iFi audio GO pod Max

The GO pod Max is iFi's most advanced way to make wired IEMs wireless: two pods in aluminium and textured polymer, each with its own Bluetooth receiver, DAC and amplifier, that your IEMs connect to with the included 0.78 mm 2-pin or MMCX ear loops (T2, Pentaconn Ear and A2DC loops are sold separately). Each pod has a Qualcomm QCC5181 chip with Bluetooth 5.4 and receives aptX Lossless, which carries CD-quality audio without data loss from phones that support it, plus LDAC, LHDC/HWA, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, AAC and SBC. iFi's K2HD processing, developed with JVCKENWOOD, raises the signal to 96 kHz and, iFi says, restores harmonics above 22 kHz that are lost in CD-quality files. When you place the pods in the case with your IEMs attached, they detect the impedance and set the output for 16, 32, 64 or 300 Ω IEMs. Touch controls, dual microphones with Qualcomm cVc and IPX5 water resistance carry over from the GO pod, and battery life is about 7 hours, or 35 hours with the case. The larger aluminium-topped case fits bigger IEMs, charges over USB-C or Qi, and has four UV lights that iFi says sterilise your earphones between uses.

• aptX Lossless over Bluetooth 5.4 (QCC5181)
• K2HD processing, auto impedance matching up to 300 Ω
• Case with UV lights, 35 h in total