iFi Looks to Power UP Your Summer Soundtrack With Two New Releases

iFi has always been great at spotting a niche within a niche, and this year's High End Munich show saw two new travel accessories from the UK-headquartered company - the UP Travel Bluetooth DAC and GO Pod Air. The former adds Bluetooth smarts to anything with a headphone port, while the latter is a more compact version of the GO Pod that adds wireless skills to your standard in-ear monitors (IEMs).

The iFi UP Travel is a nifty little thing that plugs into an in-car or in-flight entertainment system, converting it into a wireless system, enabling you to use your Bluetooth headphones wherever you are. Moreover, it also streams hi-res Bluetooth to car aux inputs, making road trips much more democratic for those with older in-car audio systems.

The 3.5mm connector flips out at the press of a button, a bit like a car key. The UP Travel's transmitter mode sends audio from an in-flight system or a laptop's 3.5mm headphone jack to your headphones, while receiver mode does the same from your car's aux input.

At a mere 25g, it's not going to affect your carry-on luggage, while the 10-hour battery will see you through most flights without recharging.

Another cool feature is UP Travel's dual headphone support, meaning you can share your film audio, playlist or podcast with your travel buddy. Driven by iFi's "hi-fi-grade architecture," it boasts independent audio stages that promise maximum performance.

iFi tells us this is the only such device to use "true hi-fi-grade architecture". The Qualcomm QCC51xx series Bluetooth chipset delivers high-quality Bluetooth codecs – SBC, AAC, aptX (Classic, Low-Latency, Adaptive), LDAC, and LHDC/HWA – with greater stability. Meanwhile, the Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC delivers "detailed, accurate sound with wide dynamic range and minimal distortion."

It also uses iFi's bespoke clocking circuitry to keep all components performing optimally. And there's a microphone built into the base uses Qualcomm's cVc noise and echo suppression technology for clearer, hands-free calls.

iFi's GO Pod Air, in simplest terms, is a more compact, more affordable and lighter version of the brand's full-fat GO Pod. However, we're told it's every bit as capable as the original.

Engineered to liberate your wired IEMs from their cables, it combines "audiophile-grade architecture" with a range of features for work and play.

Each 10g GO Pod Air boasts "Hi-Fi inspired circuitry", balanced amplification, and intelligent impedance matching, so we are told. This starts with a premium-tier Qualcomm QCC514x Series chip dedicated solely to Bluetooth reception, which then sends data to a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC supporting 24/96kHz Hi-Res wireless audio and compatible with SBC, AAC, aptX (Classic, HD, Adaptive), LDAC and LHDC/HWA codecs.

Additionally, the GO Pod Air is compatible with most IEMs with 2-pin and MMCX ear loops provided as standard, while T2, A2DP, and Pentaconn ear loop options are available. Moreover, intelligent impedance matching is tailored to three levels - 16, 32 and 64 ohms.

Built for all occasions, the GO Pod Air is IPX5 rated, will last seven hours on a single charge (the lightweight travel case takes this to a total of 15 hours), and also features dual microphones supported by Qualcomm's cVc echo and noise suppression tech for crystal clear calls.

Out now, the iFi UP Travel sells for £99 / €99/ $99, while the Go Pod Air is £249 / €249 / $249.

Visit iFi for more information