Want a better-sounding phone, not a new phone? It'll only cost you $60 with this little dongle

• iFi announces the GO Link 2 DAC
• Allows 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 playback
• Sells for $59 / £59 / (around AU$112)

While iFi already has some of the top spots in our list of the best headphone DACs, it's clearly not content without a full sweep. Only a week after announcing a trio of flagship DACs (and barely a month after launching the super-high end iDSD Phantom) the company has leapt to the other end of the market, to unveil a brand-new budget option to super-charge your headphones.

Meet the iFi Go Link 2 which, as the name suggests, is a successor to the 2022-release Go Link. It's on sale now, going for $59 / £59 (around AU$112), so it costs the same as the original — but is a cheaper alternative to the more recent five-star Go Link Max.

Honestly, at this price, it might be a better upgrade to your tech line-up than just buying some of the best headphones.

Like its predecessor, the Go Link 2 allows for 32-bit/384kHz PCM audio playback and DSD256 from any device — well, as long as it has a USB-C port you can put it into. That's most laptops, smartphones and tablets, though.

iFi Go Link 2: so what's new?

It seems that the main improvement the Go Link 2 brings, is a smaller body. It's 29% lighter and 8% smaller, making it a slightly more space-saving option. Though bear in mind, 8% of 'not much' is in itself, er, not that much.

This sequel DAC also offers reduced distortion, which iFi puts at 62% less, and a 50% crosstalk reduction due to the S-balanced 3.5mm output. All those numbers point to this being a slightly refreshed and refined headphone DAC, not a brand-new model. If you want extra tools, like support for 4.4mm headphone connections or a range of various refinement techs, you'll want the excellent Go Link Max (which is only a little more, at $79 / £79 / AU$139).

One other tweak is that the Go Link 2 now works with iFi's Nexis app, which doesn't sound like it'll change that much, but the brand does promising it'll push through the occasional update, and let you add digital filters.

So, not a total overhaul. But people who own one of the best smartphones, and have realized that the ceiling on audio from these gadgets is lower than expected, will find that a small fee will let you enjoy much more high-resolution audio.

The best headphone DACs for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs
1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC:
iFi GO Link Max
2. Best budget desktop DAC:
iFi Uno
3. Best premium portable DAC:
iFi xDSD Gryphon
4. Best wireless DAC:
Fiio BTR17

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