadsheets.

Streaming-wise, the Phantom debuts iFi’s latest ultra-resolution platform, adding Qobuz Connect to the likes of Tidal and Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and more. It supports native 768kHz PCM and DSD512, while galvanic isolation on Ethernet and digital inputs helps keep electrical noise firmly outside the listening party.

Then there’s the power. With a peak output of 7,747mW, the Phantom is capable of driving pretty much any pair of headphones you throw at it, politely, effortlessly, and without breaking a sweat. Real-time circuitry switching allows users to choose between solid-state precision, tube warmth, or a Tube+ mode that leans fully into golden-era analogue vibes.

Add in Quad Burr-Brown DACs, K2HD harmonic restoration, XBass Pro, XSpace Pro and a frankly intimidating list of filters and modes, and the Phantom becomes less a hi-fi component and more the beating heart of a very serious home audio setup.

As chief engineer Colin Farch puts it, every stage has been re-examined, measured and improved, and at £4,499, you’d certainly hope so. Still, for those chasing the absolute summit of personal audio, the Phantom looks less like overkill and more like the endgame.

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