Hi Guys, 

Today we are talking about a follow-up product from iFi, the GoBar Kensei. I reviewed the original GoBar a couple of years ago and was a big fan of it when compared to other dongle DACs I had used, especially if it was going to be your primary DAC/Amp in your system. iFi has taken the GoBar and slightly reworked it with the new Kensei model, and added an interesting feature from JVC/Kenwood as part of the new package. 

Basically, the Kensei is the same size and shape as the original GoBar. It features a new Stainless Steel shell which is slightly heavier than the original GoBar but should offer slightly better protection from bumps and knocks and does feel better in the hand than the original. The inputs and outputs remain the same as the original GoBar, with a USB-C input, and a 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced Pentaconn output as standard. I really like the industry’s overall move to USB-C over the last couple of years for these types of devices, as I find it to be a bit more hard-wearing and tough than connections like Micro USB. 

On the side of the Kensei, there are three buttons, two for either volume change or option change, and a selection button for the K2 HD processing, iFi’s standard XSpace, and XBass options, and MQA (though I would argue MQA is pretty much a dead format these days.) It also features iFi’s “ieMatch” feature, allowing you to tweak the output for very high sensitivity IEMs, which is very handy if you happen to own a super sensitive pair to avoid hiss. 

So. What is “K2 HD” processing? This is an interesting new feature that is owned and licensed by JVC/Kenwood. Essentially the engineers at Victor Studio found that their Digital submasters did not sound as good as their original masters. I’m assuming this may mean older tape-based masters, as the vast majority of recording since at least the late 1990’s is captured digitally. Anyhow, I digress. As far as I understand K2 attempts to correct the 1st 2nd and 3rd harmonic distortion characteristics of the original sound, across the high-frequency range – which can be truncated by 44.1khz/16bit recordings. Thus, the overall goal of K2 processing is to try and provide a more true to real-life sound from recordings whilst also upscaling the file to 192khz/24bit. Did I find it made a huge difference? No. A slight difference on some more simply recorded acoustic instrumental tracks? Maybe? Honestly, it was a small enough difference it could have been mental and the placebo effect. Still, it’s an interesting feature to have on such a small piece of gear, and I have to give iFi credit for at least trying new ideas and trying to bring meaningful features to their products. 

In terms of overall sound, the Kensei reminds me of the original GoBar but with slightly less warmth in the lower mids and very slightly more clarity in the treble. The overall performance is actually very similar. There is a very good amount of power available, 477mw into 32ohms from the balanced 4.4mm output, which is impressive for a device of this size. The slight increase in clarity in the treble does help with the leading edges of notes and helps sounds seem slightly more defined. The bass is largely the same as the original GoBar but does seem slightly more accurate and precise, again perhaps due to the slight increase in clarity. 

In terms of filters, you have the same filter set as many iFi devices these days. Bit Perfect, Standard, Minimum Phase, and Gibbs Transient Optimized. My favourite of all these which seems to be across all the iFi devices which feature them, is the GTO, Gibbs Transient Optimized filter. This upsamples to 352.8/384Khz and seems slightly more detailed to my ears. It also seems slightly more accurate sounding. However, I really recommend you play with all these settings, as you might enjoy one of the other filters. There’s no right or wrong answer here, just personal preferences. 

The build quality of the Kensei feels better than that of the original GoBar. This will largely be due to the new Stainless Steel shell. It has heft to it and feels great in the hand. The finish will scratch if pushed, but so will the original GoBar. Overall, there are not many changes build quality-wise with the GoBar, as there isn’t really much to a simple Dongle DAC/Amp, but the new stainless steel shell is a welcome addition, in my opinion. 

Overall, the GoBar Kensei is a slight improvement over its predecessor so original GoBar. The new implementation of K2 processing is not as massive a change to the sonics as it may seem, but everything else about the Kensei remains worthwhile. I really do enjoy the new stainless steel shell, and the slight changes and improvements to the sonic performance are absolutely worthwhile also. At $449USD, this is not a cheap USB dongle DAC/Amp. If it is going to be your only source/amp in your system, it is worth it in my opinion. If it is simply a cheap backup option you are looking for, I would recommend checking out some of the cheaper Chi-fi dongle options on the market, of which there are many nowadays. The Kensei sounds great, has worked well over my entire time with the loaner model, and looks and feels better than the original also. A nice update from iFi, and worth checking out in my opinion.