Is a $1,600 DAC worth it? iFi Valkyrie review

The iFi Valkyrie is marketed as a luxurious transportable DAC to take high-quality sound with you anywhere. If you are considering buying this, you are probably considering the ability to have high-fidelity audio with as little hassle as possible. Compared to a fully fledged DAC and AMP combination the size of an old VHS player, this is definitely more transportable. I’ve already bought some of iFi’s older micro series, yes, that means multiple, I got both the Signature and Black Label editions. In other words, as an audio gear enthusiast, I’m a prime target for the Valkyrie. In testing it out, I want it for myself, but is it worth the price tag?

What I like about the iFi Valkyrie

The unboxing experience is nothing short of impressive. Inside the massive packaging is a wooden box, with a carved Norse design in the shape of a wing taking up the majority of the top. Opening it up, the iFi Valkyrie is placed in a precision-cut foam. The Valkyrie has a lovely, warm metallic matte sheen. The buttons with the screen on top don’t match the rest of the aesthetic, but it isn’t too bad. The front of the Valkyrie is visually striking and symmetrical. The main knob to control the volume is clicky, tactile, and easy to turn. I prefer it without the clicks, but some people would enjoy the audible feedback.

The buttons are laid out clearly, without too much hassle to figure out what each does. I do like that you can easily swap inputs, and there are a lot of input options. Input options include Bluetooth with hi-res codecs such as LDAC and APTX Lossless, coaxial, optical, USB, and line-in. Other than the cables, you’re going to be ready to connect to almost any device. With the 20,000mAh battery, you don’t even need to plug it in to power, assuming you remember to charge it the night before. Since I move it between desktops, I can constantly keep it charged while in use, which means the battery only really comes into play when I use it on the go and don’t have enough outlets to power all of my gear.

To bring it anywhere, the wooden box isn’t just for show; you can dig out the carry case. It is, for all intents and purposes, a carry case for you to be able to use the iFi Valkyrie on the go.  The carry case has cable routing sections that allow you to connect to the Valkyrie while still in the case. Inside, the case is similar to a camera bag with velcro sections that allow you to arrange the inside as you’d like. The cable in and out points aren’t large enough that the Valkyrie would fall out of the case, but cables aren’t a hassle to pass through. Inside the case, there’s a carry strap, which allows you to carry the Valkyrie like a small purse.

In terms of how it sounds, the iFi Valkyrie has multiple modes that can change your experience. XBass II is a little more subtle than the previous iteration. Unlike most bass boosts, the bass doesn’t become overbearing and cover up the mids, but the difference is definitely noticeable. The XPresence mode brings vocals a little more forward. Everything sounds a little closer without losing any clarity, but it doesn’t overstep and start feeling unnatural.  You can combine both modes, but this tends to make it feel like everything is much closer. IFi says that XSpace should decrease the internality to how an audio product sounds, but to my ears, the difference XSpace makes is subtle. I can barely tell if there’s a difference, even after trying it with a bunch of headphones and IEMs, and I even changed up my listening volume to see if I could discern a difference easily. Without any of the DSP enabled, the sound coming from the iFi Valkyrie is clean, there’s a great amount of clarity and separation, with no coloration to how it would sound, what you’re putting in is what you’re getting out. This is the case on the 4.4mm, 3.5mm, and speaker outputs.

What I don’t like about the iFi Valkyrie

Despite the size of the Valkyrie being “transportable”, it’s not the most convenient to bring around; it’s definitely not something you can toss into your bag without thinking about. Yes, there’s a carry case, but do you really think you’re getting the best sound for your headphones while taking a stroll around the city?

The feature that annoyed me the most is the automatic power-off. It’s way too short, and there aren’t any options to change the duration before it activates. Way too often, when I walked away, I would come back, hit play, only to be greeted with utter silence, followed by confusion. Going into the menus, there aren’t any options to change the duration of the automatic power-off, just an on or off. I wish there were an option that would allow the behavior of the option to change when the Valkyrie is connected to power.

The options in the menus are loaded, but not the most intuitive to use. Different menus and options are hidden behind long presses of different buttons, making it annoying to remember which button opens what.  And even using the menu is a little annoying as the main knob is too light for going through the menus without skipping to another option. I got used to it, but it takes a while to get used to.

Using the app isn’t great either. I’ve had issues connecting via USB, despite being able to listen to music. I was able to connect after connecting through Bluetooth, but most of the options aren’t available through the device. All I could do is select the specific codecs the connection can use; even then, I still had to go into the device’s Bluetooth settings directly to change the codec.

The last gripe is with the carry case, which is not just bulky, but only includes a short carry handle. If I were using this on the go, it’s terribly inconvenient for me to hold on to the carry case constantly. It would have been much better to be able to carry the iFi Valkyrie hands-free via a shoulder strap when carrying it around. The charger is bulky and could have been a small Gan charger. I have simply replaced it with a smaller charger, as the iFi Valkyrie doesn’t need to be connected to power to be used.

Should you buy the iFi Valkyrie?

For the audio gear enthusiasts, the iFi could be worth the massive $1600 asking price, but the average person does not need to buy this product. The ability to get high-quality sound at any given moment without the need to plug into a power outlet is awesome, but then again, are you really bringing studio headphones or monitors on the go with you that often?

If you just want to have good sound while traveling, you could consider the convenience of wireless headphones like the Focal Bathys, a superior experience compared to the AirPods Max in my opinion, or a digital audio player for a different experience with the wired headphones or IEMs you already have. If you just need a DAC that’s much smaller than the iFi Valkyrie and can power most headphones while having similar features, check out the iFi hip-dac 3 instead.