Portable DAC dongles have been shrinking for years, but iFi has now taken the idea to its logical end: the iFi Go Cable does away with the separate dongle altogether. It is a USB-C cable for in-ear monitors with a DAC and a headphone amplifier built into the lead, and the British company pitches it as an even more compact alternative to its well-reviewed Go Link 2.
The concept is simple. A USB-C plug goes into your phone, tablet or laptop, silver-plated cabling carries the signal through the built-in DAC and amp, and the cable ends in two 0.78mm two-pin connectors for the IEMs of your choice. According to iFi, the Go Cable “bypasses the internals of your device”, unlocking “detail, clarity and dynamic range [that] your device alone can’t deliver”.
What’s inside
The core is an ESS Sabre DAC, which gives the Go Cable support for hi-res audio up to PCM 384kHz and DSD256. The ESS chipset also brings THD compensation, which iFi says “keeps distortion under control”. Power is modest but fits the job: the company quotes 70mW at 32 ohms, which is plenty for in-ear monitors rather than hard-to-drive full-size headphones.
- DAC: ESS Sabre, PCM 384kHz and DSD256
- Output: ≥1.5V/70mW @ 32Ω; ≥2V/14mW @ 300Ω
- Output impedance: <1Ω
- SNR: ≥120dBA; THD+N: ≤0.004% (1.27V @ 32Ω)
- Frequency response: 10Hz-80kHz (-0.5dB)
- Connectors: USB-C in, 0.78mm 2-pin out
- Length and weight: 1.37m, 16g
More than a music cable
Like a regular headset lead, the Go Cable has transport controls and an echo-cancelling microphone. That means you can take calls, change volume and control playback without touching the source device. iFi also has gamers in mind: the cable supports the Nintendo Switch 2’s GameChat feature, so the same lead can go from phone to console.
There is one obvious catch. The Go Cable is only half a headphone setup, and you need your own IEMs. For anyone starting from scratch, iFi offers the Go Cable Astra Hi-Res Starter Kit, which adds a pair of AIRO Astra buds for an extra £20 / $20.
Price and availability
The iFi Go Cable went up for pre-order at £79 / $79, and the Go Cable Astra Hi-Res Starter Kit costs £99 / $99. According to What Hi-Fi?, which reported the launch on September 16, 2026, iFi promised shipping by September 21, 2026. For people who already own a good pair of IEMs and are tired of the extra dongle in their pocket, it is one of the neatest ways to upgrade phone audio.
