This Tiny Amazing DAC Will Change How You Hear Music! iFi GO Link Review (vs Audioquest Dragonfly Red)

I recently bought a new phone, and all was peachy and great, until I decided to switch my Bluetooth headphones for more quality wired ones. And I hit a wall.

My experience with Smartphone DACs

My regular dongle was not enough, as I learned that new smartphones have removed DACs completely from their phones. So, no conversion on the phone; it had to be done externally.

I used to carry two DACs previously, sometimes with me, but it was bulky, and I gave up—I already have too much stuff in my pocket. When I walk, I don't need to listen to music in the most hi-fi way. But I do own a Chord Mojo 2 and an Audioquest Dragonfly Red.

So, I am not a huge fan of carrying portable DACs, which are not even meant for that use. Or carrying DAPs, which are awesome and probably the best solution for sonics on the go, but they are bulky and another device in your pocket. So I was in a quandary, what to do? Back in the day, there were phones like the LG V3, which had a really good DAC inside. Then they removed the headphone jack, and it became the beginning of companies not caring for serious audio on phones. Now, the only progress is how much better aptX will get with Bluetooth audio. But Bluetooth audio will never be as good as wired; it is just a fact.

Now, that LG V3 was just an experiment, but Sony still believes in audio quality in consumer-grade phones. So I heavily recommend Sony phones to anyone who wants great modern phones with all capabilities for great audio. There is also the Moondrop phone, but it is not commonly available, and even the phone part of that phone is not the best.

iFi Go Link Sound quality

So what to do now? I have to find a solution that is not so bulky, is easy to carry, but has good DAC capabilities and is able to read and convert 24-bit audio.

And here comes the iFi go link. A literal dongle with a DAC attached. And yet not much bigger than regular dongles. I was intrigued, plus they promised PCM up to 384 kHz and DSD256. They even say that they remove a lot of jitter with a quality master clock inside.

Lots of promises, and does it deliver? It does! If you temper your expectations a little bit, though. I tested this with two phones: one is my new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which does not have a DAC, and the other is a Huawei P30 Pro, which has its own internal DAC. I used cheap Sony MDR-EX110 headphones, but also expensive headphones like Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX and Bowers & Wilkins PX8. The reason for using the Sonys was just to test how much the DAC actually improves the sound.

The improvements with this DAC happened instantaneously when I switched between the Huawei and Samsung. If you use Deezer or Tidal or a similar streaming platform with a hi-fi package, the quality spike is really noticeable.

And I think the most audible quality improvement was with the depth of the soundstage, as I could hear all the details in the right and left corners of the dynamic range.

There is always some sort of overlay happening in a song, when clashing compositions are seasoned with nice layering of additional instruments to make the song bigger, more fun, and deeper. These instruments are audible and have shape on the soundstage, not just a part of the sonic texture.

And each instrument is vividly presented more on the stage. This is done by organizing and structuring this information better. It properly puts instruments across the dynamic scale. Bass, mids, and treble are far better organized.

And it is a very neutral presentation; there is no showmanship or additional energy here coming from the DAC itself. It allows the characteristics of your headphones to shine. A great thing about neutral presentation is how much it expands the sound. It gives the song room and space to breathe, and in that case, the sound just sounds bigger. There is also time to feel the transients, sustain, and decay of a note. It is wonderful.

And do you know what the biggest plus is? You this get for only 60 euros. It is incredible value; you cannot find something in this price range doing this much for less. It truly is in a competitive price range.

Some problems

I will briefly go through a few things I do not like so much. First, the build quality. I love the beautiful green and aluminum frame of the body and how compact it is, but the cables that connect the DAC and USB jack seem fragile. I almost always accidentally pull them when unplugging them from my phone. I always feel like I will snap them every time I unplug them. They should have chosen bulkier cables.

Secondly, the sonic character of this DAC is very flat. Your mobile phone is going to have a flat signal, and combined with this, you might at first think you are getting no benefits with this DAC. It is only with continued listening when your brain starts picking up details and space that you understand what this DAC does. So it is a very neutral presentation that maybe could benefit from a few colorations, but that can be helped with equalization or with headphones which are warm or bright.

vs. Audioquest Dragonfly Red

And that is really noticeable when I test this side-by-side with my Audioquest Dragonfly Red. This is brilliant, but I love this more! The creates a est creats more engaging sound, more detailed and open. It is equally transparent as the iFi, but the Audioquest does everything else better. But the downside is that you need an additional dongle for it. Audioquest sells it, and this is my second dongle from Audioquest; I also have one for Chord Mojo. That makes this whole ordeal a bit more clunky. It is also bigger and heavier. When you are outside, you can forget that you have the iFi with you, but the Audioquest, you will always know it is in your pocket. But it is also almost three to four times more expensive, and in that comparison, even though I love my Audioquest, the value is on the iFi's side.

But Dragonfly Red is a more mature DAC that organizes and extracts details better. Also, if you use Red and are an Android user, you need to download special software to bypass USB audio, as it will not work correctly otherwise. Some communication between the DAC and Android is not done correctly, and it will always cap the output, making the sound low. You need something like USB Audio Pro to correctly use it with your phone and headphones.

Conclusion

iFi Go Link is a very portable, quality DAC that costs just 60 euros. That is high praise. It details, opens the sound, organizes it correctly, creates great spatial effects, and makes your music more rounded, vivid, and real. It is an unmatched value in this price range. If you can overlook the questionable build and flat sonic characteristics, it is a must-have if you love music and have a smartphone.

Pros and Cons of the iFi Go Link DAC

✅ Pros:

1. Significant Sound Improvement – Enhances depth, clarity, and soundstage, making instruments more distinct and well-placed.

2. Highly Neutral Presentation – No artificial coloration; lets the headphones' natural sound shine.

3. Compact and Ultra-Portable – Small size makes it easy to carry, unlike bulkier DACs or DAPs.

4. Amazing Value for Money – At only 60 euros, it delivers outstanding performance for its price.

5. Supports High-Resolution Audio – Handles PCM up to 384 kHz and DSD256, reducing jitter with a quality master clock.

6. Better Alternative to Expensive & Bulky DACs – Compared to Audioquest Dragonfly Red, it offers competitive performance at a fraction of the price.

❌ Cons:

1. Flimsy Cable Design – The connector cable feels fragile and may not be durable with frequent use.

2. Very Flat Sonic Character – May not immediately impress casual listeners; benefits from EQ or colored headphones. Unlike some DACs, it doesn’t add warmth or extra dynamics, which might not suit everyone’s taste.

3. Lacks the Refinement of Higher-End DACs – Compared to Dragonfly Red, it doesn’t extract details as well or create an engaging sound.